NORTH EAST LIB DEMS CALL FOR RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS ON WORLD CAR FREE DAY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Sep 2009

Celebrating the 2009 World Car Free Day at their Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, North East Lib Dems have called for major investments in the region's railway network.

North East MEP Fiona Hall said:

"A high speed link is vital for the prosperity of the North East. It offers North East businesses a fast and green link not only to London but to the rest of Europe.

"It is unacceptable that recent proposals by Network Rail see the North East by-passed by the high speed line.

"Equally outrageous is the Tory plan to stop the high speed line at Leeds, cutting of the North East

"We need to adopt a high speed rail option which includes Newcastle from Day One.

"Such a link, coupled with other improvements to the region's railways such as the re-opening to passengers of the Ashington, Blyth, Tyne and Leamside lines, is an essential part of modernising the region's transport infrastructure for the 21st Century."