Westminster Hall adjournment debate on transport in the North West.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on transport in the North West.

I will not give way to the hon. Gentleman because I do not have much time left. [Interruption.]

I will not give way to the hon. Gentleman because I do not have much time left. [Interruption.]

It is a great pleasure to take part in the debate, particularly following the contributions that have been made, including that from the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle), who ably introduced the debate and spoke with passion. I was intrigued by his innovative use of geography, as he somehow...

It is a great pleasure to take part in the debate, particularly following the contributions that have been made, including that from the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle), who ably introduced the debate and spoke with passion. I was intrigued by his innovative use of geography, as he somehow...

I do not wish to dwell on the rights and wrongs of the transport innovation bid, but the overwhelming rejection of the revenue-raising congestion charge to part-fund public transport improvements in Greater Manchester makes it increasingly unlikely that any local authority will press ahead with a different scheme, including congestion...

I do not wish to dwell on the rights and wrongs of the transport innovation bid, but the overwhelming rejection of the revenue-raising congestion charge to part-fund public transport improvements in Greater Manchester makes it increasingly unlikely that any local authority will press ahead with a different scheme, including congestion...

That is undoubtedly true in other areas. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that in other parts of the country, informal, county-wide schemes are already operating, as in Lincolnshire and Surrey, as the only way to make the scheme in any way viable countrywide. The Minister will have to address...

That is undoubtedly true in other areas. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that in other parts of the country, informal, county-wide schemes are already operating, as in Lincolnshire and Surrey, as the only way to make the scheme in any way viable countrywide. The Minister will have to address...

By way of further clarification, we suggested that it should have gone to the county in the first place, and I think that the hon. Gentleman will agree that they should have operated such a scheme instead of all the local districts trying to negotiate. The other point is that...

By way of further clarification, we suggested that it should have gone to the county in the first place, and I think that the hon. Gentleman will agree that they should have operated such a scheme instead of all the local districts trying to negotiate. The other point is that...

I am interested to know whether this Government will commit to those spending plans in the light of what we might hear tomorrow, and after that I will happily look at what plans might be available. As I have said, it is highly likely that tomorrow we will see the...

I am interested to know whether this Government will commit to those spending plans in the light of what we might hear tomorrow, and after that I will happily look at what plans might be available. As I have said, it is highly likely that tomorrow we will see the...

There will be a general election next year, and the hon. Gentleman said a few moments ago, with a slight hint of hubris, that that will be the end of the Labour Government. Will a Conservative Government commit to maintaining those figures?

There will be a general election next year, and the hon. Gentleman said a few moments ago, with a slight hint of hubris, that that will be the end of the Labour Government. Will a Conservative Government commit to maintaining those figures?

It is a pleasure, Mr. Hood, to see you presiding over our debate this afternoon. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on securing this important debate. He expressed concerns on a range of policies and projects in the north-west, as did other Members, and he...

It is a pleasure, Mr. Hood, to see you presiding over our debate this afternoon. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on securing this important debate. He expressed concerns on a range of policies and projects in the north-west, as did other Members, and he...

It is £4.70 now, is it? It is probably £4.90 by now—the cost has gone up while I am talking. That is an example of inflation. Does the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) agree that the toll road has, at least, taken some of the traffic off the old...

It is £4.70 now, is it? It is probably £4.90 by now—the cost has gone up while I am talking. That is an example of inflation. Does the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) agree that the toll road has, at least, taken some of the traffic off the old...

I cannot disagree with that. The toll road has eased the traffic problems around Birmingham. At one time people could not move. They could not guarantee how long a journey would be. When coming from the north, a journey could be anything from four to seven hours, depending on how...

I cannot disagree with that. The toll road has eased the traffic problems around Birmingham. At one time people could not move. They could not guarantee how long a journey would be. When coming from the north, a journey could be anything from four to seven hours, depending on how...

I agree very much with what the hon. Gentleman says about trying to find new opportunities whereby rail travel can benefit more of our community. However, before we consider building new stations, do we not also need to look at the state of current stations? That is particularly the case...

I agree very much with what the hon. Gentleman says about trying to find new opportunities whereby rail travel can benefit more of our community. However, before we consider building new stations, do we not also need to look at the state of current stations? That is particularly the case...

I do not disagree with that. We should always ensure that we are modernising and keeping our train stations up to the standards that people expect. If we want people to use public transport, we have to provide quality transport and railway stations. Of course, that does not take anything...

I do not disagree with that. We should always ensure that we are modernising and keeping our train stations up to the standards that people expect. If we want people to use public transport, we have to provide quality transport and railway stations. Of course, that does not take anything...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on winning this debate. There are some debates in this Hall to which hardly anyone turns up, so the good representation of Members of Parliament from all over the north-west shows the interest in this one. The hon. Gentleman mentioned several...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on winning this debate. There are some debates in this Hall to which hardly anyone turns up, so the good representation of Members of Parliament from all over the north-west shows the interest in this one. The hon. Gentleman mentioned several...

Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that widening sections of motorways around the country has just led to more cars on those motorways?

Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that widening sections of motorways around the country has just led to more cars on those motorways?

No, I totally disagree because what we have got is a bottleneck. That situation is silly, is it not? If there were three lanes all the way, there would be an argument against widening, but when two four-lane sections have been widened and there is a three-lane bit in the...

No, I totally disagree because what we have got is a bottleneck. That situation is silly, is it not? If there were three lanes all the way, there would be an argument against widening, but when two four-lane sections have been widened and there is a three-lane bit in the...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman: something clearly needs to be done about the M6. A lot of business traffic travels on there. It does not matter what time in the morning it is—for example, some of us travel back in the early hours, perhaps 1 am or 2 am—we...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman: something clearly needs to be done about the M6. A lot of business traffic travels on there. It does not matter what time in the morning it is—for example, some of us travel back in the early hours, perhaps 1 am or 2 am—we...

It is £4.70 now.

It is £4.70 now.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. He is a great champion for transport in the north-west, and for his constituency. On the north-west as a whole, the three cities and the economy, does he agree that one of the key transport projects around at the moment, which...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. He is a great champion for transport in the north-west, and for his constituency. On the north-west as a whole, the three cities and the economy, does he agree that one of the key transport projects around at the moment, which...

I totally agree. When I have travelled to watch Widnes lose against Warrington at rugby, I have seen the benefit that a new bridge could bring to that area. We have waited too long for that scheme, for which my hon. Friend has rightly been a champion. We want to...

I totally agree. When I have travelled to watch Widnes lose against Warrington at rugby, I have seen the benefit that a new bridge could bring to that area. We have waited too long for that scheme, for which my hon. Friend has rightly been a champion. We want to...