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Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme
17 March 2026
Lead MP
Natasha Irons
Croydon East
Lab
Responding Minister
Simon Lightwood
Tags
Transport
Word Count: 3151
Other Contributors: 2
At a Glance
Natasha Irons raised concerns about croydon area remodelling scheme in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the Minister to consider the wider impact that investment in CARS could have on our coastal communities and towns and regions outside London. The scheme would expand East Croydon from six platforms to eight, redesign the track layout, and remove conflicting train movements, creating capacity for an additional four to six trains per hour and unlocking around £5.1 billion in economic value over the next 20 years.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The Croydon area modelling scheme, or CARS, is a Network Rail plan to add capacity and resilience to the most complex part of Britain's rail network. The lack of capacity at East Croydon station leads to delays and cancellations across the Brighton main line and Thameslink corridor. Around 18% of national passenger journeys take place on the Govia Thameslink Railway network, which is already the most congested part of the southern rail network outside London. Without remodelling at East Croydon, the Brighton main line is expected to reach 100% capacity by 2030.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
I support Natasha Irons's debate on the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme and its importance for local areas. Jim Shannon agrees that spending reviews are necessary but infrastructure developments like this one in Croydon and his own Ballynahinch bypass are essential to the local economy.
Peter Lamb
Lab
Crawley
He expressed concern about the capacity limitations on the railway line through London and emphasised the need for the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme to address these issues. He noted that £100 billion of additional infrastructure investment has been proposed by the government, but stressed the importance of directing this funding towards maintaining economic activity in the south-east of England. Lamb highlighted the projected increase in passenger volumes by 50% by 2045 and questioned what the DFT's alternative strategy would be for dealing with capacity limitations.
Government Response
Simon Lightwood
Government Response
It is a pleasure as always to see you in the Chair, Dr Huq. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing this important debate, and I recognise her tireless advocacy on behalf of her constituents and rail passengers across the region. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Peter Lamb) for his contribution. The Brighton main line is a vital artery connecting the south-east with London, carrying millions of passengers annually and facilitating billions in economic activity. Significant investment has been made in recent years, including a £7 billion Thameslink programme which transformed north-south travel through London, introduced new class 700 trains on the Brighton main line, rebuilt major stations like London Blackfriars and London Bridge, established new direct connections to destinations such as Peterborough and Cambridge, and upgraded Gatwick Airport station with over £250 million investment. The Croydon area remodelling scheme (CARS) was intended to address overcrowding, increase capacity, and improve reliability but was cancelled at the 2021 spending review due to changed travel patterns and financial pressures from the pandemic. No funding has been allocated for CARS since then. Despite this decision, the Government remain committed to delivering infrastructure that offers the greatest benefit to passengers within a fully funded programme and look forward to working with stakeholders in future opportunities to improve capacity and performance on the Brighton main line.
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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.