Daily Post Get On Board cruise liner campaign goes to Government
The Daily Post takes its Get On Board cruise campaign petition to the heart of Government in London today.
It will be presented in person to transport minister Mike Penning, MP, at the Department for Transport.
The petition asking for restrictions banning cruise turnarounds to be lifted – cruises starting and finishing at Liverpool Pier Head – contains more than 2,500 signatures.
We want the government to overturn turnaround constraints on the £15m EU grant used to build Liverpool Cruise Terminal.
This will mean Merseyside can once again become a leading player in the thriving worldwide cruise industry.
The petition will be handed over to Mr Penning at a special meeting at 2.30pm today.
As well as the petition, Mr Penning will be given a complete portfolio of Daily Post articles about the Get On Board campaign.
These stories detail the overwhelming local support for cruise turnarounds to operate from Liverpool Cruise Terminal in the city centre.
Besides backing from the people of Liverpool, high-profile supporters of the campaign include the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, MP for Tatton, in Cheshire.
Mr Penning is due to meet Liverpool City Council leader, Cllr Joe Anderson, in the city on Thursday to discuss the turnaround ban.
Cllr Anderson said: “On behalf of the city council I want to thank everyone who signed the Daily Post Get On Board petition.
“The success of this petition proves that the people of Liverpool and Merseyside are eager for this facility.
“Not only will it see our historic waterfront returned to its original use, but it makes economic sense and will boost jobs and tourism.
“We know people want to come to Liverpool to board cruise ships and we know the cruise lines want to serve that market.
“The petition sends a clear signal to the Government and gives the people of the Liverpool city region hope it will become a reality. I am determined to make this happen and spoke to the Prime Minister David Cameron and Lord Heseltine about it on their visit to Merseyside last week.
“We discussed Regional Growth Funds to support the local economy. Developing the cruise industry through turnarounds is a prime example of this.
“Mr Cameron and Lord Heseltine were sympathetic.
“The crux is whether Southampton has a case regarding the public subsidy argument.”
The Port of Southampton lobbied the Government against waiving the Liverpool grant restrictions, complaining it gives unfair commercial advantage.
[Image: Mark Thomas, Get On Board petition]
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