Andy Reed MP met rail bosses from East Midlands Trains and Network Rail this week to highlight concerns over plans for the station. Andy said he came away from the meeting reassured over the main areas of concern - platform lengthening, car parking, station improvements and the eastern gateway project.

Andy said "I expressed my frustration that project timetables seemed to have slipped and I didn't want to see vital and agreed improvements lost. Far from it. I was reassured that some of the delays have been caused because there appears to be more joined up long term thinking about the station a s a whole - rather than piecemeal development. As this is what I have been calling for I am pleased to hear it is now happening. For example the disabled access will now be designed with platform lengthening in mind - rather than being built and then unsuitable when the platform is lengthened later. This seems sensible.

"I will still be tackling the Minister to make sure these issues remain under the spotlight. With 2012 and Loughborough's position as an international camp all parties are keen to make sure things are ready.

"I was also pleased to learn at the meeting that Loughborough will be one of a few stations to be part of a national pilot scheme to develop local transport plans.

Loughborough Train Station has been chosen as one of only 24 stations nationwide to take part in a pilot scheme to promote sustainable travel.

The station was selected by the Association of Train Operating Companies for the pilot project to develop a Station Travel Plan. The aim of a Station Travel Plan is to help improve accessibility and to encourage people to leave their cars at home, and travel to and from the station by bike, bus, or on foot.

Andy Reed MP yesterday joined the British Olympic Team in Birmingham as they got themselves kitted out for Beijing.

The MP for Loughborough is working 10 days with the BOA over the next year as part of an initiative for MPs to work in other sectors and see how they operate at ground level.

Andy Reed said "This was an amazing day. The logistics of sending the team to Bejing are mind boggling. Even just for this kit there are 900 individuals with about 95 bits of kit to take. Nothing is left to chance. The BOA need to take away any distractions so that athletes can do what they do best- compete and win medals.

Andy Reed MP demanded that the Government ends child poverty as they signed up to the “Keep the promise” campaign”. He called on people to back the campaign and demand a better future for children in Loughborough.

The campaign is being run by End Child Poverty, which is mobilising public support to ensure the Government keeps its promise to end child poverty. Without urgent investment in the next year any progress on child poverty is at risk. The charity is asking people to sign an online petition, campaign locally, and attend the largest ever event to end child poverty, in London on October the 4th this year.

Andy Reed said: “We are one of the richest countries in the world, yet we have higher rates of child poverty than many other countries. Child poverty robs people of the opportunities to succeed in education and in the workplace. We can see the damage poverty does for children and our country. Please join me, support the campaign and help end child poverty.”

In Loughborough 14% of children live on very low incomes, dependent on out of work benefits. Across the East Midlands 29% of children live below the poverty line. Across the UK 3.9m children, approximately 1 in 3, live in poverty, one of the worst rates in Europe. In 1999 the Government pledged to eradicate child poverty. Since then 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty, however, much more needs to be done in order to achieve the goal.

We inherited a scandalous record fom the Tories who INCREASED CHILD POVERTY in this country in their years. They are still not promising to match our targets to reduce child poverty despite hiding behind some warm words. I wouldn't trust them to deliver anything meaningful on this issue and that alone drives me to campiagn to prevent them ever getting their hands on power again"

Andy Reed MP last night welcomed the Treasury promise to deal with all outstanding issues for those losing out on the abolition of the 10p tax rate.

"I am pleased the Treasury have made progress for the majority and have promised to deal with the remainder in the Pre Budget report in the autumn. I think they know how back bench MPs feel and they need to come back with pretty concrete proposals. They have acknowledged their mistake and have done much already. But they know they need to do more.

"The one group of people I will take no lessons from are the Tories. They proposed the abolition of the 10p rate 2 years ago, abstained earlier this year and still have no idea what they would do. The politest thing I can say about them is they are being disingenuous nationally and locally with their public pronouncements"

Andy Reed MP today gave his full support to the government plans to update and change the law on co-operatives and the mutual’s sectors. The government has announced plans to bring about legislative change to help co-operatives compete on an equal footing with business and help them to continue to grow.

The aim of the changes is to help enable the sector to grow in economic terms, help to increase efficiency and cut red tape as well as level the field so that co-operatives can operate on an equal footing as other companies.

Andy Reed MP joined Seb Coe and managers of the 2012 team this evening.

Andy works closely with 2012 to ensure the regions voice i heard in the planning of the 2012 games and took part in a wide ranging discussion on the progress of the plans and what more can be done to ensure there is a genuine sporting legacy from 2012.

Andy said "I have said right from the start that whilst I am looking forward to the 2012 games my real passion is to see a sporting legacy for every region and community. The stadia legacy is just a small part of the transformation we need to see. From community sport to elite funding the games can be used as a force for good but we need to plan for that NOW or we miss the opportunity. No other games has increased participation in sport so this is a massive challenge. But one I think we have the people to deliver.