Almost 200 people packed into the Stranger’s Dining Room at the House of Commons on Monday night for a Parliamentary Reception for the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, hosted by Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham OBE.
Representatives from nearly fifty DDRF member organisations travelled to London aboard a special train laid on by East Midlands Trains.
As well as DDRF members the reception was attended by many local MPs including Margaret Beckett, Nigel Mills, Nicky Morgan and Dennis Skinner, as well as Parliamentarians from across the country keen to see what the world’s largest rail cluster can do for Britain’s railway.
The keynote speech was given by Transport Minister Stephen Hammond MP on behalf of Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin, in which he re-emphasised the importance of the railways to the UK and the contribution that DDRF members make to the economy of the East Midlands.
Amongst VIPs also attending the event were a number of key figures from the Department for Transport, including the recently appointed Director General Rail, Clare Moriarty and the new Director of Franchising, Pete Wilkinson.
DDRF Deputy Chairman, Michelle Craven-Faulkner said “The event was a great success and brought Derby’s rail industry to the Mother of Parliaments. Members and guests said how much they enjoyed it and have asked that we consider making it an annual event. We would very much like to thank Pauline Latham MP for hosting the event and all our local MPs to turning up to meet with our members and their constituents.”
The Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and represents over 100 rail related businesses in the East Midlands
