Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to reverse Beeching closures in West Sussex.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Restoring Your Railway programme prioritises levelling-up and restoring connections to communities across the country including where lines and stations were closed in the Beeching cuts.
The second round of the Ideas Fund received 51 applications including for the Arundel Chord, sponsored by the Hon Member.
We will be announcing the outcome of the second round of the Ideas Fund in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to announce a decision on the Arundel chord rail connection.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The second round of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund received 51 applications and the expert Panel have made recommendations on which schemes should be considered for funding.
We will be announcing the outcome of the second round of the Ideas Fund in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the proposed Arundel chord rail connection.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Arundel Chord could provide some limited and infrequent benefits as a ‘diversionary route’ – a view confirmed in Network Rail’s Spring 2020 West Sussex Connectivity Study. As such, there is no active consideration of the Arundel Chord proposals.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to bring forward plans for hydrogen trains.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government supports the use of new technologies and further electrification to decarbonise the railway and help us meet our net zero carbon emissions by 2050 target. Network Rail is currently working to determine which parts of the network could be best suited to hydrogen or battery trains and which could be best suited to further electrification.
The Department supports development of rail hydrogen technology and has contributed £750,000 to facilitate trials of the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train, HydroFLEX.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to bring forward plans for a nationwide hydrogen refuelling network.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The UK is well placed to be a leader in hydrogen fuel cell powered transportation and we are supporting hydrogen where the market favours its use. The UK has one of the largest hydrogen refuelling station networks in Europe. Our £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart on the potential for an air bridge permitting air travel between the UK and Spain without a quarantine being imposed on inbound travellers to the UK.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Secretary of State for Transport has had no such discussions with the Governments of those specific states about the potential for creating an air bridge with said countries. However, the Government is working closely with industry to explore this concept. This includes work with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), airlines and airports.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his Italian counterpart on the potential for an air bridge permitting air travel between the UK and Italy without a quarantine being imposed on inbound travellers to the UK.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Secretary of State for Transport has had no such discussions with the Governments of those specific states about the potential for creating an air bridge with said countries. However, the Government is working closely with industry to explore this concept. This includes work with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), airlines and airports.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the potential for an air bridge permitting air travel between the UK and France without a quarantine being imposed on inbound travellers to the UK.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Secretary of State for Transport has had no such discussions with the Governments of those specific states about the potential for creating an air bridge with said countries. However, the Government is working closely with industry to explore this concept. This includes work with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), airlines and airports.