Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Infrastructure

Wednesday 19 April 2023 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Over 390 million has been provided for rail improvements in Wales since 2020.
  • Avanti has received complaints about services between Holyhead and Crewe and has been told to improve the service quickly.
  • Discussions are ongoing regarding rail infrastructure between south Wales and Torbay to encourage tourism.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ashley Dalton Lab West Lancashire
Transport Wales
Context

The MP asked about recent Cabinet discussions on rail improvements in Wales, which are a critical issue for border communities.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on rail infrastructure in Wales?

Answer from David Davies

I regularly engage with Cabinet Ministers on a range of transport measures. Over £390 million has already been provided for rail improvements in Wales since 2020, including at Bow Street Station, with the electrification of the Severn tunnel and through Cardiff Crossrail.

Answered
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Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Transport
Context

Services between Holyhead and Crewe have been disrupted by Avanti, causing significant inconvenience to communities in north Wales and the northwest of England.

Question

Avanti chaos has hit services between Holyhead and Crewe. For communities in north Wales and the north-west of England, the line is an ongoing nightmare. What guarantees will the Secretary of State provide that those services will be restored?

Answer from David Davies

The hon. Lady has a point. A number of complaints have been made about Avanti by Members of Parliament of all parties and I think there is a recognition that things could be a lot better than they are. Avanti is well aware of that and has been told that it needs to improve the service quickly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific guarantees for restoring services

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Q3 Ashley Dalton Lab West Lancashire
Transport Wales
Context

Rail connectivity is crucial for border communities, such as Wrexham to Merseyside. Skelmersdale in West Lancashire has been without a train station since 1958.

Question

Rail connectivity is crucial to the border communities of Wales and England, such as connections between Wrexham and Merseyside. Furthermore, Merseyside is just as inaccessible for some communities in the north of England as it is in Wales. Skelmersdale in my constituency is a community of 40,000 people, but has been left without access to a train station since 1958. Will the Secretary of State tell me how the Government plan to make sure our communities on both sides of the border have access to rail services?

Answer from David Davies

I welcome that question from the hon. Lady. I am sure the people of north Wales would welcome many more of her constituents coming down to visit and spending money in the local tourism industry, if they can afford the tourism tax imposed by the Welsh Labour Government. To answer her question simply, there will be a rail network enhancements pipeline review out shortly. I believe it will contain good news for rail users across Wales, which will benefit travellers from across the United Kingdom.

Not addressed: specific government plans on improving connectivity and accessibility

How: Discussed Tourism Benefits Rather Than Rail Improvements

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Q4 Kevin Foster Con
Transport
Context

The MP inquired about the Secretary of State's discussions to ensure that rail infrastructure can cope with increased holiday travel from Wales to Torbay.

Question

With meal deal bans, tourism taxes and road charges, it is no surprise that many Welsh residents will be thinking of getting the train for a holiday in Torbay to avoid all of them. What discussions is the Secretary of State having to ensure that the rail infrastructure between south Wales and the south-west of England will be able to cope with the demand?

Answer from David Davies

I am sure that Torbay is a wonderful place, but I would still recommend that people come to Wales instead to enjoy its coastline. To do that, they would need to go either by train or by car, so it is unfortunate that the Welsh Labour Government have also decided to stop all road building, whereas the United Kingdom Government are getting on with building roads and railways.

Not addressed: specific discussions on rail infrastructure demand

How: Discussed Recommendations For Wales Instead Of Torbay

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Q5 Daniel Kawczynski Con
Transport Wales
Context

The MP campaigned for the electrification of the line from Birmingham to Shrewsbury and beyond to Wales, a vital rail artery.

Question

One of the most important rail links into mid-Wales is through Shrewsbury. We are proud to be a border community, and of our links with Wales. We are campaigning for electrification of the line from Birmingham to Shrewsbury and beyond to Wales. Will the Minister take an interest in our project to try to electrify this vital artery for residents in mid-Wales?

Answer from David Davies

I will take an interest in that matter, but it is more for the Department for Transport than for my good self. I have taken an interest in the fact that a great deal of work is going on in the Forest of Dean area to ensure that commuters on both sides of the border can enjoy more reliable rail travel.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific actions or commitments for electrification project

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