Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there are plans to introduce a Sunday rail service for Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley stations.
Answered by Andrew Jones
There are currently no plans to introduce a Sunday rail service at these stations as part of Northern’s franchise agreement, the specification for which was developed in consultation with local authorities and Transport for the North. Whilst the railway needs to balance passenger and stakeholder aspirations with the practical and economic viability of running additional services, ideas for these can always be put forward for consideration to Transport for the North.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has in place to mitigate the disruption caused by HS2 works on London to Manchester train routes.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The government is very conscious of the need to minimise any potential for disruption to the national rail network - including the London to Manchester route - during the construction of HS2. HS2 Ltd are working closely with Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies to mitigate against this at London Euston, where work is already underway, and is continuing to develop its plans regarding works at Crewe station.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provision of alternative transport during the closures at Euston station in the last three weeks of August 2018.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The weekend Euston closures occurred 18-19 August, 25-27 August and 1-2 September. The Department will review the effectiveness of the provision of alternative services with Chiltern Railways in due course. Chiltern advised that 48,000 additional seats were provided during the West Coast Main Line blockade period. West Coast passengers from Bolton, Warrington and Crewe were permitted to travel via Birmingham on the Chiltern route.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on passenger safety of overcrowding on trains.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
All franchises let by Department for Transport require the train operator to take reasonable steps to address crowding.
Safe assessment and operation of services is a matter for individual rail operators’ safety management systems as certificated by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). We expect all franchised operators to discharge the Franchise Agreement in line with industry safety standards.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the merits for passenger safety of a maximum ratio of passengers to seats in trains.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
All franchises let by Department for Transport require the train operator to take reasonable steps to address crowding.
Safe assessment and operation of services is a matter for individual rail operators’ safety management systems as certificated by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). We expect all franchised operators to discharge the Franchise Agreement in line with industry safety standards.