Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson has continued his campaign for better rail services for commuters by holding a debate in Parliament today (25th February).
After receiving significant correspondence about Thameslink’s performance since being elected, the Conservative MP had called on residents to share their experiences in a survey on his website.
With hundreds of responses from local people, Blake secured a debate in Parliament’s Westminster Hall to highlight their experiences and push for the Government to do more to deliver better rail services for people in Bedfordshire and beyond.
The local MP also shared concerning statistics including that in the past 100 days, 11% of 7:41 services from Flitwick have been cancelled and 25% have arrived at St. Pancras more than 5 minutes late. He had recently met with Govia Thameslink to pressure them to do better.
In fact, the day before the debate Blake actually suffered from two Thameslink cancellations and a severe delay on his way from his Mid Bedfordshire constituency to Westminster.
During the debate, Blake Stephenson, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, said: “Since I first moved to Mid Bedfordshire more than a decade ago, I have been a regular user of the Thameslink.
“But it feels to me – and to many of the constituents that I speak to about Thameslink – that something has gone wrong.
“Too often, over-crowded standing room-only carriages have become the norm.
“Too often, the timetable is merely a guideline and not a rulebook for when trains will arrive.
“And we pay more and more each year for a service which delivers less and less.”
While the current issues with Thameslink were a key part of the MP’s speech, Blake was also keen to focus on the importance of delivering for the future with potential plans for a new Universal theme park and a Luton Airport expansion in the works.
He continued: “It is important for all of the businesses growing in Mid Bedfordshire who are reliant on a good rail connection to do business in London and across our region.
“And it is vital for the Government’s growth agenda.
“If we want to take advantage of the potential expansion of Luton Airport to grow the economy, we must get people there comfortably and quickly.
“If we want to get the best bang for the taxpayers’ buck on East-West Rail, we need a Thameslink service reliable enough for people to count on making their connecting train at Bedford.
“If we want to take advantage of the economic gamechanger that is Universal’s planned theme park at Kempston Hardwick, we must provide sufficient transport capacity to get people there.”
