CONSULTATION ON FUTURE OF THE WEST COAST MAIN LINE AND INTERMEDIATE STATIONS

That this House notes the consultation launched by the Government on 10 May 2016 entitled InterCity West Coast rail franchise consultation; further notes that the consultation document considers reducing the number of stops required at intermediate stations to enable reductions in the overall journey time to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow; believes that these intermediate stations are already being overlooked by the High Speed 2 project and that regular West Coast Main Line rail services are vital to the long-term economic prospects of these locations; and calls on the Government to safeguard regular rail service provision to those stations to be bypassed by the High Speed 2 development at the end of the consultation period.