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Old Oak Common Station
17 December 2024
Lead MP
Max Wilkinson
Cheltenham
Lib Dem
Responding Minister
Lilian Greenwood
Tags
Transport
Word Count: 11895
Other Contributors: 14
At a Glance
Max Wilkinson raised concerns about old oak common station in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Minister should address how to mitigate construction phase disruptions, improve services through Old Oak Common as an interchange station, offset additional journey time by improving connections to the Elizabeth line and London Overground, provide more rolling stock to prevent overcrowding, ensure wi-fi improvements for business users, and expedite infrastructure development around Gloucester.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
There will be widespread disruption to trains between London Paddington and the west and south Wales for the next six years. This includes significant delays with an estimated additional journey time of four to seven minutes, impacting millions in constituencies such as Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, South Wales, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. The disruption will be especially severe on Sundays and at Christmas, with 29 days of disruption this current year, increasing to 47 days in the following years.
Andrew George
Lib Dem
St Ives
My constituency, including Penzance station, will be deeply affected by the HS2 project. We are five hours away from Old Oak Common and will experience significant negative impacts without any benefits. Just one two-hundredth of the £67 billion HS2 budget could address issues in Dawlish. My hon. Friend is making an excellent case, as did our hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham. He points out that a 20-minute delay at Penzance is not critical but the disruption and uncertainty on the route make the current service inadequate.
Ann Davies
PC
Caerfyrddin
Welsh passengers will face severe disruption due to the construction of Old Oak Common, with trains diverted from Paddington to Euston for seven years. Wales is being robbed of £4 billion in consequential funding from HS2 and historically has received low rail investment compared to England and Scotland.
Anna Sabine
Lib Dem
Frome and East Somerset
She expressed concern over the lack of consultation regarding the impact of Old Oak Common station construction on local services, businesses, and residents. She highlighted that this work will cause significant disruption to south-west rail services and potentially affect investment decisions in the area.
Claire Young
Lib Dem
Thornbury and Yate
The existing GWR mainline is not fit for purpose, experiencing delays and diversions from flooding and signalling failures. Immediate investment in infrastructure alongside work at Old Oak Common is needed to improve service reliability.
David Reed
Con
Exmouth and Exeter East
Asked what plans the Minister has to engage MPs from across the region regarding mitigation measures for planned works at Old Oak Common.
Gideon Amos
Lib Dem
Taunton and Wellington
I expressed concern about the negative impact of HS2 on Taunton and Wellington, emphasizing that decisions affecting journey times can influence business and residential choices. I questioned why every train must stop at Old Oak Common when it does not slow down through other stations. I also highlighted issues with Sunday services and passenger conditions on trains. I urged for compensation for the cancellation of transport projects in Somerset and support for reopening Cullompton and Wellington stations.
Jerome Mayhew
Con
Broadland and Fakenham
Discussed the need for better communication, additional mitigation funding, and reassessment of the £30 million compensation payment scheme. Highlighted issues with train drivers volunteering for overtime during holidays due to a significant pay increase awarded by the government.
Laura Trott
Lab
East Ham
Agrees that while the aim of connecting London with the north and midlands is laudable, there is a risk that the west and south Wales could be left behind due to lack of matched rail investment.
Martin Wrigley
Lib Dem
Newton Abbot
Asked the Minister to confirm whether all trains will stop at Old Oak Common.
Olly Glover
Lib Dem
Didcot and Wantage
He questioned the decision-making behind Old Oak Common station's design, particularly its lack of direct western link to Heathrow airport. He called for train operators to explore options for more or longer trains on alternative routes and advocated for improvements such as electrification and resilience measures like those at Dawlish sea wall.
Paul Kohler
Lib Dem
Wimbledon
Mr Kohler highlighted the positive aspects of the HS2 project, despite concerns over disruption and funding. He called for improved communication from the government regarding delays and mitigating measures to ease economic impacts. He also stressed the need for adequate investment in railway infrastructure across Wales and the south-west.
Rebecca Smith
Con
South West Devon
The rail Minister's view that connecting south-west constituents to the midlands and Birmingham would mitigate the effects is not sufficient. We need better connections into London, as we can already connect to the services HS2 offers. Ms Rebecca Smith expressed concerns about the impact of rail works at Old Oak Common on Devon and the wider south-west. She highlighted that the £30 million mitigation fund would not provide adequate compensation for her constituents and suggested reallocating some funds to improve infrastructure such as wi-fi, extend platforms, and finalise the business case for the Tavistock-Plymouth line. She also emphasised the need for clearer communication about planned disruptions and acknowledged potential increased delay repay costs due to construction.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
The south-west has significant economic potential, including a growing clean energy industry, thriving agriculture, tourism, and defence industries. Since 2019, rail journeys in Devon have increased by 9% while the national average decreased by 6%. However, the region faces underfunding and unreliable transport links. The construction of Old Oak Common will exacerbate challenges, reducing available seats on already crowded trains and leading to fewer direct services to London Paddington. A £30-million mitigation package is inadequate compared to the £6.5-billion cost of Old Oak Common.
Tessa Munt
Lib Dem
Wells and Mendip Hills
The damage to tourism due to reduced rail connectivity from Paddington is concerning. Constituents are shocked by six or seven years of closure, with first-class travel being meaningless on GWR due to overcrowding.
Government Response
Lilian Greenwood
Government Response
I congratulate the hon. Member for Cheltenham on securing this debate on the impact of Old Oak Common on rail services to Wales and the west of England. I thank all hon. Members for their contributions. This Government understands the role of the rail network in economic development, housing, employment growth, access to jobs, public services, and leisure. We have made fixing Britain's railways a top priority, addressing cancellations at a 10-year high and inconsistent punctuality across the network. Immediate actions include ending the pay dispute with train drivers, meeting managing directors of operators and Network Rail counterparts to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards. Old Oak Common station is crucial for the Government's growth mission, connecting Birmingham and the north via HS2 while providing access to work and housing developments alongside better connections to other services, including the Elizabeth line through central London and Heathrow airport. However, I recognise hon. Members' concerns about the impact of the station and construction works on rail services from Wales and the west. A project of Old Oak Common's scale cannot be delivered without some disruption to existing services. HS2 Ltd is challenged to keep disruption minimal while supporting Network Rail and train operators to keep passengers moving. During Christmas, changes are made to Great Western Railway services from 27 to 29 December with £30 million invested for mitigations such as electrification of the Poplars railway connecting GWR main line and west London line, investment in Ealing Broadway and Reading stations for better information to connecting passengers, facilities at Euston for terminating long-distance services, alternative stabling for Hitachi trains serving GWR. Further detail on future works plans will be shared as soon as available. The station is being built to enable all Great Western main line and relief line services to call at the station but no decision has been made yet on the future timetable. Building the station requires realignment of the Great Western main line, increasing journey times for trains not stopping at the station; industry partners are reviewing current plans to minimise this impact. The Rail Minister will continue engaging with hon. Members on these issues.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.