Railway reorganisation must lead to more investment and cheaper tickets - MP

Commenting on the Government's new sweeping rail reforms announced this morning, local MP and chair of the rail group Cumbria Better Connected Tim Farron said: "For too long, rail passengers in Cumbria have suffered at the hands of a fragmented and broken franchise system.

"When the timetable fiasco a few years ago led to services on the Lakes Line being pulled for an entire month, we saw rail companies allowed to pass the buck and dodge responsibility from the chaos that they created that summer.

"So the news that we're now going to have single body responsible for setting the timetable, selling the tickets and managing the stations has to be welcomed.

"However the real test for these reforms will be whether they lead to more investment for the Lakes and Furness lines, cheaper tickets and a more reliable service for passengers in Cumbria."