SOUTH Lakes MP Tim Farron says the Government’s decision to review the future of HS2 must lead to high-speed trains stopping in Cumbria.

The current plans will see high-speed trains from London pass through the county without stopping, meaning passengers on the West Coast Main Line will have to change at Preston to get to Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle.

Mr Farron said: “HS2 is far from perfect.

“It needs to have greater transparency and accountability so the public know what’s happening with their money.

“But that doesn’t mean the project should be consigned to the scrapheap.

“Building better infrastructure across the North is vital if we’re to rebalance our economy.

“For it to work for the whole of the North then one of the key things that needs to come out of this review is these high-speed trains must be able to take people to Britain’s second-biggest visitor destination.”

This latest news comes after Mr Farron wrote to the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in December to make the case for HS2 trains to stop in Cumbria.

Speaking then, Mr Farron said it would be an 'own goal' for the trains not to stop at the popular visitor destination.