| MP Wants Curves on the Agenda |
| Friday, 18 April 2008 | |
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The proposed re-opening of the Burscough Curves was absent from the final draft of the Southport Investment Strategy which went before the council this week - something which surprised the town's MP.
Though the SIS lists "improving external links to Southport by rail" as a key objective, there is no mention of the curves anywhere in the report. It recognises the need to "put a strong business case for improved rail links to Preston and Manchester", and yet there is no mention of how this is to be achieved. Dr Pugh admits he is concerned by this omission, but has moved to reassure concerned residents that the campaign to reopen the curves is making process - albeit "painfully" slowly: "I was told last week that the feasibility study being conducted by Network Rail is now overdue" said Dr Pugh. "Hopefully this report should be handed to Merseyrail in the next few weeks, who will then examine the findings and present their response at a meeting which has already been scheduled for the summer - a meeting I will be attending personally." Dr Pugh says he is "exasperated" by the "glacial" pace at which these proceedings are taking place, but insists that the end could finally be in sight - despite the curves omission from the SIS: "It's disappointing that the SIS contained nothing more than a rather nebulous commitment to 'making the business case for better rail links'. Not only do they neglect to mention how they intend to achieve this, but the 'business case' has already been made; the SWOP link [Southport Ormskirk Wigan and Preston] campaign produced an excellent report over 4 years ago now. "We are however finally making progress. Next month I will be meeting SWOP representatives ahead of the summit meeting with the rail authorities in the summer. What we need to do now is to keep this issue in the spotlight. "The reopening of the Burscough Curves is quite simply the fastest, cheapest, and most effective way to give the town's economy a boost. The benefits which would arise from such a tiny financial outlay are huge. Southport needs the Curves reopened, and I firmly believe that we will win the fight to ensure that they are." |