Talk to most people about public transport and they will say the same thing; they want a reliable, affordable service.
That is why, as the MP for Solihull West and Shirley, ensuring we have strong public transport for our borough really matters to me. As a major economic driver of the West Midlands, I want to ensure residents and inward commuters alike are able to travel into Solihull and Shirley with ease.
When it comes to railways, there are currently live propositions which would see travelling by rail significantly improved. The vision for Solihull Station’s Integrated Transport Hub creates an easy-to-navigate station, with sustainable and environmental design features. As it stands, Solihull Station is too small, resulting in platforms becoming crowded. An upgraded and modernised station would accommodate the forecasted growth in passenger numbers.
In August last year, I met with Chiltern Railways and received an update on both Solihull Station’s Integrated Transport Hub and the wider performance of Chiltern. As those of you who use the Chiltern Mainline regularly will attest to, the meeting confirmed that the line suffers with frequent overcrowding. A major contributing factor to this is the fact that Chiltern Railways has the oldest fleet of any operator at 30 years of age; with some carriages positively archaic at 47 years old.
Renewing the fleet will ensure there is additional capacity to alleviate overcrowding for my constituents and to meet passenger demand for services on the Chiltern Mainline. I will continue to press home this point, as it is paramount that Chiltern secures the required support for new carriages to be commissioned, alongside additional carriages to meet the anticipated growing demand.
The development of the Transport Hub, and proposition for new and additional trains, will modernise and drastically improve passenger journeys and experiences for constituents. These initiatives have my full support and will take travel by train in Solihull in the right direction.
However, it is important we get all forms of transport right. For my constituents who rely on buses, the picture is drastically different, with little room for optimism. This month, Labour has raised the bus fare cap by 50 per cent. This means, local bus users with National Express will now pay £2.90 for a single fare.
The increase in fares is also coupled with an unexpected reduction in services.
Understanding the importance of this issue, my first question in the House of Commons this year was to scrutinise the impact of these bus changes. Commuters are now faced with the choice of either more expensive and difficult journeys or not being able to get to work, shops, or college. This particularly affects some of our more rural areas such as Cheswick Green, where residents have been in touch with me to highlight the detrimental impact these changes are having on their day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, the Transport Minister’s response was muted at best, offering no real solutions or assurances that these changes would improve the lives of constituents.
As we stride out into 2025, I am campaigning to make all forms of public transport better in Solihull West & Shirley. And, in order to do so, I am keen to hear about your experiences. So, please complete my online survey by visiting www.drneilshastri-hurst.co.uk/bus-fare-cap or contact my office to share your thoughts.
