We do not want the Oxford-Cambridge rail link as described in the East West Rail Company's Route Update Announcement and subsequent refinements. We call for these plans to be paused and for a full, transparent and independent review.
Found: Pause plans for Oxford-Cambridge rail link pending a full, independent review
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 1 of her Department's document entitled Fixing the Foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, what the evidential basis is for saying there was an additional £1.3 billion cost for rail maintenance in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Rail infrastructure is managed by Network Rail (NR). The Department for Transport (DfT) provides grant funding to NR for operations, maintenance, and renewals via five-year regulated ‘Control Periods’. Funding for each Control Period is established through a statutory process of Periodic Reviews, the timelines for which have not aligned with Spending Review periods.
At Spending Review 2021, DfT’s budgets were set for a period (2021/22-2024/25) which extended beyond the end of the previous Control Period (Control Period 6, 2019/20-2023/24). The periodic review to determine Control Period 7 (2024/25-2028/29) concluded in October 2023, confirming the funding requirements for 2024/25. Therefore, the assumption for maintenance costs in 2024/25 had to be revised following the periodic review in 2023 as these costs were higher than budgeted at SR21.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any legislation they introduce regarding railways will include a review of the duties and powers of the Office of the Road and Rail Regulator, and how those duties and powers are being used.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As part of preparing for the introduction of the Railways Bill, the Department will review the powers and duties of the Office of Rail and Road that relate to rail. We expect ORR's role in safety regulation and in monitoring National Highways to continue.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Network Rail's (a) board and (b) wider governance arrangements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
a) In line with corporate governance best practice Network Rail (NR) appoints an independent company to undertake regular reviews of the effectiveness of the Board. A review is currently in progress. The Secretary of State and Rail Minister will meet regularly with the Acting Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Network Rail to discuss the performance of the company.
b) DfT and Network Rail have a Framework Agreement in place setting out how the Department and Network Rail interact in terms of corporate governance and financial management. DfT and Network Rail will be reviewing the Framework Agreement to ensure that the governance arrangements will be fit for purpose as the rail industry is reformed.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on the (a) designs for and (b) delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following approval of an Outline Business Case, £123m was released to Network Rail in March 2024 to commence detailed design of Midlands Rail Hub’s first phase (for additional services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Worcester), while subsequent phases are at an earlier stage of development. Subject to future decisions about affordability and value for money, the first stage could be complete by the early 2030s.
The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio. This will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for the West Midlands Rail Hub.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following approval of an Outline Business Case, £123m was released to Network Rail in March 2024 to commence detailed design of Midlands Rail Hub’s first phase (for additional services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Worcester), while subsequent phases are at an earlier stage of development. Subject to future decisions about affordability and value for money, the first stage could be complete by the early 2030s.
The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio. This will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review.
May. 22 2024
Source Page: Transport Scotland correspondence regarding ScotRail ticket prices: FOI releaseFound: REDACTED)@ Bill Reeve
Jul. 17 2024
Source Page: ORR: main estimate memorandum 2024 to 2025Found: future efficiency of National Highways under the third Road Investment Strategy and our Periodic Review
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to improve rail connectivity between (a) Liverpool and (b) other northern cities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport is an essential part of our mission to rebuild Britain, and this Government is committed to delivering infrastructure that works for the whole country. This includes improving rail connectivity across the north of England.
Re-introducing the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill is the first step in doing so, by providing powers to develop, construct and operate rail infrastructure that is key to improving inter-regional and northern rail connectivity.
We need a long-term approach to infrastructure and investment which takes account of local transport priorities. We will provide this, and thoroughly review the position we have inherited before setting out more detailed plans in due course.
Sep. 03 2024
Source Page: Correspondence between Transport Scotland and Department for Transport regarding extension to the Borders Rail: EIR releaseFound: Correspondence between Transport Scotland and Department for Transport regarding extension to the Borders Rail