How renationalising the raiLways will benefit Blackpool
Yesterday I spoke in the House of Commons on the Public Ownership Bill for passenger railway services.
I welcome the legislation to bring our railways back into public ownership. Swift action from this Labour government to reform our rail services is a significant step forward that will benefit my constituency for generations to come.
The arrival of the railway in Blackpool in 1846 was the beginning of mass tourism that gave the town its identity. In 1911, the town's Central Station was the busiest in the world, and by 1936, 650 trains came and went in a single day.
Today, the picture is quite different.
Blackpool is currently served by Avanti West Coast which, in September 2023, the Conservatives handed a long-term contract for up to nine years - despite overseeing a poor record of service in recent years with ongoing delays and cancellations.
Office of Rail and Road figures show Avanti West Coast had the third worst reliability of all operators in Britain in the last year, with one in 15 trains cancelled. When they do come, trains are routinely delayed and overcrowded.
And, while delivering some of the worst disruptions to passenger travel, shareholders have extracted £36 million in dividends the last three years.
These are the conditions passengers in my constituency have been forced to accept and come to expect.
As a frequent and frequently frustrated user of the West Coast Mainline, I don’t need figures to know that passengers, as well as staff, are fed up.
This week Avanti’s catering staff are set to strike over short notice changes to shift patterns, job cuts and enforced overtime which are causing widespread stress and fatigue. This is the latest in a string of industrial relation disputes that have dogged Avanti, which imposes intolerable conditions on its long-suffering staff.
The last Government sat back and watched as this privatisation model failed and staff and customers suffered the consequences.
Blackpool’s tourism has recovered in recent years and we are now welcoming record numbers of visitors topping the 20 million mark in 2022. These visitors contributed £1.7bn to the local economy and supported more than 22,000 jobs. There is no doubt that a more efficient railway service would allow these figures to grow even more.
Reducing visitors’ dependency on cars will not only lower emissions, but encourage more overnight visitors to Blackpool where we struggle to provide sufficient parking. Our new tramway, between Blackpool North railway station and the promenade’s tram network, means people arriving in the town are instantly connected to hotel accommodation.
A reliable and affordable service will also allow my constituents to access better opportunities. Too often Blackpool loses its brightest and most talented young people to neighbouring cities that should be an easy commute. By improving connectivity and ending constant cancellations, we can end Blackpool’s brain drain and allow people to live an affordable life by the seaside while accessing well-paid work out of town.
This landmark change to our railways means Blackpool can increase visitor numbers, boost its economy and its job market.
By unlocking the potential of our railways we will also unlock the potential of young people in Blackpool.
And by giving my constituents and visitors to our town a rail service they can depend on and deserve, we can ensure that Blackpool will no longer feel abandoned at the end of the line.
Ahead of the rail debate this week, I joined the ASLEF - The UK Train Drivers' Union, general secretary Mick Whelan, train drivers, and other MPs to show my support for the re-nationalisation of our railways.
Since the early days of fire and steam on the railways, train drivers have improved their working conditions immeasurably by standing together. Today ASLEF, the trade union for train workers, represents drivers, operational supervisors, and train-operating staff, ensuring better working conditions and workplace safety.
ASLEF has been actively campaigning for the nationalisation of railways, advocating for a publicly owned and accountable system that would better serve passengers and workers.
The nationalisation of the railways promises a better future for Blackpool and our neighbouring towns and cities. It will lead to better connectivity, more opportunities, and a thriving economy.
