MPs from across Cumbria have united in bid to help improve the county's blighted rail links.

Labour MP for Barrow and Furness John Woodcock, Conservative MP for Copeland Trudy Harrison, and Liberal Democrat MP for Westmoreland and Lonsdale Tim Farron have come together to demand drastic improvements be made to the flailing Cumbrian coast and Furness train lines in a letter sent to transport minister Paul Maynard.

Mr Woodcock has implored the government to intervene after it was announced an agreement which would see the ageing class-37 locos replaced was discussed but not put into action.

In a debate which took place on November 29, Mr Woodcock asked the transport secretary Chris Grayling to intervene on the “terrible state of the rolling stock and awful reliability” of trains, after the government completely ignored Cumbria in its new rail strategy.

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After Mr Grayling’s disappointing response to his plea, Mr Woodcock vowed that the Cumbria Better Connected campaign would not give up there.

The joint letter is the next step in the Cumbria Better Connected campaign’s battle to improve services and highlights the impact on the local area, saying 'this rail disruption is not only frustrating passengers, it is holding back the economy in Cumbria at a critical time'.

It also calls on the minister for “immediate assistance” to stop commuters and schoolchildren from being regularly left stranded at stations when services are cancelled.

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Speaking about the letter, Mr Woodcock said: "This letter shows the absolute consensus of Cumbrian MPs on the issue of appalling train services in Cumbria and the government’s continued complacency.

"The Cumbrian economy cannot wait any longer for a proper rail strategy and the new rolling stock we have been promised.

"I hope the minister will be more constructive on this issue and see the urgent need which our cross party campaign unanimously states."

The MPs says they are 'glad' the minister has agreed to meet the campaign and that they 'look forward to raising the issues at a forthcoming meeting with the minister.'

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The letter to Transport Secretary Paul Maynard on December 12

"Many thanks for agreeing to meet us and the Cumbria Better Connected community campaign group that has been formed to discuss the crisis afflicting the Furness and Cumbrian Coast lines.

You mentioned when we spoke last week that you have personal insight from your role as a constituency MP into the problems caused of the ageing rolling stock and locomotives currently being deployed on these lines.

We heard and understood what the secretary of state said to me in the chamber on November 29 about the planned timetabling and rolling stock improvements beginning May next year.

We remain engaged with the new Transport for the North body and will continue lobbying it and the government for much needed investment and signalling upgrades on the Cumbrian Coast line to make services fit for purpose, and for improvements in the resilience of the Furness line which as you will know was recently flooded.

However, the reliability of the class 37 locos is so appalling, and the consequences for passengers so acute, that I must ask you to use all power and influence to intervene improve the situation now.

There are three issues in particular in which we need your immediate assistance:

1) Finding an immediate replacement for the decrepit, 50-year-old class 37 locos.

Northern has been in discussion with DRS to secure replacements but these negotiations have yet to bear fruit. The number of breakdowns caused by the reliability of these locos are truly shocking – this week is an all too typical example that is causing chaos for passengers and damaging our economy.

2) Mandating Northern to meet its basic service obligations to provide alternatives when services are cancelled.

In particular, it is an alarming neglect of safeguarding responsibilities that school children are regularly being left stranded at stations when services are cancelled with no alternative transport provided.

3) Ensuring the Furness and West Coast lines are at the very top of the cascade queue for improved rolling stock. The secretary of state was correct when he indicated that new rolling stock has been promised for both lines, but there is not yet a firm date when this will happen.

This rail disruption is not only frustrating passengers, it is holding back the economy in Cumbria at a critical time. We have huge investment going into the shipyard in Barrow, a new nuclear power station up the coast in Copeland and a vital investment decision being taken about the future of GSK in Ulverston. A functioning rail network is vital to help Cumbria’s progress towards a high skill economy of the future.

We look forward to hearing from you and to raising these issues again when you meet with the Cumbria Better Connected campaign.

Due to the high interest in this issue we are making this letter public.