Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the viability of HS2 Phase 2b since the red unachievable rating given by the Infrastructure Projects Authority; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
HS2 Phase 2b is at a much earlier stage of development than other phases of the HS2 project, with baseline cost and schedule information still being finalised. It is also being looked at as part of the Integrated Rail Plan, which will soon outline exactly how major rail projects, including HS2 phase 2b and other transformational projects such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, will work together to deliver the reliable train services that passengers across the North and Midlands need and deserve. This will provide further certainty on issues like phasing on HS2 Phase 2b, which, together with approvals on baseline cost and schedule information, will allow the project to proceed to its next stage and in turn improve delivery confidence.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an HS2 train service north bound from Birmingham Curzon Street station is contingent on completion of the HS2 line to Manchester.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate after HS2 services start running. These decisions will be taken nearer the time, drawing on advice from West Coast Partnership Development and Network Rail, and will be subject to public consultation.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether HS2 Ltd still plans to tunnel the railway under the A38 immediately east of Streethay near Lichfield.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The alignment of the new railway is unchanged from when Parliament passed the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act in 2017.
Please note that whilst the railway itself is all below ground level, it is not a “tunnel” under the A38 as such; an overbridge will be constructed to take the dual carriageway over the new railway, which will pass under the A38 immediately to the east of Streethay housing, just at the point where the slip roads to/from Burton Road meet the dual carriageway.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he had discussions with HS2 on the inclusion in (a) the consultation on HS2 Phase 2a of the route (b) a leaflet published by HS2 and sent to relevant residents and businesses the inclusion of a paragraph which states given the extensive consultation already undertaken for Phase 2a and consideration of the scheme by both select committees in Parliament, the Government does not intend to make changes to the Phase 2a scheme or to its planned construction programme in light of this consultation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No, Ministers did not have discussions with HS2 Ltd on the paragraph included in the Phase 2a consultation and leaflet prior to its publication.
The leaflet published by HS2 Ltd did not accurately set out the purpose of the consultation and how responses will be analysed and considered. I have asked HS2 Ltd to send out an updated leaflet to those residents living within 1km of the route who received the first leaflet to make this clear, making clear that all responses will be carefully considered.
The aim of the Phase 2a consultation is to help the Government understand in more detail the environmental impacts of the scheme on local communities as it takes the scheme forwards, and to identify and implement further mitigation measures. It will also help the Government better understand the concerns of local communities on their local transport provision. Once the responses are analysed the Government will publish a summary report and set out how it proposes to address the issues raised.