Great Eastern Main Line

Robert Halfon Excerpts

Tuesday 11th November 2014 Westminster Hall

[Mr Andrew Turner (in the Chair)]

I call Robert Halfon.

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

I suggest, Mr Turner, as this debate is more directly relevant to the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith), that she go first. I know that she asked to speak after me, but I feel morally that that is the right thing to do.

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[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I will speak very briefly. First, I congratulate the three Members who are here. They are formidable fighters for their commuters. Although the debate is primarily on the Great Eastern main line, I will briefly talk about the problems of rail infrastructure across the east of England. In particular, I will talk about my line—the West Anglia line—because the problems of infrastructure investment are similar.

My constituents, many of whom commute from Harlow and surrounding villages to London, regularly complain of serious overcrowding on trains to Liverpool Street station, despite ticket prices continuing to increase. Does the Minister agree that, in addition to improvements to the Great Eastern main line, more investment is needed across the east of England and Essex and on the West Anglia main line in order to increase capacity on commuter trains and to ensure that commuters receive value for money? We need to invest not only in rolling stock, but in stations across Essex and the east of England, such as Harlow Mill, Sawbridgeworth, Roydon and, obviously, the main Harlow Town station. The smaller stations are badly in need of refurbishment and do not offer adequate protection from poor weather. Will the Minister look into that?

Many commuters frequently raise with me the fact that it is cheaper to travel by London underground from Epping rather than by train from Harlow. In some cases, it costs £25 a day rather than £50. I have just spoken about increasing capacity, but the Stansted Express should stop at Harlow more often and we need better rolling stock. We also need a proper move towards Oyster-isation and the smart-card system that has been promised to us in the past. If the Minister is unable to answer all my questions today, I would be grateful if she wrote to me.

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[Claire Perry]

My hon. Friend will be reassured to know that the new franchising timetable that my Department has put in place is running like clockwork—like a punctual train—so we anticipate that we will stick to the timetable.

[Robert Halfon]

Will the Minister give way?

[Claire Perry]

Just briefly, as I want to make a point about a visit that I am making on Friday.

[Robert Halfon]

Will the Minister confirm that she will write to me regarding my points about the West Anglia main line and Harlow?

[Claire Perry]

I was just moving on to what I am going to do. I will be delighted to write to or, even better, meet my hon. Friend to talk specifically about improvements for his hard-pressed commuters.

My hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich will be delighted to hear that I will be in his city—[Interruption.] Excuse me, his town.