Isle MP welcomes rail minister

Isle MP Andrew Percy welcomed Rail Minister, Clare Perry MP, to the constituency last week as part of the MPs campaign to ensure that direct services to Manchester are maintained and that the south Humber rail line is considered for electrification.

Mr Percy has joined up with local council leaders and neighbouring MPs to fight to maintain the direct Cleethorpes to Manchester service. The government is due to issue the new franchise tender for this service shortly and thousands of local residents have supported the campaign to maintain the direct services.

Mr Percy said: “Locally, we are all committed to maintaining the direct services through to Manchester and we made the point to the Minister that local businesses require this direct route, not least because of the skills shortage we already have in the area and the exciting plans there are to turn the area into the ‘Energy Estuary’. The Minister heard from local leaders and local businesses just how important this route is and how vital it is to future investment. Exciting things are happening locally, unemployment is falling sharply and lots of new investment is on the horizon. Clare seemed very impressed with what she heard and commented just how entrepreneurial our area is and how excited local businesses are for the future. I was especially keen to push the electrification agenda and we also raised the possibility of direct services to London and the possible expansion of the Brigg line. Similarly, rolling stock also took up a lot of the conversation and we look forward to news on that and the Cleethorpes-Manchester franchise in the next few weeks. I think what has most impressed Clare is how local people, businesses and MPs of all parties locally have come together to fight for our local rail services.”

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