Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential need to reconfigure Heaton Norris Junction to (a) facilitate new local rail services through Stockport, (b) protect local rail services through Stockport and (c) facilitate future orbital Tram-Train services along the Stockport-Stalybridge line as a result of HS2 services using the West Coast Mainline.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on (a) local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester and (b) the potential for new local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester of HS2 using the West Coast Mainline.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on crossover capacity from Stockport station on the Stockport-Stalybridge line at Heaton Norris Junction of HS2 trains using the West Coast Mainline.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HS2 trains using the West Coast Mainline on rail capacity at Stockport station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train services that will run when HS2 opens, including for Stockport Station. These decisions will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180901 on Roads: Standards, for what reason he does not challenge National Highways on specific outcomes of individual inspections.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department challenges National Highways on its overall performance on litter collection at national level. In addition, as one of the performance indicators in the Road Investment Strategy, it is subject to monitoring by the Office for Rail and Road as independent Highways Monitor. It would not be proportionate for the Department to routinely assess or challenge the outcome of litter inspections by National Highways at individual locations across the country. The Department is, however, happy to take up with National Highways any specific local littering issues relating to the Strategic Road Network that are raised by Honourable members or other members of the public.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he monitors the performance of National Highways in the North West on keeping strategic highways land free from litter or tipping.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator, in line with the Code of practice on litter and refuse published by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). National Highways is committed to reporting against this performance indicator and the Department, alongside the independent Highways Monitor (Office for Rail and Road), regularly monitor performance against this litter indicator and discuss with National Highways how performance can continuously be improved. Performance is monitored at a national level across the whole of the Strategic Road Network rather than a focus on any specific region.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received any information from National Highways about the cleanliness standards of the M60 embankments, carriageways, hard shoulders, slip roads and junctions between the River Tame and Junction 23.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Three separate litter picks have been undertaken on this section of the M60 since the beginning of February with 65 bags of litter and 8 large pieces of debris removed. National Highways’ most recent assessment of cleanliness within this area was made on 18 April 2023 with another planned for 25 April 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is able to challenge the outcomes of National Highways' grading inspections.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator which measures the percentage of the SRN where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice. Both the Department and the independent Highways Monitor (the Office for Rail and Road) regularly monitor performance against this litter indicator and discuss with National Highways how performance can continuously be improved. National Highways is committed to reporting annually against this indicator and the performance for 22/23 will be known in the Summer. The Department does not challenge National Highways on specific outcomes of individual inspections.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will meet the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss cleanliness standards and inspection data for the M67 and M60 in Denton and Reddish constituency.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
I am committed to tackling the amount of litter deposited on our roads and I agree that there is more we can all do to keep the Strategic Road Network, roads and streets clear of litter, therefore I would be happy to meet with the honourable Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss how we can best tackle litter on the roads in his constituency.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to facilitate a meeting between National Highways and the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish on site at the M60 and M67 in Denton and Reddish constituency.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways will be happy meet the honourable Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss litter on the Strategic Roads in his constituency.