Flooding: Transport Disruption Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Flooding: Transport Disruption

Jeremy Lefroy Excerpts
Thursday 13th February 2014

(10 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I am very pleased to say that the Government will be electrifying the whole of the line to Sheffield, which has been called for for a very long time. The electrification of our railways—we are committed to electrifying more than 800 miles in the next control period between 2014 and 2019—is very important for the long-term future of the railways in this country.

Jeremy Lefroy Portrait Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)
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My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to mention resilience and the importance of building that into any future lines. We have world-class tunnelling expertise from Crossrail, so can we ensure that far more of our rail lines are put in tunnels rather than deep cuttings? Earlier, he mentioned Shugborough tunnel in my constituency, which was put there to ensure that local residents—particularly, I believe, the Earl of Lichfield—were not disturbed by the line.

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I cannot think what other tunnelling my hon. Friend might have in mind. Next year, we will see the completion of tunnelling for Crossrail, which has been a substantial investment in the rail infrastructure of this country.