Former Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron is part of a group of senior politicians that have delivered a petition to the Department for Transport (DfT) calling for scrapped electrification schemes to be restored.
In July, transport secretary Chris Grayling announced that electrification schemes in Wales, the Midlands and the Lake District would be ditched in favour of bi-mode trains.
This move was met with dismay by some campaigners, including Tim Farron and shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald, who have now handed in a 14,000-signature petition to the DfT, calling for Grayling to “urgently rethink” the decision.
According to its supporters, electrification is vital in tackling air pollution, meeting the UK’s legally binding climate change targets and reversing the long term underinvestment in transport infrastructure outside of London and the South East.
Read more: Bi-mode trains – Unlocking opportunity?