TIME TO GET CAMBRIAN TRAINS BACK ON TRACK

10.03.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 29th Feb 2008

Following Wednesday's Welsh Questions, Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire, was pleased that Minister for Wales, Huw Irranca-Davies, has agreed to a summit meeting with MPs, Arriva, and other interested parties to discuss how to improve the Cambrian Line service.

"The high fares and frequent delays surely ranks the UK's rail system as one of the lowest in Europe. The train service in Mid Wales is a prime example of this failing system, with both my constituents and I having experienced frequent severe delays.

"A good transport service opens up our region to developers, tourists and others who stand to make a useful investment in our local economy. An improved rail service is also key to reducing transport carbon emissions by coaxing people out of their cars and into public transport. I am reluctant to encourage cross-border commuters onto the trains while there are such frequent and severe delays.

"The problem has festered for far too long. The Government needs to consider practical options such as combining infrastructure and operations management of the rail service to tackle this problem head on."

"I look forward to these discussions and hope to make real headway on this problem."

Notes:

To read more about Liberal Democrat Transport Policy Paper Towards a Carbon Free Transport please see:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/TOWARDS%20CARBON%20FREE%20TRANSPORT.pdf