Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Catherine Fookes and Heidi Alexander

Thursday 29th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)]

For too many disabled people, the railway remains a system of barriers rather than connections. To improve disability access at stations, we continue to deliver step-free access through the Access for All programme. Since July 2024, we have completed improvements at 31 stations across the country; a further 22 are in progress on site, and 36 are in design. Last month, we committed to make level boarding from train to platform a baseline expectation for all new Great British Railways trains.

[Catherine Fookes]

I thank the Secretary of State for her answer, but over 1,500 people have signed my petition to make Chepstow station fully accessible. Currently, disabled travellers need to go east into England, cross over a road, get back on a train and travel back through Chepstow to go west to Cardiff, so Chepstow residents were incredibly disappointed that they missed out on the last round of Access for All funding, despite being nearly at the top of the priority list given by the Welsh Government to Westminster. Can the Secretary of State please confirm when the next Access for All round will begin, and when Chepstow station will be fully accessible to residents?

[Heidi Alexander]

My hon. Friend paints a vivid picture of how critical accessible stations are, not just to her constituents but to people travelling across the country. She will know that Chepstow was nominated for Access for All funding in 2022, but was not selected for funding by the previous Government. Future funding, beyond what I spoke about in my first answer, will be considered at the next spending review, and I would be keen to work with my hon. Friend to understand how the case of Chepstow station can be raised at that time.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Catherine Fookes and Heidi Alexander

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

If the hon. Gentleman would like to write to me with the specifics of his constituent’s travel patterns, I will look into it and come back to him. I appreciate that, for key public sector workers, the affordability of the public transport system is key.

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

A train station serving Magor and Undy will take cars off the badly congested M4 and open doors to new opportunities for local people. It is also excellent value for money, because the track and so much infrastructure is already there. I am delighted that the Government made funding available for the long-awaited Burns stations, which include Magor. Can the Minister give an update on progress towards delivering this all-important station?

[Heidi Alexander]

We are working closely with the Welsh Government and the Welsh rail board to determine the best prioritisation of the £445 million that we made available for the Welsh rail network at the spending review. I caught up with the Welsh Transport Minister, Ken Skates, a couple of weeks ago at the refurbishment launch of Cardiff station. I will be talking to him more about this in the coming weeks and will update my hon. Friend as soon as more information is available.

Road and Rail Projects

Debate between Catherine Fookes and Heidi Alexander

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I will need to write to the right hon. Gentleman about the Westbury scheme. I will make sure that I look into the details of it and I will come back to him.

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

I welcome the ramped up spending that the Secretary of State has announced today and the £445 million for Wales that was promised at the spending review. The new station at Magor and Undy could take cars off the M4 and open doors for local people who do not have a car and currently cannot get a job because of a lack of transport. Does she agree that the Magor and Undy walkway station would be an excellent candidate for starting the five Burns stations, given the track and infrastructure that already exist at Magor and Undy?

[Heidi Alexander]

My hon. Friend has been a fearsome advocate for the station at Magor and Undy. She will know that we have allocated £445 million over the next 10 years to right the historic wrongs of rail investment in Wales. I am looking forward to working with the Wales Rail Board to determine appropriate priorities and ensure that the communities she represents in Wales get the infrastructure they need.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Catherine Fookes and Heidi Alexander

Thursday 26th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

As the Secretary of State knows, I welcome the £445 million being invested in Welsh rail over the next five years, but will she help me to secure a meeting with the Rail Minister, so that we can discuss the need to start off building the Burns stations with the Magor and Undy station in Monmouthshire?

[Heidi Alexander]

My hon. Friend has been a fearsome champion for this rail investment, and I am delighted that over the next 10 years we will be spending more than £445 million on rail enhancements in Wales. I will certainly help her to secure the meeting that she requests.