MP demands better rail-links for North East

4.34.15pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 29th Jan 2008

Malcolm Bruce MP has called for high speed rail links to be established between North East Scotland and England.

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate today (Tuesday), Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce MP challenged rising fares, reliability issues and a lack of vision in rail services linking North East Scotland to England.

Mr Bruce put the case forward for a High Speed Rail link between England and Scotland which would better connect local food producers and businesses in exporting to their clients in the South East by decreasing freight times.

He also discussed the needs of passengers and called for greater clarity challenging the often astronomical prices being charged on some journeys.

Speaking in the debate from Westminster, Mr Bruce raised the price of expensive rail fares for long-distance journeys, saying;

"My constituents and I consider ourselves to be major contributors to the British economy in terms of the goods that we supply, particularly food, to the Home Counties market. We are heavily engaged in oil and gas, paper and other industries. A high proportion of our customers are in the south of England, and communication with people and goods to the south is of mutual benefit. Part of the reason [Southern England chooses to import from the Continent instead] is that the near continent has invested in high-speed rail links that are not available to the further parts of the United Kingdom."

The Aberdeenshire MP also commented on a greater vision for a High-speed rail that would benefit business in the North East for freight purposes as well as passengers. He added:

"As information is not available and people cannot find the best deals, journeying by rail is becoming increasingly beyond the means of the majority of people in this country, particularly if they are travelling, as I have sometimes tried to do, with a family.

"Pricing a journey for a long weekend next month, from Huntly in my constituency to Bristol, the cheapest price for one adult is a saver return at £168.30 on a restricted ticket. A standard open return ticket costs £279, which is a pretty steep jump. People can pay a cheaper fare if they have the patience and time to investigate the single fares on offer. Of course, that has become the great catch. Most people assume that if they are buying a return ticket there is a discount-a deal.

"We need to take a much more radical look at how all these things are operated and reported on."

The Transport minister, Tom Harris MP in his response confirmed that a new fare-structuring system is to be announced in October this year but declined to give many details.

ENDS