Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide funding for the A120 dual carriageway scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The A120 Braintree to A12 dualling scheme is part of the pipeline of projects being considered for possible delivery as part of a future Road Investment Strategy beyond 2030.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide funding to improve step-free access at railway stations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since its launch in 2006, the Access for All programme has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations across Great Britain.
Since April 2024, Access for All projects have entered into passenger service at nine stations, with a further 25 stations scheduled to enter into passenger service by April 2025.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide funding for the A12 widening scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 30 July 2024, the Secretary of State announced that she was commissioning a review of the Department’s capital spend portfolio.
This review is ongoing and will support the development of our long-term strategy for transport, developing a modern and integrated network with people at its heart, ensuring that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time.
The A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme is being considered as part of the capital review alongside other future road projects.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding she has allocated to Essex County Council for highways in each of the next five years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Within the Budget on 30 October, the Chancellor announced that for the 2025/26 financial year there would be a £500 million increase for local highways maintenance funding in England, an increase of nearly 50% compared to the current financial year. Funding allocations for specific local highway authorities for 2025/26, including Essex County Council, will be confirmed in due course.
Funding allocations for individual local highway authorities beyond 2025/26 will be a matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for further funding under the Access for All scheme; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating such funding to provide step-free access at Marks Tey railway station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for the future of the East Anglia railway franchise.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has been clear that all passenger railway services delivered by private sector companies under National Rail Contracts will be brought into public ownership by the end of this Parliament as current contracts end, train operating companies reach their contractual break point, or if contractual conditions for termination are met.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide funding for the renovation of Witham railway station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Funding decisions on station renovations such as Witham will be taken in due course, as part of departmental planning for 2025/26 and beyond. At this time, there are no timescales for when delivery of a Witham upgrade scheme might be possible.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with National Highways on the planned timetable for work on the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 30 July 2024, the Secretary of State announced that she was commissioning a review of the Department’s capital spend portfolio.
This review will support the development of our long-term strategy for transport, developing a modern and integrated network with people at its heart, ensuring that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time.
I regularly meet with National Highways to discuss a range of matters and will continue to do so during the capital review and after.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding she plans to provide to Essex County Council for highways in each of the next five years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. To this end, we will provide authorities with funding to help them fix up to one million more potholes across England in each year of this parliament.
Essex County Council will receive £34.5 million from the Department for Transport during 2024/25 to enable it to carry out its local highway maintenance responsibilities. Funding for future years is a matter for the Spending Review.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide additional funding to National Highways for the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 30 July 2024, the Secretary of State announced that she was commissioning a review of the Department’s capital spend portfolio.
This review will support the development of our long-term strategy for transport, developing a modern and integrated network with people at its heart, ensuring that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time.
The A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme will be considered as part of the capital review alongside other future road projects and, as the Rt Hon Member will know, major investment decisions are a matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.