HS2 Land and Property Review
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 5 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
High Speed Two (HS2) is at the heart of our plans to build back better from the covid-19 pandemic, creating thousands of skilled jobs, boosting connectivity between our towns and cities and helping to rebalance opportunity across the country for years to come.
However, as part of that commitment to build back better, it is crucial that we deliver HS2 in a way that is as considerate as possible of those disrupted by the project, who may face losing their homes and relocating their businesses.
In confirming HS2 would go ahead in February 2020, the Prime Minister also committed to a step change in HS2 Ltd’s performance and to drive improvements in transparency, accountability and value to the taxpayer. This included a renewed focus on placing people—the communities and individuals who will be impacted by HS2—at the heart of everything the Government do.
So following my appointment as the Minister for HS2, I initiated a review of the HS2 land and property acquisition programme, to ensure that those most directly affected were placed at its heart.
The review examined HS2 Ltd’s operational acquisition processes and, where the evidence demonstrated it, associated wider-Government policies. It focused on four areas:
How to deliver a step change in community engagement on the land and property acquisition programme;
How to protect the interests of those impacted;
How to improve process efficiency and delivery by HS2 Ltd;
And how to drive a better tone, showing conspicuous respect, courtesy and understanding.
Today, I am pleased to publish the findings of this review. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
The Government are grateful for the contributions made by Members of the House and their constituents, external stakeholders, the HS2 Residents’ Commissioner and the HS2 Construction Commissioner. The review also considered lessons from Phase One of HS2 and examined compensation regimes employed on other UK infrastructure projects and abroad.
The review generated a number of proposals that are designed to speed up property valuations and disturbance payments, settle cases and disputes more quickly and build on the improvements HS2 Ltd have been introducing to engage more effectively with people.
The focus now will be on how the Government and HS2 Ltd turn these proposals into long-lasting changes that improve not only the delivery of HS2, but also the experience and wellbeing of individuals, businesses and communities impacted by them.
The Government want to ensure that those living near the route receive the right support at all stages of the project. Importantly, they remain committed to ensuring that those affected are properly compensated and treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www. parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-11-17/HCWS583/.
[HCWS583]
Planning Act 2008 Applications: A303
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 5 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I have been asked by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to make this written ministerial statement. This statement concerns two applications made under the Planning Act 2008 relating to the A303.
The first application concerns the proposed construction by Highways England of a new two-lane dual carriageway for the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down in Wiltshire (also known as the “A303 Stonehenge” application), which the Secretary of State has today approved.
The second application concerns the proposed construction by Highways England of a continuous dual carriageway on the A303 linking the Podimore roundabout and the Sparkford bypass.
Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within three months of receipt of the examining authority’s report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the examining authority’s report on the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester Development Consent Order application on 12 September 2019 and the deadline for a decision was previously extended from 12 December 2019 to 17 July 2020, and then further extended until 20 November 2020 to allow for further work to be carried out.
The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 29 January 2021 (an extension of just over two months) to enable further information to be provided by the applicant and the defence infrastructure organisation regarding outstanding concerns pertaining to the issue of bird strike.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give development consent.
[HCWS575]
HS2 Six-monthly Report to Parliament
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 6 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
This Government have committed to provide an update to Parliament every six months on the progress of High Speed 2 (HS2), of which this is the first. This report covers data reported by HS2 Ltd to the end of August 2020.1 have placed a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses. Phase Target cost Total estimated costs range Current forecast 1 £40.3 billion £35-45 billion £40.3 billion 2a Not set yet £5-7 billion Not agreed 2b Not set yet £32-46 billion 2 Not agreed Phase Spend to date 2020-21 Budget 2020-21 Forecast 1 £9.6 billion 3 £3.79 billion £3.46 billion 2a £0.4 billion £0.18 billion £0.16 billion 2b £1.0 billion £0.25 billion £0.23 billion Total £11.0 billion £4.22 billion £3.85 billion
Overview
After careful consideration of the independent Oakervee review and wider evidence, including the National Audit Office’s (NAO’s) progress update, the Prime Minister confirmed to Parliament in February 2020 that the Government would proceed with HS2. The Government intend HS2 to become the spine of the country’s transport network, bringing our biggest cities closer together, boosting productivity and rebalancing the economy and opportunity for people across the country. It will also help meet our commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, by providing a better alternative to regional air and road travel.
In taking this decision, the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport made clear the importance of a tighter grip by the Government on the delivery of the project and of the need for full transparency. That is why we have consulted the chairs of the Public Accounts Committee and Transport Select Committee in providing this report to Parliament, and I intend it to provide clear information about our progress.
In April, the full business case for the first phase of the scheme between the west midlands and London, HS2 phase 1, was approved with an increased budget and revised delivery into service date. This permitted HS2 Ltd’s main works civils contractors to begin construction of phase 1. I was delighted to see the Prime Minister mark this significant milestone officially by visiting Birmingham interchange a few weeks ago.
Authorising the main works signalled the Government’s commitment to invest in our economic recovery in response to covid. HS2 is central to our plans to build back better and will stimulate economic growth and rebalance opportunity across this country in the short, medium and long term.
HS2 phase 1 is just the first step in levelling-up our great economic regions and better connecting the north, the midlands and London. That is why we are progressing legislation to deliver phase 2a to provide a high speed line from the west midlands to Crewe, where trains will continue further north via the west coast main line. The phase 2a Bill is currently in the House of Lords. The Select Committee has finished hearing petitions and we await its report.
To deliver HS2 phase 2b and Northern Powerhouse Rail more effectively alongside other transport schemes, an integrated plan for rail in the north and the midlands is being developed. This will be informed by an assessment from the National Infrastructure Commission, expected at the end of 2020. The integrated rail plan will set out the form, scope and phasing of the phase 2b route. It will also inform decisions on how to improve links to and from Scotland to strengthen the connectivity of the Union.
Achievements in this first reporting period include:
Getting on with delivery by approving the phase 1 full business case and authorising the start of construction, supporting the industry and wider economy as part of the covid response. Indeed, HS2 Ltd and its supply chain supports over 13,000 jobs, including over 400 apprenticeships. At peak construction, this will increase to 30,000 jobs.
Getting a stronger grip on delivery to time and budget by establishing the ministerial task force for phases 1 and 2a, chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport, and attended by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government and myself. We have also strengthened the board of HS2 Ltd by appointing three additional non-executive directors.
Putting the people and communities impacted by the scheme at the centre of our work by reviewing the land and property acquisition programme, the approach to compensation and, importantly, how HS2 Ltd supports and engages with people along the route. The review will be published shortly.
Revisiting how best to deliver Euston station as recommended in the Oakervee review, with the aim of providing an improved design and better delivery strategy. This includes revised governance providing closer collaboration between HS2 Ltd and Network Rail, through the new Euston partnership board chaired by Sir Peter Hendy.
Developing the integrated rail plan for the north and midlands. This work focuses on reducing overall costs, identifying the correct schemes and sequencing to improve rail services and to determine how best to improve rail connectivity with Scotland. A separate ministerial task force is also overseeing preparation of the integrated rail plan.
Continuing the preparation of legislation for the phase 2b western leg into Manchester, reflecting the findings in the Oakervee review that phase 2b should be delivered in smaller sections with legislation brought forward as it is ready. This includes the design refinement consultation launched on 7 October. The integrated rail plan will set out the form, scope and phasing of the phase 2b route, across the western and eastern legs, and the Government will therefore consider responses to this consultation alongside the outcomes of the integrated rail plan.
Setting out our intent to establish enhanced reporting arrangements to demonstrate how HS2 Ltd is meeting the Government’s environmental priorities.
Programme update on affordability, schedule and delivery affordability
Earlier this year, the Government reset the funding regime for HS2, including a target cost and funding envelope for phase 1 and revised estimates for the wider scheme. The total funding envelope for phase 1 was set at £44.6 billion (2019 prices) and the estimated cost for completing the full network was revised to a range of £72 billion to £98 billion.
For phase 1, including Euston, HS2 Ltd projects an outturn cost at £40.3 billion (2019 prices) which is at the level of its target cost. This projection remains uncertain at this early stage in the project’s lifecycle, as with all major infrastructure projects, and does not yet reflect the impact of covid. HS2 Ltd is expected to provide its estimate of the covid impact within the next six months. Any cost changes will be contained within the funding envelope using the contingency already assigned.
Of the £40.3 billion, £9.6 billion has been spent to date, a further £11.5 billion is contracted, and £13.9 billion is yet to be contracted and remains an HS2 Ltd estimate. The target cost also includes available HS2 Ltd delegated contingency of £5.3 billion for managing the risk and uncertainty that are an inherent part of delivering major projects. HS2 Ltd is currently reporting cost pressures of £0.8 billion. If not successfully remediated, these pressures will be drawn against the company’s delegated contingency. These pressures are driven by:
Enabling works to prepare the line of route for construction. These have been underway since 2017 and in some areas have encountered more significant challenges than anticipated, such as the need to safely remove more asbestos than expected, resulting in increased scope and duration. These additional costs are likely to be in the order of £0.4 billion according to HS2 Ltd.
Euston station, where further development of the baseline scheme has identified a significant cost pressure, which HS2 Ltd is currently reporting as in the order of £0.4 billion. Further work is ongoing to validate these initial estimates and this could identify further pressure. As this remains at the design stage, work is under way to consider opportunities, efficiencies and scope reductions in order to redress these pressures and we will report further on this in the next report.
The total funding envelope for phase 1 remains at £44.6 billion (2019 prices). This includes further available contingency of £4.3 billion over and above that delegated to HS2 Ltd, which is retained by the Department for Transport and Her Majesty’s Treasury. I am determined to carefully scrutinise the use of contingency to ensure that it is sufficient to cover issues that may emerge later in the project and will provide updates to Parliament through these reports.
The overall phase 2a cost is currently estimated as in the range of £5-7 billion (2019 prices). This remains in line with the estimate set out at the time of the Prime Minister’s announcement on 11 February and the NAO update of January 2020. Firmer ranges and a target cost will be confirmed, subject to the scheme being approved by Parliament and based on the scope and undertakings in the Act.
Updated cost estimates will be provided for the phase 2b links to Manchester and Leeds once the integrated rail plan is concluded. At this stage, ongoing design work suggests some further pressure on the most recent estimates but this depends in part on decisions on the route and sequencing, as well as decisions about the appropriate level of contingency to provide at this stage. We will provide further information as this work matures including as part of preparing legislation for the HS2 route from Crewe into Manchester.
Schedule
On phase 1, the delivery into service (DIS) range for initial services from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street remains 2029 to 2033. HS2 Ltd continues to predict that it will provide services within this range but notes some pressures on the earliest date from covid impacts and delayed handovers from enabling works, which it is seeking to mitigate. Schedule estimates will be more reliable once the main works are fully mobilised next summer and once the rail systems elements have been contracted.
The overall response to covid by HS2 Ltd and its construction partners has been positive with the rapid implementation of safe working practices to protect the public and workers and the reopening of the majority of sites after a safety review. However, some works have been delayed and at some sites covid-safe practices have necessarily reduced productivity to a limited degree.
The range for initial opening of services from Euston remains 2031-2036, subject to further work on the study of design and delivery options.
Schedule ranges for phases 2a and 2b will be established once their scopes are finalised.
Delivery progress
The main works civils contractors are currently taking possession of sites along the line of route on phase 1 and mobilising their workforces and equipment, including the delivery of tunnel boring machines. Significant works are already under way at several sites.
The three other phase 1 stations, Birmingham Curzon Street, Birmingham interchange and Old Oak Common, have now received schedule 17 planning consents. Procurement is under way for the construction of Curzon Street and interchange stations and design refinement is underway at Old Oak Common ahead of approving the start of construction.
The procurement of rail systems packages for track, catenary, power, control and communications systems has begun. Contracts for two packages, slab track and cross passage doors, have been awarded. The procurement of the rolling stock supplier continues and will be awarded in the summer of next year.
The timeline to achieve Royal Assent of the phase 2a Bill by the end of the year is challenging, but remains feasible subject to Parliament’s will.
As noted above, preparations are now under way for a hybrid Bill for the western leg of phase 2b (Crewe to Manchester). A consultation on design refinements to support future use of HS2 infrastructure as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail was launched on 7 October. At the same time a route wide update, decisions on changes previously consulted in 2019, and revised property safeguarding were published for the western leg.
Community and environmental impact
Since my appointment as Minister for HS2, I have sought to increase the focus on managing HS2’s impact on communities along the line of route and on the natural environment.
Securing the land and property needed to construct the line of route across all phases is vital to the programme’s success and is often the first impact that we have on line of route communities. A range of statutory and non-statutory property compensation schemes are available that seek to compensate affected parties fairly while protecting the public purse.
Our policy is to provide fair compensation for those directly and indirectly impacted but the process and disputes for claims can inevitably be traumatic for some. I therefore commissioned a detailed review of the acquisition and compensation process to ensure that there is a renewed focus on those who are being impacted by the new railway. The report will be published shortly and we will move to consult where appropriate on the proposed reforms.
Some £3.6 billion has now been spent acquiring land and property and in the order of 1,250 properties have been acquired to date across the three phases of HS2. The majority of this is from phase 1 where £3.3 billion has been spent to date.
I want to make sure that HS2 Ltd and its contractors are as sensitive as possible to the impact of construction on communities where impacts will unfortunately be unavoidable. HS2 Ltd needs to ensure that communities are properly informed and consulted and that the impacts are minimised to the extent that is reasonable. I intend to engage closely with Members of Parliament and the communities that they represent and ensure HS2 Ltd is meeting the terms of its planning consents.
I also intend to increase our efforts to limit the impact of HS2 on the natural environment and to ensure its construction and operation is as low carbon as possible.
In the coming months, HS2 Ltd will establish a new environmental sustainability committee (as a sub- committee of the HS2 Ltd board), led by its Chair, Allan Cook. This committee will be charged with strengthening environmental sustainability reporting including the development and publication of an environmental sustainability report. HS2 Ltd intends to publish the first report next year.
HS2 Ltd has been working with Natural England over the summer to enhance plans to support delivery of the route wide, “no net loss to biodiversity” target. Following Royal Assent of the phase 2a Bill, HS2 Ltd will continue to explore opportunities to enhance its existing no net loss objective for that phase of the programme. It will identify and implement appropriate opportunities, where it is reasonably practicable, to move towards net gains in biodiversity. This will be supported by a £2 million biodiversity fund.
HS2 Ltd is also working in partnership with local communities to create new woodlands, diverse habitats and community green spaces beyond the construction boundary. Funding provided through the phase 1 £40 million community and environment fund and the business and local economy fund has seen over 126 projects awarded funding of over £7.7 million.
Forward look
For phase 1, the focus for the coming year will see the continued mobilisation of the phase 1 construction programme and commencement of civil engineering and tunnelling activities alongside further contract awards for stations, rolling stock and systems. I will continue to focus on the control of schedule and cost, while implementing the reforms on land and property acquisition, managing the impact of construction on local communities, and improving environmental performance and reporting.
Subject to Parliament’s will, the phase 2a Bill will continue through its final legislative stages to secure authority for construction of the route to Crewe and northern destinations via the west coast main line.
We will continue to define the scope and scheme for phase 2b as part of the work to conclude the integrated rail plan and to prepare a hybrid Bill for the western leg from Crewe to Manchester.
I will continue to engage closely with Members of Parliament and will provide my next report to Parliament in April 2021.
Annex A: Period Financial Report 1
Forecast costs by phase
Historic and forecast expenditure
1 All figures in 2019 prices and excluding VAT. Correct as of 31 August 2020.
2 Validation of the phase 2b cost range is ongoing and will be updated to support the bringing forward of separate legislation for the HS2 route into Manchester, in line with the conclusions of the Oakervee review. The range provided excludes scope intended to be funded by other sources such as Northern Powerhouse Rail.
3 Spend to date includes a £1 billion liability (provision) representing the Department’s obligation to purchase land and property.
[HCWS508]
High Speed 2: Phase 2b Western Leg
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 7 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I have today published new information on the development of the western leg of HS2 phase 2b, running between Crewe and Manchester with a link to the west coast main line. This includes:
A Government consultation on four proposed changes to the design;
A response to western leg changes included in the 2019 design refinement consultation;
A route-wide update, which sets out how the route has developed, including changes in response to feedback from affected communities; and
Updated safeguarding directions for the western leg.
The Government have accepted the findings in the review by Douglas Oakervee that phase 2b should be delivered in smaller sections with legislation brought forward as it is ready. Therefore, HS2 Ltd has taken forward work to develop legislation for the western leg of HS2 phase 2b.
The Government have also accepted the Oakervee recommendation that plans for HS2 and other major schemes need to be brought together in an integrated rail plan (IRP) for the north and midlands.
The IRP will set out the form, scope and phasing of the phase 2b route, across the western and eastern legs, and the Government will therefore consider responses to this consultation alongside the IRP outcomes. If the IRP favours any major changes, further redesign will need to take place. This consultation seeks to ensure that unnecessary delay is avoided in the event that the IRP does not support change.
Work on HS2 phase 1 from London to Birmingham is already well under way at over 250 active sites, stimulating the economy and providing jobs through the approximately £10 billion worth of contracts already announced, two thirds of which will go to small and medium sized enterprises.
Legislation for phase 2a, from Birmingham to Crewe, is currently being considered by Parliament.
The proposals I am putting forward today are the next step in developing the design and legislation for the western leg of phase 2b, following the 2019 design refinement consultation. Phase 2b of HS2 is key to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and the consultation includes proposals to integrate the designs at a series of “touchpoints”, which are pieces of infrastructure to enable future connections between NPR and HS2. These proposals have been developed in partnership with Transport for the North and will reduce the amount of infrastructure required to deliver NPR in the future.
This consultation deals with four technical refinements to the western leg of phase 2b: a new Crewe connection, which would also support the vision for a Crewe hub; changes to the already proposed rolling stock depot at Crewe; expansions to the stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport; and a newly proposed facility for stabling rolling stock at Annandale in Scotland.
Changes at Manchester Piccadilly to facilitate Metrolink and Manchester Airport High Speed station are subject to the agreement of local funding contributions. We continue to collaborate positively with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester Airports Group and other Greater Manchester delivery partners on this matter. Greater Manchester partners have confirmed that they are prepared to prioritise the funding of the local proposals for Metrolink underground at Piccadilly in future funding rounds. This will form part of the shared programme between DfT and Greater Manchester in implementing the Manchester HS2 growth strategy. In the 2020 Budget, the Government made £4.2 billion of funding available to eight city regions for intra-city transport initiatives over the period 2022-23 to 2026-27.
In addition to today’s consultation, I am publishing my response to the proposed western leg changes included in the June 2019 phase 2b design refinement consultation. The Government haves decided to proceed with these changes subject to the outcome of the IRP.
I have also published a route-wide update which sets out wider developments to the route. The safeguarding directions for the phase 2b western leg route have also been updated to reflect the project’s updated land requirements.
Engagement with affected communities is at the heart of our plans for HS2 and it is our commitment to ensure we listen to those affected by these proposals. Restrictions put in place in response to the covid-19 pandemic mean that we will not be able to hold local information events in the same way that we usually would as part of our formal consultation process. HS2 Ltd will deliver information events via digital platforms instead. These digital events will allow those affected the same opportunities to understand what refinements are being proposed and to ask any questions that they may have to our representatives. Where owners of land or property are newly affected by the proposals, they will be contacted directly by HS2 Ltd to arrange online or telephone appointments.
Copies of the consultation Command Paper and safeguarding directions will be placed in the House of Commons and House of Lords Libraries.
[HCWS492]
Oral Answers to Questions
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 7 months ago)
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Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
The Government continue to invest record amounts in our rail infrastructure, with £47.9 billion to be spent over the next five years.
Elliot Colburn
Getting more trains into Carshalton and Wallington stations is reliant on completing the Croydon bottleneck project to unblock congestion on the Brighton main line at Selhurst. Network Rail will finish its consultation on the project on Sunday. What assurances can the Minister give me that the Government will back the project and get more trains into Carshalton and Wallington stations?
Andrew Stephenson
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for continuing to champion transport improvements in his constituency. My Department is currently considering an outline business case to progress the Croydon bottleneck scheme through our investment pipeline.
Sir George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab)
Feryal Clark (Enfield North) (Lab)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
The Department regularly engages with Transport for London and the Mayor, including in relation to understanding the impact of covid-19.
Feryal Clark [V]
Private train operating companies were told on 23 March, just as lockdown began, that the Government would take on all their revenue and cost risks and support them through the pandemic. By contrast, Transport for London was not granted this emergency funding deal until 14 May. Will the Minister explain why that is and reassure Londoners that the additional emergency support that TfL needs will be confirmed as a matter of urgency, rather than being left until the eleventh hour like last time?
Andrew Stephenson
The Government agreed a £1.6 billion funding package in May. But let us be clear that Transport for London’s finances were in trouble well before covid-19, with a projected deficit of £220 million last year and £422 million the year before. Many of the financial problems can be directly traced to poor decision making by the current Mayor of London.
Mr Robert Goodwill (Scarborough and Whitby) (Con)
Andrew Stephenson
We are committed to providing at least 4,000 British-built zero-emission buses through our £5 billion funding package for buses and cycling.
Mr Goodwill
If 2020 has been a tough year for bus and coach operators, it has been even worse for manufacturers such as Alexander Dennis Plaxton in Scarborough. We have heard on a number of occasions today of the £5 billion announced in February for 4,000 zero-emission British-built buses, but does the Minister agree with me that we need to get this money out of the door very quickly indeed if we are to avert a crisis on the production lines?
Andrew Stephenson
I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. I completely agree with what he says, and I commend him for what he has been doing to support manufacturers in his constituency. The Government have announced over £700 million in support for the bus and light rail sector already to date, and we are also providing £50 million for Britain’s first all-electric bus town and the £20 million rural mobility fund, which will support additional jobs. However, I agree with him, and I hope that we will make an announcement soon.
Mark Logan (Bolton North East) (Con)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
The Government have pledged £500 million to start reopening lines and stations to reconnect smaller communities that no longer have a station.
Mark Logan
Is it not about time that Londoners had a direct train line into Bolton?
Andrew Stephenson
Improving services to the north-west of England, including Bolton, while balancing the capacity and performance impacts on passengers, remains under constant review.
Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (Ind)
Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) (Con)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
My hon. Friend makes an important point. The Government are committed to ensuring that our rail network is more accessible. We are in the process of making 16 stations in Wales more accessible as part of our £350-million Access for All programme. My hon. Friend the Rail Minister would be happy to meet him to discuss Ruabon station.
Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab) [V]
Andrew Stephenson
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. I can confirm that no one puts illegal hoardings on land controlled by the Department for Transport or Highways England. Much of this illegal signage is put up on land located next to motorways, so this becomes a planning matter. I will therefore raise his concerns, if he is happy for me to do so, with Housing, Communities and Local Government Ministers.
Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) (Con) [V]
Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) (Con)
Andrew Stephenson
The aim of the Restoring Your Railway programme is to reconnect people and communities. I know that my Department has provided feedback on the proposal to reopen Tettenhall station, and I encourage my hon. Friend to contact the programme’s team to discuss the next steps.
Alex Norris (Nottingham North) (Lab/Co-op)
Andrew Stephenson
As the hon. Gentleman will know, we are currently delivering the midland main line upgrade, which includes electrification from London to Kettering, with additional electrification to Market Harborough being developed. Further electrification of the midland main line is currently at an early stage, but it is being examined by Network Rail. The Department will continue to work closely with Network Rail on the development of a proposal for this, including approaches to advancing the delivery of electrification across the route.
Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
Jane Hunt (Loughborough) (Con)
Andrew Stephenson
Officials from my Department have been in discussions with East Midlands Railway and provided guidance last week that should, I hope, enable train operators to resolve this issue.
Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
A303 Sparkford to Ilchester Application: Update
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 9 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I have been asked by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps), to make this written ministerial statement. This statement concerns the application made under the Planning Act 2008 for the proposed construction by Highways England of a continuous dual carriageway on the A303 linking the Podimore Roundabout and the Sparkford Bypass.
Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within three months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the Examining Authority’s report on the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester Development Consent Order application on 12 September 2019 and the deadline for a decision was previously extended from 12 December 2019 until 17 July 2020 to allow for further work to be carried out.
The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 20 November 2020, an extension of four months, to enable further information to be provided by the applicant and interested parties on outstanding concerns raised by the Examining Authority and consideration of that provided information before determination of the application by the Secretary of State.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give development consent.
[HCWS399]
“A303 Stonehenge” Application: Update
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 9 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I have been asked by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this written ministerial statement. This statement concerns the application made under the Planning Act 2008 for the proposed construction by Highways England of a new two-lane dual carriageway for the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down in Wiltshire (also known as the “A303 Stonehenge” application).
Under sub-section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within three months of receipt of the examining authority’s report unless exercising the power under sub-section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the Houses of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the examining authority’s report on the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down development consent order application on 2 January 2020 and the deadline for a decision was previously extended from 2 April 2020 to 17 July 2020 to allow for further work to be carried out.
Following notification of a recent archaeological find within the world heritage site, the deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 13 November 2020 (an extension of four months) to enable further consultation on and consideration of this matter before determination of the application by the Secretary of State.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give development consent.
[HCWS385]
HS2 Safeguarding
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 9 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I am today publishing additional safeguarding directions to protect a site in Leeds which we anticipate may be needed to build phase 2b of the HS2 project.
The site is not currently in use. Any future planning application affecting the land that has been identified in the safeguarding directions and associated map would first need to be discussed with HS2 Ltd, and if necessary the Secretary of State, before being determined for as long as the safeguarding directions remain in place.
The owner of the site has been made aware of the safeguarding directions prior to their publication as has the local planning authority, Leeds City Council. By protecting the site now, the Government guard against potentially conflicting development, which could otherwise disrupt the construction of HS2, and or increase the costs of building the new railway.
I am not publishing updated safeguarding directions for the remainder of the future phase 2b route at this stage.
The final scope and phasing of HS2 phase 2b will be determined following publication of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan, which is expected to be published by the end of the year.
The Government periodically review land requirements needed for the project and update the extent of safeguarding accordingly. It is anticipated that land requirements for phase 2b HS2 will be updated prior to the deposit of a relevant hybrid Bill.
I am placing a copy of the safeguarding directions in the Libraries of both Houses.
Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-07-14/HCWS358/.
[HCWS358]
Oral Answers to Questions
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
I recognise and pay tribute to my right hon. Friend’s campaign. He has raised this issue with me on a number of occasions. London North Eastern Railway and Network Rail continue to assess how the service could operate.
Sir Edward Leigh
I apologise to the Minister for banging on about this, and so do my hon. Friends the Members for Cleethorpes (Martin Vickers) and for Great Grimsby (Lia Nici), but we are talking about a catchment area of 100,000 people with no direct train to London. LNER, which we own, is prepared to give us our direct train for just £1 million, which compares with the £80 billion-plus we are spending on HS2. So we beg the Minister to do this for Lincolnshire, and we promise that if he gives us our train, we will make him an honorary yellowbelly.
Andrew Stephenson
That would indeed be a great honour. Before a final decision can be taken, we need to review a business case from LNER. Sadly, some of the surveys have been delayed because of coronavirus, but they will be taking place later this summer. I am happy to commit to writing to my right hon. Friend setting out the schedule for that work, and to keeping him and his colleagues updated.
Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
In May, we announced £190 million-worth of investment in our road and rail networks to take advantage of lower demand.
Andrew Jones
My hon. Friend is aware of platform capacity issues at Leeds station; will he provide an update on the construction of platform 0, which will service rail connections from Harrogate and Knaresborough?
Andrew Stephenson
I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend did when he was a Department for Transport Minister. Work is now under way on platform 0 at Leeds and is expected to be completed by early next year. It will enable Northern to operate services more reliably.
High Speed 2: Safeguarding Directions
Andrew Stephenson Excerpts(3 years, 10 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)
Motions to revive the High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Bill, known as the Phase 2a Bill, have now been passed in each House, and the Bill was re-introduced on 3 March. I look forward to the progression of the Bill as it nears its final stages.
I am today publishing revised safeguarding directions for the whole of the Phase 2a route. These safeguarding directions reflect the amendments (and therefore land requirements) which have been made to the hybrid Bill by the House of Commons as it passed through the Select Committee.
Through these revised safeguarding directions, the Government have protected land that we anticipate at this stage will be needed to build Phase 2a of HS2 and where there may otherwise be a risk of conflicting development. Planning restrictions put in place following the issue of previous safeguarding directions have been removed where we no longer expect to need that land.
Crucially, issuing revised safeguarding directions gives people affected more clarity on the route and allows eligible property owners to access statutory blight compensation. Under the statutory blight regime, qualifying property owners are able to apply to sell their home or small business to the Government from the time that their property is subject to safeguarding directions.
In addition to statutory blight compensation, the Government have implemented a package of non-statutory property compensation schemes that go above and beyond what is required by law. The schemes are open to qualifying property owners across the three phases of the HS2 route including Phase 2a. They will be in place until one year after each phase of HS2 is operational.
I want to ensure that those living near the route receive the right support at all stages of the project and that those affected are properly compensated and treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
Copies of these safeguarding directions will be laid in the both Libraries of the House.
Information on HS2 property compensation schemes are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-if-affected- by-hs2.
Attachments can also be viewed online at: http://www. parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-06-23/HCWS308/ .
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