Oral Answers to Questions

Kirith Entwistle Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Keir Mather]

PSO routes are crucial to connecting areas of the country such as Cornwall, which serve as regional economic catalysts to the nation’s capital. I note that since the end of the London-Newquay PSO in April, commercial connectivity has been retained, but I know that my hon. Friend is eager to see this work go further. The Department remains open to continued engagement with Cornwall council and options to maintain connectivity, and I will bear in mind his points about more flexibility in PSO arrangements as part of those discussions.

[Kirith Entwistle (Bolton North East) (Lab)]

12. What steps she is taking to improve rail services in Bolton North East constituency.

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

We are investing in the rail network in the Greater Manchester area, including the Bolton-Manchester line and services to Blackburn. These investments will improve reliability, which, combined with our funding for longer trains with more seats, will substantially boost capacity. We are also investing in key stations, including crucial upgrades at Salford and Manchester Victoria.

[Kirith Entwistle]

When I worked in Manchester, my train from Hall i’ th’ Wood station was regularly delayed, cancelled or overcrowded thanks to Northern Rail’s two-carriage service at rush hour. Ten years on, commuters at both Hall i’ th’ Wood and Bromley Cross stations are still being failed by Northern Rail, and, with no Metrolink access, it is no wonder that Boltonians feel left behind. What are our Government doing to connect Bolton to the 21st century?

[Heidi Alexander]

I understand how frustrating it is when services are delayed, cancelled or overcrowded. The Rail Minister has been incredibly clear with Northern management that their level of performance, including in Bolton, has been unacceptable, and they have been instructed to produce an improvement plan. Beyond that, Northern is talking to other train operators to see whether they have additional trains that could be used to increase capacity and reliability. As I mentioned earlier, early planning work is under way to purchase up to 450 new trains for Northern, which could include the replacement of the ageing units on the Clitheroe-Bolton line.