Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Green Excerpts
Thursday 10th March 2016

(8 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I thought I had mentioned quite a few areas. The truth is that the investment taking place in the northern hub, including the redevelopment of Manchester Victoria station, does a lot to increase connectivity right across the north-west. That links a number of the places the hon. Gentleman mentions directly into our northern cities.

Chris Green Portrait Chris Green (Bolton West) (Con)
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20. Rail commuters in my constituency have been putting up with severe overcrowding for many years. The electrification of part of Bolton’s network is welcome news, but it has been delayed by a year. Will the Government therefore examine whether rolling stock is available to alleviate that overcrowding?

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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We are looking at all problems with rolling stock as a result of any delays in the finalisation of electrification. There is a large amount of new rolling stock coming on to our railways over the next five years, not least the new IEP trains, but also the new trains on Thameslink—the Siemens contract, which is being developed at the moment and coming into operation later this year.