Croydon Area Remodelling Funding Brighton Mainline 2025-03-31

Opened the debate

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important issue in the House. The Croydon area remodelling scheme, or CARS, is not just about upgrading two of Britain's busiest train stations and bringing investment into London’s significant areas of opportunity but about supercharging growth, opportunity, and transport links right across the south-east. The lack of capacity at East Croydon station means that trains on the Brighton main line have been vulnerable to delays and cancellations for many years. Service punctuality was the lowest among any major route before plans were shelved in 2020. Despite extensive housing delivery, economic growth forecasts, and increased passenger demand post-pandemic, these crucial infrastructure plans were halted by the previous Government. CARS would significantly improve East Croydon station and Norwood Junction station, enhancing facilities for passengers and bringing step-free access to local transport hubs. Given renewed interest in Gatwick airport expansion and the need to increase public transport usage, it is imperative that we look again at CARS.

Government Response

I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. The Brighton main line is a crucial artery connecting the south coast to London, carrying millions of passengers each year and enabling billions of pounds in economic activity annually. Major investments have been made through the Thameslink programme, including £250 million invested in upgrading Gatwick airport station, delivering new concourses, doubling passenger space, improving reliability, and reducing journey times between Brighton and London by five minutes. Despite these investments, demand continued to grow up to 2019. CARS was developed to address crowding and provide more capacity on the line through significant remodelling of tracks and rail junctions north of East Croydon station. Gatwick Airport Ltd has committed £10 million for a rail enhancement fund to support improvements required to accommodate additional passengers. In her spring statement, the Chancellor highlighted the challenges facing public finances and the steps being taken to restore stability and support growth. The ongoing spending review is part of this process, aiming to assess each element of public spending carefully, including rail investments. Given that the spending review is still ongoing, the Minister regrets not being able to comment on individual projects like CARS until June when the review concludes. She recognises the substantial benefits CARS could bring by unlocking development in Croydon and improving capacity for growth across the coast-to-capital region but also reiterates the multibillion-pound costs of the scheme against significant funding challenges across public services and infrastructure ambitions. The Department will continue to work with rail industry partners, local authorities, and stakeholders to explore opportunities for improving rail services in the south-east while ensuring the Brighton main line remains a world-class transport link that meets passengers' needs and supports economic growth.