A PARLIAMENTARY candidate is calling on the Rail Minister to ‘crack on’ with the Cumbrian coastal railway upgrade.

Whitehaven and Workington Conservative candidate, Andrew Johnson, has written to the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, urging him to prioritise the upgrade works to support the opening of the coking coal mine and Moorside’s potential location for the UK’s next major nuclear power station.

The call follows the commitment given by the Prime Minister last year that funding would be made available for significant improvements on the line, between Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle, to increase freight capacity, and provide a more reliable service for passengers.

It also comes following a major announcement by the Rail Minister this week that further funding is due to be announced shortly targeted at rural areas, towns, and small cities in those parts of the North, like Cumbria, without a metro mayor.

Andrew Johnson said: “We need to crack on and deliver these upgrade works to the coastal railway line with urgency.

“Not only to provide a better service for passenger, but crucially to add freight capacity to support the opening of the new coking coal mine and to further strengthen the case for Moorside to be the location for the UK’s next major nuclear power station.

“With Labour’s plans to scrap the mine and the new jobs if they get into government, we just can’t take the risk that they will also scrap this upgrade along with it, which would further undermine the Moorside bid.” 

Josh MacAlister, the Labour candidate for Whitehaven and Workington, said: “The Tories have had 14 years to sort out the terrible state of trains in Cumbria. Months away from the election, they are now promising upgrades to lines without any serious plans to deliver them.

“If Tories in Cumbria were serious about growth, infrastructure and transport then we’d have new nuclear underway and the track would be upgraded.

“West Cumbria can’t afford five more years of sticking plasters, gimmicks and economic mismanagement. The Tories are taking the public for fools but people know it’s time for change.”