MP meets with rail bosses to make the case not to close South Cumbria’s railways over Easter weekend

Local MP Tim Farron has urged Network Rail to scrap plans to close the two main rail lines that run through South Cumbria over Easter weekend.

At a meeting with representatives from Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group and Virgin on Friday, Tim was told that in addition to the closures on the Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend, the Lakes Line would also be shut on both bank holidays in May.

Tim raised fears about the damage this would cause to the Lake District economy during some of the busiest weekends of the year.

Tim said: "Of course, work on the line needs to be done, but it simply defies all common sense to do it at the Lake District's busiest time of year.

"And to add insult to injury they are now planning on shutting the Lakes Line during the two May bank holidays.

"This just goes to show a clear lack of understanding about the importance of tourism to our local economy and once again shows that Cumbria is treated as the end of the line by rail bosses."