Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many closed railway lines the Government has assessed for reopening in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021 to date.
In 2020, the Government pledged £500 million for the Restoring Your Railway Fund to deliver its manifesto commitment and start reopening lines and stations. The Department is always considering potential schemes that come forward. As part of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund, we have assessed 199 bids to develop proposals to build and enhance rail lines and stations, and awarded funding to 25 so far. We expect to announce the outcomes of the third round in the summer.