Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2024 to Question 9480 on Radlett Station: Access, if she will make it her policy to provide funding to improve accessibility at Radlett Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This did not include Radlett railway station.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department’s timetable is for announcing the next steps of the Access for All programme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Access for All (AfA) funds accessibility improvements to station infrastructure and to date has delivered over 260 additional step-free stations across Britain.
We have funded Network Rail to undertake feasibility studies on 50 stations which could be upgraded through AfA and plan to update stakeholders during the summer.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of removing Appendix B from the Persons with Reduced Mobility National Technical Specification Notice.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We recently published the Accessibility National Technical Specification Notice (NTSN), replacing the Persons with Reduced Mobility NTSN following an extensive review and public consultation facilitated by the Rail Safety and Standards Board. The Accessibility NTSN updates many specifications inherited from EU law while preserving ones that did not have a clear case for change.
We did not receive feedback on Appendix B during the review and public consultation or any assessment suggesting merit in its removal. However, we keep all NTSN content under regular review and will consider all feedback as part of our ongoing monitoring process.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2362 on Railway Stations: Access, what progress she has made on considering the best approach to the Access for All programme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Further to my answer of 3 September 2024, we are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding Access for All. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to improve accessibility at Radlett Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding Access for All projects at specific stations including at Radlett station. However, please be assured that we are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to allocate further funding through the Access for All programme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking on ensuring the extension of the Oyster card pay as you go system to Radlett.
Answered by Claire Perry
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has a Committed Obligation to deliver proposals with an acceptable business case for Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG) and contactless payment (CPAY) to five stations and their respective Lines of Route; this obligation includes Radlett.
The works needed to complete this obligation are technically complex and require a substantial amount of work by Transport for London (TfL) - including a significant upgrade to the Oyster back office which will not be complete before 2017 - before they can be introduced.
GTR, TfL and DfT officials meet at a Project Board every month to review progress.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of the proposed works to the Elstree Tunnels on commuter rail services.
Answered by Claire Perry
This work is part of Network Rail’s renewals programme. Renewals works are an operational matter for Network Rail and my Department does not make any assessment of their local impacts.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the capacity of the Elstree rail tunnels to accommodate rail freight trains for the proposed Radlett rail freight terminal.
Answered by Claire Perry
It is the responsibility of the developers, working with Network Rail, to undertake any feasibility study, cost analysis or modifications necessary to the Elstree rail tunnels to achieve W10 gauge clearance. This forms part of the required Rail Related Works set out in the Conditions attached to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government’s approval of the planning application for the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Terminal.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a feasibility study has been undertaken on modifications to the Elstree rail tunnels; and whether his Department has undertaken a cost analysis on those modifications.
Answered by Claire Perry
It is the responsibility of the developers, working with Network Rail, to undertake any feasibility study, cost analysis or modifications necessary to the Elstree rail tunnels to achieve W10 gauge clearance. This forms part of the required Rail Related Works set out in the Conditions attached to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government’s approval of the planning application for the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Terminal.