Future of Rail — [Sir Charles Walker in the Chair]

Andrew Jones supported the case for York to host Great British Railways headquarters, citing pre-pandemic data showing 1.8 billion passenger journeys per year and over 140,000 services per week. He highlighted York's existing rail operating centre as the largest in the UK and its strong railway heritage. Jones also mentioned the enterprise zone within Network Rail ownership in York, which offers a value solution for levelling up communities. It would be helpful to remind this debate of what has happened in our railways over the past few years. After decades of decline, we reached the point where we had only 760 million passenger journeys per year. The situation transformed, under privatisation, to 1.8 billion passenger journeys a year.

Welsh rail faces challenges such as underfunding, poor service experience, inadequate stations, infrequent services. She supports public ownership of rail, devolution of rail in Wales, and a fair funding settlement for rail infrastructure improvements.

Praises her hon. Friend's speech and raises concerns about expanding freight through Liverpool port affecting air quality; urges reconsideration on building road and advocates for rail as a viable option.

He congratulated the hon. Member for York Central on securing the debate and questioned whether TfL's finances would be better if unions did not strike as often. I am concerned about the allocation of funds to Transport for London, which has received considerable amounts while my constituency's Heart of Wessex line suffers from a three-hourly train service frequency. I support the Government's £14 billion investment during the pandemic but emphasise the need for fundamental changes in timetable flexibility and better rural connections.

Mr. Newlands highlighted the success of ScotRail's return to public control, praising spring fare deals which exceeded Department for Transport plans. He criticised the Williams review for ruling out real public ownership and suggested full devolution of Network Rail in Scotland would avoid a missed opportunity for integration. He noted that despite high track access charges paid by ScotRail, it is still necessary for the Scottish Government to invest an additional £630 million annually towards decarbonisation targets set for 2035.

The railways are slower than in the 1880s due to lack of investment, privatisation leading to under-selling and inefficiency, and Railtrack's property focus. He calls for integrated rail system investment, including platforms at Piccadilly station in Manchester, HS2 expansion to Scotland, and making the Manchester Exchange Station site home for GBR.

Congratulates the hon. Lady on securing this excellent debate and agrees that there is an overwhelming case to make York the headquarters of Great British Railways.

Supports his hon. Friend's speech and emphasizes the need for levelling-up rhetoric by taking action in the north, stressing economic benefits of electrification.

Sturdy supports York as the site for Great British Railways, highlighting existing Network Rail facilities, strong connectivity, skilled workforce, leading status in training and innovation, and its position at the heart of the UK rail network.

I question why it is taking longer to restore hourly direct services from Chester to London, compared to other areas. I seek a clear commitment that the new 10-year franchise will restore these services pre-pandemic levels and raise concerns about the unaffordability of rail travel in comparison with international routes.

Congratulates his hon. Friend on securing the debate, highlights sections of transport infrastructure in the north that are not up to job such as the Hull to Selby route and calls for electrification.

The hon. Member supported York's bid for the Great British Rail headquarters, citing its economic benefits through productivity enhancement and supply chain creation. He stressed the importance of placing jobs in areas with existing expertise and infrastructure, highlighting York's rail industry workforce and heritage.

Yasin criticises East West Rail for poor communication with constituents regarding home and land risks due to a rail project, highlighting mental health impacts and urging immediate clarity on whether the project will proceed.

The hon. Member highlighted the insufficient rail capacity in Stockport and called for investment to reverse decades of under-investment. He emphasised the importance of skilled jobs and unionised employment in the rail industry, praising Mayor Andy Burnham's efforts with the Bee Network. Mishra also mentioned issues at local train stations including tactile safety tiles and infrastructure problems like flooding platforms and broken lifts.

The speaker is concerned about the increase in rail fares and its impact on commuters, noting that average fares have risen by 48.9% more than in 2010. She highlighted issues at Luton station, such as accessibility problems due to lack of lifts and inadequate renovations. The speaker also called for additional capital funding for redevelopment of town train stations like Luton.

She discussed the importance of railways in Ealing and Acton, arguing that long-term funding is needed for TfL to improve transport infrastructure. She highlighted issues such as rising fares, full trains, and the need for projects like the west London orbital line. I am grateful for what the Minister is saying about the GB focus and the new thing coming. Will she look at the European examples that I mentioned? As a member of the Select Committee on Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I know that tourism is a big thing in this country. It is worrying that people land in London and cannot get to Manchester without its costing a three-figure sum.

Mr Tan Dhesi highlighted the increase in rail fares since 2010, which have risen by 49%, while wages have only increased by 23%. He criticised the 'Great British Rail Sale' for offering discounts on a mere 1% of all journeys and pointed out that there are still 19,000 pre-pandemic services yet to return. Mr Dhesi also raised concerns about the lack of detail in Government plans regarding rail electrification and accessibility.

The MP expressed concerns over the privatisation of rail services, stating that it has led to fragmentation and fare increases. She also mentioned issues such as overcrowded trains, unreliable services, and accessibility problems at stations. The speaker highlighted examples where elderly passengers faced difficulties due to non-functional lifts.