Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11117, when speed and capacity improvements will be started between Hebden Bridge and Bradford.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Network Rail are currently preparingadraftupdate tothe Enhancements Delivery Planfor publicationin due course. This will provide details of individual projects. Following publication,my Department will hold a short period of stakeholder consultation.The works on the Calder Valley, which include the route between Hebden Bridge and Bradford, are currently being planned. The intention is to complete the works in phases, starting at the Western end and finishing in time to provide a diversionary route such that the Transpennine Route Upgrade can be completed by 2022.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the schemes recommended for prioritisation in the report of the Rail North Electrification Task Force, published in March 2015; and if he will prioritise electrification of the Calder Valley rail line.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The North of England Electrification Task Force placed the Calder Valley Line in the top tier of lines it recommended for future electrification. Network Rail is currently updating its national electrification strategy, which will include the Calder Valley line, and will take the Task Force’s recommendations into account. The updated strategy will be subject to public consultation during 2016 and inform the Government’s strategy for Rail for 2019-2024.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when work is scheduled to begin on electrification and improvement of the Calder Valley rail line.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Work on the Calder Valley Line to increase capacity and provide the infrastructure to enable shorter journey times on this busy rail corridor is currently in the final planning stages and will start on the ground in January 2016.
Network Rail is currently updating its national electrification strategy. This includes the case for electrifying the Calder Valley line. Network Rail is taking into account the recommendations of the Northern Electrification Task Force - which placed this line in the top tier for consideration. The updated strategy will inform the Government’s next Rail Investment Strategy for the period 2019-2024.