Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many single track kilometres of main line railway were opened to traffic in 2021.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Government is continuing to invest at record levels in rail enhancements across England and Wales with increased budgets from 2022-23 to 2024-25, and a renewed focus on the Midlands and the North, to grow and level up the economy and provide equality of opportunity as we build back better.
22.5km of railway were re-opened to traffic in 2021 under the Dartmoor Line scheme, the first reopening under the Restoring Your Railway manifesto commitment.
46.5km of railway are planned to be opened in 2022; including 42km in tunnel under the Crossrail / Elizabeth Line scheme, and 4.5km under the Extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line to Barking Riverside scheme.
347km of railway have been approved for completion in 2023 and beyond. This includes 225km for Phase One (London to Birmingham) and 60km for Phase 2a (Birmingham to Crewe) under the HS2 scheme; and 62km for Stage One of the East West Rail Connection, to extend the existing Oxford to Bicester line to Bletchley. We will also reinstate many more kilometres of track in future through the Restoring Your Railway Fund.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of train stations that have received funding for step free access platforms through the Access for All programme.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Access for All Programme is a key Government policy.
So far, over 200 stations have benefitted from step free accessible routes and over 1500 from smaller scale access improvements. There is more to come when we deliver major projects such as Crossrail and HS2 or when the industry installs, replaces or renews station infrastructure.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to progress made on the construction of the Elizabeth Line, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of additional investment in areas of Romford beyond the town centre.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
Romford will benefit from the progress being made in the delivery of the Elizabeth Line. The Elizabeth Line comes under the remit of the Mayor of London and Transport for London is responsible for delivering the project.
The Elizabeth Line is already delivering significant benefits right across the UK, including strong UK-based supply chain, new trains and services to Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield. The Elizabeth line will transform the rail network in London, carrying up to 200 million passengers a year, increasing the capacity of the network by 10%, reducing overcrowding, and helping deliver £42 billion of investment.
On the August 2020, Crossrail Limited announced that the central section of the railway will open in the first half of 2022 with initial services between Abbey Wood and Paddington Elizabeth line stations. The Elizabeth line is in the complex final stages of delivery.
Following the opening of the central section, full services across the Elizabeth line from Reading and Heathrow in the west and between Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, will be introduced.
The London Borough of Havering is also benefitting from £13.2 million from the Local Growth Fund (delivered through the Local Economic Action Partnership); two lots of £231,057 from the Reopening High Streets Safely and Welcome Back Funds; and £3.8 million from the Community Renewal Fund.
In addition to funding already secured, more of the Government’s £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund is to be made available over the coming months, with round two bidding set to open in Spring 2022. Whilst Havering was unsuccessful in securing a share of the £1.7 billion round one funding, we encourage unsuccessful bidders to reapply.
Today, the Government published the Levelling Up White Paper that builds on existing action being taken across Government, setting out a new policy regime that will drive change for years to come.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when Crossrail will be operational.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Crossrail comes under the remit of the Mayor of London. Transport for London is responsible for delivering the project. Once operational, Crossrail services will be known as the Elizabeth line.
In August 2018, Crossrail Ltd announced that the programme could not be delivered on time and that itwould not be in a position to open the central section through London in December 2018 as planned. On August 2020, Crossrail Limited announced that the central section of the Elizabeth line will open in the first half of 2022 with initial services between Abbey Wood and Paddington Elizabeth line stations.
Following the opening of the central section, full services across the Elizabeth line from Reading and Heathrow in the west and between Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, will be introduced.
Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Mayor of London and TfL on the timescale for Crossrail being fully operational.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department has regular discussions with the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) on a wide range of transport matters, including Crossrail.
TfL, as future operator of the railway, has stated that Crossrail remains on track to open to the central section of the Elizabeth Line (Paddington to Abbey Wood) in the first half 2022 and that the full introduction of Crossrail services east to west (Heathrow/Reading to Abbey Wood) is expected no later than May 2023.
Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on the economic effect on London of delays in Crossrail delivery.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department engages regularly with the Mayor of London and Transport for London on a wide range of transport matters. On 1 October 2020, the governance of the Crossrail programme transferred to Transport for London. The Mayor of London is responsible for delivering the Crossrail project.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of steel (a) procured and (b) ordered as of 9 November 2021 is UK-made for (i) Crossrail, (ii) Thames Tideway, (iii) the new Hinckley nuclear power plant and (iv) HS2.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Department annually collates and publishes information on how much steel is purchased by Government for major infrastructure projects in the previous financial year, including what proportion is UK-produced, where available. Please find the latest publication here:
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the delays of Crossrail 1, (1) what were the reasons that the delay announced in August 2018 was not sufficient to prevent the subsequent announcement in July 2021 of a further delay to the opening date of the railway, (2) what assessment they have made of the capacity of Crossrail and its owners to provide reliable forecasts for the project, (3) what was the estimated total cost of the project in April 2019, (4) what estimate they have made of the expected cost of the project by June 2022, (5) what lessons they have learned with regard to the timely forecasting of completion dates, and (6) how they are applying any lessons learnt to other major transport projects, such as HS2.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
In October 2020, the governance of Crossrail transferred over to Transport for London (TfL). As part of the governance transition, the Crossrail Sponsor Board was replaced and the Mayor of London, who chairs the TfL Board, established a new Special Purpose Committee of the TfL Board, called the Elizabeth Line Committee (ELC). The ELC is chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Transport and provides high-level oversight of the Crossrail project. DfT remains a joint sponsor and retains oversight of and scrutiny of the programme and DfT has a Special Representative on the ELC.
The Transport Commissioner is responsible for delivering the project and intended benefits. TfL is responsible for providing reliable forecasts for the project. Crossrail Limited remains a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL.
In August 2018, Crossrail Limited announced a delay to the opening of the Elizabeth line. CRL stated that the reasons for this delay was due to more time being needed by contractors to complete fit-out activity in the central tunnels and the development of railway systems software, and that testing had started but further time was required to complete the full range of integrated tests.
The most recent announcement was in August 2020, when Crossrail Limited stated that the central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood would be ready to open the first half of 2022. Crossrail announced that the schedule delay was due to lower than planned productivity in the final completion and handover of the shafts and portals and revisions to the schedule assumptions for the completion of the new stations. Crossrail also incurred additional costs and delays as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2019, Crossrail Limited’s total estimate costs for the project was £17.6 billion. Crossrail Limited’s current forecast cost of completing the programme is up to £18.9 billion. This includes Network Rail On-Network Costs for the surface works but excludes the cost of procuring new trains and depot.
The Department is committed to applying the lessons learned on Crossrail to other major projects, including HS2. In April 2019, the Department co-published a report with the Infrastructure and Project Authority (IPA). This identified a number of practical lessons, building on the experience of Crossrail, across five major themes.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the expected final (1) completion date, and (2) cost, of Crossrail; and what lessons are there, if any, for the HS2 project.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Crossrail comes under the remit of the Mayor of London.
In August 2020, Crossrail Limited announced that the central section of the railway will open in the first half of 2022. Following the opening of the central section, full services across the Elizabeth line from Reading and Heathrow in the west and between Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, will be introduced.
Crossrail Ltd.’s overall cost forecast of completing the programme is up to £18.9 billion. This includes Network Rail On-Network Costs for the surface works but excludes the new trains and depot.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many taxpayer-funded apprentices are due to begin work in the next six months on (1) HS2, (2) Hinkley Point C, and (3) CrossRail.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Major projects such as HS2, Hinkley Point C and Crossrail are vital in helping the Government meet its ambitions of driving up the number of apprentices across the construction and transport sector.