Heidi Alexander MP: speeches

Speeches

• 9 Jan 2025 · Local Transport Authorities and Mayors: Financial Support · Hansard source

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  The Government stepped in to ensure that bus fares would not explode at the beginning of this year, when the £2 fare cap that the previous Government legislated for ran out. In the worst-case scenario, costs on some services could have increased by 650%, and it was important that we took that action to ensure such fare rises were avoidable. I advise her local authority to work through any issues with the regional mayor. It is vital that we see transport authorities of all types collaborating to ensure that we have good, high-frequency, high-quality bus services for local people to go about their daily lives.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Local Transport Authorities and Mayors: Financial Support · Hansard source

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  In the Budget, the Government confirmed more than £1 billion of funding to support bus services, an additional £200 million for the city region sustainable transport settlements for eligible mayors, more than £650 million for local transport outside the city regions, a £500 million increase in local highways maintenance, and £485 million in capital funding for Transport for London.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Local Transport Authorities and Mayors: Financial Support · Hansard source

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  We consider business cases for rail enhancements fairly, and no undue advantage would be given to the areas that the hon. Gentleman suggested. I was fortunate in my first couple of weeks in this job to visit the opening of the Northumberland line, which provides services up to Ashington. I know what an invaluable difference the improved connectivity on the rail network can provide. I would be happy to talk to him about his schemes.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Local Transport Authorities and Mayors: Financial Support · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words, and I assure him that the Government are committed to improving local transport across individual local authority boundaries. We have provided more than £1 billion in funding to the Greater Manchester combined authority in his area, which takes a strategic approach to managing transport across its region. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has also set out ambitious measures in the recent “English Devolution” White Paper to support more joined-up running of local transport networks, which people rely upon every day.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I will certainly ask the Rail Minister to take that meeting.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend. I have already met a number of Members of Parliament in the Gateshead area about some of the recent problems with the flyover, and met the Mayor for the region.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  We are six months in. The Conservative party had 14 years. Those promises are worth nothing without a plan to deliver.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I agree. We will not make the same mistakes when we take train operating companies into public ownership. We will do it properly. It is a massive undertaking, but we will make our railways a system for the whole country to be proud of.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I would be happy to.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Yes, I think I will have a busy diary coming up.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Transport is at the heart of this Government’s plan for change. Since I joined the Department more than a month ago, we have introduced the Bus Services Bill, which will give transport authorities across the country the tools to take back control of local services. We are bringing clarity and confidence to our automotive industry, with a consultation on how we will restore the 2030 phase-out date for new petrol and diesel cars. We have also confirmed the first three train operators that will be brought under public control later this year. We have delivered record funding to protect vital bus routes and keep fairs capped, and we smashed our manifesto target with a £1.6 billion investment to repair 7 million more potholes on Britain’s broken roads. I am determined that our transport system delivers reliable, accessible journeys for all; enables the construction of millions of new homes; supports the jobs and industries of the future; and enables rising living standards for everyone in every part of Britain.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  We have had decades of chaos on the railways, and railways that simply did not work for people. What is needed is a fundamental reset with the trade unions to deliver improvements for passenger services.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  We are working on a whole range of schemes in respect of the spending review, and I will provide the hon. Gentleman with more information as soon as I have it.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  We spend about £2 billion a year on rail enhancement projects. We will be looking carefully through the spending review at all proposals that get freight off the roads and increase the availability of passenger services.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I, along with the Rail Minister, will be meeting the management of Northern Rail before the end of this month.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  We are exploring how we can extend pay-as-you-go to other stations in the south-east. I must admit that my mental map is not good enough to identify every station yet, but we share that ambition to make it easier for people to use the railways across the south-east region.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I will. I know that my hon. Friend represents the proud railway city of York, as I represent the proud railway town of Swindon. I look forward to having that meeting with her.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I am happy to speak further with the hon. Gentleman about his concerns regarding local bus services. I know how critical bus services are for young people wanting to get to school, people wanting to get to work and older people wanting to access vital lifeline services. I am happy to meet him to talk in more detail about his local concerns.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his kind words. I remember those days on the London Councils transport and environment committee. I hope he does not mind my saying that both he and I have a little bit more grey hair since then, which is not necessarily helped by this new job. On the substance of the hon. Gentleman’s question, I must vehemently disagree with him. The reality is that this Government acted when the previous one refused to do so, to put an end to the industrial action that was blighting our railways. We had a two-year national rail strike that ground down everyone who travelled or worked on the railways, at a cost of £850 million in lost revenue. He might take a lesson from the former Conservative Rail Minister, the former Member for Bexhill and Battle—

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is a doughty campaigner for her local area, and I fully endorse her efforts to get money to fix the broken roads in her constituency.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The former Minister took to social media and apologised—

• 9 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Undoubtedly.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Railway Capacity · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend on her election as Chair of the Transport Committee. She will be formidable and I look forward to working with her. I am pleased that my hon. Friend raises the question of the mess we inherited from the Conservative Government on HS2 and rail connectivity in the north. When we entered Government in July, we found a rag-bag collection of half- baked, unfunded spending commitments for rail schemes up and down the country. The previous Government drew up their Network North plans on the back of a napkin. As part of the spending review, we have started the hard work of identifying a realistic pipeline of schemes that is affordable and will deliver better connectivity in partnership with local leaders.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Railway Capacity · Hansard source

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  I understand how passionately the hon. Lady feels about the scheme, and the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield and Rothwell (Simon Lightwood) responded to her written parliamentary question on the subject at the end of November. Projects like this one, in areas like hers, have the potential to contribute to the Government’s plans to deliver economic growth. She will know that the spending review is coming up, so a decision on the scheme and any potential timetable will be subject to the outcome of that review.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Railway Capacity · Hansard source

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  May I extend my condolences and those of the Government to the family of Baroness Randerson? I know she was a deeply loved and highly respected colleague to many. On the hon. Gentleman’s substantive question, I have already met Ken Skates, the Welsh Minister for Transport, and I am working closely with the Secretary of State for Wales to ensure that we bring public transport improvements to Wales, which I hope will be Baroness Randerson’s lasting legacy.