MPs demand urgent reform of South West's railway services
MPs have called for urgent reform of railway services in the South West. Martin Wrigley, Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot led a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday, January 14 saying: “The south-west is hugely reliant on the mainline railway—it is an economic lifeline.” He said for many in the region, that lifeline seems increasingly frayed.
Mr Wrigley set the tone by recalling the infamous Dawlish storm of 2014, which devastated railway infrastructure and cost the regional economy an estimated £1.2 billion. “The incident closed the line for eight weeks,” he said, underscoring the scale of disruption. He noted that while some progress has been made with resilience works, a critical fifth phase of the plan remains unfunded. “Without the fifth phase, the resilience work that has been done to date will be wasted.
“Getting from Exeter to Paddington in a couple of hours makes a huge difference,” Mr Wrigley explained, highlighting how reliable rail links enable economic ties with London. However, he warned that this essential service is once again under threat, with the proposed HS2 Old Oak Common development looming large.
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The debate turned to the accessibility challenges faced by passengers with disabilities. Adam Dance, MP for Yeovil, highlighted serious accidents resulting from inadequate support at stations. “Disabled people, unable to get support, have had serious accidents at railway stations in constituencies such as Yeovil,” Mr Dance stated, urging improvements to the Access for All programme and holding operators accountable.
Carla Denyer, Green MP for Bristol Central, echoed these sentiments, describing the devastating impact of unreliable services on disabled passengers. “They go to huge lengths to carefully plan their journeys, only to have them upturned at the last minute,” she said. Ms Denyer also called for updates on the Access for All programme, urging the government to accelerate the timeline for public ownership of Great Western Railway, slated for 2028.
For many MPs, accessibility represents a broader failure of the railway system to serve all constituents. Stations across the region, such as Lawrence Hill in Bristol and Tiverton Parkway, remain inaccessible to those with mobility issues, highlighting the long road ahead.
The implications of the controversial Old Oak Common station were a focal point of the debate. Mr Wrigley lambasted the decision to make every Great Western Railway train stop at the new station, predicting delays of up to 15 minutes per journey. “Adding 15 minutes to the fast train from Exeter to London is significant,” he stressed.
Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset, criticised the lack of consultation, calling for an impact study to assess the economic and tourism effects of this major change.
Rachel Gilmour, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead, echoed concerns about Old Oak Common, describing the added delays as a “disservice to the south-west.” She warned that the project’s construction phase would exacerbate existing disruptions. She also noted that ticket prices continue to climb, adding financial strain to constituents grappling with subpar service.
Government representatives defended Old Oak Common as essential for HS2, claiming it would provide a “crucial interchange.” Transport Under-Secretary Simon Lightwood explained that the station was necessary to facilitate HS2 operations but acknowledged the concerns raised by MPs. “Our challenge to HS2 Ltd is to keep disruption to a minimum and support Network Rail and train operators to keep passengers moving,” he said.
Infrastructure deficiencies remain a pressing issue, particularly in the south-west. Ms Gilmour painted a bleak picture of her constituency’s reliance on Tiverton Parkway, the sole major station serving the area. She cited appalling punctuality statistics: only 46.4% of CrossCountry trains run on schedule, a figure 20 percentage points below the national average.
“Not knowing whether a scheduled service will appear on time is far from the only issue,” Gilmour said, pointing to frequent cancellations and high ticket prices as further obstacles for her constituents. Even with government-imposed fare caps, prices are set to rise by 4.6% in March—outpacing inflation and hitting passengers hard.
The need for modernisation and resilience was a recurring theme. Carla Denyer highlighted the environmental costs of the current system, noting that trains produce only 32% of the emissions of cars on a per-person basis. “To avoid unnecessary emissions, we need to make the greenest option the easiest option,” she argued, stressing that this required reliable and accessible train services.
The critical Dawlish resilience project was another major concern. Mr Wrigley emphasised the importance of completing the project’s fifth phase, which addresses the vulnerable stretch between Parsons Tunnel and Teignmouth. “Without the fifth phase, the resilience work that has been done to date will be wasted,” he warned.
Simon Lightwood defended the government’s record, citing the £165 million already invested in resilience efforts. However, MPs like Mr Wrigley called for long-term commitments. “What Network Rail needs is not funding today but the promise of funding in the future,” he said. This assurance, he argued, would allow the design team to be ready when funds become available.
As the debate drew to a close, MPs reiterated their demands for a fairer, more efficient railway system. Mr Wrigley criticised the government for failing to adequately fund south-west infrastructure while reallocating resources to other regions. He called for clear commitments to fast, uninterrupted services to London and the completion of vital projects like the Dawlish line.
Meanwhile, Ms Gilmour proposed freezing fares and simplifying the ticketing system to make rail travel more accessible. “We need to stop penalising passengers for using public transport,” she said, adding that a modernised railway would also alleviate pressure on overcrowded roads.
Carla Denyer concluded by reminding MPs of the social and economic benefits of investing in rail infrastructure. “Improving the accessibility of the railway brings valuable benefits to our communities,” she said, calling on the government to act swiftly.
Simon Lightwood assured MPs that passenger interests remained central to the government’s strategy, but many left the debate unconvinced. “The south-west and Wales have been disadvantaged over a long period through lack of investment,” Mr Wrigley said. “We are only just beginning this journey.”