Member of Parliament for The Cotswolds, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, today called on the Minister for Transport, Jo Johnson MP, along with the MPs for Witney and Mid Worcestershire, Robert Courts MP and Nigel Huddlestone MP, to ensure that the Cotswolds receives the best possible rail services in the future.
This was highlighted in the following exchange in the House of Commons:
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) (Con)
When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announces the successor to the GWR franchise, will he ensure that the Cotswold line and the Kemble to Swindon line have an increased number of services and increased punctuality, so that the large amount of money that the taxpayer has put into Network Rail to redouble those services is properly utilised?
My hon. Friend is a strong champion for services on the Cotswold line. We will certainly take into account his advocacy for it.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown commented:
“In preparation for the new franchise to succeed GWR currently, it is imperative that the Government specifies that there should be more reliable and punctual services on both the Cotswolds and the Swindon to Kemble lines.
“We have repeatedly been promised this and it hasn’t really been delivered by GWR. Our constituents who use these two lines have a right to expect this especially as the taxpayer has put in a considerable amount of money to redouble these lines.”
Nigel Huddlestone MP said:
“The service that our constituents have been receiving from GWR has deteriorated significantly in recent months and any new franchise agreement must address the reliability issues that the north Cotswold line suffers from. I believe a case can be made for separating out the North Cotswold Line from the GWR franchise, as happened with the Chiltern Line, and will continue working with my fellow MPs, as well as local groups and stakeholders, to convey this to the Government.”
Robert Courts MP said:
“Rail users throughout the GWR franchise need a reliable, punctual service. As we are looking towards a new rail franchise, now is the time to look at how we can improve the wider system, be that through redoubling the North Cotswold line, through more services or improving signalling to reduce delays. I am pleased to be working with my fellow MPs together on this issue to achieve the improvement in services we all want to see.”
