Speeches by Lightwood.

“I understand what you are saying. Our vision is clear. We clearly articulate it in the Bill and other things, in terms of achieving affordable, reliable bus services connecting people, passengers feeling safe, and information empowering them. It can be either Westminster and Whitehall making those decisions or, in my v…”

“It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Butler. First, I reassure the hon. Member for Honiton and Sidmouth (Richard Foord) that the potential merits of the Cullompton and Wellington rail stations are still firmly under consideration. The Chancellor announced the closure of the restoring your railway programme in h…”

“I agree, which is why the Government are placing passengers at the heart of our plan for Great British Railways. I hear what my hon. Friend is saying very clearly. The improvement plan aims to tackle the resilience issue by ensuring that the operator develops a structure, from governance to process, that enables the bu…”

“I am going to make progress. My hon. Friend will forgive me. I also note my hon. Friend’s support for new proposed services from Grand Central, and I recognise the important role that Grand Central has played in improving connectivity and choice for passengers in the north-east. That is why the Department has provided …”

“It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Sir Jeremy, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Grahame Morris) on raising the important subject of rail services along the east Durham coastline. I also thank other Members for their contributions today. The Government’s mission for growth is our No. 1 …”

“Indeed, via the major hub of East Croydon station in my hon. Friend’s constituency, the Thameslink programme also established new direct connections to Peterborough and Cambridge. More than £250 million was recently invested in upgrading Gatwick airport station, delivering a new, more accessible station concourse and d…”

“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing this debate and allowing us to discuss this critical area of rail infrastructure. As my hon. Friend has so clearly outlined, the Brighton main line is a crucial artery connecting the south coast to the heart of London, carrying millions of …”

“Gatwick Airport Ltd has applied for a development consent order to bring its northern runway into routine use alongside its main runway. I understand that it has committed to providing a £10 million rail enhancement fund to support improvements to the network required to accommodate additional passengers and mitigate t…”

“We know that too often local bus services are late or, worse, do not turn up at all, blocking passengers from accessing vital services. Our reforms to the bus sector, combined with that £1 billion investment in buses, will give local leaders the tools they need to ensure that services truly reflect the needs of passeng…”

“I am sympathetic to the hon. Member’s concerns, but to date there is not enough evidence to prove that the repeal of the legislation would not have an adverse impact on road safety. Since 1997, holders of car driving licences have not received an automatic entitlement to drive minibuses; this is primarily to improve ro…”

“I could not agree more with my hon. and learned Friend. I am absolutely clear that too often local bus services are not delivering for passengers right across the country. That is why our ambitious reforms to bus services, including through the buses Bill, will give local leaders the powers they desperately need to ref…”

“E-cycles must comply with the existing regulations, which state that “electrical assistance must cut off when the vehicle reaches 15.5mph”. The police already have the power to seize e-cycles and electric motorbikes being used illegally and to fine individuals who fail to stop when instructed to do so.”

“The Government agree that everyone should have the opportunity to walk or cycle, whatever their background, and we will obviously study the contents of the report in detail, which correctly highlights some of the ways in which cycle to work schemes, for example, might be reformed. The Government agree that adapted cycl…”

“Improving access to local bus services throughout England is a priority for this Government. Our reforms through the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, combined with the £23 million we have allocated to Kent county council in 2025-26, will empower local leaders to deliver better bus services for passengers across Kent.”

“I thank the hon. Lady for her question. The English national concessionary travel scheme provides off-peak bus travel to those who are eligible, including those with disabilities and those of state pension age—currently 66. However, local authorities have the power to go above and beyond their statutory obligations. Ar…”

“That is a devolved matter, but I appreciate that TFL also subsidises many routes outside that boundary. I am happy to pick up that matter with the hon. Gentleman outside the Chamber.”

“I agree with my hon. Friend, and I encourage her to continue to speak with the operator to understand whether changes can be made to the route to better meet her constituents’ needs. Our buses Bill, alongside the £2.4 million for Reading and the £1.6 million for West Berkshire, will give local leaders the tools to deli…”

“It is vital that passengers have access to a stable and reliable bus network, and our Bus Services (No. 2) Bill includes a measure that offers greater protection to services from being arbitrarily cancelled or reduced. Alongside our investment in buses, including £12.2 million for Hertfordshire, this Government are tak…”

“Improving local bus services is vital to kick-starting economic growth. Through our Bus Services (No. 2) Bill and the £1 billion we are investing to support and improve bus services, we are taking definitive action to help deliver the better, more reliable bus services that passengers deserve throughout the country. I …”

“The hon. Lady raises a very important question, and I am passionate about this issue. She will be aware that the Government will be bringing forward a new road safety strategy—the first one in over a decade. Part of that will be looking at how we can address that imbalance and the perception of and actual issues with s…”