Rachel Hopkins
Main Page: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)Department Debates - View all Rachel Hopkins's debates with the Department for Transport
(2 days, 10 hours ago)
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Louise Haigh
I completely empathise, and agree that the situation in Oxford is not good enough. The hon. Lady’s characterisation of Network Rail is partly why it is being abolished as we establish Great British Railways. I will of course meet her to discuss how we can improve the situation.
Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab)
I welcome the Transport Secretary’s comments today, and her emphasis on good industrial relations in the rail industry. Why does she think that this Labour Government were able to work with trade unions such as ASLEF to end the national strikes, improving services for passengers within weeks of taking office, when the previous Conservative Government were unable to do so over several years?
Louise Haigh
The truth is that the previous Government deliberately provoked and prolonged that strike, the longest in the history of our railways. They budgeted for a pay settlement not far off where we landed, and that pay settlement has already paid for itself through increased revenue and improved services for passengers.