Ben Howlett, the Member of Parliament for Bath, has joined other West of England MPs to ask the Government to reconsider the planned delay in the electrification of the Great Western Mainline.
Speaking in Westminster Hall, Ben discussed the benefits electrification could bring to the West of England.
He said: “There is genuine concern that how much the economy of the west of England contributes to the national economy is often underestimated: we have the second largest number of tech and creative companies anywhere outside Hoxton in London; we have one of the fastest growing economies anywhere in the country; and yet, off the top of my head, we receive the second lowest amount per capita of transport infrastructure spend in the country. That desperately needs to be re-evaluated.
“Electrification would have a positive impact on the tourist economy, which is hugely important to my world heritage site city.
“Bath is a beautiful city and I want to see more tourists come to it, which would have a big knock-on effect for Somerset and Bristol, and that is another huge draw.
“With those trains, more people will have the confidence that they will arrive in Bath and the west of England on time.”
Earlier this month, the Government announced that the electrification of the Great Western Mainline past Thingley Junction is to be deferred. You can read the full story here.
