IT was good to see the Warrington Guardian welcoming the progress on the new Warrington West train station at Chapelford.

It’s right that the voices of residents are heard during the planning permission consultation and councillors Faisal Rashid and Will Hughes will make sure they are listened to.

It is true that this new station is long overdue and Labour councillors and I have campaigned successfully for the funding to be found and real action to be taken.

Under our Labour council, this work is now coming to fruition.

Equally we are determined that Sankey station should stay open with a decent number of trains each day (especially at peak times) and decent facilities for the growing number of passengers.

The recent ‘sprucing up’ of Sankey station is the result of pressure from us on Network Rail and Northern Rail.

We got the entry road resurfaced, the Japanese knot weed dug out, a proper PA system installed and a ‘harrington hump’ to make it easier for people to get on and off trains.

Following further lobbying, more improvements have been promised for later this year, including the resurfacing of the car park before winter.

I use the station myself every day to commute to Manchester, and Labour councillors and I will keep the pressure up on the rail companies.

Finally, we are lobbying for a Sunday train service in the west of Warrington for the first time, either at Sankey or Chapelford.

NICK BENT

Constituency Spokesman, Warrington South Labour Party