Linbrooke Welcomes MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Miriam Cates

On Friday, 16th June 2023, Linbrooke welcomed MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Miriam Cates and her team as part of The Railway Industry Association (RIA) Rail Fellowship Programme initiative.

RIA Rail Fellowship Programme is an exciting opportunity for UK parliamentarians and commentators to gain insight into the valuable work of the UK rail supply chain at an RIA Member location. 'Fellows' spend a day on-site with an RIA Member whose work is relevant to their role or constituency and experience opportunities reflecting the great diversity of technical disciplines within the rail sector. The initiative has attracted politicians including Shadow Rail Minister Tan Dhesi, the last three Transport Select Committee Chairs, and the former Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps.

Miriam's primary interests at Linbrooke were the training and skills that Linbrooke provides inside her constituency. Miriam met with Linbrooke trainees and employees, where she had an opportunity to learn more about the community initiatives Linbrooke is involved in, the employment and career progression opportunities we provide to people in the region and the complexities of challenges facing the rail sector.

Ben Lynch, Director, Linbrooke Rail said, 

"It was a pleasure to meet Miriam and her team and to welcome RIA colleagues to Linbrooke. We must highlight to the politicians the importance of rail works we are undertaking to renew life-expired assets. Our West Hampstead Life Extension programme in the Eastern region has an incredible impact on cost saving for taxpayers and sustainably benefits the industry. The cash that we all inject into British Railway can be saved if companies like Linbrooke are given an opportunity to regenerate life-expired assets giving them a new lease of life to keep the British Railway open for passengers to enjoy."

William Wilson, CEO, Linbrooke, said: "I was delighted to welcome Miriam Cates MP to Linbrooke so that she could meet some of our employees, tour the Optical Networks ISO Class 7 Clean Room facility, and see the tremendous work we do to support the wider community not just in Sheffield but nationwide. Linbrooke is vital to the economy, preparing next-generation talent to lead the reform of British railway upgrades and maintain Britain's infrastructure network. I was very proud to show Miriam what Linbrooke is all about. After all, we are located on her doorstep, and who is better to champion SMEs in the Parliament than an MP that has seen the great impact we are making first hand."

The visit is featured in Rail Business Daily News Publication. Click here to read more.

Railway Industry Association (RIA)

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the trade association for UK-based suppliers to the UK and world-wide railways. With 260 companies in membership, RIA is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SME. RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.