Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the payments the Government will receive from the Greater Anglia rail services in each of the next five years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As detailed in the response to Question 91938, I expect Greater Anglia will remain a net contributor; exact income levels will be agreed during the rolling business planning process. Information on the operator's income will be published in the statutory accounts, available from Companies House, in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of changes in passenger numbers on Greater Anglia services in each of the next ten years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Over each of the next ten financial years, I expect Greater Anglia to continue to grow passenger numbers. Projections will be firmed up during the rolling business planning process, taking into account regional long-term planning assessments.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of levels of congestion on (a) the A12 between junctions 19 and 25; and (b) the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey in each of the next 15 years compared to current levels.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways is currently undertaking a study on the A12 (junctions 19 to 25) that includes an assessment of current and future congestion levels on the corridor. This study is expected conclude by the end of this year.
National Highways is not currently undertaking a specific study to assess levels of congestion on the A120 corridor in each of the next 15 years compared to current levels.
The Local Plan process requires Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to assess the impacts of proposed growth allocations, including impacts on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The LPAs of Chelmsford, Braintree, and Colchester are all in the process of updating their respective Local Plans. This work is ongoing and continues to build towards a fuller understanding of potential future impacts.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) what funding she has made available for improvements to (a) safety; and (b) junctions between Junctions 19 and 25 on the A12 in each of the next five years; and (2) what funding she has made available for improvements to (a) safety; and (b) junctions between Braintree and Marks Tey on the A120 in each of the next five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have committed over £27 billion to deliver the objectives set out in the third Road Investment Strategy to ensure the strategic road network continues to serve all users effectively. This includes £24.99 billion for National Highways to operate, maintain, renew, and enhance the network during this period covering 2026–31. National Highways is responsible for determining how this funding is best allocated to deliver the objectives of the third Road Investment Strategy.
For the A12 in Essex, National Highways forecasts a spend of c. £55 million for various capital renewals over the next five years, with £4.8 million allocated in 2026–27 and the remainder to be confirmed annually.
For the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey, c. £5.6 million has been allocated for various capital renewals for the next five years, including £3.2 million in 2026–27, with the remainder to be confirmed annually.
This investment enables safety and network resilience works and varies based on network needs, and could include measures such as improving road surfaces, visibility, and renewing ageing structural assets.
National Highways is also exploring proportionate, targeted small-scale interventions on the A12 corridor in Essex, subject to demonstrating alignment with wider government objectives for potential delivery in future road periods.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any costs were incurred by updating railway station announcements to convey a message from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cost of loading and subsequently removing the announcement was £350; this was proportionate as a means of informing passengers about the freeze of regulated rail fares.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what performance targets she has set for Greater Anglia rail services since nationalisation.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
GA Trains Limited has been set, and is required, to meet targets for punctuality, reliability, service quality and customer satisfaction under the Services Agreement, and is required to publish its performance against these targets on a regular basis.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has undertaken an assessment of the benefits of the proposed A120 dualling scheme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Proposed improvements to the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey, where the A120 meets the A12, were considered in detail by National Highways and the Department during the second Road Period (2020-2025) as part of the pipeline of potential future major enhancements to the strategic road network. The Department will provide an update on the pipeline of potential future enhancements as part of the publication of RIS3, due in March.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of passenger numbers on Greater Anglia Services in each of the next five years; and what her estimate is of income from fare revenues on Greater Anglia Services in each of the next five years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As detailed in the response to Question 91938, over each of the next five financial years I expect Greater Anglia to continue to grow passenger numbers and income.
Exact income levels will be agreed during the rolling business planning process. Information on the operator's income will be published in the statutory accounts, available from Companies House, in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the changes in costs for the A12 widening scheme following the decision taken by the Secretary of State to pause that scheme in July 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The A12 scheme was deferred by the previous Government, adding to the overall cost of the scheme as set out in the table below.
Date | Estimated outturn cost | Source |
December 2014 | Expected cost category £100m–£250m | Published list of RIS1 schemes and cost bands https://www.ciht.org.uk/media/4382/roads-investment-strategy-summary-of-schemes.pdf |
March 2016 | Funding envelope of £750 million | Published Options Appraisal Report: A12 Chelmsford to A120 Options Assessment Report OAR.pdf |
September 2022 | £1,045-1,268 million | Published Funding Statement for Development Consent Order: Microsoft Word - TR010020_APP_1.1 - Introduction to the Application |
In July 2025, following the conclusion of the Spending Review, the Government took the difficult decision not to proceed with the A12 scheme, to provide certainty for the public.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has asked National Highways to update its business case for the A120 dualling scheme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
During the second Road Period (2020-2025) National Highways has been considering improvements to the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey as a possible future major enhancement to the network as part of the Road Investment Strategy pipeline.
The last formal iteration of the business case for these proposals was developed in 2022/23. Affordability and deliverability assessments have been further tested since then to inform decision making and investment planning for RIS3 and beyond. The third Road Investment Strategy is due to be published in March 2026 and will include an updated pipeline of future enhancement schemes.