Oral Answers to Questions

Philip Hollobone Excerpts

Thursday 13th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Ms Ghani]

I never want to lose out to the Mayor of London, so I hope that that is not the case. Greener taxis are on the agenda. Not only has the hon. Gentleman been incredibly supportive of this issue, but he has guided me in the putting together of our response to the task and finish group. As he knows, I really am keen to try to secure a date, and the fact that the matter has been mentioned multiple times this morning will help me to do so.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

13. What estimate he has made of the number of weekday train services northbound from Kettering on the main line under the (a) existing and (b) new train franchise.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Andrew Jones)]

Currently, on average, two East Midlands trains per hour call at Kettering northbound on weekdays, with one going to Corby and one to Nottingham. From December 2020, double the number of trains will call at Kettering: two will be on a dedicated St Pancras to Corby service and two will be on the long-distance Nottingham service.

[Mr Hollobone]

Kettering is a well-used, popular station with rising passenger numbers. Will the Minister confirm when electrification will arrive at Kettering and what other benefits to passengers there will be from the new train franchise?

[Andrew Jones]

The roll-out of the midland main line electrification is obviously a key project, and I will keep the House posted on its progress. I can inform my hon. Friend that the station will get many new benefits from the East Midlands franchise. They will include station wi-fi, LED lighting and help points. There will be improved lay-out and a bus interchange, a multimodal customer information system, drinking water fountains, customer lounges, refurbished toilets, new cafés, customer waiting areas, a third-party west side station entrance development, 60 new secure cycle spaces, six electric vehicle charging points, ANPR car park technology, 200 additional car park spaces and air quality monitors. Basically, it is all happening at Kettering station.

--- Later in debate ---

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

Order. If we have brief questions and brief answers, I will attempt to give everybody who is still standing the opportunity to speak.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

In congratulating my Northamptonshire neighbour on his elevation to greatness as the Minister for roads, may I point out that the most important item on his desk is the introduction of civil parking enforcement in Kettering? When will a statutory instrument be introduced to implement that scheme?