Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make contingency plans for delivery by bodies other than Network Rail of Control Period 5 projects that the Hendy Review determines to be undeliverable and which are necessary in order to realise the full benefit of the introduction of AT300 trains to the South West peninsula.
Answered by Claire Perry
As Sir Peter Hendy’s report to the Secretary of State on the 25 November 2015 on the replanning of the CP5 Investment Programme made clear, the Cornwall Capacity Enabling Scheme, which will enable the delivery of the introduction of AT300 trains to the South West peninsula, will be delivered within CP5.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he holds on whether Sir Peter Hendy's review of Network Rail's programme plans will consider extending electrification to Plymouth and the South West Peninsula.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Secretary of State for Transport asked the new Chair of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy Review to review the enhancements programme as detailed in the Network Rail’s Control Period 5 (2014-2019) Rail Enhancement’s Delivery Plan. This did not include the electrification to Plymouth and the South West Peninsula. Electrification of this route is expected to be considered as part of the future strategy for the railway.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to electrify the South Devon Banks section of the rail line between Newton Abbott and Plymouth by 2018.
Answered by Claire Perry
Plans to electrify the South Devon Banks section of the rail line between Newton Abbott and Plymouth are not included within the current Great Western Main Line electrification program. The Department expects that an update to the industry electrification strategy will be published by Network Rail as a draft for consultation in early 2016. This will take into account the outcome of Sir Peter Hendy’s Review of Network Rail’s 2014-2019 rail enhancements portfolio which is expected later this Autumn. The draft strategy considers potential routes for further electrification in Great Britain including those in the South West.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the publication of the feasibility studies on the rail line at Dawlish and the potential route via Okehampton and Tavistock.
Answered by Claire Perry
Network Rail is carrying out a further study to look at the long term resilience of the rail route through Dawlish. The study is due to be fully complete in April 2016 with an options assessment report available in November 2015.
The Peninsula Rail Task Force has also been asked to look at alternative routes including that via Okehampton and is due to report its findings in June 2016. The Task Force provided progress of their work at the Peninsula Rail Task Force South West reception held on Wednesday 15 July.