Stephen Morgan MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Rail, has welcomed plans to deliver the biggest reform of public transport in more than a generation during a speech at the Labour Conference in Liverpool.
The Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh MP reaffirmed an incoming Labour Government’s commitment to bringing the railways back into public ownership to put passengers at the heart of our transport system again.
Mr Morgan has said Labour’s plans provide strong solutions to the issues impacting train journeys in Portsmouth and across the country.
Louise Haigh further pledged to grant every area of England the power to take back control of its bus services and lift the ban on municipal ownership too.
The Shadow Transport Secretary confirmed that Labour would launch an independent review looking at the failures of HS2, and learn lessons on delivering major projects on time and to budget.
The Party also committed to working with local leaders, mayors, businesses and unions to deliver a credible and transformative programme of transport infrastructure investment, including Northern Powerhouse Rail within fiscal rules.
Following the speech, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Portsmouth people will be relieved to hear that Labour is serious about tackling the crisis in our railways, ensuring passengers no longer must suffer rising prices with nothing to show other than cancellations, delays and continued industrial action.
“As a regular commuter, I know all too well the chaos experienced by Portsmouth passengers on our railways. It cannot be right that passengers now choose other means of transport because travelling by train has become too unreliable.
“As the Shadow Secretary of State has set out, an incoming Labour Government will put passengers at the heart of our transport system once again, ensuring our railways are fit for purpose, greener, faster, cheaper and reliable for those who use them.”
“The next Labour Government will bring support drivers, regardless of what type of vehicle they drive, by acting on cost-of-living pressures and delivering much-needed infrastructure improvements.”
At its Party Conference, Labour also set out a five-point plan to support drivers:
1) Deliver a tough new fuel price watchdog to crack down on rip-off prices
2) Save drivers hundreds of pounds by cracking down on unfair car insurance costs
3) Reduce traffic on our roads by providing better public transport options
4) Remove planning barriers to ensure upgrades to our transport networks are actually delivered
5) Accelerate the charge-point rollout to give drivers confidence no matter what type of vehicle they drive
Combined, these changes could save drivers up to £685 a year in lower fuel and insurance costs and cut journey times by reducing traffic on our roads
The city MP Stephen Morgan secured a key role in the Shadow Transport team following Keir Starmer’s reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet last month.
He has since met with a range of transport operators, metro mayors and passenger-led organisations, to learn more about the Government’s failures and prepare Labour’s plan for transport in Government.
