Pokesdown Station

11. What steps she is taking to improve accessibility at Pokesdown railway station.

South Western Railway has been working closely with Network Rail and the local authority to provide a viable scheme that will result in the installation of new lifts at the station. To establish the likely cost of the scheme and assess affordability, detailed design works are under way and are expected to be finalised in 2025.

I thank the Minister for that very helpful answer. The people of Pokesdown are certainly very keen for their lift, which they have been waiting a long time for. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, train services between Bournemouth and London Waterloo took the historically fastest time of 90 minutes. Will the Minister meet me and South Western Railway to discuss whether we can restore that fast time, as well as to discuss Pokesdown?

There are no current plans to introduce an express service between Bournemouth and London, but I will keep my hon. Friend updated on the future plans regarding South Western Railway, which will become the first operator to be taken back into public ownership in May.

The residents of Wareham, just along the way from Bournemouth, have been waiting more than 20 years for electronic gates—

Order. This is a very niche question.

It is a very niche question, and I want to ask about the next railway line along from Bournemouth.

In which case, it does not count. Thank you for that clarification. Let us go to topical questions.