Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Transport and Economic Growth

Thursday 12 February 2026 · 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 2 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rail services support economic growth through significant investment exceeding 10 billion over four years for improvements and major projects.
  • The east coast main line has seen improvements with extra seats and services, enhancing connectivity for the north-east.
  • Projects in Luton South and South Bedfordshire, including airport expansion and Universal Studios, are expected to create numerous job and apprenticeship opportunities.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Economy Transport
Context

The MP noted the importance of rail connectivity in Luton South and South Bedfordshire for job, education, and training opportunities.

Question

What steps she is taking to help ensure that the rail transport system supports economic growth?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

Good, well-run rail services support economic growth. We are investing more than £10 billion over four years to improve the railway, as well as progressing work on major schemes such as HS2, East West Rail and the trans-Pennine route upgrade. Our reforms to establish Great British Railways will drive economic growth, improve services for passengers and reduce the cost of the railway.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Grahame Morris Lab Easington
Transport
Context

The MP highlighted poor rail connectivity in his constituency which limits access to job opportunities and referenced evidence showing that increasing rail frequency can boost productivity.

Question

My east Durham constituency has long suffered from poor rail connectivity, which limits access to job, education and training opportunities, yet published evidence from the Rail Delivery Group and Oxford Economics shows that increasing rail frequency and capacity can boost productivity and attract investment. I welcome the Government's commitment to an integrated national transport strategy and to driving regional growth, but will Ministers please do all they can to encourage Northern to improve the frequency of rail services in my east Durham constituency?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

The timetable change on the east coast main line in December last year has meant extra seats and extra services for many parts of the north-east. The new timetable, plus additional fast services on the Durham coastline, has provided faster journeys to more customers across the north, too. I know that the Rail Minister would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend to discuss how his constituents can benefit most from these changes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific request for frequency improvements was not directly addressed

How: Will Meet To Discuss

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Economy Employment Transport
Context

The MP noted exciting infrastructure projects in her constituency that will provide job opportunities for young people.

Question

Exciting infrastructure projects are under way in Luton South and South Bedfordshire and in the wider region, including the expansion of Luton airport, Universal Studios and the new town at Tempsford. These projects will provide thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people. As we mark National Apprenticeship Week and accelerate support for young people in accessing high-quality jobs, what work is the Department doing to ensure that our transport network is interconnected and can support that economic growth, particularly for young people who cannot drive?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

My hon. Friend is a great champion for young people in her constituency. I was pleased to sit down with her just last week to discuss the opportunities that this Labour Government are providing for people across Luton South and South Bedfordshire. We are determined to open up opportunities for young people through our investment in transport. Just this week, we laid before Parliament legislation to reduce the age at which someone can train to become a train driver from 20 to 18, meaning that young people do not have to wait around for years after finishing school and college before they can embark on a career on the railways.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific request about interconnectivity was not directly addressed

How: Met Last Week, Laid Legislation

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Economy Transport
Context

The MP has campaigned for a through-train service on the line between Grimsby and London.

Question

The Secretary of State probably knows what I am going to ask. The single best thing we could do to promote economic growth in North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire, and particularly in Grimsby, which is one of the largest towns in England without a through-train to London, is to get our through-train to London from Grimsby and Cleethorpes, via Market Rasen and Lincoln. My hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) and I have campaigned relentlessly for this. We went to see Lord Hendy, who gave us a very good interview, didn't he?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

I wondered what the Father of the House was going to ask me. I remember him asking me a couple of months ago to name a train after Margaret Thatcher. I gave him a pretty definitive response to that. On the subject of the station in his constituency and the through-service from it, I will be sure to speak to the Rail Minister for an update on his latest conversations with the right hon. Gentleman and the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers). I will be happy to write to the right hon. Gentleman with an update.

Not addressed: Specific request about through-train was not addressed, instead spoke generally about conversations

How: Will Speak To Rail Minister, Write With Update

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q5 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Transport
Context

The MP noted unreliable Sunday train services on Great Western Railway, which are damaging the local economy.

Question

Bath's hospitality sector depends heavily on weekend services, but Sunday services on Great Western Railway continue to be extremely unreliable, with long delays, packed trains and cancellations. The previous Transport Secretary, the right hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley (Louise Haigh), rightly said that we should not have to rely on staff volunteering for shifts to run basic Sunday timetables, but that is exactly what is happening. What concrete steps has the Department taken towards overhauling staff contracts, so that Sunday services are guaranteed and support Bath's local economy?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

The hon. Lady is, of course, right that when people are stood on a platform on a Sunday, the train should turn up as reliably as it does on a Monday morning. The truth of the matter is that there is a raft of different practices across train operating companies. We have a plan to ensure that drivers and train crew are available. We will continue to work on that, specifically on the Great Western route.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps for guaranteeing Sunday services were not provided

How: Different Practices Across Companies, Working On Ensuring Availability

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q6 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Transport
Context

The MP highlighted the publication of a report discussing boom and bust patterns in rail supply chain investments.

Question

On Tuesday, the Committee published, as well as the report on the Railways Bill, a report called “Rail investment pipelines: ending boom and bust”, which includes discussion of the rolling stock that we need to run our trains. We found a pattern of boom and bust in investment decisions. No strategy means fluctuating orders, and that threatens small and medium-sized enterprise viability in the UK supply chain. When will the Government publish the promised long-term rolling stock investment strategy?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

I thank my hon. Friend for her question, and her Committee for its work on the important report that it published this week. We all want to see an end to the boom and bust in our rail supply chain, which damages capacity and skills retention and does not provide value for money. I can tell my hon. Friend that the Department plans to publish its rolling stock and infrastructure strategy this summer. That will set out how Great British Railways will help smooth demand and generate a steady pipeline of work for the supply chain.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q7 Mark Pritchard Con The Wrekin
Transport
Context

Concerns about potential conflict of interest between Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road regarding open access agreements.

Question

I was always on the reserve bench, but I am delighted to be called. On a serious point, Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road will potentially have a conflict of interest when deciding on open access agreements such as the application of the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway company, which will bring about £2.2 million of growth into Shropshire's economy and full direct rail services to London every day. Could the Secretary of State reassure all my businesses and constituents in the Wrekin that there is no conflict of interest between Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road when deciding these applications?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

I fear that the right hon. Gentleman may have misunderstood the proposals for reform in the Railways Bill. In future, open access decisions will be taken by Great British Railways, and applicants will have a right of appeal to the ORR. There is no conflict of interest. I can also assure him that in the past I have been as supportive, from the Department for Transport, as Network Rail has been of the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and the west midlands, and I will maintain my support for the proposals going forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The conflict of interest regarding specific decisions was not directly addressed.

How: I Fear That The Right Hon. Gentleman May Have Misunderstood The Proposals For Reform In The Railways Bill.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email