Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Transport System: Economic Growth

Thursday 20 November 2025 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 6 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Harpreet Uppal inquired about the progress of the trans-Pennine route upgrades and the reconstruction of Huddersfield railway station.
  • Jacob Collier raised concerns about poor transport links in Staffordshire and highlighted the funding allocated to highways maintenance for the region.
  • Noah Law thanked the Secretary of State for the local transport grant for mid-Cornwall and discussed the need for shovel-ready rail projects.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Harpreet Uppal Lab Huddersfield
Economy Transport
Context

The MP references the trans-Pennine route upgrades and Huddersfield's railway station reconstruction, highlighting specific progress figures and a recent 30-day closure that caused disruption.

Question

As part of the trans-Pennine route upgrades, 25% of the route has already been electrified, with 40% due to be completed by summer 2027. Huddersfield’s famous railway station is also undergoing a £70 million reconstruction. Although there has been a 30-day closure that has led to some disruption for residents in my town, can the Secretary of State set out how the Government are ensuring the economic and social benefits of that investment will be utilised to help regenerate communities in Huddersfield?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

I would like to acknowledge that my hon. Friend’s constituents have had to put up with some significant disruption in recent months, but I am confident that when that work is complete, Huddersfield will have a railway station fit for the future. The trans-Pennine route upgrade programme is working closely with local partners to ensure that the £11 billion of investment delivers long-term social and economic benefits for Huddersfield and local communities along the route. This includes supporting skilled jobs, improving connectivity and creating opportunities right now for local supply chains.

Answered
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Q2 Jacob Collier Lab Burton and Uttoxeter
Economy Transport
Context

The MP addresses issues such as fragmented bus services, unreliable train schedules on Sundays, and the need for upgrading east-west road networks in his constituency.

Question

Fragmented bus services, trains that refuse to show up before 3 pm on a Sunday in Uttoxeter and Tutbury and an east-west road network that needs upgrading—all those things are holding back my constituents and economic growth in our region. Can my right hon. Friend say how she will unleash the kind of transport links that will support the economic growth that my constituents, businesses and Staffordshire deserve?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

I sympathise with my hon. Friend. Some parts of the country have been held back by poor transport links from years of Tory underfunding. I am pleased, though, that with this Labour Government, Staffordshire has been allocated more than £39 million this year in highways maintenance funding, plus £92 million in local transport grant from 2026 onwards. It is now up to the local authority to use that funding to deliver for its residents, and I know he will continue to press it to do so.

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Q3 Noah Law Lab mid-Cornwall
Transport
Context

The MP acknowledges the recent boost to local transport grant but points out a lack of shovel-ready rail projects in Cornwall.

Question

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for the recent boost to the local transport grant for my constituents in mid-Cornwall, but one of the barriers to more transformative rail investment in Cornwall remains a lack of shovel-ready projects to proceed with, which I have been talking about with residents in the western clay country and Fowey. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that we can get Cornwall’s railways back on track?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

My hon. Friend never misses an opportunity to talk with me about the importance of improving the transport system for his constituents. Through the local transport grant, Cornwall council will receive more than £25 million, which local leaders can use to support schemes in line with local priorities. We will issue guidance later this year so that local authorities can decide how to use their multi-year allocations, and I encourage my hon. Friend to take up this cause with his local council.

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Q4 John Glen Con Salisbury
Economy Transport
Context

The MP discusses the cancellation of A303 improvements and seeks alternatives to improve economic growth in Salisbury.

Question

Following the decision to cancel the A303 improvements at Stonehenge, the focus in Wiltshire is on what else can be done, particularly around Salisbury, to remove some of the enormous congestion that exists that clearly impacts on economic growth. I was grateful for the engagement with National Highways last night on the Wyndham bridge plans, but can the Secretary of State set out what she sees as an alternative investment in Salisbury and south Wiltshire, following the A303 decision?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

I believe that the right hon. Gentleman has met my colleague, the former Minister for the future of roads, my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham South (Lilian Greenwood), where they possibly discussed the A36 bypass around Salisbury. I am happy to meet him and talk to him further about any other ideas that he may have, in addition to the conversations he has already had with National Highways.

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Q5 Adrian Ramsay Green Waveney Valley
Economy Transport
Context

The MP discusses the importance of upgrading Ely and Haughley junctions for freight rail traffic.

Question

Upgrading the Ely and Haughley junctions would enable a substantial shift of freight to the rails, which is important for net zero targets, for relieving congestion and for supporting haulage and logistics businesses. Will the Secretary of State therefore meet me, regional businesses, cross-party political leaders and the Suffolk chamber of commerce to look at the options for funding and upgrading this project, as outlined by Network Rail?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

I recently visited Norwich, where business leaders and representatives made the case to me for improvement works at the Ely and Haughley junctions. I am aware of the importance of freight on those lines, given the adjacency to the port of Felixstowe. We have had to take some difficult decisions in this spending review about the rail enhancement programme. While we understand the benefits of this scheme, it has not been possible to fund it in this spending review period. However, it is part of the future pipeline of work that we will be looking at.

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Q6 Richard Holden Con Basildon and Billericay
Economy Transport
Context

The MP criticizes the Railways Bill for lack of passenger growth commitment, air passenger duty rises, potential fuel duty increases, and delays in connectivity decisions.

Question

There is no passenger growth commitment in the Railways Bill, just the expectation of inflation-busting fare rises in the Budget. Holidaymakers are being used like a piñata, with a 13% rise in air passenger duty already in prospect, and airport business rates will be passed on to them too. Ports have been throttled by delayed decisions on connectivity with the rail infrastructure. Motorists are facing potential fuel duty rises, with insurance premium tax rises and pay-per-mile hanging over them. Which of the above measures is supporting, rather than hammering, economic growth?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)

I can tell the right hon. Gentleman what this Government are doing to support economic growth when it comes to the transport system. We have given the green light to over 50 road and rail projects in the spending review, given planning permission to airport expansion at Luton and Gatwick, and invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow, in stark contrast to the dither-and-delay approach of the previous Government when it came to the aviation sector. I am not going to take any lectures from him when it comes to economic growth and improving the transport system in this country.

Answered
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Q7 Olly Glover Lib Dem Didcot and Wantage
Transport
Context

Rail fares have been increasing above inflation for decades, with season ticket prices reaching £7,780 from Didcot to the London travelcard area. Constituents feel that such high costs hinder economic growth and reduce railway usage.

Question

For decades, rail fares have been subject to above-inflation increases, and many people feel that prices such as £7,780 for an annual season ticket from Didcot to the London travelcard area do not represent good value for money and hinder the railways’ potential to reduce congestion and contribute to economic growth. Does the Secretary of State support the idea of a rail fares freeze? If she does, what representations has she made to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget?

Answer from Heidi Alexander (The Secretary of State for Transport)

The hon. Gentleman tempts me to divulge conversations that I have had in advance of the Budget. I am sorry to disappoint him, but I am not going to do that. I am acutely aware of the importance that the travelling public place on affordability, and of course I want to find a way to help those who rely on our railways, given the cost of living pressures that people are experiencing. I have spoken before about the scale of the public subsidy that we are currently putting into the railways, and we have to get the right balance between supporting rail users and being fair to the taxpayer.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details on whether a rail fares freeze is supported or discussions with the Chancellor about it

How: Not Going To Do That, I Am Acutely Aware

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