By Tim Farron

Last updated at 17:00, Thursday, 18 October 2012

EVENTS on the West Coast rail franchise continue to develop at some pace. The decision to ask Virgin to continue running the line for the next nine to 13 months seems sensible.

Tim Farron

I AM relieved the government has agreed to amend its funding formula proposals for schools so none face the 30 per cent cuts and the consequent closure that Cumbria County Council has been threatening some of our local ones with.

I have had several conversations with David Laws, the education minister, about the different needs of rural schools and how a funding formula that does not include the extra costs involved in running schools in more remote areas is unfair.

As a result the government has committed to ensuring no school loses any more than 1.5 per cent from its current income and conducting a full review of the funding formula in spring next year.

I will be working to ensure that when this review takes place its recommendations include an allowance for rural factors.

But I still have major concerns. Firstly, I want to ensure the views of rail users play a significant role in deciding who wins any franchise.

Of course we need to ensure that tax payers receive good value for money but this does not mean the bid that appears on paper to be most financially advantageous to the government has to be the one that is chosen.

Secondly I am most concerned about what will happen immediately after this temporary period. The government is proposing to introduce a two-year franchise bidding process before awarding the franchise for a much longer period. This interim franchise seems to me to be a recipe for a company to avoid investing in the service we currently receive.

One of the things people praise Virgin for has been the way they have invested in new trains and the services they provide, so what could become effectively three years without any serious investment cannot be good.

Added to which there is the fact that whoever won the franchise in three years’ time would have to catch up with missed investment, inevitably leading to disruptions which none of us want. I will continue to watch this process closely and challenge the government on their decisions whenever necessary.

First published at 16:28, Thursday, 18 October 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk