Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Clarkson Excerpts

Thursday 30th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I must say that Andy Street is an excellent Mayor for Birmingham and I hope he is re-elected.

[Chris Clarkson (Heywood and Middleton) (Con)]

8. What steps he is taking to improve rail infrastructure in (a) the Castlefield corridor and (b) West Yorkshire.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

My Department is working closely with Network Rail, train operators and stakeholders to develop options for improving rail capacity and performance on the Castlefield corridor in Manchester. We completely understand that sorting out the capacity there is so important.

[Chris Clarkson]

I thank the Minister for that answer. The national railway network barely grazes my constituency, and Metrolink avoids it altogether. Does he agree that an extension of Metrolink and the welcome reversals of the Beeching cuts will be an important part of levelling-up the forgotten towns in the north-west such as Heywood and Middleton?