Nick Clegg, Jo Crotty and other North West Lib Dems call for government to deliver on high speed rail

1.13.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 5th Oct 2008

Jo Crotty along side party leader Nick Clegg and also her fellow North-West Lib Dems.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg MP and North West Lib Dems launched a campaign today in Warrington for high speed rail links for the region. Mr Clegg arrived in Warrington with Norman Baker MP, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Transport to meet with a group of Lib Dem North West Leaders. North West MPs John Leech, Paul Rowen and Andrew Stunell, and Lib Dem Council Leaders from across the North West also attended the regional party's first Leadership Summit.

"Today we launched a petition asking the Labour Government to make a firm commitment to deliver high speed rail to the North West," said Warrington Councillor Jo Crotty, the Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Warrington South. "Time and time again we have seen the Government rush to fund projects in London and the South East while refusing to help the North West. We need a high speed rail link to London and Europe not expansion of London airports."

Jo Crotty alongside Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Norman Baker (middle) and Warrington Borough Council Leader Ian Marks (left).

The Liberal Democrat Leader of Warrington Borough Council Ian Marks said, "It is important for all of us to be able to come together and discuss issues like transport that effect people throughout the North West."

"We are a strong and growing party here in the North West because we get action on issues people care about. Liberal Democrats run, lead or form part of the administration on 15 Councils and Authorities in the North West from Carlisle to Liverpool and from the Greater Manchester Fire Authority to the Council here in Warrington."

"We are successful in the North West and the Leadership Summit today certainly demonstrates that."

Jo Crotty added, "We will be hitting the streets all across the region following today's launch with our petition. We will be asking people of the North West to back our Lib Dem plans for high speed rail here in our area instead of more airport expansion in the South East."