Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 11th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the midlands rail hub project as part of the midlands engine rail plan.

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

The Department has approved £20 million of funding for the development of an outline business case for the midlands rail hub. We are working closely with Network Rail to apply the principles of Project SPEED to the development of this project to ensure that it can progress as quickly as possible.

[Karl MᶜCartney [V]]

It is good to see you again this morning, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. The rail corridor to Lincoln, which the Minister knows well, has a proposed upgrade of signalling at Newark, as well as plans for faster and more frequent trains to my constituency of Lincoln. Some of these schemes are almost shovel-ready and can begin this year. Will my hon. Friend consider these schemes and help Lincoln to receive the train services that my constituents deserve?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

Mr Speaker, I think we can both agree that my hon. Friend is a wonder to behold, as he demonstrates to us all that a sensible, coherent campaigning strategy—bringing together people and businesses, and demonstrating the potential economic growth that could result from schemes and infra-jstructure —leads to this Government delivering that infrastructure. One only has to look at the roads around his great city and the direct trains to London for which he has campaigned. Midlands Connect is developing a proposal, as he outlines, and if history is anything to go by, his resourcefulness will help to speed it through the process.