Reversing the Decline of Stockport Train Station
Navendu Mishra visits Stockport train station.
My work as an MP requires me to travel between Stockport and London regularly, making me a very frequent user of Stockport train station. Like many Stockport residents, I am appalled by the current state of Stockport railway station, which has fallen into disrepair, particularly under the management of Avanti West Coast. The blame lies squarely with the senior management at Avanti; they have allowed this to happen despite the hard work of the dedicated rail workers at our station.
Upon entering the station, passengers are greeted with a broken door. Inside, several of the walls are damaged and peeling. The lift is frequently out-of-order, severely undermining the accessibility of the station. I have been contacted by constituents with mobility issues who have had to abandon their journeys because of the lifts being broken, or who have had to carry family members up the stairs. This is entirely unacceptable. Everyone in Stockport deserves to have access to a station that is well-maintained, safe and accessible. Avanti West Coast are failing to deliver.
I have raised the state of Stockport railway station – and the inaccessibility of other stations in the constituency – in the House of Commons on several occasions. The Government has a responsibility to ensure that companies such as Avanti are fulfilling their obligations to the communities they serve. In December 2023, I spoke to Avanti West Coast about the poor condition of our station and called on them to resolve these urgent problems. I will continue to press them to take the action that is required.
This is not the only area in which private rail companies are failing passengers. The numbers of last-minute cancellations and delays have reached record highs in recent years, reflecting years of chronic underinvestment in rail infrastructure and capacity. Meanwhile, fares have risen in recent years – almost twice as fast as wages.
Despite all of this, business is booming for the owners of failing rail companies. The Government authorised a £65 million payout for shareholders of the holding company of Avanti and TransPennine. It is hard to see this as anything more than rewarding failure.
On a more positive note, I am proud that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is leading the way with bus franchising. The Bee Network seeks to end the chaos of privatisation and make value and connectivity for our communities a priority.
If you live or work in Stockport constituency, as ever, please do not hesitate to contact me with queries on navendu.mishra.mp@parliament.uk or 0161 480 0833.
