Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Claire Perry Excerpts
Thursday 29th October 2015

(9 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Mann Portrait John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

3. What assessment his Department has made of level crossing safety in Bassetlaw constituency.

Claire Perry Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry)
- Hansard - -

Network Rail assesses the risks at the 6,200 level crossings on main lines, with oversight provided by the regulator. The UK already has the best level crossing safety record in the EU, but Network Rail—supported by this Government, with dedicated funding—is working to reduce that risk still further.

Lord Mann Portrait John Mann
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

What a load of waffle. After the Beech Hill tragedy in Bassetlaw in 2012, Network Rail said it would get rid of all eight level crossings on the east coast mainline in Bassetlaw. It has had a public consultation on the schemes, but what has happened in recent months? The money has been pulled. Will the Minister and the Chancellor meet Network Rail, to ensure that the money is put back in? It is good for business, good for the economy, good for safety and good for the people of Bassetlaw.

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

The tragic accident that resulted in the loss of life of Emma Lifsey happened in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. Anyone who has read about it will know that it was a dreadful tragedy. After that incident, the rail accident investigation branch made four recommendations that meant that such an accident could never happen again. I have been told they have been implemented across the network, but I want to follow up on that and make sure.

The hon. Gentleman refers to the plan to close the 73 crossings on the east coast mainline. That work has been progressed, but we cannot just shut off communities that rely on some of those contacts.

Lord Mann Portrait John Mann
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

indicated dissent.

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

The hon. Gentleman shakes his head. He should do my job and listen to people campaigning to keep level crossings open. The work will happen. It is absolutely right to focus on it and we will continue to fund it. There is no shortage of money for it—£109 million will be spent on making level crossings safer.

David Mowat Portrait David Mowat (Warrington South) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

4. What progress the Government have made on finalising the route for phase two High Speed 2.

--- Later in debate ---
Kevin Foster Portrait Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

13. What progress his Department has made on upgrading and enhancing the railway in the south-west.

Claire Perry Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry)
- Hansard - -

We are making significant progress in upgrading and enhancing the railway in the south-west by investing in track and stations, upgrading and delivering new trains to carry more people on faster journeys, and, as we heard earlier, improving resilience to ensure that the region can stay connected.

Kevin Foster Portrait Kevin Foster
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Devon and Cornwall peninsula rail task force recently published its interim report on a 20-year plan for Devon and Cornwall’s railways. Can the Minister confirm that the Government’s primary aim is to secure the resilience of the Great Western main line through south Devon, and that any other options that are considered will be additional measures, not alternatives?

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I have the report here, I have read it, and I am happy to confirm that the other options would indeed be alternatives, not replacements.

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

What impact will the delay and cost overruns affecting the electrification of the Great Western main line have on the investment that the Minister has just mentioned?

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I am so sorry, Mr Speaker. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to repeat his question?

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Bradshaw
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Minister should actually listen to questions, rather than talking to her colleague. My question was this: what will be the impact of the cost overruns and delays affecting the electrification of the Great Western main line—from which we in the south-west are not benefiting beyond Bristol—on the investment that the Minister has just trumpeted?

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I apologise, Mr Speaker. I misspoke in my previous answer, and I was reassuring myself about that. I want to make it clear, if I may, that the new routes will be additional, not alternatives, to the main line.

The right hon. Gentleman knows that an enormous amount of investment is taking place in the south-west: investment in resilience, and in the new, faster AT300 trains. I wish he would get behind the Government’s attempts to connect this vital region, rather than keeping on shouting about things.

Iain Stewart Portrait Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

15. What progress his Department has made on re-opening the east-west rail line.

Claire Perry Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry)
- Hansard - -

I will try to get it right this time, Mr Speaker.

I am sure my hon. Friend will be delighted to know that the first section of the east-west rail line was opened on Monday. It will allow people to travel from Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone, and will give them alternative opportunities when they make that vital journey.

Iain Stewart Portrait Iain Stewart
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I welcome the new Chiltern service, which will run along the first stage of the east-west line. There is a strong business case for that service, as there is for the project as a whole. Will my hon. Friend do everything she can to ensure that the Hendy review does not delay East West Rail as a whole?

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I most certainly will, and we shall know more in a few weeks’ time. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, and to other Members whose constituencies are along the route: they have left us in no doubt about the importance of the east-west rail link.

Clive Betts Portrait Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

--- Later in debate ---
Robin Walker Portrait Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Secretary of State mentioned the great success of the Norwich in 90 campaign by my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith). As he will know, Worcester is just six miles further from London than Norwich is, as the crow flies, and 15 miles further away by car, yet it regularly takes my constituents more than 150 minutes to reach the capital by train. Will he do everything he can to lean on Great Western and Network Rail to get our service down to under two hours on a regular basis?

Claire Perry Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry)
- Hansard - -

My hon. Friend and other Members—including the one my officials like to call “the MP for Witney”—have campaigned extremely hard on this very issue. There is a lot of work being done on finding ways to improve journey times, but my hon. Friend is absolutely right to suggest there is a lot to be done. We have started the work on delivery.

Jeff Smith Portrait Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

T3. Rail commuter routes into Manchester are soon to lose trains to London Midland, raising memories of the TransPennine Express rolling stock debacle, which cost taxpayers £20 million and led to some services being downgraded. The Secretary of State had the opportunity to prevent the loss of TransPennine trains, but he chose not to use it. Did he have a similar option in the latest case? Is not this yet another example of fragmented railways letting passengers down?

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Will the Minister give me an assurance that the new stations fund will be accessible to applications from all councils? As she knows, the proposal for a new station at Haxby in my constituency has one of the strongest business cases anywhere in the north of England, and my constituents would benefit hugely from such a station.

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I would be delighted to review that matter with my hon. Friend. The new stations fund announced in the Budget is of course open to all applicants.

Lord Mann Portrait John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

T4. The Sheffield city region, now strengthened by Derbyshire Dales, is a real hub for manufacturing in the rail industry. Does the Secretary of State agree that this presents a real opportunity for forward planning to get the manufacturing companies together to prepare bids for HS2?

--- Later in debate ---
Martin Vickers Portrait Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

In recent weeks, passengers on the Cleethorpes to Manchester rail services have had to put up with regular cancellations due to driver shortage. Passengers do not care whether that is the company’s problem or ASLEF’s. Will the Rail Minister use her good offices to sort the matter out, please?

Claire Perry Portrait Claire Perry
- Hansard - -

I would be delighted to do so, or to try to do so. This is why the new invitations to tender and franchises have customer service and passenger experience right at their heart.