Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Aldridge Train Station

17 December 2024 · 3 other contributors · 3,937 words

Opened by Wendy Morton Con Aldridge-Brownhills

Responding minister: Lilian Greenwood

Transport

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Wendy Morton raised concerns about aldridge train station in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The hon. Member is concerned about the potential derailment of the Aldridge train station project due to a review initiated by Mayor Richard Parker after securing 30 million in funding.
  • The hon. Member asks the Minister to confirm the status of Aldridge station funding through CRSTS and the approval process for reallocating funds.
  • The Minister acknowledged the vision for new rail infrastructure but explained that funding reallocations were necessary due to cost escalations and delays.

Key requests to Government

The hon. Member asks the Minister to confirm: first, that Aldridge station was a fully funded project through CRSTS; secondly, that this funding allocation was awarded and detailed on the West Midlands Rail Executive website; thirdly, that Mayor Parker sought approval from the Secretary of State to move the money; and finally, for clarity regarding where the moved funds have been allocated.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Wendy Morton Con Aldridge-Brownhills

The hon. Member is concerned about the potential derailment of the Aldridge train station project due to a review initiated by Mayor Richard Parker after securing £30 million in funding through the city region sustainable transport settlement (CRSTS). The mayor's actions, including his application to move over £26 million of the funding to other areas within the budget, have left constituents questioning whether their funding is being used for an unaffordable bus nationalisation scheme. She notes that Arup, the independent assessor, was under the impression that the project had only a fraction of the actual budget, leading to doubts about the project's future.

Other contributors (3)
  • Clive Jones Lib Dem Wokingham

    Points out that while Aldridge station will have 40 new car parking spaces, Twyford station in his constituency is losing spots despite a significant increase in usage due to the Elizabeth line, leading to difficulties for commuters. He asks if the Minister should convene Network Rail, Transport for London, Great Western Railway, and the Department together to find solutions for more parking spaces at stations like Twyford.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Commends the lead member for securing this debate, suggesting that in addition to improving Aldridge Train Station, there should be a focus on ensuring disabled access is included from the start of any new construction.

  • Nigel Mills Con Uttlesford

    The hon. Member highlights the importance of new train stations having disabled-friendly access and easy access for those with prams, pushchairs, or heavy bags.

Government Response

Lilian Greenwood

The Minister acknowledged the vision for new rail infrastructure but explained that funding reallocations were necessary due to cost escalations and delays. The Aldridge railway station project has been deferred but retains £3.6 million in development funding, which will be used for design and business case work. Other prioritised projects include Rail Package 2, the Wednesbury metro depot, certain sections of Sprint phase two priority bus corridors, and extensions to Dudley Interchange and HS2 Curzon Street station.

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