Government budget sets aside £50K to fund Leek to Stoke railway feasibility study
Moorlands MP, Karen Bradley has welcomed the announcement today in the Budget of £50,000 from the Ideas Fund for the feasibility study to reopen the Leek to Stoke line.
Together with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and neighbouring Members of Parliament, Karen submitted a bid to the Department for Transport as to why the line should reopen, and the economic benefits it will bring across the Moorlands and North Staffordshire.
This proposal was submitted as part of the Restoring Your Railway Fund which was launched by the Department for Transport last year.
Karen commented,
“I have been lobbying for the reopening of the line for a long time and am delighted that we have been successful in our bid. It is great news that we will have £50,000 for the feasibility study - having a clean, green, reliable train service into the City would benefit so many people in the Moorlands who travel for work and leisure.
“It would also allow many more to visit our beautiful countryside and attractions without adding to the pressure on our roads and has the potential to take freight off the roads too, benefitting those who live along main roads.
“People in the Moorlands have told me how much they would like to see the trains return and I am delighted that we are moving forward on this important issue.”