Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding the Government makes available to (a) install step free access and (b) otherwise improve disabled access at train stations in England.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Inclusive Transport Strategy included a commitment to extend our Access for All programme across rail Control Period 6 (2019 to 2024) with an additional £300m of funding from the public purse.
In addition, each of the franchised operators has around £100,000 to £600,000 to spend annually at stations to improve accessibility for disabled people at stations.
Also, upgrades carried out under major projects and planned renewals work must meet current accessibility standards.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many stations in England (a) do and (b) do not have step free access; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Around 20% of stations in the UK have step free access to and between every platform, which accounts for approximately 75% of journeys.
We remain committed to continuing to invest in the accessibility of the railway and have made an additional £300m available for our Access for All programme during the next five year Control Period (2019-24).
Information on the facilities available at railway stations is collected and held by the Rail Delivery Group, rather than the Department.
Accessibility information about individual stations is published on the National Rail Enquiries website.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a (a) third runway at Heathrow airport and (b) second runway at Birmingham airport on the economy of (i) Wolverhampton and (ii) the West Midlands.
Answered by Jesse Norman
A Northwest Runway at Heathrow will improve the UK’s connectivity, with more frequent services to important global destinations benefitting passengers and freight-operators across the UK. While Heathrow expansion will help to secure the UK’s status as a global aviation hub, we will also see airports across the country continuing to develop their point-to-point networks.
This conclusion is supported by the analysis which shows that passenger numbers and international flights at airports outside of London are expected to increase by 80 per cent and 71 per cent respectively between 2016 and 2050 with a third runway at Heathrow.
Whilst the Department has not made an assessment of the effect on the local economy in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, these areas are expected to benefit from the improvement in regional and global connectivity, which is expected to deliver up to £74 billion worth of benefits to passengers and the wider economy.
The Airports Commission found that whilst four out of London’s five main airports are expected to be full within the next ten years, airports outside the South East of England, such as Birmingham, have capacity to grow by increasing utilisation of their existing runway(s).
As the Secretary of State set out in his oral statement on 5 June, any new operational runway at Heathrow is still a number of years away. This is why Government supports airports beyond Heathrow making best use of their existing runways. However, we recognise that the development of airports can have positive and negative effects. We consider that any proposals should be judged on their individual merits by the relevant planning authority, taking careful account of all relevant considerations, particularly economic and environmental.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the Government's policy to support a second runway at Birmingham Airport; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Airports National Policy Statement sets out the need for additional airport capacity in the South East by 2030 and why Government believes that need is best met by a new Northwest runway at Heathrow Airport. Government will publish an Aviation Strategy Green Paper later this year in order to consult on a future framework for sustainable aviation growth across the UK beyond 2030.
As the Secretary of State set out in his oral statement on 5 June, any new operational runway at Heathrow is still a number of years away. This is why Government supports airports beyond Heathrow making best use of their existing runways. However, we recognise that the development of airports can have positive and negative effects. The Government considers that any proposals should be judged on their individual merits by the relevant planning authority, taking careful account of all relevant considerations, particularly economic and environmental.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the (a) redevelopment of Wolverhampton Railway Station and (b) extension of the West Midlands Metro on passenger numbers using the new Wolverhampton interchange.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Centro developed the business case for the redevelopment of Wolverhampton railway station. The Department for Transport evaluated this business case and accepted it. In determining to grant statutory powers for the Metro extension to the railway station, a component of the Interchange project, the Secretary of State placed substantial weight on the promoters’ evidence of the important public benefits which the extension would realise. The evidence forecast an increase in annual patronage on Midland Metro of 5.4% in 2026 through improvement of interchange between the three modes of transport in the city: bus, rail and metro, and as a result of the increased connectivity that is currently lacking.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent from the public purse on (a) bus services and (b) the West Midlands Metro in (i) Wolverhampton and (ii) the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority, formerly Centro, during the period 2009-10 to the most recent financial year for which figures are available.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Total revenue spend on bus services is not available at Local Authority level.
The Department does not provide any revenue funding for the West Midlands Metro.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate the Government has made of the number of direct inter-city rail services which will run between London and Wolverhampton after the completion of High Speed 2.
Answered by Andrew Jones
It is too early to set the timetable which will operate when HS2 opens, as this should take into account up to date information on demand. The winning bidder for the West Coast Partnership will develop options for train services on the West Coast Main Line corridor, working with bodies including central and local Government, and industry to consider both HS2 and existing routes. This process will be open and consultative.
The Government’s aim is that all places with a direct London service retain a broadly comparable or better service after Phase One opens.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding from the public purse has been invested in (a) new road infrastructure in Wolverhampton and (b) improving existing road infrastructure in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Hayes
This government has made considerable investments on both local roads and the strategic road network (SRN) in the Wolverhampton area.
Highways England has carried out maintenance and improvements on the M54, including Junction 2 near Wolverhampton, totalling £8.9M in 2014/15, £13.9M in 2015/16 and £3.5M in 2016/17. In addition the M6 smart motorway scheme (2013 to 2016) between Junctions 10A and 13 has cost around £95M. Highways England is otherwise unable to attribute costs just to the Wolverhampton area.
The attached document shows that Wolverhampton City Council has received direct funding of £6.375M (see first table below) for road infrastructure and their share of funding from the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (£284.133M – second table plus third point), and is benefitting from various investments by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (see point 4).
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is giving to the West Midlands Combined Authority to improve rail and road links across the West Midlands.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department currently supports the West Midlands Combined Authority, and other industry partners in the West Midlands, to improve rail services in the area. For example, the current Franchise Agreement with London Midland requires the franchisee to work with industry partners, including Combined Authorities, in relation to the provision, maintenance and operation of smart ticketing. This gives passengers access to a wider range of products and tickets.
The Department is providing funding contribution to the West Midlands Combined Authority in respect of the construction of the new Bromsgrove station. This was completed in summer 2016 as part of a wider programme to extend electrification from Birmingham to Barnt Green to Bromsgrove.
More widely, the Department is working very closely with local stakeholders in the West Midlands in terms of how West Midlands Rail has been working with the Department to specify local rail services within the West Midlands region from October 2017, in line with the refranchising programme for the franchise. West Midlands Rail will be responsible for the management of local services when the new franchise commences.
The forthcoming franchise contains other initiatives such as the introduction of a West Midlands Railway brand and the creation of a separate Business Unit for the local and regional services in the West Midlands, whose management will be locally based.
The devolution agreement with the West Midlands Combined Authority at the end of 2015 devolved £36.5m per annum for 30 years which the West Midlands Combined Authority will control and invest to deliver projects to drive growth, in line with their strategic economic plan, giving the West Midlands Combined Authority powers and the freedom to prioritise transport schemes.
Highways England is also committed through the first Road Investment Strategy (2015/16 – 2019/20) to making improvements to the strategic roads across the Midlands area.
The Department has committed over £370m to major local authority schemes in the West Midlands Combined Authority area, subject to Business Cases, including tram and road schemes. Also, the 3 Local Enterprise Partnerships in the West Midlands Combined Authority area have been allocated over £780m in Local Growth Funding to support local projects that benefit the local area and economy, including a range of local road and rail projects. The Department has also just confirmed over £40m to the West Midlands Combined Authority for capital Highway works in 2017-18.