Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make train service options for the West Coast Main Line after introduction of HS2 services Old Oak Common to Birmingham available for discussion and consultation.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens. Train service options for HS2 and the broader West Coast Main Line will be made available in due course, and will be informed by consultation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of East West Rail on Thameslink services (a) from London to Bedford, (b) from Bedford to London, (c) northbound on the East Coast Main Line and (d) southbound on the East Coast Main Line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
EWR Co’s proposals to use six tracking north of Bedford have been designed to mitigate impact on Thameslink services from Bedford to London. EWR trains will provide an interchange at Tempsford with East Coast Main Line services but will not run on the East Coast Main Line. There may be a slightly additional dwell time on some East Coast Main Line Thameslink services to accommodate the new stop at Tempsford.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase capacity on the West Coast Main Line north of Birmingham.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises concerns about capacity on the West Coast Main Line north of Birmingham and are considering advice before setting out detailed plans in due course. The Department is evaluating possible interventions to improve capacity north of Birmingham, such as changes to timetabling and service patterns, as well as incremental improvements to infrastructure and rolling stock that could help to alleviate capacity shortfalls.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of rail delays on the West Coast Mainline on the economy of Fylde constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers have been clear that rail services have been failing passengers; we need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer. The Rail Minister is meeting with the Managing Directors of all train operators, and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards. The Department is in regular contact with local stakeholders, including Lancashire County Council and Transport for the North, on how to improve rail services to support the growth of the regional economy.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to communicate upcoming service cancellations on the West Coast Mainline to (a) passengers and (b) potential passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department expects train operators and Network Rail to communicate service changes to passengers in a timely and accessible way to minimise disruption to their journeys.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the West Coast Main Line upgrade between Warrington and Carlisle on services between north Wales and London.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This investment in renewing and upgrading rail infrastructure is critical to meeting current and future needs of communities along the West Coast Main Line. The Department expects operators to minimise the impact of planned engineering works on passengers as far as possible.
It is expected that route blockades to facilitate these essential works will span a number of years, and it is possible there could be some disruption on parts of the route away from the works, including in north Wales. However, the specifics in terms of effect on passenger services are yet to be agreed between Network Rail and Train Operating Companies. Therefore, the Department is not yet able to assess the full impact on passengers during the work.
Network Rail and relevant Train Operating Companies will keep passengers informed closer to the dates when they are agreed.
Asked by: Jodie Gosling (Labour - Nuneaton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, when she plans to publish further information on her plan to increase capacity on the West Coast main line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The delivery of High Speed Two (HS2) is expected to nearly double seat capacity between London and Birmingham, which is the most congested section of the West Coast Main Line. We are taking into consideration the recent proposal from the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands for enhancing rail connectivity between the Midlands and the North West, and will set out a clear plan to address capacity and connectivity issues in due course.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, when she plans to publish further information on her plan to increase capacity on the West Coast main line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The delivery of High Speed Two (HS2) is expected to nearly double seat capacity between London and Birmingham, which is the most congested section of the West Coast Main Line. We are taking into consideration the recent proposal from the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands for enhancing rail connectivity between the Midlands and the North West, and will set out a clear plan to address capacity and connectivity issues in due course.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the number of crimes reported on West Coast Mainline trains between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly in each of the last five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The British Transport Police (BTP) are responsible for policing the rail network in Great Britain including the West Coast Mainline. They have provided the following figures, covering all types of crime, reported between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly on Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway trains and stations operated by them on this route.
2020: 1,248
2021: 1,363
2022: 1,894
2023: 2,210
2024 (to August 31st): 1,590
It is important to note that for the reporting years 2020 and 2021, overall passenger numbers on the rail network were significantly reduced due to travel restrictions implemented in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Passenger numbers continue to increase across the entire rail network - in 2023/24, there was a 16% increase on the previous year.
The BTP is committed to tackling crime across the rail network and they work closely with the Train Operating Companies to target offenders on a daily basis.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Brigg and Immingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress Network Rail has made on the cost reviews taking place to deliver power supply improvements on the (a) West and (b) East Coast Main Line.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is currently reviewing the position it has inherited on rail infrastructure and will consider how we address power supply issues. We will set out our plans in due course.