Extracts from Transport Questions - Nov 30

Rachel Maclean (Redditch) (Con): What steps he is taking to improve express train services. [902656]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Paul Maynard): Only last month new inter-city express trains entered service on Great Western, and indeed east coast will be introducing new Azuma express trains from late 2018. We have also committed £55.7 billion on HS2 to transform the network and bring economic growth between our major cities, operating state-of-the-art trains.

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Extract from Transport Questions: Passenger Trends

Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Lab/Co-op): More passengers are using the Great Western main line than ever before, but we need more investment in that line to ensure that journeys are fast and resilient. If our journeys are to continue to be slow, however, will the Minister commit himself to extending the GSM-R mobile phone trial that is taking place in Scotland and the north of England to Devon and Cornwall?

Paul Maynard: The hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to growing demand for journeys to the south-west. I believe that Great Western is doing a very good job at running the franchise. We are very supportive of the work of the Peninsula Rail Task Force, and we are trying to pull together all the work that is being done to ensure that we have a clear idea of what more we can do. I will certainly consider the hon. Gentleman’s idea carefully.