Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Maria Caulfield and Andrew Jones

Thursday 14th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones]

To suggest that the Government are not investing in our rail network is clearly ridiculous. The Government are investing more than any other Government in British history. On the specifics of the scheme, on the West Anglia main line the right hon. Lady can look forward to seeing new trains and all the benefits that will flow from them. The investment work that has taken place, which I outlined in my earlier answer, is already starting to see benefits for the constituents she serves.

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

9. What steps he is taking to reduce HGV traffic on rural roads.

--- Later in debate ---

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

T8.   When will we see the end of short formation trains on the Southern rail network? On the Lewes to Eastbourne stretch, we are on four-carriage trains every day. When will this misery end?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Andrew Jones)]

Officials in my Department monitor the number of short formations on Govia Thameslink Railway services as one of its performance benchmarks. There are a number of actions we can take when performance falls below agreed levels, and I am pleased that we are now seeing the lowest number of short formations on GTR since the start of the franchise. I hope that this positive trajectory continues, and I will continue to monitor it.