Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an estimate of the potential economic merits of enhancing the Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham rail line.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Midlands Connect submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for its proposals to upgrade the railway between Shrewsbury and Birmingham to the Department for Transport in 2022.
The benefits of upgrading the line are outlined in the SOBC, including an estimate of the economic impacts of the scheme. We are considering the case for upgrading this line in terms of value for money, affordability, and alignment with the Government’s strategic priorities.
We are committed to publishing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) update as soon as possible to provide clarity on the progress of projects.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to take a decision on the upgrade of the railway line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Midlands Connect submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for its proposals to upgrade the railway between Shrewsbury and Birmingham to the Department for Transport in 2022.
The benefits of upgrading the line are outlined in the SOBC, including an estimate of the economic impacts of the scheme. We are considering the case for upgrading this line in terms of value for money, affordability, and alignment with the Government’s strategic priorities.
We are committed to publishing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) update as soon as possible to provide clarity on the progress of projects.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of making improvements to the Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham rail route.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Midlands Connect has submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case outlining its proposals to upgrade the railway line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham, which includes an economic case.
My officials are considering the case, and an update on new rail enhancement schemes will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential economic merits of improving the Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham rail line.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Midlands Connect has submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case outlining its proposals to upgrade the railway line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham, which includes an economic case.
My officials are considering the case, and an update on new rail enhancement schemes will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the cost of delays on the A5 corridor; and what assessment he has made of the implications of those costs for his policies.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
National Highways are currently finalising the Midlands and Gloucestershire to Wales Route Strategy, which provides a detailed assessment of the western section of the A5 corridor. This includes an assessment of challenges and issues on the route, including delay, and sets out a series of objectives and locations for further investigation which will improve safety, network performance, the environment and support growth. These reports are a key component of National Highways research which will be used to support the development of the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) and inform the long-term planning of the strategic road network (SRN). The interim findings of these strategies will be available in the coming months.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what minimum level of service is being considered by his Department as part of secondary legislation to safeguard a minimum level of rail service in the context of the recent strikes by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Government's priority is to improve the current service delivered to passengers. Any regulations will rightfully balance the rights of workers to strike, with the rights of the public to get on with their daily lives.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what oversight his Department has of the governance of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Department for Transport has no responsibility for, or oversight of, the RMT’s governance, which is a matter for that trade union.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of industrial action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on rail services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The industry is taking all possible steps to ensure that as much of the railway as possible operates during periods of industrial action and that passengers are kept fully informed of the impact of disruption. Service levels during recent periods of industrial action varied by region. To ensure services run safely and reliably, Network Rail and train operating companies implement a Key Route Strategy focusing limited resources on those routes with the busiest passenger and freight traffic and on strike days, this means around 20 per cent of passenger services run, with a focus on protecting critical passenger and freight flows. Unfortunately, this means that on RMT strike days, generally there are no Transport for Wales, West Midlands Trains or Avanti West Coast services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham. My officials and I remain committed to playing our part in bringing a swift resolution to the industrial disputes.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Network Rail on the electrification of the Shrewsbury, Black Country and Birmingham route.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Department for Transport has not had any specific discussions with Network Rail about electrification of the Shrewsbury, Black Country and Birmingham route.
In the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the government committed to deliver a net zero rail network by 2050. To achieve this we will electrify additional lines, alongside deploying battery and hydrogen trains on lines where it makes economic and operational sense to do so.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of an improved rail service on (a) social mobility and (b) levelling up in (i) Shrewsbury and (ii) Shropshire.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Government recognises the potential value of enhanced rail connectivity for the people and economy of Shrewsbury and Shropshire.
We have received a Strategic Outline Business Case for improvements to the railway between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury and will continue to work with the scheme’s promoters to consider whether schemes such as this or wider aspirations for an hourly direct Shrewsbury to London train service, would represent good value for public money, are affordable, and aligned to the Government’s strategic priorities.