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 (1) the junction of the M6 and the A38(M), known as Spaghetti Junction, and (2) the elevated section of the M5 between junctions 1 and 2.
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 estimated cost of electrifying the relief lines between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff at a subsequent date to the electrification of the main lines.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
Recently the Great Western Electrification Programme (GWEP) – Maidenhead to Cardiff (Route Sections 1 - 9) went through the Enhancement Cost Adjustment Mechanism (ECAM) process. As part of the industry’s commitment to transparency, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has been keen to ensure there is clarity around ECAM and how it operates. It will continue to provide independent commentary on enhancement schemes, as well as Network Rail performance.
The ORR would not expect to publish its findings on the level of funding for individual projects until after Network Rail has competitively procured from its supply chain.
The ORR will report its conclusions at an aggregate funding level, rather than project-by-project. The ECAM process is planned to be completed in early summer 2016. The role of the ORR is to be transparent and consistent delivering the best value for rail users and tax-payers.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to electrify the main and relief lines between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
Network Rail has been instructed to wire both the mains lines and the relief lines. Network Rail plan to electrify the section of track between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff by winter 2017.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the implications for the operation of the railway between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff if only the main lines are electrified, and not the relief lines.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
Network Rail is currently reviewing the operational impact only electrifying the main lines between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff as part of their value engineering process. Network Rail plan to complete both route sections 8 and 9 of the Great Western electrification by winter 2017.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost difference between electrifying both the main and relief lines between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff, and electrifying the main lines only.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The scope is to wire the mains lines and the relief’s lines therefore no assessment has been undertaken on the cost difference.