Friday 19 March 2010

DAVID WILLIAMS DEPLORES THE TORIES ‘NO GUARANTEES’FOR MAJOR RAIL SCHEMES

David Williams, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Crewe and Nantwich, has deplored the statement made by Theresa Villiers, Tory Shadow Transport Secretary, in the current issue of Railnews.

In an interview with ‘Railnews’ the Tory Shadow Transport Secretary said that, if the Tories were to win at the coming General Election, they would review major railway projects and plans and would not give a ‘guarantee that any scheme would go ahead under a Conservative government’ She is also reluctant to give any commitment on such major procurement schemes such as the Thameslink Programme fleet and Intercity Express.

David Williams said, “More delay on investment in the railways is just what we do not need at this time. It appears that dithering and delay not only applies to Tory-controlled Cheshire East Council, it also applies to the Tory Party nationally. When the Tories broke up the railways in the early 1990s we warned that it could lead to a loss of railway engineering work and skills in this country and the Tories seem determined to see that happen. Crewe is a proud railway town with an enviable reputation for railway engineering skills, but if there is no work, those skills will not be passed on to future generations.”

David continued, “I support the calls for the Government to explore ways of taking the railways back into public ownership. I support and urgently ask for more investment in the railways. The last thing we need right now is more dithering and delay.”

Railnews article

Pictured: David with Lord Adonis, at Crewe Station, talking about Labour's future investment in railways.

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