Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of an increase in the number of stopping services on the East Midlands Line to Luton Airport.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Further to the previous question (UIN 68732) on this same topic that was raised by the Honorable Member last month, I can confirm that the Department is currently undertaking a process of information gathering to develop the specification for the next East Midlands rail franchise. All options for future East Midlands services are subject to ongoing analysis of the potential benefits and consultation with stakeholders. We are considering the case for additional services to Luton Airport and are working collaboratively with Luton Airport to understand their proposals. Any outcome will seek to secure the best value for money for the taxpayer and the best interests of passengers.
We are due to begin a formal public consultation soon to inform the specification and I would strongly encourage the Honorable Member to make his views known through the consultation process when it opens.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account his Department has taken of the volume of air passengers from London Luton Airport in its work to define the scope of the forthcoming East Midlands rail franchise consultation; and what assessment he has made of the potential (a) economic, (b) social and (c) environmental benefits to that airport from improved rail services related to that franchise.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is currently undertaking a process of information gathering to develop the specification for the next East Midlands rail franchise. All options for future East Midlands services are subject to analysis of the potential benefits and consultation with stakeholders. We are considering the case for additional services to Luton Airport and are working collaboratively with Luton Airport to understand their proposals. Any outcome will seek to secure the best value for money for the taxpayer and be in the best interests of passengers.
We are due to begin a formal public consultation soon to inform the specification and I would strongly encourage the honourable member to make his views known through the consultation process when it opens.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on improving surface access to each airport in the South East of England since 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
This Government’s multi-billion investment programmes for our national road and rail networks, and funding for local authority transport improvements, includes many transport schemes that benefit people travelling to and from an airport.
However, due to the number of schemes and the mixture of capital and resource funding, information on total spending on surface access schemes improving accessibility to airports in the South East of England airports is not readily available in the format requested.
Government has, however, provided significant investment for projects which improve access to airports in the South East, for example, the £14.8 billion Crossrail scheme which will serve Heathrow airport; the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme which increases capacity and improves reliability for passengers travelling to Gatwick and Luton airports, along with a new £53 million platform at Gatwick airport station; and the over £300 million investment on the M1 between junction 10 and 13, and the £30 million enhancements to junction 10a of the M1 that improve access to Luton airport.
Investment has also been committed for upgrades to the M4 motorway (around £750 million) near Heathrow, as well as up to £250 million on improvements to sections of the M23 serving Gatwick, and up to £25 million on improvements to the M11 improving access to Stansted airport.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much each of the 10 National B Interchanges identified in the Better Rail Stations review as in need of priority funding have received since 2009; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The following amounts of capital funding have been provided from a variety of sources at each of the ten stations named since 2009.
Manchester Victoria Station
Amount/Comment: 44.7m (from a number of sources) on station redevelopment (completed 2015) (made up of Access for All (AfA), National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP) and Station Commercial Project Facility (SCPF) funding).
Clapham Junction Station
Amount/Comment: £13.1m AfA funding (2011).
Crewe Station
Amount/Comment: £7m franchise funding; £6.2m SCPF funding.
Warrington Bank Quay Station
Amount/Comment: £8.4m franchise funding; £690k NSIP funding
Barking Station
Amount/Comment: By the end of 2019, £5.5m will have been invested through the franchise, plus £350k of NSIP funding.
Preston Station
Amount/Comment: £14m of franchise funding; £710k NSIP funding.
Wigan North Weston Station
Amount/Comment: £10.4m franchise funding; £535k NSIP funding.
Luton Station
Amount/Comment: £5m of Local Sustainable Transport Funding was allocated to Luton Borough Council as a block; DfT does not hold information on how much was allocated by the Council to the railway station, but this money part-funded the High Town footbridge, the bus interchange and station forecourt enhancements, removal of old station footbridge and provision of new staircase at front of station. £180k delivered through franchise funding. £1.9m NSIP funding (recently deferred). These figures exclude 12-car platform extensions and new multi-storey car park (delivered by Network Rail).
Liverpool Central Station
Amount/Comment: Funding at Liverpool Central station is a devolved matter for Merseytravel, and DfT does not hold complete information. However, £1m AfA funding was provided in CP4.
Stockport Station
Amount/Comment: £5m franchise funding; £11.6m SCPF funding.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to specify the provision of a four fast trains per hour service between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway as part of the refranchising of the East Midlands route; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The next East Midlands franchise is due to start in July 2018 and we are currently undertaking a process of information gathering to develop the high-level view of the franchise specification. We are due to begin a public consultation later this year to inform the specification. Until the views submitted through the public consultation are understood and further analysis is conducted on the options for the franchise, a firm decision cannot be taken at this stage.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent reports he has received on the practice of restricting staff that have recently been on strike from working overtime on (a) Govia Thameslink Railway and (b) other rail franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
Management of staff is a matter for the rail operators. I have been assured by the operator of the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise that they are not restricting the staff who have recently been on strike action from working overtime.