The Government has been pushed to confirm its support for a new station at Edginswell by the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport.
Gareth Bacon MP was speaking in a House of Commons debate about Improving Public Transport, when he highlighted Edginswell Station as an example of projects seeking to reconnect communities to the rail network. He told MPs a new station at Edginswell would: “complement the delivery of a new station at Marsh Barton near Exeter and particularly serve the needs of Torbay hospital.”
A new station at Edginswell has been a long-held aspiration of Torbay Council and local residents, as it would improve public transport access to Torbay Hospital and Edginswell Business Park, whilst providing a handy rail link for residents of Shiphay and The Willows. Planning permission for the station was granted by Torbay Council last year. Former Torbay MP Kevin Foster was a vocal advocate of the scheme.
Former Torbay MP Kevin Foster was a vocal advocate of the scheme. He said: “I welcome Gareth’s support and call in this debate for the new Labour Government to confirm it will support this scheme which will support Torbay Hospital, whilst providing a new link to the rail network for residents of Shiphay and The Willows.”
Whilst the call to support the new station has received cross-party support, the absence of Torbay’s Lib Dem MP Cllr Steve Darling from the debate in Westminster, has sparked a heated political row locally about his continuing refusal to give up his salary and role as a Torbay Councillor, despite being paid a full-time salary as an MP.
It has emerged Cllr Darling missed the chance to question Government Ministers about public transport funding and the Shadow Secretary of State’s remarks on Edginswell, to instead attend a Torbay Council meeting. Many other MPs have already stood down from their local council roles having been elected to Westminster, to focus full-time on their role, including the Lib Dem MP who secured the debate.
A spokesman for Torbay Conservatives said: “It is bizarre to see a local MP give up the chance to directly push Government Ministers on their transport funding decisions for Torbay, to instead turn up at a Torbay Council meeting and ask local Councillors about it instead.”
“Cllr Darling should stop trying to cling onto his salary and post as a Councillor, whilst also being paid to work full time as an MP. It’s time to call a by-election for his council role.”
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