Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional resources they will provide to compensate local authorities for their expenditure in preparation for the HS2 rail link.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
HS2 Ltd has in place a series of Service Level Agreements with line of route local authorities which provide for those authorities to be reimbursed for the reasonable costs they incur in helping to deliver the new railway. This includes reimbursement for the role local authorities play in the consenting process, and in various other areas.
In the meantime, Network North has enabled the reinvestment of £36 billion in hundreds of transport projects across the country, and we will keep working with local authorities and stakeholders to deliver improvements in local communities.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the anticipated timetable for the electrification of the mainline railway connection between Crewe and Holyhead.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are working closely with the rail industry to develop and deliver on the Government priorities outlined in the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement, which includes an unprecedented £1 billion investment to fund the electrification of the North Wales Main Line, bringing parts of North Wales within an hour of Manchester. We are in the early stages of planning the next steps for this scheme and will share further information when that work is complete. Our investment is intended to enable the operation of electric trains over the full North Wales Coast line between Holyhead and Crewe.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve railway connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network North confirmed the Government’s commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail and to improving connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester. Funding has been made available to allow the Liverpool to Manchester section of Northern Powerhouse Rail to be delivered as previously set out in the Integrated Rail Plan. Government committed to working with local leaders and that engagement with local leaders is underway.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government is taking steps to help mitigate the potential impact of its policies on encouraging a modal shift in transport choices on disabled people who are dependent on cars.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government wants disabled people to travel easily and confidently
The October ‘Plan for Drivers’ outlined how government is working to improve the driving experience for everyone
DfT’s strategic priorities for improving access for disabled people were set out in the 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy
In the PM’s ‘Network North’ announcement, £350m was made available for Access for All rail schemes in the five years from 2024/25, in addition to the £900m committed since 2006.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) delivery milestones, (b) timeframe and (c) benefit cost ratio are for upgrading the Energy Coast Line between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow as part of Network North.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering all of these schemes and is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, working closely with Network Rail and other partners. I have undertaken extensive engagement with local leaders on these schemes including recent visits to West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Manchester.
All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Benefit Cost Ratios (BCRs) within the economic case are only one element of decision-making on schemes and should be considered alongside the other cases in the five case business model used in Government (strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management cases). We do not routinely make BCRs available.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) delivery milestones, (b) timeframe and (c) benefit cost ratio are for the electrification of the (i) Hull - Leeds and (ii) Sheffield - Hull rail line as part of Network North.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering all of these schemes and is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, working closely with Network Rail and other partners. I have undertaken extensive engagement with local leaders on these schemes including recent visits to West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Manchester.
All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Benefit Cost Ratios (BCRs) within the economic case are only one element of decision-making on schemes and should be considered alongside the other cases in the five case business model used in Government (strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management cases). We do not routinely make BCRs available.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) delivery milestones, (b) timeframe and (c) benefit cost ratio are for the electrification of the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester as part of Network North.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering all of these schemes and is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, working closely with Network Rail and other partners. I have undertaken extensive engagement with local leaders on these schemes including recent visits to West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Manchester.
All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Benefit Cost Ratios (BCRs) within the economic case are only one element of decision-making on schemes and should be considered alongside the other cases in the five case business model used in Government (strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management cases). We do not routinely make BCRs available.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) delivery milestones, (b) timeframe and (c) benefit cost ratio are for the electrification of the Sheffield - Leeds Line as part of Network North.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering all of these schemes and is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, working closely with Network Rail and other partners. I have undertaken extensive engagement with local leaders on these schemes including recent visits to West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Manchester.
All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Benefit Cost Ratios (BCRs) within the economic case are only one element of decision-making on schemes and should be considered alongside the other cases in the five case business model used in Government (strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management cases). We do not routinely make BCRs available.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) delivery milestones, (b) timeframe and (c) benefit cost ratio are for the planned NPR Bradford-Manchester line as part of Network North.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering all of these schemes and is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, working closely with Network Rail and other partners. I have undertaken extensive engagement with local leaders on these schemes including recent visits to West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Manchester.
All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Benefit Cost Ratios (BCRs) within the economic case are only one element of decision-making on schemes and should be considered alongside the other cases in the five case business model used in Government (strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management cases). We do not routinely make BCRs available.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed electrification of the North Wales coast rail line will extend to (a) Manchester and (b) Crewe.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are working closely with the rail industry to develop and deliver on the Government priorities outlined in the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement, which includes an unprecedented £1 billion investment to fund the electrification of the North Wales Main Line, bringing parts of North Wales within an hour of Manchester. We are in the early stages of planning the next steps for the North Wales electrification scheme and will share further information when that work is complete. Our investment is intended to enable the operation of electric trains over the full North Wales Coast line between Holyhead and Crewe.