Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request that the outcome of the Civil Aviation Authority's consultation on changing Class E airspace procedures be shared with his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There has not been a specific consultation launched on changing Class E airspace by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) but airspace users have asked about its use.
The department has a close working relationship with the CAA and documents are routinely shared. This would include any outcome of the information request about Class E.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request that the outcome of the Civil Aviation Authority's consultation on changing Class E airspace procedures be shared with his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There has not been a specific consultation launched on changing Class E airspace by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) but airspace users have asked about its use.
The department has a close working relationship with the CAA and documents are routinely shared. This would include any outcome of the information request about Class E.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people expected to travel by train north from Wellingborough each day (a) in peak and (b) off-peak time in (i) March 2018, (ii) June 2018 and (iii) December 2019.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department does not hold figures to this level of detail.
However our estimates based on ticket sales data is that on an average c.900 people travelled south from Wellingborough to St Pancras in 2015-16 (across the whole day), and c.300 people travelled north from Wellingborough to main stations on the Midland Mainline in 2015-16 (across the whole day). Of these passengers approximately 45% were travelling to Kettering or Corby, with the balance travelling to Market Harborough or beyond.
Our growth forecast across the whole East Midlands franchise (not specifically from Wellingborough) from that date until 2019 is c 6%.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people expected to travel by train from Wellingborough to St Pancras each day in (a) peak and (b) off-peak time in (i) March 2018, (ii) June 2018 and (iii) December 2019.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department does not hold figures to this level of detail.
However our estimates based on ticket sales data is that on an average c.900 people travelled south from Wellingborough to St Pancras in 2015-16 (across the whole day), and c.300 people travelled north from Wellingborough to main stations on the Midland Mainline in 2015-16 (across the whole day). Of these passengers approximately 45% were travelling to Kettering or Corby, with the balance travelling to Market Harborough or beyond.
Our growth forecast across the whole East Midlands franchise (not specifically from Wellingborough) from that date until 2019 is c 6%.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that Wellingborough Station becomes the interchange hub for intercity trains traveling north.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government and rail industry are investing in the biggest improvement in rail travel since the Victorian era, including through the upgrade of the Midland Main Line. This programme will improve rail journeys for passengers using the Midland Main Line to travel to and from London St Pancras. Once electrification of the Midland Main Line to Corby is complete in 2020, passengers at Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway will benefit from a new, dedicated, fast commuter service into London St Pancras. The electric trains will be longer, with more seats.
All options for rail services in the next East Midlands rail franchise are subject to analysis of the potential benefits and our consultation with stakeholders, which closed on 11 October 2017. Northbound connectivity on Midland Main Line intercity services was raised as a particular concern in the public consultation. On the basis of that feedback we are reviewing the proposed stopping patterns to attempt to maintain as many of those journey opportunities as possible.
No decisions have yet been made on rail services that will be specified for the next franchise. The next franchise is planned to start in August 2019. Invitations to Tender are due to be issued to potential bidders later this year. The ITT will set out the minimum requirements and provide the baseline that we expect the next franchise to build on.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the seating capacity provided by the Meridian and HST trains servicing the East Midlands franchise and bi-mode trains which will replace those trains.
Answered by Paul Maynard
When we release the Invitation to Tender for the next East Midlands Franchise, the minimum on-train capacity requirements for the franchise will be considered in the specification for the bidders. It will then be for the successful bidder for the next East Midlands Franchise to fulfil and exceed these requirements.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the line speeds are for the (a) newly installed sections north of Bedford to Corby and (b) existing electric infrastructure south of Bedfordshire into London St. Pancras.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The new lines between Bedford and Corby will support speeds of up to 125mph for passenger trains. The existing lines between St Pancras and Bedford currently support speeds of up to 100 mph for electric passenger trains, and we are developing plans to adjust the Overhead Line Equipment on this section in order to enable the new trains coming into service on the Midland Main Line to run at the improved line speeds.
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
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.