Rail Infrastructure (Train Operating Companies) Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Transport
Nick Smith
Main Page: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)Department Debates - View all Nick Smith's debates with the Department for Transport
Rail Infrastructure (Train Operating Companies)
Nick Smith Excerpts(7 years, 11 months ago)
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Chris Grayling
I appreciate my hon. Friend’s comments. One of the breakdowns last week was caused by a piece of equipment being left behind from engineering work being done to sort out the problems in the Balcombe tunnel, which contribute to the unreliability on that network. Some of the money I announced in September is now being spent operationally on the ground. It is frustrating when it has an unfortunate accidental wrong effect.
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
Can the Secretary of State tell us when the electrification work between Cardiff and Swansea will be finished?
Chris Grayling
As I have said to the hon. Gentleman before, I make no bones about my unhappiness with the progress of Great Western electrification, which has not been anything like what I had hoped for. My policy right now is to deliver for him the new trains and improved journey times that will result from where we have got to so far, and where we hope we will get to soon in the electrification programme. He knows that what will make the biggest different to Swansea is fast new trains to London.