A TRAIN operator and a rail lobby group have embarked on a campaign to improve stations on the West Coast Main Line, including car parking at Oxenholme.

West Coast Rail 250, the biggest train lobby group in the country, launched its document West Coast: A Strategy for the 21st Century in the House of Commons this week.

The West Coast Main Line runs from London Euston to Glasgow but is currently closed through South Lakeland at weekends until June for engineering work to allow 125mph trains to use it.

The lobby group wants to take the opportunity offered by the upgrade of the line to make further improvements, including at stations, and is seeking a commitment from the Government on a number of issues.

The report says that additional car parking is an urgent necessity. It points out that stations where the situation is particularly acute include Crewe, Preston and Carlisle, but the situation is also serious at Oxenholme.

Charles Belcher, the West Coast managing director of Virgin Trains, which operates services on the line, said: "We have come up with a figure of around £150m that we would like to spend on stations, including on car parks."

VT has taken the opportunity of the launch of the strategy to ask the Government to allow it to raise money to pay for station improvements.

Train companies lease the railways from the Government and operate them for a profit. Normally, if they take out a loan, it has to be repaid before the lease expires, which in VT's case is 2012.

The firm would like to be able to repay the loan over the longer life' of the improvements, such as the length of time car park renovations last.

As well as car parking, West Coast Rail 250 has asked for "clear commitments" which include: l future maintenance of the line; l tackling train congestion at pinch points'; l a clear connections policy; l longer trains to alleviate expected overcrowding; l enhanced weekend services.

The group also asked for a commitment towards a new high-speed line between London, the West Midlands and the North West.

Carlisle MP Eric Martlew, backing the strategy, said: "Regular investment is now required in the stations and it is essential that we never again allow this national asset to deteriorate as was the case in the 80s and 90s."

VT spokesman Dave Ewart said tackling pinch point congestion, increasing train lengths and improving weekend services were possible improvements but being able to hold trains to meet connections, such as for the Lakes Line from Oxenholme to Windermere, was unlikely.