LABOUR GOVERNMENT SLAMS THE GATE SHUT ON SHEFFIELD

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 10th Apr 2009

Cllr Scriven (left) and Cllr Auckland (right)

Sheffield City Council has received a letter from the Transport Secretary of State, Geoff Hoon MP, outlining that the Government don't intend to stop East Midland Trains gating off Sheffield Station. The letter was sent in response to Lib Dem Cabinet member Cllr Ian Auckland. Cllr Ian Auckland said "I'm disappointed that the Labour Government don't intend to stop East Midlands Trains gating off the station, despite the huge public outcry from local people in Sheffield."

Mr Hoon has also turned down the request to personally meet with a cross party delegation to discuss the issue. Instead he has offered a meeting with a more junior Minster. Over 2,000 people have signed the Council's online petition against the proposal to gate the station. Also many local people have been active in protesting against the proposal.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Lib Dem Leader of the Council, said "The fact that the Labour Secretary of State himself won't even come and meet us to hear the arguments is a real slap in the face for all the people who have been campaigning hard on this issue."

"We will make sure that the Council supports local people and does everything within it's power to stop East Midlands Trains from shutting off access. But ultimately we need the Governments support on this and we will be pressing them to change their mind when we eventually meet."

"We will make it clear that if the Station does get gated off, then it will be the Labour Government who has to explain to local people why they have let them down."