Asked by: Natalie Fleet (Labour - Bolsover)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when HS2 safeguarding measures will be removed from land in Bolsover constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is thoroughly reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure before setting out more detailed plans in due course, including future plans for HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg safeguarding.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proposals put forward for new rail investment in Wales as part of the Spending Review 2025 were rejected by the Treasury.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The Chancellor set out that the UK Government will commit at least £445 million investment into Welsh rail infrastructure upgrades at the Spending Review in June.
For too long, Wales’s long-term infrastructure needs have not been recognised. This government is taking a different approach, delivering at least £445 million of rail enhancements funding for Wales. UK Government does not comment on Spending Review discussions, however we are delivering the maximum number of projects the sector can deliver in the next few years.
My top priority in advance of the Spending Review was to tackle historic underfunding in Wales’ rail infrastructure. This funding will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales - connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales.
Through the Wales Rail Board, we will work in collaboration with the Welsh Government to agree and develop future rail service improvements, delivering a sustainable pipeline of investment.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral statement by her of 8 July 2025 on Road and Rail Projects, Official Report, column 815, if she will publish the (a) full detailed Green Book analysis, (b) costs and (c) benefits cost ratios for (i) each of the 50 schemes announced in that speech and (ii) the A12 widening scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Business case documents, costs and benefit cost ratios for major schemes, including for the Strategic Road Network and for relevant schemes in the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline are published on gov.uk.
For the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme, information is already available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
For the wider set of 50 schemes referenced in the Secretary of State’s statement on 8 July 2025, detailed Green Book analyses, costs, and benefit cost ratios for each scheme have not been published as a single package.
The scheme-level business cases and economic assessments for projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio are published as they are finalised and reach the appropriate stage in the investment process. Summary information on costs and benefit cost ratios for major transport schemes may also be found in the Department for Transport’s Major Projects Portfolio, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data
In the case of Major Road Network schemes, the business cases belong to the relevant local authorities. Whilst we encourage them to publish these, it is their decision whether to publish their business cases on their respective websites.
As each scheme progresses, further documentation is released and made available on gov.uk as appropriate. The Government is committed to transparency and will continue to make business case documents available in line with Green Book and Treasury guidance as schemes move forward.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help support the wider community utility of rail stations in the north of England.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to support the community rail sector across the north of England, including through funding for station adoption groups and Community Rail Partnerships. This support is delivered via train operating companies and through the Community Rail Network (CRN), who provide access to grants and resources to its members. As we move towards establishing Great British Railways, the role of Community Rail will be more important than ever. Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities in the north of England.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Sight Loss Council's report entitled MakeTransportAccessible - creating the perfect world for blind and partially sighted people, published on 1 November 2023, what steps her Department is taking to tackle issues for visually impaired people on (a) public transport accessibility and (b) pavement parking.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government is committed to improving public transport services so they are more inclusive and enable blind and partially sighted people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. On 17 December, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The Bill includes measures which will make bus travel more accessible and inclusive, including requiring authorities to pay regard to new guidance on the safety and accessibility of stopping places.
The government recognises the concerns which have been raised about floating bus stops, particularly. This is why the Department has accepted amendments to the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill which require the Secretary of State to publish statutory guidance on their provision and design within three months of Royal Assent. In addition, the Department will write to all local authorities requesting that they pause the introduction of any floating bus stops which require passengers to board and alight directly into a cycle track.
On 1 October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026.
Ensuring the rail network is also accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We know that the experience for disabled people when traveling on rail too often falls short of what is expected and what passengers deserve. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and have committed to publishing an accessibility roadmap to explain the actions we are taking to improve accessibility ahead of Great British Rail. We have recently completed a programme to install platform edge tactile paving at every station that did not already have it in place or was due to have it installed as part of other enhancement or renewal work.
Regarding pavement parking, the government understands that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause serious problems for all pedestrians and especially people with mobility or sight impairments. The Department intends to publish a formal response to the pavement parking consultation, including the government’s next steps to address pavement parking.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 04 July 2025 to Question 64211, on High Speed 2 Line: Compulsory Purchase, if she will extend those compulsory purchase powers until February 2031.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government's priority is the safe delivery of HS2 Phase 1 between the West Midlands and London Euston at the lowest reasonable cost. Whilst we will not reverse the previous government’s decision to cancel Phase 2, we recognise concerns about rail capacity and connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester. We are reviewing our plans for future connectivity in the Midlands and the North, and we hope to say more in the coming months, including our plans for land and property between Birmingham and Crewe.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she considered including Marks Tey railway station in the rail access for all feasibility studies.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This did not include Marks Tey Railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders further during the summer.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help support the long-term viability of community rail organisations in the context of (a) her Department's rail reforms and (b) the inception of Great British Rail.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), the Community Rail movement will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to work closely with the Community Rail Network to identify opportunities to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department can provide information on the levels of (a) rail and (b) road infrastructure investment allocated to Surrey Heath constituency as a result of the 2025 Spending Review.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are yet to announce the detail of all transport infrastructure investment following the Spending Review. This will be announced in due course. However, we have informed Surrey County Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which is £38.19 million for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the (a) frequency and (b) capacity of passenger rail services on the (i) Heart of Wales Line and (ii) Cambrian Line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Services on these routes are provided by Transport for Wales (TfW). Capacity on the Cambrian Line will improve with the introduction of new trains in the next couple of years and TfW is preparing to introduce a fifth through service per day on the Heart of Wales line from December 2025.