Shadow transport secretary: We'll give Wolverhampton the rail station it deserves
Labour's transport boss has pledged he would fight to give Wolverhampton the rail 'station it deserves' if his party win the election.
Wolverhampton City Council and transport authority Centro are £20 million short in funding the revamp. The final hurdle is government approval for a loan which would be paid back using fees from the car park, set to double in size, and income from new businesses.
Speaking in the city, shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher said he would make the scheme one of his first priorities.
He said: "I know from speaking to our candidates in Wolverhampton, Rob Marris, Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, how the three of them have made a very powerful case for a new rail station here.
"This area has not always had everything it deserves and there is a very powerful case to get Wolverhampton a 21st century station. I am determined to look at this from day one if we are to form the government after the election."
Last month, Conservative transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said he was 'very keen' to see it happen. Mr Dugher was joined in Wolverhampton by Rob Marris, Labour's candidate for Wolverhampton South West, who served as their MP between 2001 and 2010.
He also backed the proposed £100m revamp, for which £13.5m of public money has already been secured. He said: "
If elected, Emma Reynolds, Pat McFadden and I would continue to work with Michael Dugher to put the final piece in the jigsaw for the station."
Mr Dugher was at the city's bus station to pledge to protect the old person's bus pass. The guarantee forms part of a trio of measures proposed by Labour around pensioners' living standards. He said: "Today we are making it 100 percent clear Labour are behind the bus pass."
