Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if (a) peak and (b) off peak direct inter-city services to Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham will continue to stop at (i) Luton, (ii) Bedford and (iii) Wellingborough as a result of the proposed changes to the East Midlands rail network.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
No firm decision on rail services in the next East Midlands franchise has yet been taken. The next franchise starts in August 2019. Invitations to Tender are due to be issued to potential bidders in April 2018. All options for rail services in the next franchise are subject to analysis of the potential benefits and our consultation with stakeholders, which closed on 11 October.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) equality impact assessment and (b) feasibility studies on increased passenger numbers at Kettering railway station.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The public consultation included proposals to improve intercity journey times between Sheffield (via Derby), Nottingham and London St Pancras by not stopping as often at stations used by commuters, such as Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough and Kettering. Passengers at these stations would instead be served by dedicated and more capacious high quality trains operating on the Corby–London route. The consultation sought views on these proposals given that, although the majority of passengers will benefit, a minority of passengers would need to change trains to complete their journeys as direct services would be reduced. We are currently reviewing the responses to that consultation and no decisions have been taken yet regarding the future timetable.
Both a) an equality impact assessment and b) a Kettering passenger number analysis will be carried out by the Department to inform this decision and we will publish them at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress is being made on finalising the East Midlands rail franchise.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The public consultation for the next East Midlands franchise closed on 11 October and we are currently analysing the responses we have received. Once complete, that analysis will help inform the specification of the new franchise. We expect to issue the Invitation to Tender to bidders in April 2018.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on people undertaking training for an EASA private pilot's licence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for people training for a private pilot’s licence and the UK’s future relationship with the European Aviation Safety Agency system.
As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and member states how best to continue cooperation in the field of aviation safety and standards. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of the negotiations.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Government's policy is on the construction of bypasses in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.
Answered by John Hayes
It is for the relevant transport authority (e.g. Northamptonshire County Council) to determine whether or not there is a case for a new bypass on the local road network and to seek the necessary funding, which could be from the council’s own resources, private developer contributions or central government funding.
For England’s motorways and major trunk roads, our vision is set out in the Road Investment Strategy (RIS). This recognises the importance of being a considerate neighbour to adjacent communities and that this can be achieved by bypassing towns and villages where appropriate.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on expediting decisions on road development in order to permit planned residential projects to proceed.
Answered by John Hayes
On the Strategic Road Network, Highways England is a statutory planning consultee and is required to respond to planning applications, within 21 days as a statutory requirement.
On local roads my Department has no direct role in Local Highway Authority decisions on the timing of road adoptions linked to residential housing developments. I plan to publish an Advice Note in the spring, which provides best practice guidance to support the successful adoption of such roads.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce when construction of the Isham bypass in Wellingborough constituency will (a) commence and (b) be finished.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Funding for the proposed Isham Bypass (also known as the A509 Wellingborough Development Link) was provisionally approved by the Government in 2014 as part of the Northamptonshire Growth Deal. This approval is subject to the scheme promoters, Northamptonshire County Council, obtaining any necessary statutory permissions and submitting to the Department a Final Business Case for approval.
The Council expects to submit a Final Business Case in March 2017. Ministers will then make a final funding decision, as quickly as possible thereafter, on whether to support the scheme. The Council’s current programme is to start construction in September 2017 and to open the completed road in April 2019.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned date for the (a) start and (b) finish of the A509 Isham bypass is; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The latest information provided by Northamptonshire County Council, the promoters of the A509 Wellingborough Development Link which contains the proposed Isham Bypass, is that subject to the successful completion of any remaining design and legal process, and approval by my Department, work could start on site in April 2017 and the scheme open in October 2018.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his current estimate is of when the (a) electrification and (b) improvement of the Midland mainline will be completed (i) in Northamptonshire and (ii) for the whole line.
Answered by Claire Perry
Electrification of the line should be completed north from Bedford to Ketteringand Corby in Northamptonshire by 2019 and the whole line north from Kettering to Leicester / Derby/ Nottingham & Sheffield by 2023.
Network Rail is proposing that line speed and capacity improvement works forming the remainder of the improvement works to the line will be co-ordinated with electrification in order to minimise disruption to passengers on the route.
Sir Peter Hendy has been asked to review Network Rail’s enhancement portfolio, so that works may be delivered over a more realistic timeframe. When we receive his report, expected later in the autumn, we will be able to announce more about the programme for the capacity and line speed works planned for the Midland Mainline.