High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

Does the hon. Lady think that the Spanish economy has benefited from Spain’s investment in high-speed rail?

[Mrs Ellman]

I am here to talk about the United Kingdom and an amendment concerning networks.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lilian Greenwood]

The Minister rightly talks about the capacity constraints we already face on the west coast main line, and it is vital that everyone in the country is consulted on how the additional capacity is used when it is created by the high-speed line.

[Mark Pawsey]

The hon. Lady has moved on to the question of capacity on the west coast main line. Does she accept that the heavy growth that took place on that line occurred immediately after the upgrade in 2008, and that since that upgrade the rates of increase have slowed tremendously and that, therefore, there could be additional capacity on the existing line? Does she also accept that we can create more capacity by having longer carriages, and by changing the mix between first and second class?

[Lilian Greenwood]

It is well known that on the west coast main line the additional capacity created by the upgrade is already starting to run out and that the line will be full. Of course we can create additional capacity on a train by converting some carriages from first class to standard class, but that does not create extra space on the line for additional trains. As the Minister acknowledged, places such as Shrewsbury and Blackpool want to have an additional direct service but cannot because the capacity is just not available. I am sure that the hon. Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) would like to have directed his question to the Minister.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mark Pawsey]

Being given the opportunity to speak now feels like winning the lottery, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I will make one quick point on the impact on my constituents in Rugby. We currently benefit from a fast and frequent service on the west coast main line, so with Virgin Trains we can be in London in 50 minutes and with London Midland we can be there in just under an hour. That is attractive to businesses coming to Rugby, which we can present as a great location. My fear is that, if the Bill goes ahead and the money is given to build High Speed 2, the legacy line will become a stopping line, with trains stopping at every station as the operator seeks to maximise revenues, because the city-to-city business will have been lost—