Opened the debate
The hon. Member for Darlington is concerned that despite losing out on major railway-related developments in the past, such as the National Railway Museum and a new museum site, his constituency retains its connection to railways through local businesses like Railpen and the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. He highlights the historical significance of the town as the birthplace of the Stockton and Darlington railway, noting that it was here where locomotion No. 1 was first conceived and built. The hon. Member also expresses worries over potential changes to train services from London North Eastern Railway which might reduce connectivity for his constituents.
Government Response
Chris Heaton-Harris
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary. I am not sure I have served under your chairmanship before. You might recall that I am a football referee in my spare time, and it feels as though we have had a bit of a derby between Stockton and Darlington this afternoon. Before I respond to the various points made by hon. Members, I want to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Peter Gibson) for securing this debate and putting across his points so forcefully and politely, and also for allowing his colleagues from across the Chamber to contribute. He is a very good parliamentarian and conducted this debate excellently. Only a couple of weeks ago I was in this Chamber debating the merits of York as a potential headquarters. It is genuinely heartening to see right hon. and hon. Members doing outstanding work up and down the country, preparing bids for their cities and celebrating the rich railway heritage of this country, no matter where it may be. The Government's aim is a world-class railway that works seamlessly as part of a wider transport network, delivering opportunities across the nations and regions of Great Britain. In the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, published in May this year, we set out the path towards a truly passenger-focused railway underpinned by new contracts that prioritise punctual and reliable services, rapid delivery of a ticketing revolution with new flexible and convenient tickets, and long-term proposals to build a modern, greener, and accessible network. The establishment of Great British Railways (GBR) is central to the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, which will provide a single, familiar brand and strong, unified leadership across the rail sector. GBR will be responsible for delivering better value, flexible fares, punctual and reliable services, and it will bring the ownership of infrastructure, fares, timetables, and planning under one roof. I am very happy to confirm that the national headquarters will be based outside of London, bringing the railway closer to the people and places it serves and ensuring skilled jobs and economic benefits are focused beyond the capital, in line with the Government's commitment to levelling up. The competition to find the national headquarters recognises towns and cities with rich railway histories strongly linked to the network, ensuring the headquarters will take pride of place at the heart of a new era for British railways. The reforms proposed under the Williams-Shapps plan for rail will transform our railways for the better, strengthening and securing them for the next generation. We have done this with flexible season tickets, and the transition from emergency recovery measures agreements to the new national rail contracts is underway, with the first tranche delivered in July 2020. GBR will continue to move fast in delivering reform.