Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will publish the minutes of all meetings the Minister of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Pendle, has attended on the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of my responsibilities as the Minister of State I have many meetings regarding the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) dates and (b) minutes of meetings between the Minister of State in his Department and representatives of National Rail in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Rail is a trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group used to promote passenger railway services. In line with their roles and portfolios, both Ministers of State have met with the Rail Delivery Group and their representatives when appropriate over the past year.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of diesel rolling stock on the environment.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Rail is a comparatively green mode of transport, but the Government is working to further reduce emissions and reduce the impact of air and noise pollution.
Diesel freight and passenger trains in Great Britain created 1,788 kilotonnes of CO2e last year (April 2019-April 2020). The Government will reduce these emissions through our ambition to phase out diesel-only trains by 2040 and deliver a net-zero transport system by 2050.
The Department is working to gain a more comprehensive understanding of air pollution in stations by funding a new £4.5 million air quality monitoring network. This will be rolled out over the next three years, with air quality monitors installed in around 100 stations across England and Wales from summer 2021. Once established, the network will help to identify priority locations where air quality improvement measures are most needed.
Noise from the railway can have an impact on the lives of the people who live along its routes, and the industry is working to minimise the impact of noise from the railway on its neighbours and on passengers. The Department supports periodic strategic noise mapping to identify the most sensitive areas on and around the rail network that are exposed to railway noise. We assess the sensitive areas as described in the Noise Action Plan: Railways - this plan is updated every 5 years and was last updated in 2019.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Cleethorpes Railway Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Scarborough Railway Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Manchester Victoria Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Sheffield Train Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State in his Department plans to visit station operators at Newcastle Station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Minister of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Pendle, has visited Liverpool Lime Street railway station.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers very much look forward to visiting a range of stations and locations in due course once circumstances allow.