To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on Southeastern train punctuality on the Woolwich line since the new timetable was introduced in December 2022.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on Southeastern train punctuality on the Woolwich line since the new timetable was introduced in December 2022.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Southeastern Railway’s timetable changes of December 2022, whether the recent announcement of additional services on the Bexleyheath line will be extended to cover the Woolwich line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Southeastern Railway’s timetable changes of December 2022, whether the recent announcement of additional services on the Bexleyheath line will be extended to cover the Woolwich line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trains on the Woolwich line stop at Erith station between 7.00am and 9.30am; and how many trains destined for (a) Charing Cross and (b) Cannon Street will stop at Erith station between those times after 11 December 2022.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trains on the Woolwich line stop at Erith station between 7.00am and 9.30am; and how many trains destined for (a) Charing Cross and (b) Cannon Street will stop at Erith station between those times after 11 December 2022.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help improve reliability of rail services on the Slade Green line in advance of the new franchise agreement being agreed for services on that line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help improve reliability of rail services on the Slade Green line in advance of the new franchise agreement being agreed for services on that line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government has to improve the rail infrastructure on the North Kent rail line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government has to improve the rail infrastructure on the North Kent rail line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the potential effects on the level of (a) congestion on the main approach roads into London and (b) carbon dioxide emissions of reducing fares on the North Kent railway line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the potential effects on the level of (a) congestion on the main approach roads into London and (b) carbon dioxide emissions of reducing fares on the North Kent railway line.

I am grateful for this opportunity to place on the official record something that has been the subject of a huge amount of correspondence and a lot of comment in other debates in the House. Before I start, it is also worth placing on the record that I intend to...

I am grateful for this opportunity to place on the official record something that has been the subject of a huge amount of correspondence and a lot of comment in other debates in the House. Before I start, it is also worth placing on the record that I intend to...

The high-speed train services have been amazing and transformative in my constituency, but, of course, the normal trains are slow, dirty and very often late. Would the hon. Gentleman agree that there is an urgent need for bi-directional signalling at the pinch point at Rochester bridge? In my own constituency...

The high-speed train services have been amazing and transformative in my constituency, but, of course, the normal trains are slow, dirty and very often late. Would the hon. Gentleman agree that there is an urgent need for bi-directional signalling at the pinch point at Rochester bridge? In my own constituency...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Some of the changes dramatically affect his constituents. If he can stay until later in my speech, he will hear me refer to one of them. If he cannot, I understand fully, as I know that he has other commitments in the House this...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Some of the changes dramatically affect his constituents. If he can stay until later in my speech, he will hear me refer to one of them. If he cannot, I understand fully, as I know that he has other commitments in the House this...

My hon. Friend is leading me down a path that I was not going to go down, but he has given me the opportunity to comment on an issue that is not peripheral but separate. Five years ago, representatives of Network Rail came down to Margate and examined the potential...

My hon. Friend is leading me down a path that I was not going to go down, but he has given me the opportunity to comment on an issue that is not peripheral but separate. Five years ago, representatives of Network Rail came down to Margate and examined the potential...

I am most grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way while making a powerful speech, and I congratulate him on fighting a remarkable campaign. May I add one more item to that extremely unappealing list? Those who commute across Kent rather than into London face a pathetic collapse in...

I am most grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way while making a powerful speech, and I congratulate him on fighting a remarkable campaign. May I add one more item to that extremely unappealing list? Those who commute across Kent rather than into London face a pathetic collapse in...

The hon. Gentleman has his views—others beg to differ. It is important to recognise that introducing these services has significantly reduced journey times to several parts of Kent and, while the hon. Gentleman has made the argument that journey time-savings for his constituents are not significant, the Department feels that...

The hon. Gentleman has his views—others beg to differ. It is important to recognise that introducing these services has significantly reduced journey times to several parts of Kent and, while the hon. Gentleman has made the argument that journey time-savings for his constituents are not significant, the Department feels that...

We are going to be told later, I suspect, that there will be a review and that things might get better at some time. The point is that we raised the issues a year ago and no one listened, so I wonder why the hon. Gentleman thinks they will listen...

We are going to be told later, I suspect, that there will be a review and that things might get better at some time. The point is that we raised the issues a year ago and no one listened, so I wonder why the hon. Gentleman thinks they will listen...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale), who might be surprised to hear that I agree with some, but not all, of the points that he raised. I am not here to speak for other MPs' constituents, but I certainly want to speak...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale), who might be surprised to hear that I agree with some, but not all, of the points that he raised. I am not here to speak for other MPs' constituents, but I certainly want to speak...

The hon. Gentleman will no doubt make his view known and I am sure that his constituents, such as Mr. Sargent, will pay attention. I am representing the daily experiences of real people who pay real money, after tax, to travel from homes along the Kent coast, through the Medway...

The hon. Gentleman will no doubt make his view known and I am sure that his constituents, such as Mr. Sargent, will pay attention. I am representing the daily experiences of real people who pay real money, after tax, to travel from homes along the Kent coast, through the Medway...

I have listened with interest to the hon. Gentleman's speech and to the complaints from many of his constituents and the constituents of other hon. Members. If I manage to catch your eye, Mr. Benton, I will give my view on the difficulties in Dover. However, I put it on...

I have listened with interest to the hon. Gentleman's speech and to the complaints from many of his constituents and the constituents of other hon. Members. If I manage to catch your eye, Mr. Benton, I will give my view on the difficulties in Dover. However, I put it on...

As he has to wait such a long time before I finish, yes.

As he has to wait such a long time before I finish, yes.

Absolutely. I would be delighted to explain that to the hon. Gentleman. The economics are simple. If one does the detailed financial modelling, as we have done, but as I understand his party has not done, one can take the average fare available and set it as the average fare...

Absolutely. I would be delighted to explain that to the hon. Gentleman. The economics are simple. If one does the detailed financial modelling, as we have done, but as I understand his party has not done, one can take the average fare available and set it as the average fare...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way on that point?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way on that point?

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Benton. My hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent (Hugh Robertson) was surely right when he said that our hon. Friend the Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale) is not only liked, but respected in his area. He put...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Benton. My hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent (Hugh Robertson) was surely right when he said that our hon. Friend the Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale) is not only liked, but respected in his area. He put...