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Written Question
Railways: East of England
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 28 February (HL2548), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what are the minimum and expected timescales for the following stages of Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and upgrading of Haughley Junction: (1) the final business case, (2) the Ministerial decision to proceed to implementation, (3) the issuance of a Transport Work Act Order, (4) the commencement of works, and (5) the completion of works.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Network North announcement confirmed government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) programme and the substantial benefits this will bring, along with the related Haugley Junction scheme. As with all schemes, these will undergo all formal approvals and governance. Specific timescales will be set out in due course.


Written Question
Electric Vehicles: Charging Points and Parking
Thursday 7th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to issuing guidance on the placement and design of (1) electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and (2) micromobility parking provision.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

All EV drivers should be able to easily find public chargepoints they can use, and accessibility should be embedded in public chargepoint design from the outset. The Government and industry sponsored, Publicly Available Standard (PAS) 1899 provides specifications on the placement, design and installation of accessible public EV chargepoints.

The Government has extended its e-scooter trials until May 2026 to enable us to build on current learning across areas including usage, safety, parking provision and environmental impacts. The Department’s guidance for local authorities and operators taking part in trials sets out that appropriate parking provision should be provided to ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive.


Written Question
Pedestrian Areas: Utilities
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report commissioned by the Local Government Association The path to inclusive footways, published on 10 February, what steps they are taking to ensure utilities providers pay for reinstatement works where they have caused disruption to footways.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Utility companies have a right to access footways to carry out works to maintain or install their infrastructure, including to roll-out broadband. Companies must reinstate the footway after the works have been completed in line with the statutory code of practice, ‘the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways’ (SROH). Highway authorities have the power to direct utility companies to carry out remedial works at the utility company’s expense if they identify reinstatements that do not meet the standards in the code. They can also fine companies for works that overrun.

As part of the plan for drivers we are consulting on measures to increase the rate of fixed penalty notices for some street work offences and extend charges for utility companies whose works overrun to include weekends and bank holidays. We have also introduced a new performance-based inspections regime which means authorities can inspect utility companies with high rates of defects in their reinstatements more than those who comply with the SROH.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Line: Buckinghamshire
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they were aware that trees would be felled in Sheephouse Wood when they agreed £40m funding for a tunnel to mitigate the impact on wildlife in Sheephouse Wood.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Wildlife mitigations adjacent to Sheephouse Wood include physical measures to protect the local bat population, as well as a green overbridge, and landscaping for public access. Given that the HS2 route in this area is overground rather than in tunnel, a number of trees along the perimeter of Sheephouse Wood have had to be removed to fulfil safety requirements alongside an operational railway. These trees were removed with the necessary permissions from Natural England, and HS2 Ltd informed the Department for Transport in advance of the works taking place. The requirement to deliver these works was included in the overall funding allocations for the HS2 project.


Written Question
Railways: East of England
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 14 February (HL2133), what are the minimum and expected timescales for the following stages of Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and upgrading of Haughley Junction: (1) the final business case, (2) the Ministerial decision to proceed to implementation, (3) the issuance of a Transport Work Act Order, (4) the commencement of works, and (5) the completion of works.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The recently announced Network North programme of investment included confirmation of government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) programme and the substantial benefits this will bring, including a doubling of passenger services on the Ely to Kings Lynn and Ipswich to Peterborough routes together with additional freight paths into the Port of Felixstowe.

Network Rail have developed the scheme to Outline Business Case stage; next steps will involve further investment case development and delivery planning.


Written Question
Railway Stations: Stonehouse
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will announce their decision on the Strategic Outline Business Case 'Restoring Your Railway Stroudwater Station' submitted in September 2022; why that decision has not yet been made; and what is the intended purpose of the planned Ministerial visit to Stroudwater Station.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport is in receipt of a Strategic Outline Business Case for the proposed reopening of Stonehouse (Bristol Road) railway station, also known as Stroudwater station. The Department is not yet in a position to provide details on next steps for the scheme, but hopes to be able to do so in due course. Ministers conduct visits for a wide range of reasons, including to help them appreciate local issues in person.


Written Question
Railways: East of England
Wednesday 14th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will provide the full funds to upgrade the rail junctions at Haughley and Ely; and on what timetable they expect the works to be completed.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The recently announced Network North programme of investment included confirmation of government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) programme and upgrading Haughley Junction, and the substantial benefits this will bring, including a doubling of passenger services on the Ely to Kings Lynn and Ipswich to Peterborough routes together with additional freight paths into the Port of Felixstowe.

Network Rail have developed the scheme to Outline Business Case stage; next steps will involve further investment case development and delivery planning.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Line: Land
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for land purchased for HS2 that is no longer necessary.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Any land and property that is no longer required will be sold, and a programme is being developed to do this.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Line: Land
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of using surplus HS2 land for establishing wildlife corridors and enhancing biodiversity.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Any property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required will be sold, and a programme is being developed to do this. No assessment has yet been made of whether surplus HS2 land can or should be used for establishing wildlife corridors and enhancing biodiversity.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Line: Land
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announced cancellation of phase 2 of HS2, how much has been spent on the purchase of land for phase 2 of HS2 that is no longer necessary.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As of September 2023, £208m has been spent on land and property on Phase 2a and £356m on Phase 2b. Any property that is no longer required will be sold and a programme is being developed to do this.