Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Old Oak Common Station

17 December 2024 · 14 other contributors · 11,895 words

Opened by Max Wilkinson Lib Dem Cheltenham

Responding minister: Lilian Greenwood

EconomyEmploymentTransport

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Max Wilkinson raised concerns about old oak common station in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • There will be widespread disruption to trains between London Paddington and west and south Wales for the next six years, causing significant delays and additional journey times of four to seven minutes.
  • Millions of people in constituencies including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, South Wales, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire will be impacted by the disruption.
  • The Minister was asked to address how to mitigate construction phase disruptions, improve services through Old Oak Common, and provide more rolling stock to prevent overcrowding.

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.

Opened the debate

Max Wilkinson Lib Dem Cheltenham

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.

Other contributors (14)
  • 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

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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