Dear Constituent,

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has criticised the Government’s latest announcement on the Northern Rail franchise.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, has announced he is evaluating a proposal from the train operator on options for continuing its franchise. This could eventually lead to the nationalisation of the services.

The franchise is operated by Arriva Rail North and runs services across the North West, North East and Yorkshire, including lines running through the Denton and Reddish constituency.

The operator has faced widespread criticism for the quality of the service that it is provided, including widespread cancellations.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“It is clear to everyone in the region that Northern Rail is a failing franchise that is letting down passengers who have to deal with sky-high fares, cancelled trains and a bare bones service.

 

“Despite the Government’s rhetoric, they have shown once again that they are unwilling to get a hold on this shambolic situation.

 

“The Government should bite the bullet and strip this failing operator of the franchise now.

 

“People in London and the south would not have had to wait years for the Government to act, and neither should those of us in the north.”

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, joined the Better Buses for Greater Manchester march from Stagecoach Manchester’s Hyde Road Depot to the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s office in the city centre, in order to hand in an 11,500+ signature petition on bus reform.

The Conservative Government under Margaret Thatcher deregulated bus services in 1986, opening the market to private bus companies who’ve then scrapped many non-profit-making (but socially crucial) services. Bus use in Greater Manchester has dropped by 40% as a result.

Compared with London (which the Thatcher Government excluded from deregulation) buses in Greater Manchester are more expensive, less reliable and not integrated with other modes of public transport. In London, bus use has more than doubled since 1986.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is currently consulting on bus network reform.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“I was delighted to join Better Buses for Greater Manchester campaigners on their march. The facts are clear. Bus deregulation has been a 33-year failure for the travelling public of this city.

 

“We now have a fragmented network with confusing ticketing arrangements, poor integration with other public transport modes and socially vital services cut or axed at a moment’s notice.

 

“It’s time to bring Greater Manchester’s bus network back under local control. I hope the Mayor, Andy Burnham, will now use the powers granted to him in the Bus Services Act and introduce a London-style service.”

Andy Burnham now has the power to end bus deregulation and introduce a London-style publicly-controlled network. He recently consulted on this, you can find out more here: https://www.gmconsult.org/strategy-team/gmbusconsultation/

 

The end of one year and the start of another is often a time of change and reflection. After a year of too much food or too much booze, many of us make resolutions so that we can be fitter, healthier and happier.

It won’t come as news to anyone reading that 2019 ended very badly for the Labour Party – we lost the general election in December and saw the Tories win many seats from us that we’d held for many decades, particularly here in the North. Just as many of you might be reflecting on your chocolate consumption or spending last year, my party is reflecting on the results from last month and how we can change things in 2020 and beyond.

Here in Tameside, I was incredibly proud to be re-elected once again to represent my home seat of Denton and Reddish and delighted that my two fantastic Tameside MP colleagues Angela Rayner and Jonny Reynolds also won their seats. None of us are complacent though – we got a very clear message that we have work to do as a party to win back support from those who felt unable to vote Labour this time.

I am incredibly grateful to all of those in my constituency who continued to put their faith in me as their representative in Parliament – it’s the greatest honour to represent your own community in the House of Commons and I am delighted to be given the opportunity to continue to do so. For those who didn’t back me this time around, I’d like to emphasise how important it is to me that I represent everyone in Denton and Reddish, regardless of how they voted.

So with this in mind, I will continue to dedicate myself to campaign in the constituency and in Westminster on the things that really matter to people in Audenshaw, Denton, Dukinfield and Reddish. This includes campaigning for better bus services across Greater Manchester and to protect the Tame Valley from development across the river in Stockport. Beyond this, I want to keep on fighting for a fairer, more equal society, more police, better public services including health and social care, and tackling injustice wherever it exists. I’m looking forward to getting back to work in Parliament to do this.

Whatever your resolutions are for the new year, I wish you the best of luck and if you end up breaking them, there’s always next year!