THE Archbishop of York has thrown his support behind the campaign to save the National Railway Museum.

Dr John Sentamu also claimed there was a growing economic North/South divide, with communities in the North bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.

The Archbishop said he had been shocked to hear of the cuts that the NRM and the National Media Museum in Bradford and Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry, were facing.

The Science Museum Group (SMG), the museums’ parent organisation, said last week that a further 10 per cent cut in Government funding would leave it with “little choice” but to close one of the three museums.

Dr Sentamu said: ”It is simply incredible that we are now considering cutting back on funding which benefits the whole community – investment which not only helps to educate future generations, but which also gives them a sense of their cultural heritage and identity.

“I know from my own experience as a local resident, and as an Ambassador for Tourism in York, that the National Railway Museum is one of the leading attractions in the whole country.

"It brings great enjoyment and pleasure to people across the age spectrum, as well as contributing greatly to our wellbeing as a city and the local economy.

“We need to recognise that our cultural heritage is an important part of our country’s history. A country which forgets its heritage becomes senile.

“Increasingly it seems there is a growing economic divide between the North and the South. Too often we are seeing communities across the North of England bearing the brunt of the economic downturn. We need to see a level playing field.

“Whether we are looking at transport investment, education, employment, health or about where our children and grandchildren learn about what made our cities the fantastic places they are today, we need to put wellbeing at the centre. Everyone deserves the opportunity to blossom and flourish, regardless of where they were born.

“From my time being Sponsor of the Fairness Commission in York, I know we have great prosperity, but also great poverty in our city. The Foodbank, run by a local church, has given food parcels to over 1,000 people since November – and two more Foodbanks are due to open in the coming months.”

He added: “If we are going to say that museums cannot charge people to come through the door – which is the current Government policy, and to my mind a wonderful principle we should all want to embrace – then we have to ensure that the grant funding being allocated is fair. Otherwise our great libraries of learning will be lost forever.”