Confidence in the Secretary of State for Transport

Michael Fallon Excerpts

Tuesday 19th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I will give way one more time, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Sir Michael Fallon).

[Sir Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

I am really grateful to my right hon. Friend. On the review, whatever the ownership, these are essential public services—in getting our constituents to work and getting their children to school—so will he consider taking stronger powers for himself in times of disruption that would allow him to direct the rail operators to work more closely together or to put in additional stops to help those who simply cannot get to work in the morning?

[Chris Grayling]

Absolutely; I agree with my right hon. Friend. This is something that we will have to look at very seriously indeed. There are many lessons to learn from all this, but most immediately, we need to get services back into place for passengers. I have been watching the issues at Eynsford and Shoreham in his constituency. It feels as though they are getting a better service than they were but there is still some way to go, and we need to make sure that that is covered.