Cumbria’s MPs, council leaders and nuclear industry representatives met with Rail Minister Lord Hendy in Parliament recently to make progress on plans for a major upgrade of the Cumbrian Coast Line through West Cumbria.
After ten years with no progress under the previous government, plans are now motoring ahead. This is the second meeting Cumbrian leaders have held with the Rail Minister and Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister has raised the upgrade twice in Parliament with the Secretary of State in the last month.
Responding to Josh’s question in Parliament, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“My honourable friend has been a great advocate for his constituents on this topic and makes a strong case for the scheme. My officials are working with Cumberland Council and across Whitehall to refine the business case he refers to.”
Josh said:
“Cumbria is speaking with one voice on this important issue and we are finally making real progress after years of dither and delay under the previous government.
“We have updated the outline business case, we are in the process of sourcing funding to get it to final business case and we are lobbying ministers hard to ensure that once we have that we are in the strongest position we can be to get this project into the government’s infrastructure pipeline during this Parliament.
“The Rail Minister agreed to meet again in the autumn and in the meantime there will be meetings at official level to make progress on developing the next stage of the business case.”
Josh MacAlister MP 