Date published: 19 July 2006

Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Transport,  Alistair Carmichael MP, will launch the "Continuing on track" campaign on Friday 21 July in an effort to persuade the Government to commit to extending the Metrolink into Rochdale Town Centre.  The positive Government announcement at the start of July was met with mixed feelings in Rochdale as the Government have committed to extending the Metrolink to the Railway Station only and the future Drake Street Station and Rochdale Town Centre Station are uncertain.
 
Alistair Carmichael will be coming to Rochdale to launch the campaign with Rochdale MP Paul Rowen and representatives and members of the GMPTE.  The group will be unveiling a two metre hoarding with the slogan 'Rochdale Town Centre this way' and an arrow poitning to the Town Centre, which will hang outside the Lib Dem's Drake Street HQ until there is a positive announcement.
 
Paul Rowen MP said: "It is vital that people in Rochdale do not simply accept the Metrolink being extended to the Railway Station.  Many people have actively campaigned from all political parties, the GMPTA, the local media and people interested in the future of Rochdale.  We need to move together as one and tell the Government that in Rochdale we will not accept half measures.  This has been an all-party campaign from the start and I am glad that my colleague, Alastair Carmichael, is the first front-line political spokesperson to come to Rochdale to pledge his support.  The two metre Metrolink hoarding is the first of many lobbying events and I will be asking some serious questions in the commons.
 
"The Liberal Democrats have pledged to see this campaign through to the end and I hope that we can keep the pressure on until the Metrolink is delivered right into the heart of our town."