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Camp Hill Line Railway Stations, Birmingham
19 July 2023
Lead MP
Tahir Ali
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley
Lab
Responding Minister
Huw Merriman
Tags
TransportBenefits & Welfare
Word Count: 4391
Other Contributors: 4
At a Glance
Tahir Ali raised concerns about camp hill line railway stations, birmingham in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Will assurances be given that the Camp Hill line will face no further delays? Will further funding for any extra costs incurred by the delay be provided by the Department for Transport to avoid passing on costs to residents?
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The completion of the Camp Hill railway line in Birmingham has been delayed to the end of 2024. The West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, announced this delay without informing affected councillors or MPs before giving it to the media. Residents of Moseley and Kings Heath are devastated by the news as they have limited access to direct rail links to Birmingham city centre. The mayor's record on delivering transport projects is poor, with delays in other initiatives such as the West Midlands Metro tramline extension.
Khalid Mahmood
Lab
Birmingham, Perry Barr
The MP is concerned about the additional expense his constituents face due to the clean air zone and the failure of the Mayor's bus service plan. He highlights the distress caused by inadequate consultation processes and calls for better use of existing infrastructure rather than new projects.
Liam Byrne
Lab
Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North
Liam Byrne also congratulates his hon. Friend on securing the debate and raises concerns about delays to transport plans, mentioning a £1.2 billion hole in the investment programme.
Steve McCabe
Lab
Birmingham Selly Oak
Steve McCabe congratulates his hon. Friend on securing the debate and questions whether Mayor Andy Street is better at making promises than delivering, citing delays in opening University station and the Camp Hill line. The hon. Gentleman was right to mention the delays in construction and the impact of inflation on costs. He also raised concerns about unsuccessful bids for levelling-up funds.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
The MP acknowledges the potential benefits of the Camp Hill line project but expresses disappointment over delays and broken promises. He raises concerns about inflationary pressures, cost impacts, and the need for transparency in managing these delays.
Government Response
Huw Merriman
Government Response
I congratulated Tahir Ali on securing the debate and acknowledged the importance of the three new stations on the Camp Hill line in Birmingham, which will bring 75,000 people within a kilometre of a railway station. The Government has approved £59 million in fixed funding for rail network enhancement pipeline (RNEP) to deliver five new stations in Birmingham, with challenges including inflation and unexpected issues such as the discovery of protected species and historic sites that delayed construction until late 2024. I noted the Mayor Andy Street's numerous achievements in delivering transport infrastructure and challenged Labour's criticism by pointing out their lack of delivery during their time in power from 1997 to 2010.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
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.