Minister shrugs off rail track appeal

May 22 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Burscough Curves site of the proposed Ormskirk - Southport rail link _240

A GOVERNMENT minister yesterday told campaigners fighting to reopen a disused rail line on the edge of Merseyside: “It’s nothing to do with me!”

Tom Harris, the rail minister, told a Commons debate that it was not the job of the department for transport (Dft) to explore a scheme such as reinstating the Burscough Curves.

Mr Harris insisted it was up to a private company to prove that rebuilding the line was “value for money” – and to come up with the cash to kickstart the project.

The minister explained: “No private company can come up with a business case robust enough to justify the level of investment required.

“Also, which train operator will provide the services and will those services involve any extra public subsidy?”

The attitude will disappoint campaigners who believe it would cost just £2.5m to revive the disused electric track between Ormkskirk and Burscough.