Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase mobile telephone coverage alongside inter-city rail networks throughout the South West to improve on-board connectivity.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In December 2016 my Department introduced a requirement that future rail franchises have better mobile connectivity for passengers. This significantly increases the number of places along the railway line where there is signal. There are three railway franchises in the South West. For Great Western and Cross Country Franchises these requirements will come into effect in 2019 and must be implemented no later than 2022. The procurement of the South Western Franchise started prior to the requirement in December 2016, but they have agreed to voluntarily adopt this approach.
My Department is working closely with the Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to see what further improvements can be made to mobile connectivity on trains.
Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to publish a response to the Peninsula Rail Task Force rail improvement plan submitted in 2016.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government does not propose to publish a formal response to the Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF) report at the present time as we continue to engage with the PRTF and other interested parties as the planning for Network Rail’s work programme for the period starting in April 2019 and the development of the specifications for the future Great Western and Cross Country franchises unfold.
Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government intends to respond formally to the Peninsula Rail Task Force rail improvement plan submitted in 2016.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government does not propose to publish a formal response to the Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF) report at the present time as we continue to engage with the PRTF and other interested parties as the planning for Network Rail’s work programme for the period starting in April 2019 and the development of the specifications for the future Great Western and Cross Country franchises unfold.
Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he and Network Rail have to remove level crossings on the mainline between Plymouth and Reading.
Answered by Claire Perry
Network Rail operates at arm’s-length from the Department for Transport and is not expected to involve Ministers in its regular operational decisions such as its proposals for the removal or upgrading of level crossings on a particular route.
Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what infrastructure upgrades, other than the Reading rebuilding project, are being undertaken or planned to gain journey time benefit for the South West Peninsula from the new high-speed AT300 trains when they are introduced in December 2018.
Answered by Claire Perry
As part of the long-term economic plan to increase growth and create jobs in the South West, this Government has a commitment to £7.2 billion investment in transport infrastructure in the South West over this Parliament.
As the Secretary of State for Transport set out in his oral statement to the House on 25 June, he has asked the new Chair of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy, to re-plan the enhancements programme. A full assessment of the delivery of the enhancements programme will be a specific task of the re-plan, which is due to report back in the autumn.
Asked by: Gary Streeter (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to ensure that the A303 is dualled from Honiton to Amesbury within the next 10 years.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department has committed to undertaking six feasibility studies as part of the process of identifying and funding solutions to tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country, including the A303/A30/A358 corridor.
In April this year, the Department published details of the scope, timing and management arrangement of the A303/A30/A358 feasibility study which is available from the Department for Transport website. The aim of the study is to identify the opportunities and understand the case for future investment solutions on the A303/A30/A358 corridor that are deliverable, affordable and offer value for money. The study is considering a range of solutions to the problems identified along the route, including to the problems identified on the sections between Amesbury and Honiton.
The Government has committed to report back at Autumn Statement 2014 with solutions to the problems on this route, and through this feasibility study we will identify potential future investment proposals as part of our process for longer term investment planning.