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18 Oct 2023

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Cullompton station funding – is this a “yes”, or..

Or is the Secretary of State for Transport playing Simon Jupp’s game of trivial point scoring? – Owl

Photo of Richard FoordRichard Foord Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Defence)

I welcome sincerely the news of the Secretary of State’s support for Cullompton railway station. It is not new, given that my predecessor as MP for Tiverton and Honiton, Neil Parish, secured restoring your railway funding for Cullompton station two years ago. At that time, Neil said that

“construction could take place as early as 2024”; will the Secretary of State tell my constituents whether Cullompton station is still on track to open in this Parliament?

Photo of Mark HarperMark Harper The Secretary of State for Transport

It is very important, when projects are promised, that we have the funds to pay for them, and it is by cancelling the second phase of HS2 that we are able to fund that important project, which I am glad the hon. Gentleman welcomes. I do not think that the rail Minister and I, in the time we have been in post, have had any communication from the hon. Gentleman campaigning for the station, whereas my hon. Friend Simon Jupp has campaigned for it assiduously, as has my hon. Friend Rebecca Pow.

The voters deserve better than this.