Top politicians to visit Kirkgate Station
A PEER and the MP in charge of Britain's rail network have agreed to come to Kirkgate as a result of the Express campaign to staff the dangerous station.
The minister of state for transport, Lord Adonis, and the secretary of state for transport, MP Geoff Hoon, will be visiting the notorious station after a request from MP Mary Creagh.
More than 3,000 readers have backed the Express S.O.S. – Staff Our Station campaign, demanding permanent staff for the platforms and live CCTV.
The Express launched the campaign in February in the wake of a violent rape and countless robberies and assaults.
Since then Northern Rail, the firm which manages the station, has sent out rapid response security teams, but only on Friday and Saturday nights.
A spokeswoman said: "Northern Rail is continuing feasibility studies into staffing Wakefield Kirkgate.
"Our surveys of passenger numbers at Kirkgate show that the levels of patronage and revenue at the station are not high enough to meet the cost of creating a ticket office and to staff it.
"We are still talking with external partners about how to meet the funding shortfall."
Metro is looking at ways it can help find the cash.
Chairman Coun Chris Greaves said: "I can assure you that Metro shares your readers' concerns about safety at the station and wishes to see them addressed as soon as possible.
"Making Wakefield Kirkgate 'fit for purpose' will require a significant amount of investment and pose many structural and planning challenges on the way."
Joanne Roney, chief executive of Wakefield Council, told the Express she wanted to see both short and long-term improvements at Kirkgate.
In a letter she said: "I agree that safety and security at the station is a key issue that needs to be addressed."
A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: "A steering group, chaired by Network Rail, meets bi-monthly to discuss the station.
"All attendees are keen to bring about improvements at the station, however funding remains an issue."
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Weather for Wakefield
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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