The
MP
for
Stoke-on-Trent
South
is
remaining
optimistic
about
the
prospects
of
a
new
station
for
Staffordshire.
It
was
included
in
the
government’s
list
of
transport
schemes
which
will
use
the
budget
released
by
the
cancellation
of
HS2
to
Manchester,
but
the
list
was
ridiculed
when
it
became
known
that
some
of
the
schemes
had
already
been
completed
years
ago
and
that
others
might
not
be
started
until
the
2030s.
It
was
revised
within
24
hours
of
publication,
and
ministers
then
defended
it
as
‘indicative’.
Even
so,
Conservative
MP
Jack
Brereton
says
there
has
been
‘rapid
progress’
with
the
project
to
restore
the
station
at
Meir,
on
the
Stoke
to
Derby
line,
and
that
construction
could
start
by
the
end
of
the
year.

Catering
staff
strike

Staff
employed
by
Rail
Gourmet
who
work
for
TransPennine
Express
are
striking
today.
The
walkout
by
the
catering
workers
is
the
latest
development
in
a
dispute
between
the
RMT
and Rail
Gourmet
over
pay.
The
union
says
their
pay,
terms
and
conditions
are
not
as
favourable
as
those
offered
by
TransPennine
Express
to
its
directly-employed
staff.

Owls
on
patrol
at
Morpeth

Northern
has
recruited
plastic
owls
to
deter
pigeons
from
roosting
at
Morpeth
station,
where
the
pigeons
cause
a
mess.
Meanwhile,
Northern
is
using
the
cries
of
hawks
to
frighten
pigeons
away
from
Driffield
station,
where
the
sounds
of
the
birds
of
prey
are
broadcast
over
the
public
address
system
twice
an
hour
between
10.00
and
16.00.
The
trials
are
set
to
continue
until
the
end
of
next
month.
If
they
are
successful,
similar
methods
could
be
used
at
other
Northern
stations.