Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Coyle Excerpts

Thursday 3rd December 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Courts)]

This Department is always happy to support development in Cumbria and was pleased last month to announce £12 million of funding for the A595 Grizebeck scheme. This is in addition to the £146 million announced at the spending review to accelerate vital dualling work on the A66, slashing construction time from 10 to five years, and I understand that a further business case is in development for the A595. I know that my ministerial colleagues in road and rail would be glad to meet Members to discuss a broader Cumbrian strategy.

[Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (Lab)]

Even when we have all had the covid vaccine, the country will still need an economic shot in the arm, and the Bakerloo line extension delivers just that, providing tens of thousands of new jobs and thousands of new homes, on top of all the amazing transport benefits, which is why it is so strongly supported by the public and by businesses and councils. The Prime Minister has said that we are firmly on track to get construction under way by 2024 and have it up and running by 2030, so can the Transport Secretary say what he is doing to ensure that construction begins on time?

[Grant Shapps]

I certainly can. I have just approved the safeguarding of the land to ensure that it can happen.