Oral Answers to Questions

Allison Gardner Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Simon Lightwood]

The extension of our e-scooter trials will deepen our understanding of e-scooter safety, their impacts on disabled people and pedestrians, and how they can be better integrated with the wider transport systems in communities with different populations and geographies. Extending the trials will give the certainty needed by industry to continue investing in our trials and more time to learn how best to regulate e-scooters.

[Dr Allison Gardner (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)]

7. What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.

[Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

12. What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.

[Dr Gardner]

My constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South and the villages is home to internationally recognised visitor attractions, including the iconic World of Wedgwood and the stunning grade-II listed Trentham Estate and its gardens, yet public transport access to those sites remains limited. Two local railway stations, Barlaston and Wedgwood, continue to be placed under a lengthy temporary closure of 19 years. Will the Secretary of State support the reopening of the Stoke-on-Trent South railway stations to better connect communities with jobs, skills and tourism opportunities to boost economic growth in my constituency?

[Heidi Alexander]

I appreciate what a fearsome and impatient advocate my hon. Friend is for her constituency, and I am sure she will leave no stone unturned in exploring potential funding options with local partners to reopen some of those stations. I will gladly ask the Rail Minister to sit down with her to discuss the art of the possible.