Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Renationalisation: East of England

Thursday 26 March 2026 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rail renationalisation will put passengers first, with operators delivering some of the lowest cancellation rates.
  • Greater Anglia continually seeks opportunities to improve service frequency for commuters.
  • Campaigners in Grimsby have been advocating for a direct train to London, but major infrastructure changes are required for such an addition.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Prinsley Lab Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Transport
Context

The MP inquired about the potential impacts of renationalising railways, focusing on regions such as Bury St Edmunds.

Question

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the renationalisation of the railways on rail users in the east of England?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

Bringing Greater Anglia and other east of England train operators into public ownership will put passengers first. Since coming into public ownership in 2025, both Greater Anglia and c2c are delivering some of the lowest cancellation rates in the country, while new stations and upgrades across the region are improving reliability and accessibility as we move towards an integrated, passenger-focused rail network.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assessment on impacts for eastern English railway users was not provided.

How: Bringing Operators Into Public Ownership Will Put Passengers First, Delivering Some Of The Lowest Cancellation Rates

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Q2 Peter Prinsley Lab Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Transport
Context

The MP inquired about the possibility of improved railway services following nationalisation.

Question

I am grateful for that answer. Greater Anglia has consistently been at the top of the performance scale for our railway operators, but could the Secretary of State tell me whether the nationalisation of the railway will lead to the increased likelihood of a much better commuter service between Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge, which is presently only an hourly service, and what the prospect is of a direct train line from Bury St Edmunds to London?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his advocacy on behalf of his constituents and those using rail services in his area. I can assure him that Greater Anglia continually looks for opportunities to improve service frequency. Services will be strengthened for customers and communities on regional routes, including in the Stowmarket area, in the new timetable from Sunday 17 May.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitments or timelines for improved services were not provided.

How: Continually Looks For Opportunities To Improve Service Frequency, Strengthened Services

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Q3 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Transport
Context

The MP expressed frustration over the lack of progress in establishing a direct rail link between his town and London.

Question

Nationalisation was supposed to put local communities in touch. Grimsby is the largest town in the east of England without a direct train to London. We have been campaigning for one for years, and now the Secretary of State has written to me to say that we are not going to get the train because of accessibility problems in Market Rasen station. It is ludicrous to spend £15 million on extending a platform that does not need to be extended and building a bridge that does not need to be built. What does the Secretary of State want me to do? Does she want me to get on my knees and beg for this train?

Answer from Heidi Alexander

I think that is possibly a first for the Father of the House, and it underlines the strength of feeling that he and his constituents have about improved rail services. He is right; I did write to him on 17 March and confirmed that while we could run trains without major infrastructure changes, we would have to find additional funding to support the necessary service pattern changes. For LNER services to call at Market Rasen, significant upgrades would be needed to the station to enable safe and compliant operation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timelines or funding commitments were not provided.

How: Significant Upgrades Would Be Needed, Safe And Compliant Operation

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