North West Liberal Democrats

Lancashire Motivate is on Saturday 28th July 2018

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has called for there to be a new rail franchise for the three local train lines that operate in Cumbria.

Tim's intervention follows his successful bid to secure support for West Coast Railways to step in and run the Lakes Line between Oxenholme and Windermere after current operator Northern Rail cancelled all trains for a period of four weeks.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tim said that after years of neglect from Northern Rail, it was time for the Lakes Line, the Furness Line and the Cumbrian Coast Line to be part of a separate franchise which puts the interests of Cumbria's passengers first.

In response, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling said he ruled nothing out when it comes to the future structure of rail franchises.

Speaking afterwards, Tim said: "For far too long now, Cumbria has been seen as the end of the line by rail bosses in Manchester and Government ministers in London.

"This week's success in getting trains back running on the Lakes Line has been a victory for the can-do over the can't-do. By working together as a community, we've shamed the Department for Transport and Northern Rail by making something happen.

"Rail franchises have become too big and as a result do nothing to serve communities away from major population centres.

"It's high time now for Cumbria to have its own franchise run by a provider that actually wants to run trains on a train line."

The Leader of the Opposition in Manchester has said the city should "hang its head in shame" today, World Refugee Day.

Manchester's opposition leader has said the city should "hang its head in shame" today, two years after he uncovered Manchester Council was refusing to accept Syrian refugees.

In a shock turn during the meeting two years ago, Mr Leech revealed that Manchester was yet to accept a single Syrian refugee under the government's resettlement scheme despite the war-torn region enduring one of the worst crises for decades.

He demanded that the council take on 50 at-risk Syrian refugee families and as many as possible unaccompanied children.

At the time Deputy Leader of the Council, Sue Murphy said: "Manchester was prepared to play their part", but claimed they were waiting for Government funds to come in first.

Two years on and nothing has changed.

John Leech, the Leader of the Opposition in Manchester, released harsh words claiming the city and council should "hang its head in shame".

He said: "Two years on and Manchester has done absolutely nothing for the tens of thousands of children at risk of death, abuse, abduction, trafficking and rape.

"These are real children's lives - they are wandering around Europe with nowhere to go and Manchester Council has put a price tag on them.

"I urge everyone in Manchester to contact their local councillor and ask them to sign up to our cross-party campaign which has so far not been supported by a single Labour councillor.

"Today, on World Refugee Day, Manchester should hang its head in shame."

The EU's criminal intelligence agency estimate that more than 10,000 children have already gone missing since arriving in Europe. They fear that children are being kidnapped for slavery and sexual exploitation.

Richard Kilpatrick, Deputy Leader of the Opposition added: "Manchester Council is spending £330m on refurbishing the town hall and £110,000 per year increasing senior staff wages by up to 60%, but when it comes to dying children, they have turned their backs.

"If Manchester wants to be an international city that leads in the world, we have to step up in crises like this.

"The rest of the world should know that this unspeakably cruel decision to reject vulnerable children do not speak for the Liberal Democrats."

Rethink Rebuild Society (RRS) is a community organisation that works to improve the lives of Syrians in Manchester and help them become positively established within British society.

Dr. Haytham Alhamwi, Managing Director of Rethink Rebuild Society, said: "We are asking Manchester City Council to accept Mr Leech's demands of at least 50 Syrian families through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme that was announced in 2015.

"We also ask Manchester City Council to accept as many unaccompanied Syrian children as possible, who are in urgent need for all kinds of support".

Cumbria's Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron joined dozens of frustrated commuters on Saturday to protest the temporary closure of the Lakes Line.

The protestors marched along the route of the 12-mile line from Windermere station to Oxenholme station calling at every station in between to gather support to strip Northern Rail of its franchise.

The rail company announced earlier this week that there would be no trains on the line until at least the end of June.

Tim said: "I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who came out and supported our march today.

"This was about building support amongst the local community and about showing that we will not just lie down and roll over while our railway line is being killed by stealth.

"It's painfully clear that Northern have given up on Cumbria and so for the sake of everyone who relies on this service from students currently taking all important GCSE and A-Level exams, to the thousands of tourists set to visit our part of the world over the next three months, it's time for Northern to go."