Thames link corridor on the Brighton Mainline

Motion Text

That this House recognises that the railway junctions at East Croydon Station are one of the most congested points on Britain's rail network, limiting capacity and spreading delay across Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services from Brighton and the Sussex coast to Bedford, Peterborough and Cambridge; notes that the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme would add around 15 per cent peak capacity through East Croydon Station, allow six extra 12-car fast trains and could unlock around £5.1 billion in economic value over 20 years, supporting new homes and jobs from Croydon to Gatwick, Crawley; welcomes the Prime Minister's commitment at Prime Minister's Questions on 2 September 2026 to look again at the scheme; further notes that the Budget of 28 October 2026 did not set out funding for its development; and calls on the Government to fund Network Rail's design work, alongside the renewals already planned in Control Period 7, so that the scheme is ready for a funding decision in Control Period 8 from 2029, and to make it a pilot for the Government's reform and devolution agenda, with national government, mayors, councils and business planning and co-funding the scheme together.