Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the oral contribution of 10 January 2019, Official Report, column 526, whether he has had further discussions with the cross county train operator on increasing capacity on trains between Leeds and Birmingham.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department is currently looking at all options for the successor to the Cross Country franchise. Officials are also in regular discussions with the current operator, Arriva Cross Country, about potential ways of increasing capacity on the busiest routes as a priority as suitable rolling stock becomes available in the market.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation was paid to landowners and developers for delays in completing Crossrail in accordance with the contract timetable in (a) each compensation category and (b) total up to 31 December 2018; and what recent estimate he has made of the total compensation that will be paid to landowners and developers for the failure to deliver Crossrail in accordance with the contract timetable by the completion of the scheme.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The payment of compensation is a matter for Crossrail Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transport for London, who conduct their affairs in accordance with the National Compensation Code.
There have been no compensation payments paid to landowners and developers for delays in completing the Crossrail project to date. Where Crossrail Limited occupies land and worksites temporarily, it is exposed to the possibility of, as yet unquantifiable, additional compensation payments due to the occupation of sites being prolonged.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timeframe is for completion of the northern link for services from Sheffield to the main High Speed Two line.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The northern link for services from Sheffield to the main High Speed Two line is being considered as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project.
Transport for the North is working closely with partners across the North to develop the strategic outline business case for NPR. This work will consider the potential timescales for delivery of the network, including the northern link. This is an important milestone for the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme, and I look forward to receiving their advice in the new year.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timeframe is for the commencement of High Speed Two services to Sheffield.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HS2 services will commence in 2033. A construction timeline for this section of route will be reported in the Environmental Statement, as part of the hybrid Bill deposit in 2020.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the average delay on trains between Sheffield and London St Pancras since the new timetable was introduced in May 2018 and (b) the average delay in the same period in 2017.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Network Rail are responsible for the performance of rail infrastructure, working with train operating companies who are responsible for the passenger services running on the network. Network Rail manage performance reporting and therefore the Department does not hold the information.
The Department for Transport are aware that performance has declined since the introduction of the May 2018 timetable and continues to monitor the situation.
The Government has set out plans to introduce more integrated working between Network Rail and train operators, to present a single accountable face of overall railway performance to passengers.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timeframe is for completion of improvements to the Hope Valley line.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department is updating the business case for the Hope Valley Capacity scheme to secure a ‘Decision to Deliver’. When we are in a position to announce a delivery date, it will be with the assurance that it is value for money and deliverable by that date. We anticipate being in that position within the next year.
Network Rail are undertaking pre-construction planning to enable the scheme to be delivered as quickly as possible. They will be working with the train operators to assess the best way to deliver the scheme with the least disruption to passengers and freight.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which agencies and other public bodies accountable to him will not have published their annual report and accounts for 2017-2018 by 31 July 2018; and what the reasons are for each such body not having done so by that date.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
A list of agencies and other public bodies which are accountable to the Department for Transport are listed on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations). All accounts that are published will appear on the bodies’ websites.
As per the Government Resources and Accounts Act (2000), there is no legal requirement for agencies or other public bodies to publish their accounts before the January following year end.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the start of the Northern Hub related Hope Valley line improvement scheme.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Network Rail have completed the single option design for the railway infrastructure scheme proposed in the Hope Valley and are actively working on plans to progress the work. The current funding envelope for enhancements made provision for this scheme to be delivered in the period between 2019-2024. The timetable for further work on this scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to restore the journey time of East Midland Trains Master Cutler service from Sheffield to St Pancras to its 2017 journey time.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
East Midlands Trains and its rail industry partners, supported by the Department, will continue to review the timetables to see if it is possible to improve the journey time of the Master Cutler service at an early date.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for a decision to be made on the funding for the Hope Valley Line improvement scheme.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
On 13 February 2018, the Secretary of State announced his decision to provide Network Rail Infrastructure Limited with the legal powers to construct, operate and maintain new passing facilities and associated railway infrastructure on the Hope Valley route between Bamford and Hathersage and at Dore. Network Rail have completed the single option design for the railway infrastructure scheme proposed in the Hope Valley and, following last week’s decision, the timetable for further work on this scheme including a final investment decision will be announced in due course.