Road and Rail Projects Debate

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Department: Department for Transport
Tuesday 8th July 2025

(1 day, 16 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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I had a meeting with my right hon. Friend the Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting) recently, who made a similar case about Broadmead Road bridge. In the spending review, we secured funding to set up a structures fund to ensure that the Government can make money available to local authorities with failing assets where the cost of the asset is so great that it would be prohibitive for the local authority to address it on its own. We will be issuing a call for evidence to ask for feedback on how best to structure that fund, and I hope to be able to say more about its design before the end of the year.

Cameron Thomas Portrait Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)
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Improved rail links are vital to support the planned developments around Ashchurch and Northway in my constituency, including a garden community and an outlet centre that opens next week. Current services to Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station are limited and unreliable, with the nearest arterial road routinely gridlocked. I welcome the funding for the midlands rail hub, but my constituents will be eager to learn whether funding for improvements at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury will be incorporated in that funding.

Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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If I may, I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the details he requests.