Railway Electrification

Baroness Deech Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Deech (CB)]

My Lords, on the topic of celebration and timescale, does the Minister agree that in Oxford there is no celebration and no timescale? Oxford has been devastated and cut in half. When the Minister comes to Oxford on Friday to see the devastation, why will he not meet the people of Oxford rather than confine his meeting to a few selected, invited people?

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

The noble Baroness refers to the Botley Road bridge in Oxford, which has taken far longer to replace than it should and is a complex story. I am going to Oxford on Friday. The logistics of meeting people in Oxford are such that it necessarily has to be limited by the time available to do it, but I am very mindful of the case that she has made both this afternoon and earlier about the disruption caused by this bridge, which is partially caused by the development of East West Rail in Oxford. Together with the chief executive of Network Rail, we have some things to say to the population which I hope will be useful for them to hear.