Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest, has recently agreed to be a founding member and Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Heritage Railway. The Group has been set up to represent and support the heritage rail industry and to address any specific needs it may have.
Mark is particularly keen to be involved in order to represent the Severn Valley Railway (SVR), a key local asset in Wyre Forest.
Based in Kidderminster, the SVR travels between Kidderminster and Bridgenorth in Shropshire. Stretching a distance of 16 miles, it is the largest heritage railway in the country and hosts up to 250,000 passengers a year. This makes it one of Wyre Forest's largest tourist attractions and subsequently a significant contributor to the local economy.
Mark, a keen rail enthusiast, said,
"The fact that the Severn Valley Railway is an incredibly important tourist draw for Wyre Forest makes me all the more pleased to act as treasurer to this new APPG."
"However, what I think will be most crucial about this group will be its ability to address the very specific and peculiar issues that affect the heritage rail industry. For example, one of the first enquiries we will be holding is to look at skills and government support. In this day and age, there are no apprenticeship schemes for boiler makers, yet the SVR needs these and other skills to continue for generations to come. The new APPG will be in a strong position to champion the cause of our much loved local asset and I am looking forward to working closely with those involved."