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Written Question
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
Wednesday 14th February 2018

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to collect any excess funds from the continuation of the Severn Bridge toll in 2018 beyond that which is expected to be spent on the necessary infrastructure for its eventual removal.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

There are a number of costs in addition to those incurred by the Government during the concession period, which include decommissioning and cessation of tolling, toll booth removal, highways realignment and specialist resurfacing work. Based on analysis of past traffic flow, the revenue to be received from a charging before abolition at the end of 2018 is predicted to be sufficient to cover such costs.

Written Question
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
Wednesday 14th February 2018

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what modelling the Government has conducted on the potential effect on traffic on nearby roads of the removal of the Severn Bridge tolls.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

Prior to the Severn Crossings consultation in 2017 the Government undertook modelling to assess the impact of the policy to continue tolling at a reduced rate, and on the possible option of free-flow tolling. The modelling used a version of the M4-CAN traffic model extended to take account of the impact of changes in tolls on both the South West of England and Wales and included estimates of wider economic impacts consistent with DfT Transport Appraisal Guidance.

The Government announced on 21 July 2017 that it was removing tolls by the end of 2018. No further modelling was undertaken by the Department for Transport on this specific option.

Written Question
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
Wednesday 14th February 2018

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to ensure that adequate infrastructure is in place to cope with the potential increased traffic flow caused by the removal of the Severn Bridge toll.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

Government is looking at the investment needs of the South West as part of the next round of the Roads Investment Strategy (RIS), as part of its commitment to improving journeys across the UK.

Written Question
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
Wednesday 14th February 2018

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans for the Severn Bridge toll to be removed entirely.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

The Government will abolish charging on the Severn bridges by the end of 2018.

Written Question
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
Wednesday 14th February 2018

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the potential benefits of the removal of the Severn Bridge toll to the surrounding communities and businesses in (a) South Gloucestershire, and (b) the South West.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

We do not have specific modelling results for South Gloucestershire or the South West for the wider economic benefits of removing the existing tolls.

Written Question
Transport: Thornbury and Yate
Tuesday 14th June 2016

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on transport infrastructure projects in Thornbury and Yate constituency in each year from 2010-11 to 2015-16.

Answered by Andrew Jones

Data on spend on transport infrastructure projects is not available at the level of Thornbury and Yate, however figures are available for the South West for total public transport spend, listed in Table 1.

Table 1 Total Public Transport Spend for the South West

£million

2010-11
outturn

2011-12
outturn

2012-13
outturn

2013-14
outturn

2014-15
outturn

Total

1,115

997

987

928

1,047

Current

442

396

368

295

279

Capital

673

601

619

633

767

Note: includes spend by Central Government, Local Government, and Public Corporations

The figures above include all public transport spending including local transport infrastructure.

South Gloucestershire Council is responsible for local transport infrastructure in Thornbury and Yate, including local roads. The funding allocated to South Gloucestershire Council for local highways infrastructure and other transport schemes between 2010-11 and 2015-16 is listed in Table 2.

Table 2

Year

Integrated Transport block £m

Highways Maintenance block £m

2010/11

1.690

14.334*

2011/12

1.603**

4.373

2012/13

1.466

4.632

2013/14

1.466

5.108***

2014/15

2.061

4.549***

2015/16

1.277

5.080

Total

9.563

38.076*

* in 2010/11 South Gloucestershire formed part of the Greater Bristol (Joint Plan) area and it is not possible to breakdown the maintenance block figure for that year.

** includes the top up announced in the 2011 Autumn Statement.

*** includes the top up announced in the 2011 Autumn Statement.

South Gloucestershire Council have been successful in gaining the following funding for transport infrastructure projects, some of which will have benefitted the Thornbury and Yate constituency:

  • £13.950m from the Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund in March 2015 for major maintenance of the A4174 Avon Ring Road between the A38 at Filton and the A4 at Hicks Gate. The scheme will involve structural maintenance of three significant structures, extending the life of the existing carriageway, as well as providing footways and cycleway maintenance and enhancements.

  • The Department for Transport has invested £175.8m in six Local Major Transport schemes to provide bus rapid transport across the West of England which included £51.1m in 2015 to provide a route between South Gloucestershire and Bristol, this is now under construction with an estimated opening date of August 2017.

The West of England Partnership has allocated the following from the Local Growth Fund to transport schemes across the West of England, which will benefit the Thornbury and Yate constituency:

Sustainable Transport Programme - £20m for transport capital measures to make it easier to walk, cycle, and travel by public transport

West of England local pinch points programme - £4m for 3 schemes at congestion hotspots and provide new and improved access to key economic sites.


West of England minor transport schemes package £0.5m - to improve highway infrastructure and network management.

MetroWest Phase 1 £53.4m- to reopen the Portishead rail line and provide better local rail services in the West of England.

MetroWest Phases 2 £3.2m towards a rail scheme to reopen the Henbury line, with potential new stations and improved local rail services in the West of England.

Written Question
Transport: Infrastructure
Thursday 26th May 2016

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent by the Government on transport infrastructure projects nationally in 2011-12.

Answered by Robert Goodwill

The total capital expenditure of the Department for Transport in the years 2010/11 to 2015/16 is shown in the table below.

£millions

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/151

2015/162

Capital DEL

7,299

7,686

7,828

8,460

5,501

6,119

Capital AME

-

-

-

-

6,695

7,754

Total Capital Expenditure

7,299

7,653

7,767

8,472

12,196

13,872

Notes
DEL = Departmental Expenditure Limit
AME = Annually Managed Expenditure

1. Network Rail was reclassified into the public sector during the 2014/15 financial year and its Capital spending is reported in full in AME from that year onwards. For earlier years, the department's Capital grant to Network Rail (which funded some but not all of its spending) was reported in DEL. The approximate effect of this change was to increase reported spending by between £2.5bn and £3.0bn per year from 2014/15 onwards, relative to the previous arrangements.
2. Figures for 2015/16 are published budgets for the year. Outturn figures will be available when the 2015/16 annual report and accounts is published later in the year.

These figures do not include spending by Transport for London and other local government bodies, or by the devolved administrations.

This information is taken from the Core Tables of the department’s 2014/15 annual report and accounts, which are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440269/dft-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015-_web-version_.pdf

Written Question
Transport: Infrastructure
Thursday 26th May 2016

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent by the Government on transport infrastructure projects nationally in 2013-14.

Answered by Robert Goodwill

The total capital expenditure of the Department for Transport in the years 2010/11 to 2015/16 is shown in the table below.

£millions

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/151

2015/162

Capital DEL

7,299

7,686

7,828

8,460

5,501

6,119

Capital AME

-

-

-

-

6,695

7,754

Total Capital Expenditure

7,299

7,653

7,767

8,472

12,196

13,872

Notes
DEL = Departmental Expenditure Limit
AME = Annually Managed Expenditure

1. Network Rail was reclassified into the public sector during the 2014/15 financial year and its Capital spending is reported in full in AME from that year onwards. For earlier years, the department's Capital grant to Network Rail (which funded some but not all of its spending) was reported in DEL. The approximate effect of this change was to increase reported spending by between £2.5bn and £3.0bn per year from 2014/15 onwards, relative to the previous arrangements.
2. Figures for 2015/16 are published budgets for the year. Outturn figures will be available when the 2015/16 annual report and accounts is published later in the year.

These figures do not include spending by Transport for London and other local government bodies, or by the devolved administrations.

This information is taken from the Core Tables of the department’s 2014/15 annual report and accounts, which are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440269/dft-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015-_web-version_.pdf

Written Question
Transport: Infrastructure
Thursday 26th May 2016

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent by the Government on transport infrastructure projects nationally in 2012-13.

Answered by Robert Goodwill

The total capital expenditure of the Department for Transport in the years 2010/11 to 2015/16 is shown in the table below.

£millions

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/151

2015/162

Capital DEL

7,299

7,686

7,828

8,460

5,501

6,119

Capital AME

-

-

-

-

6,695

7,754

Total Capital Expenditure

7,299

7,653

7,767

8,472

12,196

13,872

Notes
DEL = Departmental Expenditure Limit
AME = Annually Managed Expenditure

1. Network Rail was reclassified into the public sector during the 2014/15 financial year and its Capital spending is reported in full in AME from that year onwards. For earlier years, the department's Capital grant to Network Rail (which funded some but not all of its spending) was reported in DEL. The approximate effect of this change was to increase reported spending by between £2.5bn and £3.0bn per year from 2014/15 onwards, relative to the previous arrangements.
2. Figures for 2015/16 are published budgets for the year. Outturn figures will be available when the 2015/16 annual report and accounts is published later in the year.

These figures do not include spending by Transport for London and other local government bodies, or by the devolved administrations.

This information is taken from the Core Tables of the department’s 2014/15 annual report and accounts, which are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440269/dft-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015-_web-version_.pdf

Written Question
Transport: Infrastructure
Thursday 26th May 2016

Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent by the Government on transport infrastructure projects nationally in 2014-15.

Answered by Robert Goodwill

The total capital expenditure of the Department for Transport in the years 2010/11 to 2015/16 is shown in the table below.

£millions

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/151

2015/162

Capital DEL

7,299

7,686

7,828

8,460

5,501

6,119

Capital AME

-

-

-

-

6,695

7,754

Total Capital Expenditure

7,299

7,653

7,767

8,472

12,196

13,872

Notes
DEL = Departmental Expenditure Limit
AME = Annually Managed Expenditure

1. Network Rail was reclassified into the public sector during the 2014/15 financial year and its Capital spending is reported in full in AME from that year onwards. For earlier years, the department's Capital grant to Network Rail (which funded some but not all of its spending) was reported in DEL. The approximate effect of this change was to increase reported spending by between £2.5bn and £3.0bn per year from 2014/15 onwards, relative to the previous arrangements.
2. Figures for 2015/16 are published budgets for the year. Outturn figures will be available when the 2015/16 annual report and accounts is published later in the year.

These figures do not include spending by Transport for London and other local government bodies, or by the devolved administrations.

This information is taken from the Core Tables of the department’s 2014/15 annual report and accounts, which are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440269/dft-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015-_web-version_.pdf