Development Consent Order: London Luton Airport

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Tuesday 17th December 2024 Written Statements

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

This statement confirms that it has been necessary to extend the deadline for the decision for the London Luton Airport development consent order under the Planning Act 2008.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, a decision must be made within three months of receipt of the examining authority’s report unless the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline is exercised and a statement is made to Parliament announcing the new deadline.

The examining authority’s report on the London Luton Airport development consent order application was received on 10 May 2024. The current deadline for a decision is 3 January 2025, having been extended by way of written ministerial statements from the original deadline of 10 August 2024. The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 3 April 2025—an extension of three months. The reason for the extension is to allow the newly appointed Secretary of State appropriate time to fully consider this complex application before making a final determination. The Department will however endeavour to issue a decision ahead of the deadline above where possible.

The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the final decision on whether to give development consent for the above application.

[HCWS329]

Passenger Railway Services: Public Ownership

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Wednesday 4th December 2024 Written Statements

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

The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill received Royal Assent on 28 November 2024, putting on the statute book this important piece of legislation—one of the first Government Bills to be enacted in this Parliament. The Act enables the Government to deliver their manifesto commitment to bring passenger services into public ownership as a first step towards wider rail reform.

Following Royal Assent being granted, I am today launching the programme to transition passenger rail services currently operated by privately owned operators into public ownership and confirming that services currently operated by South Western Railway and c2c will be the first to transfer into public ownership when their National Rail contracts expire on 2 May 2025 and 20 July 2025 respectively. The Government are also announcing that, in line with our approach of transferring services as existing contracts expire, Greater Anglia’s services will be next to transfer in autumn 2025. The Government will issue an expiry notice to Greater Anglia in due course to confirm the exact transfer date.

I am determined that these will be smooth transitions for passengers and staff. Passengers who use South Western Railway, c2c and Greater Anglia’s services can be reassured that trains will continue to run as normal, tickets can be purchased and used in the same way. Tickets bought before the transfer date for travel after that date will continue to be valid.

Safety will be a priority throughout the programme of transitioning passenger services into public ownership and the Department for Transport will work closely with the Office of Rail and Road, the independent regulator for the railways, in this regard. As with any transition, and in line with normal industry practices, appropriate licences, safety certificates and system must be in place before services transfer.

I recognise and value the dedication and expertise of our rail workforce, and the Government will wish to retain the committed and talented staff that keep the railways running for passengers. We will work closely with each operator to ensure that further information is shared directly with staff and trade unions at the appropriate time. The TUPE regulations will apply in the same way as they have done in previous transfers, protecting employees’ contractual terms and conditions as they transfer.

Following Greater Anglia, the programme will continue with the transfer of one operator’s services roughly every three months. We expect these to follow the order in which operators’ current contractual minimum terms expire, unless a TOC defaults on its contract to the extent that there is a contractual right to terminate, in which case it will transfer as soon as reasonably practicable, or other extenuating circumstances arise.

I will be monitoring very closely the performance of all existing train operators who run services under contract to the Department and, as the Government made clear during the passage of the Bill, we will not hesitate to take decisive action where an operator’s poor performance means that contractual conditions for early termination of a National Rail contract are met.

The changes made by the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 make appointing a publicly owned operator the default rather than a last resort. Therefore, I am also announcing that, from today, the organisation responsible for managing the public sector operators will be changing its name to DfT Operator Ltd. I look forward to working collaboratively with them as these transfers into public ownership begin and as the work of shadow GBR continues.

Improving our railways will take time, but this is a crucial first step towards fundamental rail reform. Challenges remain in a system that is fragmented, complicated and provides little accountability. In the coming months we will set out more detail about how, through the establishment of Great British Railways, we will reform our railways to modernise working practices, make tickets simpler and fairer, deliver a better service for passengers and a better deal for taxpayers.

[HCWS281]

Rail Update

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Monday 5th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

The shadow Secretary of State has failed to understand what I keep saying, which is that this railway every year continues to generate a substantial contribution to the taxpayer, and that will continue right the way through until 2023 and beyond.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

May I ask the Transport Secretary for an update on station accessibility improvements? Hither Green in my constituency was due for a major upgrade in this control period, but that was kicked into the long grass by his predecessor. How much has been allocated for these improvement projects in the next control period, and will projects that were priorities last time around but lost out continue to be priorities?

[Chris Grayling]

There will be a continuation of the accessibility fund in the next control period. We have not decided exactly how much it will be, but I can give the hon. Lady an assurance that I will want to make sure that where commitments have been given in the past, we will seek to fulfil them in the next control period.

Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Thursday 13th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hayes]

My hon. Friend has made that point previously to champion the cause and interests of people in Bradford. We are waiting for proposals from Transport for the North. I have no doubt that he will lobby for and so contribute to those proposals, and that he will make his case to Transport for the North. We will consider the proposals when we get them, but I fully understand the strength of his argument.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

22. While I do not dispute the need for investment in transport infrastructure across the country, the fact remains that promised investment in London, such as for additional carriages on Southeastern services, has yet to materialise. The rail Minister, the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys (Paul Maynard), said on 30 March that it will be happening “very soon”. Can we have an update?

[Mr Hayes]

The rail Minister has made it a priority, and when he makes things a priority, they get done.

Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Thursday 30th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones]

The planning for the construction phase of HS2 is obviously a critical part of delivering this project. As a part of that, there is local engagement between HS2, Highways England and the local highways authorities. My hon. Friend is right to highlight the potential risk, but all the conversations and the collaborations are taking place to make sure that that does not happen.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

Last November, the rail Minister sat in a meeting with 15 colleagues, including three Cabinet Ministers, and promised additional carriages for the Southeastern network. This cannot be kicked into the long grass or delayed until the new franchise. It needs to happen now. When, and how many?

[Paul Maynard]

This is not being delayed until the new franchise. It will happen very soon. As I explained in my answer to an earlier question, we have received a proposal for new carriages from Southeastern. We have only had it a week and we are looking at it now. We want things to happen as soon as possible.

Rail Infrastructure (Train Operating Companies)

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

Three things need to happen to deal with the issues on Southern. The first is that we need much more joined-up working. Secondly, we will have to put more money into the Southern infrastructure, which is clearly under great stress. It is a very intensively used railway, and not enough has been spent on it over the years. Above all, we just need to get the workforce back to work. The bizarre thing is that the 10-coach train that I often take to Victoria in the morning has a driver and no guard, and it has been like that for years. Why on earth are the drivers and the guards on Southern putting the passengers through such enormous distress when no one is in danger of losing their job? It is shocking. I would like to hear one word of condemnation from the Labour party. Do we ever hear any condemnation of its union paymasters? The answer is no, not for a moment.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

When Zac Goldsmith was standing as the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London, the Department for Transport was all for the idea of devolving responsibility for letting Southeastern’s franchise to TfL, but now that he has gone, the promise seems to have gone as well. Why are the Government jettisoning the practical improvements that could have been associated with devolution in favour of this political experiment?

[Chris Grayling]

The hon. Lady talks about political experiments; a political experiment would be implementing a business plan that I did not judge delivered substantial improvements to passengers, and that involved the biggest shake-up of the railways in the south-east since the 1920s. That is a risk that we do not need to take. We can deliver improvements through partnership, but we must remember that that partnership is not just about London; it is about Kent. It is a partnership that involves passengers on different parts of the routes. We need to design a franchise structure that delivers improvements for everyone.

Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Thursday 15th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Paul Maynard]

My hon. Friend is right to point out the connectivity benefits of Crossrail. I know that it has looked at the possibility of an extension through Harrow and Wealdstone, which he has been campaigning for, and into Hertfordshire, to join the west coast main line there. That was found by Crossrail, Transport for London and Network Rail to offer poor value for money, so we are not taking it forward at this time, but of course we always keep the issue under review.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

As much as I would like my constituents to benefit from an expanded Crossrail network, geography makes that unlikely, so can the Minister with responsibility for rail tell me his assessment of Southeastern’s submission for additional rolling stock?

[Paul Maynard]

We always want to make sure that commuters in London, which is one of the most burdened parts of the network, have the best possible chance of having a reliable, predictable, punctual service, with a good chance of getting a seat. That is why we, contrary to what happened in the 13 years of Labour Government, are investing so many billions of pounds in new carriages across London and the south-east.

High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd March 2016 Commons Chamber

That this Order be a Standing Order of the House.—(Mr Goodwill.)

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Today the British Medical Association has announced that it plans to escalate the industrial action of junior doctors planned for 26 and 27 April. Can you advise me whether you have received any notification from the Department of Health about whether the Secretary of State for Health intends to make a statement to the House tomorrow, updating us on what action he will take to avert that industrial action and bring an end to the ongoing dispute?

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

I have had no notification that the Secretary of State is coming forward. However, the hon. Lady has got the matter on the record, and I am sure that people will be listening to the debate that is taking place at this very moment. Let us wait and see.

Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

17. One of the main frustrations of my constituents who use Southeastern trains is the number of occasions on which shorter trains than expected arrive at stations, resulting in acute overcrowding. Will the Minister commit to redeploying some of the Thameslink class 319 carriages to the Southeastern network to ease that problem?

[Claire Perry]

I commend the hon. Lady, who, unlike some of her colleagues, is an assiduous campaigner on the railways in her constituency. It is nice to see someone who really cares about the railways, rather than someone who simply reads out the Whips’ questions. [Interruption.] She is a Whip, as she points out, and this is her own question. She is right to focus on the issue of rolling stock, and she will be pleased to know that we have received a proposal for improving the rolling stock on that route, which we are now considering. I will take her suggestion into account.

--- Later in debate ---

[Andrew Jones]

The upgrade to junction 10 on the M27 has been profiled to start its preliminary work this year. The Government have contributed £14.9 million through the Solent local enterprise partnership growth deal to make up the shortfall of the scheme. In March, they also contributed £3.4 million in the second growth deal to support the local connections into the junction, and those works will start in 2015.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

T2. The Davies commission predicted that 40 million passengers would use Gatwick by 2024, yet Gatwick says that it will reach that number this year. Who does the Secretary of State think is right on that point, and is he concerned that the Davies commission may have underestimated the economic impact of expanding Gatwick?

Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Alexander Excerpts

Thursday 5th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hayes]

It has been said, Mr Speaker, that I never disappoint, but I do sometimes surprise. I am delighted, therefore, to tell my hon. Friend that I will not merely update him on progress but can reveal that we will publish the feasibility study, a result of his efforts and our endeavour, immediately. I will let him have this report, which details exactly how we intend to move forward, shaped and informed by his efforts and those of his friends.

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of compensation payments to passengers for delayed rail travel.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry)]

It is absolutely right for passengers to be compensated when their journeys are delayed. The Government have introduced tough new measures to ensure that that happens, and compensation payments across the network have increased sixfold since 2011. As the hon. Lady will know, we are introducing a 30-minute “delay repay” scheme on lines that have not already been making payments—as well as other enhanced compensation opportunities—during franchising negotiations and, when we can, during existing contracts. However, recent estimates by Passenger Focus suggest that only 12% of passengers who are delayed by 30 minutes or more go on to claim compensation. I am determined to address that, and, as operators will know, I believe that they need to do much more in this respect.

[Heidi Alexander]

The right hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Sir Nicholas Soames), who is no longer in the Chamber, was entirely right to call for compensation for commuters who experience severe disruption because of the works at London Bridge. Overcrowding on trains from Lewisham is even more severe than normal, and is actually dangerous. How can a compensation regime that pays up only when services are delayed by 30 minutes or more be relevant to my constituents, who can barely get on to a train irrespective of whether it is late or not?

[Claire Perry]

I genuinely pay tribute to the hon. Lady, who is an assiduous campaigner for commuters in her constituency. It is very refreshing when Members in all parts of the House participate fully in the cross-party summits at which we hold the industry to account.

The hon. Lady is right. There is not adequate compensation under the scheme to cover the metro-style train journeys that many of her constituents take. As she will know, some operators which have similar service patterns, such as c2c, have introduced minute-by-minute refunds—or will be doing so—but I intend to continue to work on a compensation scheme specifically for those affected by the works at London Bridge.