WESTMORLAND MP Tim Farron has again called for a public inquiry following the Grayrigg rail crash which happened seven years ago yesterday.

Mr Farron is hoping to convince MPs to sign up to a debate about safety on the railways through an early day motion.

Previous calls for an inquiry have been ruled out by the Department for Transport.

The 96mph derailment on February 23, 2007, left dozens seriously injured and an 84-year-old passenger dead.

A Glasgow-bound Virgin Pendolino came off the tracks near Grayrigg, Kendal, and an investigation later found it left the line due to badly-maintained points; many of which were removed in the aftermath of the accident as not being necessary.

Mr Farron says many points are not needed on the West Coast Main Line but some remain in place and there needs to be a wider examination of which ones need to stay.

He said: "If the crash had taken place in a field between Preston and Wigan my guess is there would have been far more casualties because that sort of area would not have had the immediate mountain rescue response that we were lucky enough to have."

"Many of the points on the tracks are necessary and some of are not. If they are not necessary, then they should probably be taken out," said Mr Farron.

"We need to debate the whole issue of points on railway lines."

Of the death of Mrs Margaret Masson in the incident, he said: "She and her family deserve a legacy - not just to put things right for a few years after, but to put them right for good."