Ref. 27762-09THERE WILL be no more Government funding to stem Steam's losses of half a million pounds a year.

That is the message from Tessa Jowell MP, the Culture, Media and Sport Secretary who visited the Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon.

The £13 million lottery funded attraction has endured a troubled time since it opened in June 2000, with visitor numbers falling well below the 250,000 a year predicted, causing heavy losses.

Ms Jowell was visiting the museum at the request of North Swindon MP Michael Wills.

She said: "We have no plans to subsidise the museum and I would not want to come here and make false promises.

"It has benefited from Lottery funding and is one of the museums linked to the regional centre in Bristol.

"I have been to the museum before and I was impressed by the imagination and potential it has to act as a magnet to bring visitors to Swindon and make it a town worth living in for people brought here by the town's success.

"It's untrue to claim the Lottery has funded projects and then left them out to dry. It provides start up capital for a lot of cultural and sporting projects but it is important that local partners own it if it is to be successful in the long term."

But Ms Jowell's visit comes at a time when Steam's future is looking bright.

Owners Swindon Council has announced it is in negotiations with the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village to create 200 free car parking spaces for Steam visitors.

And the council has agreed to allow Swindon Services to take over the running from its cultural department.

Swindon Services, headed by John Short, is responsible for running the successful Oasis and Link leisure centres and is charged with stemming the museum's massive losses.

A major criticism of the museum is that patrons must pay to park outside the Outlet Village.

But acting council leader Ian Dobie (Con, Haydon Wick) said the council is committed to ensuring free parking outside the museum.

He said: "Parking will make a huge difference, it was part of the original arrangement for the whole scheme.

"What we want is a business type approach. It is all very well for Steam to be the cultural jewel in the crown, but the pit isn't bottomless."

James Watson