Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with local stakeholders on the future of the Wrexham to Bidston Railway line.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
My Department is actively engaged with Transport for Wales’s work to progress plans for a North Wales Metro and is providing strategic planning support and guidance on funding mechanisms.
Interventions to deliver service frequency improvements are currently being progressed and my officials will continue to engage with regional bodies on wider proposals and to provide advice on how they might be funded in the future.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2020 to Question 52205, on Rolling Stock: Energy, what steps he is taking to ensure that North Wales benefits from developments to low carbon rail transport solutions.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Rail decarbonisation will be an important element in the UK’s first Transport Decarbonisation Plan. The Department is working with Network Rail and the rail industry to determine which parts of the network are best suited to use of hydrogen and battery trains and electrification.
Introduction of these technologies will deliver environmental improvements and benefits for rail users across the rail network. Through the Transport Decarbonisation Plan the Government will continue to support the UK economy through the development of expertise on low carbon technologies.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on linking railway stations in (a) North Wales and (b) Chester to Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
This month the HS2 Minister will meet with leaders from the Midlands and the North, to discuss priorities for rail investment. During this meeting the Government will present an Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands by the end of 2020, which will look at how to deliver NPR, HS2 Phase 2b, and related connections more effectively.
Some supporting infrastructure enhancements in this corridor, including line speed improvements, are already under consideration through industry planning studies and the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received a completed business case for an High Speed Two hub station at Crewe.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
We welcome the work Cheshire East Council and the Constellation Partnership are doing to ensure the wider local benefits can be fully realised. We continue to work collaboratively on the development of a business case to support this vision and look forward to formally receiving in due course.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that energy efficient rolling stock is available to train companies.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Rolling stock procurement in the UK is undertaken through a competitive process by franchised or open access train operators. The Government supports technological innovation which aims to improve the performance of vehicles in terms of energy-efficiency, and support an industry that is a world leader in developing and delivering low carbon rail transport solutions for all. We are working with industry to ensure rail significantly decarbonises and we achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the re-allocation of good-quality diesel-powered rolling stock following the electrification of railway lines.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
It is a matter for operators to procure appropriate rolling stock to operate their services. Electrification can typically lead to significant fleet changes and the Department supports the opportunities presented by the cascade of displaced trains from newly electrified routes. However, we expect train owners and manufacturers to develop cost effective proposals to convert their diesel trains to bi-mode or use alternative energy sources.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with local stakeholders on the future of the North Wales Coast Main Line.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
My officials maintain active and constructive engagement with stakeholders including the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales. Development work undertaken by my department has been openly shared with stakeholders and the GrowthTrack360 Alliance. I have encouraged Network Rail to examine ways to facilitate capacity, performance, and journey time improvements across the region, building on recent major signalling and track renewals, and remain happy to engage with stakeholders on their own proposals, and to provide advice on how these might be funded in the future.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he will take to increase (a) line speed and (b) capacity on the North Wales Coast Main Line.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
I am pleased to say that I have recently approved the progression of a relevant railway enhancement scheme to the next stage of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline. My department is willing to fund the development of an Outline Business case for interventions aimed at increasing line speed and capacity on the North Wales Coast Main Line. We have engaged with stakeholders in Wales on the specification of this work, and will maintain such engagement as it proceeds over the next twelve to eighteen months.
Asked by: James Davies (Conservative - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support private coach and bus companies facing financial difficulty as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Government is supporting essential bus services across England with a funding package totalling £397 million.
In March the Chancellor announced £330 billion of guarantees, so businesses, such as coach operators, have access to the funds to pay essential bills. This includes the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has been extended until the end of October.