Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 5 January (HL4289), what plans they have for increasing the volume of heavy freight transported by rail, to provide relief to the A34 prior to the implementation of the updated route strategy.

The Solent to Midlands Route Strategy will identify locations, including the A34, with specific performance pressures and opportunities for improvement, and will inform HM Government’s future decisions in the second Road Investment Strategy, covering investment in the strategic road network beyond 2020.

Alongside this, Government supports greater use of rail for freight transport and is providing £235 million of funding during Control Period 5 (2014 – 2019) to the Strategic Freight Network Fund. This funding is being utilised to increase the capacity and capability of our rail network to support rail freight.

Specifically in the A34 area, considerable investment is being made within Control Period 5 on the routes out of Southampton to allow longer and heavier freight trains to run. These enhancements provide the capability and capacity to transport more freight by rail, helping to take lorries off our roads.