Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of motor vehicle accidents that have taken place between junctions 12 and 16 of the M6 in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The number of road injury collisions reported to police occurring between junctions 12 and 16 of the M6, for each of the last five years for which data is available, are shown in the table below.
Year | Number of collisions |
2019 | 40 |
2020 | 27 |
2021 | 20 |
2022 | 25 |
2023 | 29 |
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated to (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire for (i) road maintenance and (ii) pothole filling since July 2024.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Staffordshire County Council is the local highway authority for Newcastle-under-Lyme. For the 2024/25 financial year, the previous Government allocated Staffordshire County Council £28.935 million for local highway maintenance. For the 2025/26 financial year, this Government is providing Staffordshire County Council with £39.465 million, an increase of around £10.5 million, for local highway maintenance. Funding is not ring-fenced, and it is entirely a matter for Staffordshire County Council to determine how the money is best spent to improve its local highway network according to its needs and circumstances.
The Department advocates a risk-based whole life cycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways and lighting columns – not just the fixing of potholes.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Network Rail on the use of the word passenger.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State regularly discusses all aspects of Network Rail’s performance with the CEO and Chair of Network Rail. She supports Network Rail in its efforts to engage with passengers in a clear manner that recognises passengers' position at the heart of the railway.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a direct train link between Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station and Manchester Airport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No assessment has been made. However, the Manchester Taskforce has identified a number of infrastructure constraints impacting on the operational deliverability of additional direct services to Manchester Airport, including services that previously operated.
Whilst longer term plans are being developed, work continues on improving the passenger experience for those having to change trains.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) performance and (b) adequacy of the services provided by Avanti West Coast to residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme since her appointment.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State is clear that the performance of Avanti West Coast has not been good enough. The Department routinely engages with all rail operators on service frequency and quality of service across the network, to hold Train Operator Companies (TOCs) to account on the services they provide to passengers, including for residents of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the management of Avanti West Coast since her appointment.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport officials routinely meet with AWC and Network Rail as part of a relentless focus on improving rail performance, bringing together track and train and holding both sides accountable. The current Secretary of State has not yet met with the Managing Director of Avanti West Coast (AWC) since her appointment. Further meetings with the Rail Minister or the Secretary of State will be held in due course.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with representatives from Manchester Airport on the potential impact of the level of parking charges at Manchester Airport on passengers from (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) North Staffordshire.
Answered by Mike Kane
Most airports in the UK are managed and operated as private businesses, and parking arrangements are subject to contractual agreements between airport operators and car parking companies covered by consumer laws.
Whilst the Department does engage regularly with airports on a range of operational issues, the provision and charging of car parking at airports is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will meet the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss the release of HS2 compensation for residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, would gladly meet the Honourable Member to discuss land and property related compensation for residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the number of crimes reported on West Coast Mainline trains between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly in each of the last five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The British Transport Police (BTP) are responsible for policing the rail network in Great Britain including the West Coast Mainline. They have provided the following figures, covering all types of crime, reported between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly on Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway trains and stations operated by them on this route.
2020: 1,248
2021: 1,363
2022: 1,894
2023: 2,210
2024 (to August 31st): 1,590
It is important to note that for the reporting years 2020 and 2021, overall passenger numbers on the rail network were significantly reduced due to travel restrictions implemented in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Passenger numbers continue to increase across the entire rail network - in 2023/24, there was a 16% increase on the previous year.
The BTP is committed to tackling crime across the rail network and they work closely with the Train Operating Companies to target offenders on a daily basis.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce food waste in her Department.
Answered by Mike Kane
The government is committed to improving its own impact upon the environment. The Greening Government Commitments requires departments and agencies to measure and report to Defra on food waste for estates with over 50 full time equivalent staff and or over 500m2 floor area offering a food service.
The Department is taking a number of steps to measure and reduce food waste. At our London headquarters building the catering provider is a signatory to the industry-wide WRAP Courtauld 2030 commitment, which includes reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.
At our other site where we have onsite catering arrangements we work with food charities to donate surplus food items at the end of each day (as required). On site staffing forecasts are also provided in order to determine daily food quantities required. This minimises the risk of over-ordering and reduces food waste.