Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Heaton-Harris and Suzanne Webb

Thursday 2nd July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to increase the frequency of rail services following reductions in those services as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

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

The rail industry will deliver an uplift in services on Monday 6 July to respond to an increase in post-4 July demand. Service levels will be close to 85% of pre-covid levels.

[Suzanne Webb]

The Prime Minister is a big fan of buses, just as I am a big fan of trains—I do not make model trains yet, though—so I am proud to support a Government who are investing £48 billion into railways, giving them the biggest upgrade since Victorian times. Will my hon. Friend assure me that such funding will be used to ensure that communities across all parts of the country such as mine in Stourbridge, have access to reliable, punctual railways?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I had already noted that my hon. Friend has a passion for rail as she has sponsored a bid to reinstate a railways fund for the “Stourbridge Dasher,” which I look forward to examining shortly. Yes, the Government are investing £48 billion in our railways in the period 2019 to 2024—that figure does not include HS2—with the intention to use that money to deliver a reliable rail service that helps to level up our country.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Heaton-Harris and Suzanne Webb

Thursday 30th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)]

Owing to the hard work of Andy Street and this Government, work is well under way to bring the west midlands metro line to the black country. How can the Government further help to extend that line to the jewel in the crown of the urban west midlands, which so happens to be my constituency?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. She is obviously going to be a doughty campaigner for Stourbridge. This Government have worked to make sure that progress continues. We have devolved £321.5 million to the excellent Mayor, Andy Street, in the West Midlands Combined Authority, as part of the £2.5 billion transforming cities fund, of which £207 million has been allocated to fund this extension.