Minister's rail trip does not give him full picture, says Beith

9.45.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 23rd Apr 2009

As a frequent train traveller, Alan Beith knows at first hand the difficulties passengers face.

Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith has accused the Government's Transport Minister Lord Adonis of failing to grasp the real needs of the rail network in the north east.

The Minister was in the region last week to see for himself how rail services meet the area's needs, and he described transport links as "superb".

Alan Beith said

"Although we have a good train service, National Express is banging on the Government's door asking for help as the premiums they have to pay under the terms of the franchise are so high. In effect, the East Coast Main Line subsidises the other parts of the railway network around the UK because of the high premiums the operators are having to pay.

"The High Speed Rail Link plans which have been proposed by both the Government and David Cameron only go as far as Leeds and would have the effect of cutting the north east off from economic recovery. Both Labour and the Conservatives would leave the north east with a 1920's railway as the main link between the east of England and Scotland.

"The Minister and Mr Cameron have made seriously flawed assessment of rail travellers' needs in and through the north east."

Sir Alan Beith has recently written to Lord Adonis to highlight the continuing problems of access to the northbound platform for disabled travellers at Alnmouth, and the slow progress towards getting a platform at Belford station.

Lord Adonis's comments can be found in the following report from The Journal:

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/04/20/your-transport-links-are-superb-lord-adonis-61634-23425737/