Virgin Trains-West Coast line petition gains over 100,000 signatures, prompting calls for a Parliamentary debate (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Virgin Trains-West Coast line petition gains over 100,000 signatures, prompting calls for a Parliamentary debate

3:31pm Friday 24th August 2012 in News

AN ONLINE petition urging the Government to re-think its decision to deprive Virgin Trains of the West Coast Main Line franchise has gained over 100,000 signatures.

Virgin Trains was stripped of the contract to run trains between London and Glasgow, which it has operated since 1997, last week when the Government awarded the franchise to FirstGroup.

A customer of Virgin Trains set up the petition which now has over 100,000 signatures on it. This could potentially trigger a debate on the issue in the House of Commons if the petition gains support from MPs and is picked by the Backbench Business Committee.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said: “I think we must listen to the public and debate this issue in Parliament.

"Over 100,000 people have signed the petition – we must allow the case to be put and hear the Government's reply. On my annual surgery summer tour it has been the top concern my constituents have wanted to talk about. If we don’t discuss this it will just make people even more cynical about Westminster politics.”