Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to tackle flooding on the railway network following Storm Babet.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Government expects Network Rail to prepare for a range of severe weather events, drawing on previous experience. However, during some particularly severe weather events, it will not be possible, or safe, to run services. We have monitored the situation and engaged with affected operators to understand the impact on passengers following Storm Babet.
Network Rail’s resilience taskforce was established in 2022 and is being led by independent experts. Their recommendations to improve weather resilience on the network are already being put into effect, including renewed investment in Network Rail’s capability and use of weather data and technology, upskilling of its workforce, and improving inspections and examinations of drainage assets.
Flooding is likely to become more frequent as a result of climate change. In 2022 the Department for Transport published the High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) which outlines the Secretary of State’s objectives for Network Rail’s operation, maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure in England and Wales between 2024 and 2029—tied to a £44.1 billion funding settlement. The HLOS is clear that the rail network must be as resilient as reasonably possible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather, including flooding. Scotland has a further £4.2bn available, with the Scottish Government responsible for determining priorities for the Scottish network.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps with Network Rail to (a) put additional resources in place and (b) deploy specialist teams to deal with drainage issues across the railway network as part of Network Rail’s Modernising Maintenance project, in the context of the derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven in August 2020.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Maintaining world leading levels of rail safety remains our top priority in rail. My department has committed £44.1 billion to Network Rail to spend on operations, maintenance, and renewal work on the network in England and Wales during Control Period 7. A further £4.2 billion has been made available to Network Rail Scotland for similar purposes to drive improvements in safety and reliability. Network Rail is responsible for mitigating risks associated with drainage issues within this funding settlement and in accordance with rail safety legislation.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on (a) allocating additional resources, (b) deploying specialist drainage teams and (c) recruiting and retaining qualified maintenance staff to (i) pre-empt and (ii) mitigate the impact of (A) flooding and (B) landslips on railway network infrastructure.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Maintaining world leading levels of rail safety remains our top priority in rail. My department has committed £44.1 billion to Network Rail to spend on operations, maintenance, and renewal work on the network in England and Wales during Control Period 7. A further £4.2 billion has been made available to Network Rail Scotland for similar purposes to drive improvements in safety and reliability. Network Rail is responsible for mitigating risks associated with drainage issues within this funding settlement and in accordance with rail safety legislation.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to help provide additional resources to tackle flooding on the railway network following Storm Babet.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail’s resilience taskforce was established in 2022 and is being led by independent experts. Their recommendations to improve weather resilience on the network are already being put into effect, including renewed investment in Network Rail’s capability and use of weather data and technology, upskilling of its workforce, and improving inspections and examinations of drainage assets.
Flooding is likely to become more frequent as a result of climate change. In 2022 the Department for Transport published the High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) which outlines the Secretary of State’s objectives for Network Rail’s operation, maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure in England and Wales between 2024 and 2029—tied to a £44.1 billion funding settlement. The HLOS is clear that the rail network must be as resilient as reasonably possible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather, including flooding. Scotland has a further £4.2bn available, with the Scottish Government responsible for determining priorities for the Scottish network.
The Department for Transport is developing a transport adaptation strategy, taking a holistic approach to addressing the transport-related risks in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on the Modernising Maintenance project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department regularly holds meetings with Network Rail, where ongoing projects and reforms are discussed including Network Rail’s Maintenance Modernisation reform project.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the efficiency of the process of applying for and receiving a Blue Badge.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport sets the legislation that governs the Blue Badge scheme and provides guidance for local authorities who are solely responsible for administering the scheme.
80% of citizens apply for a badge using the digital service operated by the Department for Transport. The Department works closely with the supplier of the service to identify ways to improve the application and re-application process for all users as part of its National Disability Strategy commitments. This includes acting on feedback from local authority administrators and citizen users of the scheme.
Blue Badges are now electronically printed by a single manufacturer and as soon as a local authority requests a badge through the system, it is dispatched within 5 working days.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has taken steps to provide alternative funding streams following the UK's departure from the EU's Motorway of the Seas programme.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government has no plans to establish a direct replacement for the EU Motorways of the Seas programme and the Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with businesses, local authorities, nor other relevant stakeholders on this matter.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a fund to replace EU Motorway of the Seas funding.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government has no plans to establish a direct replacement for the EU Motorways of the Seas programme and the Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with businesses, local authorities, nor other relevant stakeholders on this matter.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with (a) businesses, (b) local authorities and (c) other relevant stakeholders on EU Motorway of the Seas after the UK left the EU.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government has no plans to establish a direct replacement for the EU Motorways of the Seas programme and the Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with businesses, local authorities, nor other relevant stakeholders on this matter.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the cross border travel measures taken in response to covid-19 in (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Implementation of COVID-19 border health measures for international travel was undertaken through department-led programmes. The costs of implementing individual measures were considered at a departmental level and tracked through standard budget management procedures. The Department for Transport did not incur any direct programme costs in 2020-21 and 2021-22 from implementing COVID-19 border health measures.