Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of levels of (a) public and (b) stakeholder support for the construction of a new mainline station at Old Oak Common.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Various national public consultation exercises have been undertaken throughout the development of the HS2 Phase One scheme. More recently, Network Rail have engaged with regional stakeholders whilst planning for Great Western Main Line possessions resulting from Old Oak Common construction and are planning to increase engagement in the coming year as the HS2 project enters peak construction. Stakeholder consultation has also been undertaken on an ongoing basis and continues during construction via a variety of rail industry, local Government and HS2-specific forums, including with passenger groups representing all passengers travelling through the area.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the creation of a mainline station at Old Oak Common on journey times on the Great Western Mainline.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The current assumption is that all passenger trains on the Great Western Mainline will stop at the new Old Oak Common station. Current estimates indicate stopping trains at this station is likely to add approximately 3 minutes onto the journey time to London Paddington, though this would be dependent on further timetable analysis. Old Oak Common will provide onward connectivity to Birmingham via HS2 and Central London via the Elizabeth Line so we anticipate many customers from the West of England will choose to disembark at Old Oak Common.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with local authorities on the cost of tolls for crossing the Tamar Bridge.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport officials have had, and continue to have regular discussions with officials at both Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council on a range of transport issues; including the Tamar Crossings. The Crossings are an important local issue, and the Department is aware that at their most recent meeting in December, the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee agreed to a new 9-point plan ('Tamar 50'). This included the establishment of a focus group to ensure that key local stakeholders have a voice and opportunity to be involved with the crossings moving forwards.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the work on the Tavistock to Plymouth rail line will come from (a) existing budgets and (b) reallocated HS2 budgets in 2024.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The early development stage of the project is covered by existing budgets under the Restoring Your Railway Programme. Progression into design and delivery will use reallocated HS2 funding, subject to business case approval.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of takeaway delivery drivers that do not have adequate car insurance.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government does not hold this information.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been budgeted for consultants in cost estimates for the Plymouth to Tavistock rail extension.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Network North announcement included a commitment to delivering the Tavistock to Plymouth rail link, subject to satisfactory business cases.
The Department has reviewed the scheme’s Strategic Outline Business Case and is working with Network Rail, industry and local authorities on the development of a programme on next steps. Discussions on cost estimates and their composition are yet to take place.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Great Western Railway on the potential impact of cancellations to night riviera services during engineering works on passenger revenues.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Department officials have regular conversations with Great Western Railway about passenger revenues. In this case, to lessen the impact on passenger revenues, Network Rail has agreed to do this work in a series of eight-hour possessions over four-nights a week instead of closing the railway for longer periods through a complete blockade. This reduces the impact of the engineering works on passenger revenues, but unfortunately will impact on the operation of the night riviera services and associated revenues. Resignalling in Devon and Cornwall will improve reliability and offer options for improved timetables in the future.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of expanding sleeper services on carbon emissions from (a) cars and (b) domestic flights.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has not carried out a recent assessment of the potential impact of expanding sleeper services on carbon emissions from cars and domestic flights. As the pandemic has changed travel habits, train operators are using this opportunity to reassess their services to ensure they provide rail timetables that meet new passenger travel patterns, are fit for the future, and carefully balance cost, capacity and performance. This is about ensuring we have an efficient rail service that meets the travel patterns as they are now and forecast to be, recognising rail's contribution to low carbon travel. The Government is continuing to invest in the railways to make them greener.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of Great Western Railway night riviera sleeper services (a) were and (b) are expected to be cancelled as a result of planned engineering works between September and November 2023.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
From September to November 2023, the Night Riviera was scheduled to run 156 times (2 journeys a day, 6 days a week):
Rounding of % means the above add to 99% not 100%.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 26 of First Greater Western Limited 2022: business plan commitments for 2022, published on 14 June 2022, what proposals the company has submitted for the optimal future provision of the night riviera sleeper service.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As part of their Future Fleet and Depot proposal (a 2022/23 Business Plan Commitment), Great Western Railway considered proposals for the optimal future provision of the ‘Night Riveria’ Sleeper services. These remain under consideration by the Department, but there are no current plans to alter the rolling stock on the Night Riviera service or it’s frequency.