Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme, whether Network Rail has plans to make available increased capacity to provide additional diversionary routes during the TransPennine upgrade.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The use of the additional capacity created by the Hope Valley Capacity scheme will be determined by the franchise specifier, the Rail North Partnership. Diversionary routes for the proposed Transpennine Route Upgrade will be part of the next phase of planning once the scope is agreed.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when construction work is planned to start on Network Rail's Hope Valley Capacity Order.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
On 13 February 2018, the Secretary of State announced his decision to provide Network Rail Infrastructure Limited with the legal powers to construct, operate and maintain new passing facilities and associated railway infrastructure on the Hope Valley route between Bamford and Hathersage and at Dore. Network Rail have completed the single option design for the railway infrastructure scheme proposed in the Hope Valley and the timetable for further work on this scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for train operating companies to operate increased services on Network Rail's Hope Valley Capacity Order.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department’s value for money assessment includes assumptions about the financial merits of increasing the number of passenger services on this route. This assessment will need to be refreshed as part of taking forward further work on this scheme. Decisions about future franchise changes will be assessed on their merits as part of this further work.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has allocated funding for Network Rail's Hope Valley Capacity Order.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
On 13 February 2018, the Secretary of State announced his decision to provide Network Rail Infrastructure Limited with the legal powers to construct, operate and maintain new passing facilities and associated railway infrastructure on the Hope Valley route between Bamford and Hathersage and at Dore. The position on funding for this scheme is as set out in the Secretary of State’s decision letter of 13 February 2018 which is available on the GOV.UK website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/network-rail-hope-valley-capacity-order
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the draft accessibility action plan for private hire vehicle passengers with assistance dogs.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The draft Accessibility Action Plan consultation ran from 24 August 2017 to 22 November 2017. The Government will publish a response in the spring, following careful analysis of the consultation responses received. The final Accessibility Action Plan will be published in the summer.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department's working group on taxi and private hire licensing plans includes in its remit disability equality training for drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Task and Finish group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles was established by the then Minister of State for Transport, John Hayes, and has received submissions from a number of disability representation organisations. I look forward to receiving the group’s findings soon.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to eliminate the single line bottleneck through Dore & Totley station on the Hope Valley railway route between Sheffield and Manchester.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the Great North Rail Project, the Hope Valley and Dore capacity schemes will increase track capacity to allow a more frequent service, accommodating three fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Manchester. This scheme is currently subject to a Transport and Works Act Order application, to which the Department is currently considering.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the early termination of the East Coast rail franchise?
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As with all recent franchise awards, Stagecoach Group PLC committed parent company support to inject funds into the franchise in circumstances where it doesn’t perform as predicted. We will hold them to that commitment in full.
From 2020 we intend to re-let the franchise as the East Coast Partnership, one of the first of a new generation of integrated regional rail operations. This will include appropriate contributions from the new private partner under a long-term competitively procured contract.
We are always looking for the best ways to achieve value for money for the taxpayer and the best results for passengers. Reforms will build on the best of the public and private sectors, with private sector involvement bringing innovation, investment and competition.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department will use to assess transport strategies proposed by Transport for the North.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 Section 102I provides that a sub-national transport body’s transport strategy should contain its proposals for the promotion and encouragement of sustainable, safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within its area, as required to meet the needs of persons (including pedestrians) living, working or visiting its area and the needs of freight.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the powers to invest available to (a) Transport for London and (b) Transport for the North.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Mayor of London is elected by the residents of London. Transport responsibilities are devolved to him - he is responsible for the strategic direction of transport as well as operational delivery which is carried out by Transport for London (TfL). TfL manages multiple modes of transport including London Underground, London Overground, Buses, Docklands Light Railway as well as walking and cycling. TfL also manages London’s strategic roads. TfL naturally has powers to invest in the networks for which it has responsibility. In addition the Department and individual boroughs invest in networks in London for which they are responsible.
Transport for the North (TfN) has no responsibility for the operational delivery of transport services. Its important role is to provide a strategic transport vision for the North. TfN will have, like TfL, (subject to Parliamentary approval) ‘very broad’ powers to invest in Transport. For instance, TfN have virtually the same power of competence given to combined authorities, except that TfN’s power of competence can only be applied to transport functions.
Beyond this, the Government is also proposing that TfN have specific powers to fund joint transport projects (capital grants) and promote, fund and deliver joint road schemes (highway powers). It is not envisaged, however, that TfN will become either a Highway Authority or a transport operator.