Transport Secretary Lord Adonis Visits Wakefield Kirkgate

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis visited Wakefield Kirkgate train station on Friday 24th July at the request of Wakefield MP Mary Creagh. He was met by local Labour councillors Ron Halliday, Ros Lund and Olivia Rowley, as well as Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council, Denise Jeffery.

In the wake of a violent rape in October 2008 Mary Creagh has met with Network Rail and Northern Rail to try to improve the station.  Progress has been slow.

Lord Adonis said: “There has not been enough investment in Wakefield Kirkgate station for many years.  There are concerns within the local community about safety which are clear to me and to Mary Creagh MP.  Live CCTV must be a top priority at Kirkgate and I hope this will be brought forward as soon as possible.”

The Transport Secretary added, “I applaud the work of the local MP and councillors on this issue.  I would also like to congratulate the Wakefield Express on their campaign to improve security and conditions at Kirkgate.”

Mary Creagh, MP for Wakefield said: “I am delighted that the Transport Secretary came to Kirkgate to see its appalling state for himself.  Kirkgate has received £295 000 from the government’s National Station Improvement Programme, and another £650 000 to deal with the canopy but not a penny has been spent.  Everyone involved with this station needs to pull their finger out and get on with the job. 

The free city bus needs to stop there and we need a taxi rank and CCTV.  Lord Adonis wants an action plan from METRO within 2 weeks so that is just the start. Kirkgate is the key gateway to the new £20m Hepworth Gallery opening in 2010 so we need to sort it out as soon as we can.”