LABOUR RAIL PLAN WILL SLASH SERVICES BY OVER 40%

LABOUR RAIL PLAN WILL SLASH SERVICES BY OVER 40%

GLASGOW TO LOSE OVER 1 MILLION JOURNEYS A YEAR

HYPOCRITICAL ATTACKS BACKFIRE BADLY AS SNP FIGHTS BACK

Labour’s campaign hit further trouble today as research by the SNP showed the Labour Government’s plans to axe Glasgow’s East Coast rail link to London will cut rail capacity in and out of Glasgow by over 40% - axing nearly half of all the seats to Glasgow from London.

As the SNP fight back against Labour’s desperate by-election campaign of smears and deceit it emerged this weekend that the Labour Government is planning to axe the existing rail link between Glasgow Central and King's Cross.

Axing the East Coast Service will remove over 22,000 seats a week and over a million seats per year from services to and from Glasgow, badly damaging business and tourist travel. With the West Coast route dogged by delays, closures and unable to carry an extra million passengers Glasgow will be put at a severe disadvantage.

SNP MP for Glasgow East John Mason said:

“Labour’s campaign has backfired badly. This secret plan to hit Glasgow’s link to London was being concealed until after the election – but now voters can see it is Labour who after 74 years are still ripping off Glasgow.

“This shocking news for travellers and business in the city came only days after the Labour transport minister and Labour’s candidate tried to lecture the SNP on the importance of direct rail services to the city. Labour’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.

“Labour even tried to deny the plans existed, despite it being clear to train operators and passenger groups that they do . The direct East Coast Mainline service from Glasgow to London is on the rocks and it is only an SNP vote that will show Labour how wrong they are and how badly their campaign has backfired.

“Scrapping this route is a cut in services to Glasgow of over 40% . That will do real damage to the city’s economy. The West Coast line is no substitute when nearly half the services to Glasgow are being axed.

“An analysis of the route by the SNP shows the East Coast Mainline capacity can bring over 3000 people a day into Glasgow, over 1 million visitors a year. That is a service this city cannot afford to be without.

"I don't know how the Labour candidate gets to London, but this is a service I use as an MP to get to Westminster to fight for Glasgow and I know how popular it is with travellers to and from our city.

“After 74 years of neglecting Glasgow, Labour have still not learnt their lesson. Last year voters sent a message to Labour that enough is enough. As the SNP fights back against Labour’s campaign of fears, smears and negative campaigning voters in Glasgow North East can do the same and elect David Kerr to be a strong voice for Glasgow and a strong voice for Glasgow North East.”

1.SNP analysis shows there are 3216 seats per day between London King’s Cross and Glasgow central on the East Coast Main Line, 22, 512 a week or over 1 million seats per year.

2. With only 4537 seats available on the West Coast each day axing the East Coast Mainline is a cut of 41.5%.

3. On Thursday 5th writing in his blog Labour candidate Willie Bain said:
“Earlier, I met with Andrew Adonis, the Secretary of State for Transport, to discuss the importance of good transport links to and from Glasgow”