Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage yesterday called for improvements to the rail links to the Portsmouth Harbour area with a House of Commons debate. The local MP has long pushed the Government on transport issues in the South of England, calling numerous debates and inviting Ministers to her constituency on multiple occasions. With a proposed HS3 set to connect northern towns, Caroline made the case for investment in the South; arguing that those who travel on overcrowded, sluggish South West trains are already subsidising train lines in every other part of the country, making investment in the South both fair and necessary.
Speaking in the House of Commons the MP said that,
"Unlike almost every other line which is subsidised by the Government, passengers on South-West trains will subsidise other train lines to the tune of £1.2 bn over the course of this franchise. Given the pressure on this part of the network would it not be possible for South West trains to keep hold of at least some of this to upgrade the network in the South? This is not a case of asking for more money; we're simply asking for our own money back; invested in the area where it is needed most."
The Hampshire MP called for improvements in the speed and value for money of train services from Portsmouth to London; the expansion of Waterloo station to bring the four former Eurostar platforms back into service as quickly as possible; and a look at the options for a new track to replace the outdated London to Portsmouth link.