Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve access to train services in North Shropshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have allocated over £8 million to Shropshire in 2025/26 to maintain and enhance local transport infrastructure, including the roads, public transport, and active travel connection to rail stations. This is delivered through the £6.78 million of Local Transport Grant and £1.64 million of Integrated Transport Block funding. This figure is in addition to the highways payment and any bus funding Shropshire has received separately.
Shropshire Unitary Authority have been allocated £659,352 under the Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) for the financial year 2025/26. The CATF supports authorities with developing and constructing walking, wheeling and cycling facilities.
The government is committed to delivering better bus services for passengers. In the Budget, the government confirmed investment of over £1 billion to support and improve bus services, and keep fares affordable in England outside London, including in rural areas. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding in 25/26.
This level of government funding will help improve access to railway stations in North Shropshire. Ultimately, however, funding decisions are a matter for local authorities, based on local needs and priorities.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reopening Baschurch railway station on the economy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In light of the current spending review, it is vital that government spending is focused on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, and that every pound of taxpayers’ money represents value for money. Therefore, new projects must be carefully considered. I would encourage my honourable member to work with your Local Transport Authority, Shropshire Council, to develop a case for this proposal should it represent a local transport priority.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 37331 on Whitchurch (Shropshire) Station: Access, what her Department's timetable is for its review of the option selection reports on step-free access at stations produced by Network Rail.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The feasibility work for Whitchurch station is underway and we expect all 50 of the feasibility studies announced last year to be complete in the spring. We expect to be able to confirm which stations will move forward over the summer. The Access for All programme continues to be heavily oversubscribed.
We remain committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the valuable social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of (a) 24 July 2024 to Question 835 and (b) 25 November 2024 to Question 15073 on Whitchurch (Shropshire) Station: Access, what progress she has made on providing step-free access at Whitchurch Railway Station in Shropshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have completed an option selection report for step-free access at Whitchurch railway station. This will be reviewed alongside 49 other stations across Britain to determine which should progress.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with rail companies on reopening of the Oswestry to Gobowen railway line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Chancellor’s statement of 29 July 2024 confirmed that the Restoring Your Railway programme would be brought to a close, which included the proposed scheme to reopen the line between Oswestry and Gobowen. Proposals from the former Restoring Your Railway programme will be considered in the current Spending Review. There are no proposals to consult with rail operators on schemes whilst the Spending Review is ongoing.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support she is providing to local authorities to ensure best practice highway maintenance.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to enabling local highway authorities to maintain and renew the local highway network. In addition to the funding that the Department provides to local highway authorities, it provides and endorses guidance such as the Code of Practice on Well Managed Highway Infrastructure. This recommends that local highway authorities take an integrated, risk-based approach to managing their highway infrastructure, and offers advice on all aspects of highway maintenance, from managing vegetation to the frequency of inspections recommended for various types of structures. It makes clear that local highway authorities should consider all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns, and not just the fixing of potholes.
The Department is committed to updating this guidance as soon as possible, and has begun scoping the changes that will be necessary.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled, Seven million more potholes to be filled next year as public urged to report roads in need of repair, published on 20 December 2024, what criteria her Department will use to establish whether authorities are entitled to the 25 per cent uplift.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department will provide more details shortly of the criteria that local authorities will need to meet to unlock the full funding uplift in 2025/26. In short, they are likely to be required to comply with certain reporting requirements; to
provide the Department with certain data about their networks and planned roads maintenance expenditure; and to demonstrate that they are complying with best practice.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the quality of road repairs in Shropshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to enabling local highway authorities to maintain and renew their local highway networks. At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, a total increase of nearly 50% compared to the current financial year. Funding allocations to English local highway authorities for 2025/26 were announced on 20 December 2024, and Shropshire will receive up to £33.6 million.
Shropshire Council is the local highway authority for Shropshire and it is responsible for the condition of its local network. The Government does not set standards for road repairs: it is up to individual local highway authorities to satisfy themselves that they are complying with their responsibilities under the 1980 Highways Act. The Government publishes data annually on the condition of the local road network in England, including Shropshire, and the data is available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to ensure step-free access to Whitchurch Railway Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Given the short time since the general election, I regret I am not yet able to comment on next steps regarding specific stations including Whitchurch station. We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme and we will provide updates to MPs and other stakeholders in due course.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department took into account the scale of the reduction in bus miles in each authority area over the past five years when allocating Bus Service Improvement Plan funding for 2025-26.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding.
As the Secretary of State noted in her oral statement to the House of Commons on 18 November, funding for local authorities has been allocated based on local needs, including population, the distance that buses travel, and levels of deprivation.