Sir Gavin Williamson spoke up for Staffordshire during a debate in Parliament about public transport services in the West Midlands.
During the debate, Sir Gavin was keen to push for greater improvements to local rail services. He celebrated recent successes in the region, including the Government’s investment in the Chase railway line, which serves Cannock, Rugeley, and Landywood stations. Since the investment, residents in Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay have benefitted from even more frequent services.
In particular, Sir Gavin addressed the Minister of State for the Department of Transport, Huw Merriman, to request further improvements. He called on the Minister to consider increasing the frequency of services from Penkridge station at the weekend to support links to Stafford and Birmingham. Moreover, his suggestions to provide disabled access to Stone Station were enthusiastically received by the Minister, who replied with reassurance that £350 million in funding has been allocated for accessibility purposes.
Following discussions about train services, Sir Gavin prompted debate about road surfaces. Having spoken on the matter with many constituents, Sir Gavin asked the Minister to prioritise pothole repair in Staffordshire.
Sir Gavin said: “I was grateful for the opportunity to address the Minister and make the case for Staffordshire’s public services. It is worth celebrating that we have already successfully campaigned for greater services at Landywood station near Penkridge and Great Wyrley. However, I will keep pushing until this progress has been extended to all stations across Staffordshire. It is absolutely essential that our rural transport networks are prioritised just as urban networks are.”
