Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received assurances from Heathrow Airport that it will meet all of the Airports Commission recommendations before a decision is made on airport expansion; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.
The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out when making a decision on additional runway capacity.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the routine use by his Department of the family test; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Officials in my Department have liaised with Department of Work and Pensions as the lead department for the Family Test on cross government activity to embed and encourage routine use of the Test. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant learning materials and best practice.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of competition between airports to the future development of the aviation industry in the South East; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.
The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out when making a decision on additional runway capacity.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to maintain the current level of train services between Eastbourne and Gatwick Airport under any proposals for a second Brighton mainline; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government has recently commissioned the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study to examine the strategic case for investment in existing and new rail capacity. The findings of the Study will help Ministers make decisions on future rail network investment, which will help shape service patterns to Eastbourne and other areas of the South Coast. The intent of the Study is to ensure that services meet the current and future needs of passengers on this critical link between London and the South Coast.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce times, (b) increase capacity and (c) increase the reliability of rail journeys between Eastbourne and (i) Gatwick Airport, (ii) Brighton and (iii) London; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
A significant and wide ranging time table change will be implemented on the Brighton Main Line in December 2015. This is intended to improve service reliability and resilience for customers across Sussex, including Eastbourne customers travelling to/ from Gatwick and London. There are likely to be secondary benefits for the Coast Way East service between Brighton and Eastbourne.
As part of the £6.5bn Thameslink programme, the Government is making investments to improve the reliability and capacity of the Brighton Main Line. In the medium to longer term, a range of major infrastructure upgrades have been proposed by the rail industry to further improve reliability of the Brighton Main Line. These proposals are currently undergoing detailed development, with a view to Ministers considering the case for their implementation in the next 5 year railway funding period, which starts in 2019. Again, these upgrades would benefit customers across Sussex, including those in Eastbourne.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect on Eastbourne's local economy of potential reductions in connectivity of future rail projects along the South Coast; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
No plans for reducing rail services to/ from Eastbourne are being considered by the Government or rail industry.
In developing its successive rail investment strategies and specifying rail franchises, the Government carefully considers the impacts on local economies.