Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to specify the provision of a four fast trains per hour service between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway as part of the refranchising of the East Midlands route; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The next East Midlands franchise is due to start in July 2018 and we are currently undertaking a process of information gathering to develop the high-level view of the franchise specification. We are due to begin a public consultation later this year to inform the specification. Until the views submitted through the public consultation are understood and further analysis is conducted on the options for the franchise, a firm decision cannot be taken at this stage.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent reports he has received on the practice of restricting staff that have recently been on strike from working overtime on (a) Govia Thameslink Railway and (b) other rail franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
Management of staff is a matter for the rail operators. I have been assured by the operator of the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise that they are not restricting the staff who have recently been on strike action from working overtime.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what works will be required south of Bedford to enable Midland Mainline electrification north of Bedford.
Answered by Claire Perry
The scope for Midland Main Line electrification includes making appropriate adjustment to the Fast Line Overhead Line Equipment between London St Pancras and Bedford South Junction.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the value is of awards made to each route from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
In December 2015 Government announced that 11 new air routes would be supported with start-up aid funding through the Regional Air Connectivity Fund for three financial years. The amount of funding provided to support individual routes will be paid in arrears and will be determined once routes begin operations and will depend on factors such as the number of passengers carried.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what responsibilities for (a) upkeep, (b) condition and (c) repair at Luton railway station are discharged by (i) Network Rail, (ii) Govia Thameslink Railway and (iii) any other organisation.
Answered by Claire Perry
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), as the station operator, are responsible for the upkeep, repair and condition of the cosmetic appearance of the station, including the car park and footbridge under a lease agreement from Network Rail.
Network Rail, as station owner, are responsible for the structural upkeep and repair.
GTR advise the lift and stairs to the footbridge, at the front of the station, are the responsibility of Luton Borough Council and that the bus station and busway do not form part of the station footprint.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on improvements to Luton station.
Answered by Claire Perry
I can confirm that my officials have discussed improvements to Luton station with Network Rail recently. Luton station has been selected for a number of DfT funded improvements, including Access for All and the National Stations Improvement Programme.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve the frequency of services to Luton Airport Parkway in the 2018 East Midlands franchise specification.
Answered by Claire Perry
Detailed work on the 2018 East Midlands franchise specification will begin in the Spring, and as with all franchise competitions, a public consultation exercise will take place later this year to help inform the specification for the next long-term franchise.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to transfer services operated by Govia Thameslink Railway to Transport for London.
Answered by Claire Perry
As announced on 21 January, (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-and-mayor-set-out-vision-for-rail-travel-across-london-and-the-south-east) we launched a prospectus with regard to the future of rail passenger services in London and the South East. The prospectus included a number of proposals, one of which is the transfer of responsibility for inner suburban services that operate mostly or wholly within Greater London to Transport for London when the current franchises are due for renewal. This could include inner suburban rail services currently operated by Govia Thameslink Railway.
These are still proposals and no decisions have been made nor plans drawn up. Our key focus now is to seek the views of stakeholders including Local Enterprise Partnerships, local authorities and other local bodies before plans are drawn up. The deadline for our consultation is 18 March.