Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultation he plans to undertake before any rail freight sites owned by Network Rail are sold.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department for Transport and Network Rail have undertaken early discussions with key stakeholders in the rail freight industry, including a meeting with the Rail Freight Group, regarding options for the sale of rail freight sites owned by Network Rail.
The on-going process of identifying options for the sale of rail freight sites is at a very early stage. Key stakeholders will be engaged throughout the process.
Network Rail is required to consult should it wish to dispose of land in which it has an interest and which may be important to the continuing operation and future development of the network. A full consultation process will be undertaken before any final decision is taken about the sale of freight sites owned by Network Rail.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of freight capacity in freight sites owned by Network Rail.
Answered by Claire Perry
The capacity of a freight site is determined by a number of factors including the parameters of the site, the loading capabilities within the site and the capacity of the rail network connecting to the site. The department has not made any assessment of the capacity in freight sites owned by Network Rail. Network Rail does not hold all the information required to make such an assessment as this is partly held by those freight operators who manage the sites.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Network Rail paid to buy back land from rail freight owners in October 2014.
Answered by Claire Perry
This was a commercial matter for Network Rail. The total cost to Network Rail of acquiring the lease interests of the Freight Operators under Project Mountfield was £220 million.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons Network Rail bought back rail lands in October 2014; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
This decision was made by Network Rail, and I have sought clarification from the company as to the reasons. I am informed that the purchase was made to increase competition and efficiency across the freight industry, opening up the market to operators.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money accrued to the public purse at the time of rail privatisation from land sold by British Rail to private freight companies.
Answered by Claire Perry
British Rail did not sell land directly to private freight companies but transferred land to the different freight entities within its own operations in advance of the sale of the freight business. It would no longer be possible at this point to extrapolate the land value from the company value.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what land Network Rail is considering selling which can be utilised for rail freight .
Answered by Claire Perry
No decision has been taken about which sites owned by Network Rail should be sold. Network Rail is reviewing the complete freight land holdings and the options for the portfolio for the future to identify those sites which are surplus. This will include an assessment of which sites are required, or are likely to be required in the future, for freight use.
A robust process of identifying options for the sale of rail freight sites is on-going but at a very early stage, and a full consultation process will be undertaken before any final decision is taken about the sale of freight sites owned by Network Rail.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when meetings have taken place between the Rail North board and his Department in the last six months; and what the subject of those meetings was.
Answered by Andrew Jones
On 21st December 2015, a meeting took place between Rail North Ltd Directors and the Department at which the two Project Directors presented the outcome of the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise competitions.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail routes are planned to be designated driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
This is an operational matter for the new franchisee to discuss with its staff and their trade union representatives after they have taken over the franchise on 1st April.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether meetings of Rail North will be held in public.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Whether Rail North holds its meetings in public is a matter for that organisation.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what involvement Rail North will have in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Rail North will not have a role in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.