Oral Answers to Questions

Laura Kyrke-Smith Excerpts

Thursday 20th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

There were significant delays under the previous Government—14 months between their intention to move to procurement in March 2023 and any action on it, which was not until the general election last year. Within a couple of months of my being in post, we appointed Chiltern Railways as the operator. There are ongoing discussions locally, and I hope that services are up and running as soon as possible in the new year.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

T9.  There is great news for train travellers in Aylesbury this week, as the Government have announced that contactless pay-as-you-go ticketing will be rolled out at Aylesbury station from 14 December. Will the Minister join me in encouraging Aylesbury residents to give it a try, and can he assure me that they will get the best-value ticket when they do?

[Keir Mather]

I would be delighted to encourage local people to give it a try. I am delighted with the announced expansion of pay-as-you-go to 50 additional stations, including Aylesbury station, next month, and I can assure my hon. Friend that it will offer her residents greater flexibility, convenience and the best price for their journey for on-the-day travel.

Oral Answers to Questions

Laura Kyrke-Smith Excerpts

Thursday 26th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

2. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

3. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.

[Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)]

5. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Simon Lightwood]

I congratulate Stoke-on-Trent on its success. It is great to hear that local ambitions are being realised through new bus services, lower fares and more accessible buses. Funding has been announced for 2025-26: Stoke-on-Trent city council was awarded £9.8 million, and Staffordshire county council was awarded £11 million. Future allocations for individual local authorities will be confirmed in due course.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith]

I am grateful to the more than 300 residents who took part in my bus survey. Many expressed frustration about Arriva’s decision to cut the X5 service, leaving schoolchildren stranded and people unable to get to work. Fortunately, on this occasion, Red Eagle Buses stepped in, but what happened speaks to the wider issue of bus companies not putting residents’ needs first. Will the Minister join me in asking Buckinghamshire council to take up the new franchising powers in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill to fix exactly that issue?

[Simon Lightwood]

The Bus Services (No. 2) Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, enabling them to choose the bus model that works best for their areas. The Government will support local transport authorities that decide that the franchising route is the best option for them, delivering improvements to services in their area. I hope that my hon. Friend’s local council will work with her and her constituents to find the best local solution.

HS2 Reset

Laura Kyrke-Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I am afraid I cannot give the right hon. Lady a date today, but I can assure her that I am fully cognisant of this issue. We need to look at whether there is any requirement for any future schemes. As soon as we are in a position to provide updates, I will come back to this House and be sure to provide hon. Members will all the relevant information.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

The HS2 line runs down the west side of Aylesbury. It will bring no benefits at all to my constituency, yet my residents have suffered years of noise, disruption, flooding, loss of access to the countryside and the destruction of their natural environment as a result of its construction. I am pleased that the Government are getting a grip on this issue, and I commend the Secretary of State for her honesty and focus, but my constituents will understandably be concerned by the news of further delays and potential further disruption. Can the Secretary of State confirm that she will do everything in her power to hold HS2 and its contractors to account in order to minimise the ongoing disruption for my long-suffering residents?

[Heidi Alexander]

I can assure my hon. Friend that we are determined to see the main works civil engineering contracts completed as soon as possible. That is the element of construction that generally creates most disturbance for local communities, and we are pretty much at peak construction now. I thank her constituents for their patience while we continue to deliver this vital new piece of rail infrastructure.