Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Allan and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 10th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Allan (Telford) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to increase the frequency of trains between Birmingham and Telford.

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick McLoughlin)]

Telford serves more than 1 million passengers each year, and I was pleased to negotiate services with Virgin Trains in 2014 from Shrewsbury to London via Telford and Birmingham.

We are currently running a public consultation to help to specify the next west midlands franchise and will launch a public consultation on the new west coast franchise in June. I encourage my hon. Friend and her constituents to make their views known through that process.

[Lucy Allan]

I thank the Secretary of State for his reply, for which my constituents will be grateful. Telford is a rapidly growing new town that is 26 miles from Birmingham, yet it takes 51 minutes to get there. Will he continue to work with me to ensure that we have a 21st century rail system for Telford?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I most certainly will. I recognise the growing importance of connectivity between cities. My hon. Friend’s point about Telford and its relationship with Birmingham is important.