MP campaigns to save under threat tourist rail service

Local MP Tim Farron is putting pressure on Northern to save an under threat key tourist rail service which connects Lancashire to Yorkshire and Cumbria.

The Dales Rail charter train service has run over the years on summer Sundays from stations including Blackpool, Blackburn and Clitheroe to the Settle-Carlisle line, giving visitors the opportunity to leave their cars and travel to the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria along the Eden Valley.

However, the service has been axed this Summer due to a lack of available drivers, sparking fears for its future.

When Parliament returns later this month, Tim will table a motion in the House of Commons in an attempt to drum up cross-party support from MPs in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Tim's Early Day Motion will call on Northern to 'strain every sinew' to make sure the service is not cut indefinitely.

Tim said: "The Dales Rail service is massively important to Cumbria's visitor economy and particularly for the areas on the Settle-Carlisle line including Garsdale, Dent, Kirkby Stephen and Appleby.

"By allowing visitors from Lancashire to leave their cars at home and catch the train up to the Yorkshire Dales and the Eden Valley, this eases congestion on our small, busy roads and also reduces the amount of carbon we are emitting in our national parks.

"Northern's decision to pull the service is clearly a huge blow and so it's critical that they sort out these staffing issues in time for next summer or we could risk losing the Dales Rail service permanently.

"That's why I'm asking MPs from Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire from all parties to back my motion and put pressure on Northern to save this service."