Department for Transport: Expenditure

(asked on 10th December 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have reduced Network Rail’s enhancement budget for the current five year Control Period whilst increasing spending on trunk road schemes; and what assessment they have made of how such a change in spending will contribute to their net-zero carbon emissions target.


Answered by
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 18th December 2020

The Spending Review confirmed increasing investment in rail infrastructure in England and Wales, committing over £40bn. This sees over £2 billion of funding confirmed in 2021-22 for rail services, building on the estimated £12.8 billion of support for transport services that the Government has already committed to provide in 2020-21.

It remains the case that no schemes have been cancelled nor formal investment decisions taken as a result of the Spending Review. We are committed to building a railway that is greener and fit for the future and that is why we continue to look at ways to decarbonise our network in a way that makes best use of taxpayers funding. As part of this settlement we have committed to funding the Transpennine Route upgrade, including its full electrification.

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