Stockport Railway Station

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Anna McMorrin.)

14:36:00

I welcome the opportunity to debate the condition of Stockport railway station. I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and Mr Speaker for granting time for the debate. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests—in particular to the donations from trade unions to the Stockport constituency Labour party. First, I thank all staff at Stockport station, including cleaners, security staff, engineers, ticket office staff, platform safety staff and everyone in the retail outlets. I am a frequent user of Stockport station, and I know that many of my parliamentary colleagues from Greater Manchester prefer to come to that station to get their train into London and will be familiar with its condition. Stockport has a rich and proud railway heritage, and I welcome this debate as we mark 200 years of British railways. The magnificent Stockport viaduct, one of Stockport’s most iconic landmarks, stands as a towering reminder of our town’s long connection to the railway, dating back to the 19th century. Completed in 1840, it remains one of the largest brick building structures in the country, and is a marvel of Victorian engineering. The railway helped Stockport to become a key part of the north-west’s industrial growth. It supported the growth of the cotton and hatting industries, connected workers to jobs and gave businesses access to markets across the country. I am not sure whether you have been to the Hat Works museum in Stockport, Madam Deputy Speaker, but may I invite you to visit? Even today, the railway continues to shape our local economy, connecting us to Manchester, London and beyond. Greater Manchester is the fastest-growing economy in the UK. Its £80 billion economy has grown by 50% since 2000, with a 4.5% gross value added in 2022 alone. We need a first-class, high-quality and reliable railway station to continue facilitating that growth. Hundreds of trains, be they passenger or freight trains, pass through Stockport station. I welcome the Government’s recent progress in establishing Great British Railways. The move to take passenger rail services into common ownership will allow for more reliable train services in Stockport and across the country. That was a key Labour manifesto promise, and we will deliver it in government. Stockport is a busy and important station. The latest figures show 3.8 million entries and exits in the past year—just under 4 million. The most popular destination from Stockport station is Manchester Piccadilly, with around 1.3 million journeys on that route annually. We hear a lot about climate change, net zero and pledges to tackle global warming. It is really important to invest in our public transport infrastructure to give people the option of a reasonably priced, reliable, safe public transport network. If we want people to leave their cars and personal vehicles at home and use public transport, high-quality services must be available at the station. One of the most serious issues that affects Stockport station is accessibility. Disabled passengers too often face faulty lifts and have no way to access the platforms.

I am grateful to my constituency neighbour for giving way in this really important debate. I started my journey to the Chamber today at Stockport station. I completely agree with his comments, but I wonder whether he would go further. Our ambition for accessibility on our railway network needs to expand beyond the mainline stations. Stockport is an extremely important station for my Hazel Grove constituents, but we need to ensure accessibility at stations such as Woodley, Rose Hill Marple and Romiley so that all passengers can access our railway network, not just those who have two legs that can get them up a steep slope.

I agree entirely. To go back to my previous point, if we want people to use public transport, we need to offer services that match their needs. I lived in Hazel Grove for several years, and I know the stations that the hon. Lady mentions. I agree that Stockport is a large station—it had almost 4 million entries and exits in the last reporting period—but we should not overlook the smaller stations. Unfortunately, over the last few decades, the north and north-west of England has been overlooked when it comes to transport investment. I agree with the hon. Lady, and there is a lot to be said about people commuting from smaller stations to larger stations and getting connections to Manchester airport, Birmingham, Cornwall, London or even Scotland. Disabled passengers too often face faulty lifts and have no way to access the platforms, and that problem is persistent across my constituency. Sadly, three out of five rail stations in my constituency—Brinnington, Heaton Chapel and Reddish South—do not have step-free access, and I want to see that addressed as soon as possible. It is simply unacceptable that disabled passengers, parents with pushchairs, older people and people who are less mobile than us are excluded from using their local stations with dignity and ease. I want to put on the record my thanks to Nathaniel Yates, a local champion from the Reddish part of Stockport —I think the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) has met him—who has done a lot of work on step-free access at railway stations, not just in Stockport but across Greater Manchester.

I am sorry to intrude in a debate on Stockport railway station, but I feel a burning need to highlight the issues of Dalston Kingsland station. That railway line was the London Overground but the Mayor of London has renamed it different things in different areas, and that part is now the Mildmay line. That station has no lift, unlike others on that line. That really is a big issue, especially as it is close to the world-famous Ridley Road market, so it attracts a lot of visitors. I hope the Minister will cover how fast we can get lifts into stations without step-free access.

I am not familiar with that station, but I agree wholeheartedly that people should not be excluded from our public transport network due to their physical ability. That is just not acceptable in modern Britain. I want to call out the previous Conservative Government’s plans to close hundreds of ticket offices, including at key stations such as Stockport. Those proposals were entirely unacceptable because they ignored the needs of disabled passengers, older travellers and anyone who is less able to use the internet. Disabled people already face numerous barriers in accessing the railway and are three times less likely to travel by rail than non-disabled people. That is why it is so important that we have good-quality, reliable infrastructure that supports disabled people, and lifts and doors that do not break down frequently, as they do at Stockport station. Ticket offices provide a fixed location for passengers to locate staff and, therefore, advice and assistance. That is particularly important for many disabled people, who are less able to search the station for a roaming member of staff. The RMT union has long-standing concerns about Avanti’s failure to fill station staff vacancies and its widespread reliance on fixed-term contracts. That understaffing is leading to delays at ticket offices and cases of ticket offices not being open during their advertised and regulated hours. That clearly impacts the passenger experience, safety and accessibility. Sadly, it seems that Avanti is putting private profits before public safety and accessibility. I am told that Avanti paid out shareholder dividends of £8.1 million in 2024. Ticket office staffing in Stockport is inconsistent and simply not good enough. The Government should instruct Avanti to permanently fill all existing vacancies, transfer staff on fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts and ensure its ticket offices and stations are properly staffed. As I have noted, Stockport station is one of the busiest in Greater Manchester, yet its condition is far below what passengers deserve. I welcome the recent announcement by Network Rail to repair the frequently faulty lifts—£46,000 is being invested at the station to make step-free access more reliable for passengers—but that should be the start, not the end of the investment at our station. Basic maintenance is falling behind at the station, with leaking roofs, worn out toilets, and poor drainage causing repeated flooding on platforms. One resident described the station as “incredibly uninviting”. They said that the “lights are dim because they are covered in years of cobwebs and grime” and that parts of the station are in “dire condition, often leaking”. The station’s pedestrian tunnel is dark, damp and neglected. One resident described it as being like an “old air raid shelter”. Another resident said that the station feels “poor, tired and dark” and that she “doesn’t feel safe travelling as a woman alone in the evening or early mornings”. Ticket vending machines are unreliable and the Edgely entrance to Stockport station is in a dire state. The station is well run but understaffed. Residents have reported to me a lack of gate staff, no permanent British Transport police presence, and serious concerns about road safety on the Edgeley entrance side. Tragically, there was recently a collision that left a member of the public injured on that side of the station, which was sad news. I have raised these issues with Avanti. The broken main entrance door was finally replaced, but it should not have taken public shaming to get essential fixes done. While I welcome Network Rail’s investment in the Greek Street bridge near the station—it is investing almost £20 million in that project—it needs to go further and faster in improving the station for all. I highlight that the viaduct, which I mentioned earlier, is an iconic part of Stockport’s skyline, but it is not part of Stockport station. The investment of £20 million in the Greek Street bridge is also welcome, but that is not part of the station. We need ringfenced investment in the station. I was recently out with the Network Rail team—I think it was in February—who have spent almost £1.1 million cleaning up and repairing the viaduct. That is great news for our town and for railway users, but the station needs a lot of love and investment. Many people rely on the station, whether for commuting across the north-west or visiting Birmingham or London, but it has been unfairly left behind. Stockport residents are calling for proper investment to bring the station in line with others across the region. They want safety, accessibility and basic decency. On a different point, I take the opportunity to urge the Minister to back the extension of the Metrolink tram system to Stockport town centre. That investment would be a huge boost for Stockport’s connectivity and local economy, helping people to get to work, school and healthcare appointments more easily and sustainably. We have great connections from Stockport station, but sadly during covid TransPennine Express stopped direct services between Stockport and Manchester airport. I wrote to it but unfortunately got a disappointing response; I will be going back to it. I urge the Minister to visit it with me at some point. The absence of a direct service from Stockport to Manchester airport creates unnecessary inconvenience for many residents, particularly those who rely on public transport for work. Manchester Airports Group is a large employer in my constituency, and many people commute from my constituency to Manchester airport. The indirect route is difficult for those carrying heavy luggage and for those who are less mobile or need assistance. I want to see that service reinstated as soon as possible. I have mentioned this on a number of occasions in the Chamber, but may I pay tribute to the friends of Reddish South station? They are a brilliant community group in the Reddish part of Stockport who have worked tirelessly to improve their local railway station. They have been campaigning for years for proper rail services at Reddish South. Currently, Reddish South station has one train a week. Imagine having a local train station with one train a week—it is just ridiculous. I echo the calls for further investment by Network Rail in better signalling in and around Stockport. Some of the engineering parts and equipment used around Stockport are quite dated. We need to ensure that the signalling infrastructure and equipment is the latest, cutting-edge equipment for safety standards and ease of use. We also need to unlock the future capability and reliability of our railway network, so that would be welcome. I am also very grateful to Friends of Heaton Chapel Station, who make a valuable and wonderful contribution to the community of Stockport. I have gathered some feedback from members of staff at Stockport station, so I will quickly mention that. Many Members might be surprised to discover that we have an unusually named platform 0 at Stockport station. Sadly, due to staffing shortages platform 0 is often closed, because there are not enough Avanti staff. The Passenger Assist scheme, which is supposed to help those who are less mobile, those with health conditions or those with disabilities to access the railway, is a vital lifeline for many people. Unfortunately, I am told that the staffing for the Passenger Assist scheme is so poor at Stockport station that it is covered by one member of staff on a part-time basis. When that staff member is not in, platform staff, who should be focused on railway safety with trains arriving and departing, have to assist passengers. I recently tabled written parliamentary question 41630 on Passenger Assist. I thank the Minister and the Government for the £10 million to improve the Passenger Assist service. The capability to book a ticket, request assistance and reserve a seat in one single transaction will be widely welcomed by pretty much everyone—I cannot think of anyone who would be opposed to it. British Transport police do a fantastic job, but they do not have a permanent presence at Stockport station and neither do we have permanent security staff. I call on Avanti and Network Rail to work together to resolve that. I want Stockport station to be a place that residents can be proud of. The station is not just a local hub; it is a vital part of our critical national infrastructure. It deserves the investment, accessibility and support to match. Network Rail must accelerate investment in lifts, drainage, roofing and accessibility. More must be done to address basic maintenance failures before they become hazardous. I also want Avanti and Network Rail to work at pace to improve the staff facilities, which need to be upgraded. They do a fantastic job—I have already place on record my thanks to them—and they deserve good quality facilities when they take their breaks, and when they start and end their shifts. I welcome the share of the city region sustainable transport settlements that Stockport will receive to progress development at Stockport station, but I urge the Minister to go further and faster with funding for modernisation and better connectivity at Stockport. I also ask the Minister to urge Avanti to end its over-reliance on temporary contracts and to fill ticket office vacancies. Sadly, I personally find that the ticket office at Stockport is frequently closed during advertised hours when it should be open. Ticket office closures risk denting revenue by deterring passengers, particularly disabled people, from using the railway. Passenger safety, service and accessibility are vital for a thriving railway. I invite the Minister to visit Stockport again. I understand that he has been twice since he took up his position. Both times, he visited on a sitting day when I was in Westminster, so I invite him to visit again. I would love to take him to Reddish South station, which has one train a week; Stockport station, which has almost 4 million passenger rail entries and exits; and Brinnington and Heaton Chapel stations, which do not have step-free access. I am grateful to many organisations, including the trade unions, which provided briefings for this debate. Avanti and Network Rail also helped me with a briefing. Nick from Avanti, in particular, has been really helpful. I conducted a survey on my Facebook page seeking feedback from residents and passengers on Stockport station. I received several submissions and I am so grateful to each and every one of the respondents for helping me to write this speech. I hope the Minister is able to address some of the points I have made, but my last point is that Network Rail and Avanti need to do so much more to make sure that Stockport station, and the smaller stations in Stockport, get the investment they have deserved for far too long.

14:53:00

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Navendu Mishra) on securing the debate and providing the opportunity to discuss Stockport railway station. I thank the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) and my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier) for their interventions. Let me start by talking a little bit about this important train station. Stockport station is a vital transport interchange in south Greater Manchester. Sitting on the west coast main line approach to Manchester Piccadilly, it provides access and connectivity across the country to commuters, leisure travel and freight. On average, 501 passenger and freight trains pass through the station per day. That is 10,000 paying passengers a day, with 5,000 to 6,000 passing through the station. The industry is working collaboratively to engage with local stakeholders who have concerns and a vision for the station. Network Rail’s engagement with local stakeholders is fundamental to shaping plans for the future of the station, and it will continue to welcome input and to be transparent about timescales and issues as they arise. The Stockport corridor is critical for a range of express, regional and local passenger services and freight. It supports some very important flows nationally as well as offering a key destination in the interchange hub at Stockport station itself. The route from Stockport into Manchester is very constrained, which means that it is extremely difficult to plan any additional services through it reliably. While other interfacing schemes might increase capacity and capability elsewhere on the network, the constraints at Stockport act as a bottleneck when trying to uplift service frequencies overall. Network Rail and the industry are working through the options to address capability and capacity, working with mayors and transport authorities on what future plans there could be for the Stockport corridor.

The Minister is talking about the assessment of various options. We know that the Treasury is looking at reviewing the contents of the Green Book that measures the benefits and disbenefits of any capital spending. Can he say a few words on how we can ensure that the north, particularly the Stockport area, gets its fair share of capital spending in the future to ensure that existing inequality is not baked into the calculations that the Treasury makes?

We obviously want to see growth in every corner of the country, and we are awaiting the spending review outcomes, as is everybody else. We are aware that our partners will have their own priorities for the future of railways in their areas, and we are open to engaging with them directly on their plans. The core aim of the Stockport station redevelopment scheme is to support future increases in rail patronage and green travel and to drive clean and sustainable economic growth. It will improve the accessibility, attractiveness and useability of Stockport station and reduce town centre severance. There is an opportunity to leverage a package of works through the Greater Manchester authority’s sustainable transport settlement funding for delivery by March 2027, which would include a refurbishment of platform buildings, with a focus on platforms 1 and 2. Stockport council, Network Rail and Avanti are meeting today to further scope out that work. Avanti West Coast has funds available for the current financial year to undertake works at the station, which will focus on staff facilities that need upgrading and some accessibility enhancements. We will share further information as those plans are developed. I thank the hon. Member for Hazel Grove for her intervention, and I will touch on Passenger Assist. Avanti has seen a significant increase in passenger assistance over the last 12 months, and it is now reviewing its Passenger Assist process so that it can meet the needs of passengers on that service.

I thank the Minister for making that point. I had a conversation with Avanti recently about the Passenger Assist scheme. The west coast main line network that Avanti services is a major network in this country, and Avanti should welcome the fact that more disabled people want to use its services. I am told by members of staff at the station, which has 3.8 million entries and exits per year, that one member of staff on a part-time basis supports Passenger Assist. I am sure the Minister will agree that that is simply not good enough and that Avanti needs to do a lot better.

I want to see a railway and a transport system across the country that are accessible to everybody. I will take away my hon. Friend’s comments on this individual case and discuss it further with the Rail Minister. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch. I am happy to meet with her to discuss the accessibility challenges that she has raised. I also look forward to meeting with Nathaniel Yates, who my hon. Friend quite rightly highlighted for his work on accessibility. I will talk a little about some of the other major works carried out by Network Rail in and around Stockport. Network Rail is delivering a £20 million project to rebuild the Greek Street bridge, which carries a major road junction over the Manchester spur of the west coast main line in Stockport. Throughout the work, Network Rail has kept the local community informed with regular drop-in events, which have been well attended, and has received no complaints about the work since the closure of the road. The project team has an excellent presence on site, regularly checking in with neighbours, local businesses, schools and colleges in the area to reduce the impact of the works as much as possible.

The Minister is being extremely generous. As I mentioned in my speech, I welcome the £20 million investment in the Greek Street bridge and the £1.1 million investment to clean the viaduct and repair the brickwork. But if we are being honest, the Greek Street bridge and the viaduct are not part of Stockport station. They are of course an essential part of our railway network, but I want to see real investment in Stockport station for passengers and staff members, so I hope Network Rail is watching and takes note of that.

My hon. Friend is quite right, and I hear what he says, but it is important that we point out the wider investment in the rail system there, including the £1.1 million to refurnish the iconic Stockport viaduct, which was built back in 1840. Let me move on to the issue of step-free access at Brinnington, Heaton Chapel and Reddish South stations, which I know my hon. Friend is interested in. Since its launch in 2006, the Access for All programme has delivered step-free access at more than 260 stations across Great Britain. Only about half of the stations in Great Britain have step-free access to and between all platforms. However, around 75% of journeys on the GB rail network are through step-free stations, compared with 50% in 2005. I recommend that my hon. Friend and his constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, engage with the local authority and Northern Trains to propose that Brinnington, Heaton Chapel and Reddish South are a priority in any future funding rounds, as none of those stations were nominated for the last round. In the meantime, the Department will continue to seek further opportunities to improve rail accessibility, and if the industry installs, replaces or renews infrastructure at the stations, that will need to comply with current accessibility standards. On the services provided at Reddish South station, the Department expects operators to match the capacity and frequency of their services to demand, although they must also be operationally sustainable and deliver value for taxpayers. The Rail North partnership, through which the Department and Transport for the North jointly manage the contract with Northern Trains, which serves Reddish South, will assess any business case that is put forward. The analysis must balance the economic and social benefits of any enhancement with the performance of existing services and the financial impact of a taxpayer subsidy. I turn to the direct service from Stockport to Manchester airport—an issue I know my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport is keen on. The Sheffield-Manchester airport service, which offered direct services between Stockport and the airport, was withdrawn in December 2022 as part of the timetable developed by the Manchester taskforce, which includes the DFT, the train operators, Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester and Transport for the North. We see improved connectivity as an important factor in growing the northern and national economies and would hope that new infrastructure would allow direct services from Stockport to the airport, although I must stress that other towns and cities could make a case for their pre-2022 direct connections to be restored as well. I thank my hon. Friend again for the debate, at which we have discussed a number of important issues affecting rail services in his constituency. He rightly pointed out that I have visited his constituency not once but twice. I hope he does not take it personally that on each occasion it was a sitting day. I will do my utmost to return to Stockport—as long as he can guarantee that the sun is shining. Question put and agreed to.

15:03:00