Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 17 January (HL12702), why the decision was taken to build platforms on the new HS2 line at a lower height than the nominal permitted 915 mm.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are not building new platforms on the HS2 line at a lower height than 915mm. Rather, at the new HS2 stations, platforms will be circa 1115mm above rail height. This is higher than most current UK Network Rail platforms (which are nominally 915mm above rail height, though, for historical reasons, this can vary significantly).
The higher platform height for HS2 was chosen to improve passenger accessibility by achieving step-free access between all new HS2 platforms and the new high speed trains. HS2 Ltd, in cooperation with the Department, consulted international rolling stock manufacturers on the design and technical requirements needed to provide step-free access for HS2 and simultaneously achieve HS2’s target capacity and journey times. This consultation indicated that specification of an increased platform height was necessary.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they anticipate new electric trains will be in service on the Gospel Oak to Barking line.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Gospel Oak to Barking rail line is run by Transport for London (TfL). This is not a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT) as such. The Mayor of London is accountable for this service and will be able to assist with this question.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what derogations from EU legislation the UK has in respect of the heights of platforms at UK railway stations.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The EU Infrastructure Technical Specification for Interoperability contains an exemption allowing new or upgraded UK railway station platforms to be built to a nominal height of 915mm.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 March, how long they estimate tolling on the Severn Bridges will have to continue in order to collect the additional £63 million beyond the date of the end of the concession on these bridges.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This depends on traffic levels and on maintenance costs, both of which may change over time. However our current estimates suggest the £63m could take around 18 months to recoup at the toll levels announced in the recent Budget.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 March, whether they intend to continue tolling the Severn Bridges at the prevailing rate at the end of the concession until they have collected an additional £63 million above and beyond operational costs of managing the Bridges.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Chancellor announced in his Budget speech that tolls at the Severn Bridges will be cut by 50% at the end of the current concession. Tolls will continue at this lower level to collect the costs of £63m incurred outside of the concession.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 March, how the £63 million which will be still outstanding when the Severn Bridges return to public ownership at the end of the concession is broken down.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most of the cost estimated to have been incurred outside of the concession relate to expenditure between 1992 and 2014, on capital (17%), operations including maintenance (50%) and administration (15%). The remainder was incurred before 1992 or is forecast to be spent between 2015 and 2018. More than half of the operations and maintenance expenditure was to investigate and correct cable corrosion.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the last major maintenance work was undertaken on the first and second Severn crossings, and what was the cost of that work.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In September 2013 Severn River Crossing Plc (SRC) carried out major refurbishment of the movement joint and structural connection between the Wye Bridge and the Beachley Viaduct on the M48 Crossing. The estimated cost to SRC of this work is £0.75m.
Since 2006, SRC has been repainting the steel truss of the cable stayed bridge on the M4 Second Severn Crossing. This work is programmed to be completed before the end of the concession and to date the estimated cost to SRC is £5.1m
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the annual cost of maintaining the first and second Severn crossings in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Severn River Crossing Plc (SRC) is required to maintain and repair both Severn Crossings. This includes performing regular maintenance and inspections work and carrying out any necessary repairs.
Separate maintenance costs are not available. The figures below for both crossings show all of SRC’s operational expenditure including maintenance on both crossings.
Year | Operational expenditure (including maintenance) £m |
2005 | 8.75 |
2006 | 9.90 |
2007 | 10.62 |
2008 | 10.65 |
2009 | 10.71 |
2010 | 10.70 |
2011 | 13.03 |
2012 | 13.05 |
2013 | 14.37 |
2014 | 13.16 |
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost of maintaining the elevated motorway section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2 for each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
From Highways England’s records that are readily available,
(1) The last major maintenance work at the junction of the M6 and the A38 (M), known as Spaghetti Junction was undertaken in 1995.
(2) The last major maintenance work at the elevated section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2 was undertaken in 1987.
On the matter of the annual maintenance cost:
The cost of maintaining the motorway junction of the M6 with the A38(M), known as Spaghetti Junction was approximately £8.2m for the 12 month period July 2014 to June2015.
Costs for earlier periods are not readily available.
The cost of maintaining the elevated section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2 was approximately £2.4m for the 12 month period July 2014 to June 2015.
Costs for earlier periods are not readily available.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost of maintaining the motorway junction of the M6 with the A38(M), known as Spaghetti Junction, for each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
From Highways England’s records that are readily available,
(1) The last major maintenance work at the junction of the M6 and the A38 (M), known as Spaghetti Junction was undertaken in 1995.
(2) The last major maintenance work at the elevated section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2 was undertaken in 1987.
On the matter of the annual maintenance cost:
The cost of maintaining the motorway junction of the M6 with the A38(M), known as Spaghetti Junction was approximately £8.2m for the 12 month period July 2014 to June2015.
Costs for earlier periods are not readily available.
The cost of maintaining the elevated section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2 was approximately £2.4m for the 12 month period July 2014 to June 2015.
Costs for earlier periods are not readily available.