To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps with the Mayor of London to help mitigate residential noise pollution from (a) the London Underground and (b) associated maintenance works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps with the Mayor of London to help mitigate residential noise pollution from (a) the London Underground and (b) associated maintenance works.

Motion, That this House has considered step-free access at stations. Agreed to on question.

Motion, That this House has considered step-free access at stations. Agreed to on question.

Constituents of mine with disabilities have had accidents at railway stations in Yeovil because of the lack of support staff and inaccessible systems for booking assistance. Does my hon. Friend agree that Great Western Railway and other operators must be made to ensure that there is proper support staff at...

Constituents of mine with disabilities have had accidents at railway stations in Yeovil because of the lack of support staff and inaccessible systems for booking assistance. Does my hon. Friend agree that Great Western Railway and other operators must be made to ensure that there is proper support staff at...

Yes, I agree. It is not just about the physical provision, but having staff available, which I will come on to later in my speech.

As I was saying, accessibility is a problem not only for wheelchair users but for those with other mobility issues, including those with pushchairs or luggage,...

Yes, I agree. It is not just about the physical provision, but having staff available, which I will come on to later in my speech.

As I was saying, accessibility is a problem not only for wheelchair users but for those with other mobility issues, including those with pushchairs or luggage,...

I congratulate the hon. Member on his work on the station in his constituency. In my constituency, Northwich station has been without a step-free crossing since 2013, when the barrow crossing was closed. He will be aware that the Government have set out, as part of Great British Railways’ six...

I congratulate the hon. Member on his work on the station in his constituency. In my constituency, Northwich station has been without a step-free crossing since 2013, when the barrow crossing was closed. He will be aware that the Government have set out, as part of Great British Railways’ six...

Yes, indeed. Access for All stalled under the previous Government and we must give it new impetus. The hon. Member is absolutely correct.

Yes, indeed. Access for All stalled under the previous Government and we must give it new impetus. The hon. Member is absolutely correct.

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and setting out the challenges. One of the challenges for me as a Scottish MP is the fact that the Scottish Government are responsible for nominating stations for Access for All, but it is a UK Government fund. My own station of...

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and setting out the challenges. One of the challenges for me as a Scottish MP is the fact that the Scottish Government are responsible for nominating stations for Access for All, but it is a UK Government fund. My own station of...

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. We absolutely need a commitment from the Government. That is what we are looking for today. Now where was I up to?

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. We absolutely need a commitment from the Government. That is what we are looking for today. Now where was I up to?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Yes—that might be useful, while I look for my place.

Yes—that might be useful, while I look for my place.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for allowing my intervention and for making such a great speech. Many stations, such as Whitchurch station in north Shropshire, are well advanced through the Access for All scheme, but funding has been pulled at the last minute. Does he agree that there...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for allowing my intervention and for making such a great speech. Many stations, such as Whitchurch station in north Shropshire, are well advanced through the Access for All scheme, but funding has been pulled at the last minute. Does he agree that there...

My hon. Friend is absolutely correct— I had got to exactly that point in my speech. Despite the successes, the Access for All scheme has failed to deliver on its potential, but hon. Members need not take my word for it. In May 2024, the current Rail Minister, Lord Hendy,...

My hon. Friend is absolutely correct— I had got to exactly that point in my speech. Despite the successes, the Access for All scheme has failed to deliver on its potential, but hon. Members need not take my word for it. In May 2024, the current Rail Minister, Lord Hendy,...

I thank the hon. Member for securing the debate. East Croydon station in my constituency is the 21st most used station in Great Britain. It has a bridge that has been closed for 10 years, despite the use of local taxpayers’ money, national funding and developer funding. We also have...

I thank the hon. Member for securing the debate. East Croydon station in my constituency is the 21st most used station in Great Britain. It has a bridge that has been closed for 10 years, despite the use of local taxpayers’ money, national funding and developer funding. We also have...

I agree entirely with the hon. Member. All those components have to come together.

I must remember where I get to in my speech when I take an intervention. In an answer to a written question, I have been informed that an internal review into the shortcomings in the scheme has...

I agree entirely with the hon. Member. All those components have to come together.

I must remember where I get to in my speech when I take an intervention. In an answer to a written question, I have been informed that an internal review into the shortcomings in the scheme has...

I thank the hon. Member for giving way—he might like to mark where he is in his speech. I pay tribute to him for his speech. Swanscombe station, in my constituency, is not part of the Access for All programme at the moment, but it sits in a deep chalk...

I thank the hon. Member for giving way—he might like to mark where he is in his speech. I pay tribute to him for his speech. Swanscombe station, in my constituency, is not part of the Access for All programme at the moment, but it sits in a deep chalk...

Like other hon. Members, the hon. Gentleman makes the point that this is an issue across the country. It absolutely needs to be addressed if we want to make our transport system fit for all residents.

If a development is already taking place, surely that is the ideal time to ensure...

Like other hon. Members, the hon. Gentleman makes the point that this is an issue across the country. It absolutely needs to be addressed if we want to make our transport system fit for all residents.

If a development is already taking place, surely that is the ideal time to ensure...

Bristol Parkway is well used by people from my constituency, but those with mobility issues have faced lifts being out of action for weeks on end. Does my hon. Friend agree that not only do we need step-free access at stations, but it is vital that that access is reliable...

Bristol Parkway is well used by people from my constituency, but those with mobility issues have faced lifts being out of action for weeks on end. Does my hon. Friend agree that not only do we need step-free access at stations, but it is vital that that access is reliable...

My hon. Friend makes a good point; I got to the point in my speech entitled “Lifts out of action”, so I will start that now—how prescient of her.

The issue is not only the lack of step-free access. Even where there is provision, it is often unreliable. It is clearly...

My hon. Friend makes a good point; I got to the point in my speech entitled “Lifts out of action”, so I will start that now—how prescient of her.

The issue is not only the lack of step-free access. Even where there is provision, it is often unreliable. It is clearly...

Will the hon. Member give way?

Will the hon. Member give way?

Wimbledon Park tube station in my constituency had the highest number of incidents, with the lifts not working on a shocking 132 occasions. That was not always the case; in 2015 there were only 65 occasions across the whole year. Things deteriorated from that point, and in 2019 the Mayor...

Wimbledon Park tube station in my constituency had the highest number of incidents, with the lifts not working on a shocking 132 occasions. That was not always the case; in 2015 there were only 65 occasions across the whole year. Things deteriorated from that point, and in 2019 the Mayor...