The new Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, had only been in the job for five days when a letter landed on her desk calling for investment in the Cumbrian Coast Line as an urgent priority.
The letter, drafted by Whitehaven and Workington’s new MP, Josh MacAlister, was signed by Cumbria’s four new Labour MPs, Tim Farron, Lib Dem MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale, the leaders of Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness councils and the bosses of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
More than 200,000 people and 10,000 businesses are located along the route of the Cumbrian Coast Line. It is a key asset for the north and investment could act as a catalyst for significant inward investment and growth in Cumbria. Investment is urgent following a number of recent issues on the line.
A bid was made to the previous Conservative government several years ago to upgrade the line, which was rejected. In the dying days of Rishi Sunak’s government he promised to deliver the scheme, but no funding was allocated in the last government’s Budget earlier this year.
Josh said:
“The Conservatives left the new government with the worst economic inheritance since the Second World War and difficult decisions are going to have to be made.
“Their promise to invest in our railway with phantom money years from now was a cynical election con they had no intention of delivering, and West Cumbrians saw right through it.
“Labour’s commitment to growth means investing in infrastructure projects that will deliver growth. We’re going to make the strongest case we can that investing in the Cumbrian Coast Line is key to generating growth here in Cumbria.
“This cross-county, cross-party approach will be the new way we will work in a new grown up politics to get things done for the people of Cumbria.”
Josh MacAlister MP 