RORY TO LEAD PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON LIFT AT PENRITH STATION

Rory has succeeded in his bid to hold a parliamentary debate on the issue of disabled access at railway stations, the latest milestone in his campaign to improve access to the station at Penrith in his constituency. Rory had received a commitment in 2012 that the lift would be installed by First Group, the successful bidder for the West Coast Mainline franchise, but the company subsequently withdrew from the franchise. He has since received undertakings from Ministers and officials which he has called ‘encouraging but still not strong enough.’

He will, therefore, use the debate – to be held on July 3rd 2013 at 4:30pm – to focus on the need for a lift at Penrith North Lakes. He will also highlight the long-term importance of standardising access across the UK’s stations – something that the government is already prioritising with its Access for All scheme, funded by the Department for Transport.

Rory said: “Having pushed for this debate for some time, I am delighted that we will now have this important opportunity to push for a lift at Penrith station, which is long overdue. Penrith is gateway to the North Lakes, and it is inconceivable that we are still expecting our residents and visitors with special needs to use the out-dated barrow crossing. I look forward to debating the issue further next week, and encourage any residents or visitors with personal stories of the station and lack of access to contact my office, so that I can use their experiences in the debate.”

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