Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to increase public awareness of the potential impact of changes in the (a) responsibilities and (b) role of Great British Rail on journey times.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is reforming the railways to ensure they are fit for the 21st century. Central to this is the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).
The legislation needed to establish Great British Railways is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny and we have published the Government’s response to the legislation consultation.
Once established, GBR will bring infrastructure, operations and strategic finance decisions together, better addressing customers whilst delivering a simpler and better railway.
In advance of legislation to establish GBR, we have reorganised DfT, creating an integrated Rail Services Group, bringing together most of Passenger Services and Rail Infrastructure Group, focussed on the day-to-day operational performance of the railway. This is part of paving the way to an integrated rail body which will put customers at the heart of decision-making.
Ministers regularly speak about rail reform and ahead of the creation of GBR, the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) has been created to lay the foundations for GBR while also promoting the benefits of rail reform including through the Great British Rail Sale initiative. The second Great British Rail Sale generated around £4.9m in savings for passengers, according to industry estimates, with around 580,000 tickets sold.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help support Great British Railways to reduce rail journey times.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is reforming the railways to ensure they are fit for the 21st century. Central to this is the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).
The Draft Rail Reform Bill, which is needed to establish GBR, is undergoing pre legislative scrutiny. Alongside this, we are delivering for passengers, freight customers and taxpayers now, for example simplifying ticketing and fares and introducing the Rail Freight Growth Target.
Once established, GBR will bring infrastructure, operations and strategic finance decisions together, better addressing customers’ needs whilst delivering a simpler and better railway.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any operators have lost their accreditation to the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Since the first Safeguarding on Rail Scheme accreditation for Great Western Railway (GWR) in 2021, no rail operator has lost their accreditation.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on (a) expected future rail passenger demand and (b) the potential factors affecting future rail passenger demand.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In line with our published guidance, the Department has developed a range of rail demand forecasts in both the medium and long term. The Department considers a wide range of evidence for our project appraisals and policy decisions.
There are many economic and socio-demographic factors which potentially affect future rail passenger demand. These are detailed within the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance, published online.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to increase staffing levels on trains to improve public safety.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The train operating companies, as employers, are responsible for ensuring there are adequate numbers of staff to suit their operational needs, which includes maintaining the safety of the public using their trains. The British Transport Police (BTP) is the national dedicated police force for the railways in England, Scotland and Wales. It also has responsibility for the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, the Midland Metro tram system, Croydon Tramlink, Tyne and Wear Metro, Glasgow Subway and the IFS Cloud Cable car. We urge all passengers, to please report any incidents to the BTP either via its text-reporting service on 61016, its Railway Guardian App, online via its website, or in an emergency by dialling 999.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the accuracy of projected future rail passenger volumes made by consultancy Steer in its report entitled Research on Long-Term Passenger Demand Growth, published on 19 February 2024.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department is aware and has reviewed the report entitled Research on Long-Term Passenger Demand Growth by Steer. Rail demand is uncertain – especially over the long term. DfT produces a range of different future rail demand and revenue scenarios in line with our published guidance which have a number of uses including supporting investment decisions. The projections produced by RIA/Steer are not aligned methodologically with the Department’s Common Analytical Scenarios (CAS).
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 20 February 2024 on Government response to the consultation on rail reform legislation and draft Rail Reform Bill, HCWS267, what estimate he has made of the savings available to the public purse from the Government's proposals on rail reform; and how that calculation was made.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Written Statement references the draft Rail Reform Bill. The Impact Assessment published alongside the draft Bill gives estimates of costs and savings related to the proposals for a new industry structure. We are committed to reforming the railways and we are getting on with delivering improvements for passengers, freight customers and the taxpayer. Industry experts’ suggested savings are set out in the Plan for Rail.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest estimate is of the recurring annual cost savings after an initial five year implementation period from reforms proposed in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We're committed to reforming the railways and are getting on with delivering improvements for passengers, freight customers and the taxpayer. Industry experts’ suggested savings are set out in the Plan for Rail.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to pages 8 and 36 of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, CP423, published in May 2021, if he will publish the workings behind the £1.5 billion annual cost savings after an initial five year implementation period expected from reforms to the railway proposed in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We're committed to reforming the railways and we are getting on with delivering improvements for passengers, freight customers and the taxpayer. Recurring annual savings set out in the Plan for Rail come from a new commercial model, improvement in fares ticketing and retail, a new industry structure and workforce reforms.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the average Wi-Fi (a) download and (b) upload speed per passenger provided by each of the train operating companies.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department last commissioned Transport Focus to conduct this research in July 2020. The data is available online in a report titled ‘Keeping Connected: passengers’ experience of internet connectivity on Great Britain’s railways’