Opened the debate
Mr Deputy Speaker, as we approach the recess, may I wish you and all colleagues a very happy Easter? Today, I would like to address the adequacy of public transport in my Carshalton and Wallington constituency. Being able to move around quickly and conveniently is vital for a vibrant economy and community, but my constituents have been deprived of consistent and reliable public transport due to mismanagement by the Mayor of London and a Liberal Democrat council. The tram extension has been shelved, the Go Sutton bus scrapped, and inconvenient existing routes are being imposed. Rail services post-pandemic have seen significant reductions in accessibility and convenience, with peak-time services still far from what they used to be. I campaign for restoring rail services and adequate weekend services, securing funding for step-free access at Hackbridge station, and advocating for the Croydon area remodelling scheme to improve connectivity. The expansion of the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) is causing significant grief to my constituents, who cannot afford to upgrade their vehicles and are burdened by fines and isolation.