Flooding: Transport Disruption Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Flooding: Transport Disruption

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts
Thursday 13th February 2014

(10 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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One of the reasons why there might be regular hold-ups was pointed out by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns) a moment ago: the question of capacity on that line. The hon. Gentleman will remember that the west coast main line saw investment of more than £9 billion, all north of Rugby. That went some way towards improving certain bits of the line’s capacity, but it did not improve the capacity into London.

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Portrait Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
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I thank the Department for the work it is doing. I understand that the East Coast trains were rescued by diesel trains following the catastrophic failure. Will the Secretary of State give the House an assurance that there will always be a fleet of diesel trains to use in scenarios such as these?