Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average age is of (a) diesel-electric and (b) electric locomotives that will deliver annual rail freight growth targets to 2029-30.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As rail freight operating companies are privately owned and operated, the Department for Transport does not hold information on what the average age is of (a) diesel-electric and (b) electric locomotives in their fleets. We do expect that new bi-mode locomotives currently being introduced by operators and the gradual retirement of older diesel units will lower the average age of freight locomotives on the network.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many wagons are (a) owned and (b) leased by rail freight operating companies on the UK network.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As rail freight operating companies are privately owned and operated, the owning and leasing of wagons is a commercial matter for the businesses. No data is held by the department.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to protect rail freight (a) jobs and (b) assets in response to Deutsche Bahn’s decision to sell DB Cargo (UK).
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the sanction of a Withdrawal of Implied Permission notice by one Train Operating Company is confined to the services of the train operating company applying that sanction.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Individuals who have been issued with a full Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) will be banned from accessing the station the WIP was issued from and will be prohibited from using any train of that particular train operating company that passes through the same station.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which train companies contracted to her Department utilise Withdrawal of Implied Permission notices.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Usage of Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) notices are an operational matter for the train operating company or Network Rail. The Department does not hold data on which operators utilise WIPs.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the development of a railway-wide Withdrawal of Implied Permission notice.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department keeps security under constant review, however no change of policy for Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) is planned at this stage.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data she holds on the use of Withdrawal of Implied Permission notices by train operating companies.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Use of Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) notices is an operational matter for the train operating companies. The Department does not hold data on WIP notices.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance she has given to train companies contracted to her Department on the usage of Withdrawal of Implied Permission notices.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Usage of Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) notices are an operational matter for the train operating company or Network Rail and the Department does not issue guidance.
The Rail Delivery Group are able to provide guidance to operators on WIP notices.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Infrastructure Commission’s 2024 Cost Drivers report, published in October 2024, what steps she is taking to tackle the cost drivers for major UK infrastructure projects.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government will publish a Ten-year Infrastructure Strategy this summer, alongside the Spending Review, to outline the approach it is taking to improve the delivery of economic infrastructure, such as transport. The strategy aims to address the root causes of many of the cost drivers of major projects identified by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) in 2024. The strategy also includes plans for housing and social infrastructure, such as hospitals.
My department also has a rolling programme of project delivery change activity to improve project delivery outcomes over time. This includes established learning and development pathways, with all Senior Responsible Officers of our Major Projects Portfolio required to complete the Major Projects Leadership Academy.
Significant progress has also been made improving the governance of our portfolio of projects with the introduction of “IPDC (the Department’s senior investment committee) in Portfolio Mode”, and new arrangements to manage portfolio-level risks with our delivery partners, including National Highways, Network Rail, and HS2 Ltd.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the need for improvements to the Strategic Road Network to be included within the scope of the forthcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will set out the Government’s approach to core economic and social infrastructure, including transport. The Department recognises the Strategic Road Network (SRN) as a critical component of the UK’s transport infrastructure, supporting economic growth, connectivity, and the movement of people and goods across the country.
In collaboration with National Highways, the Department undertakes regular assessments of the SRN to identify priorities for investment and improvement through the preparation of road investment strategies. The third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), starting in April 2026, is currently in development.
Decisions on longer-term funding for the SRN will be made through the Spending Review 2025. However, the Government has already committed £4.842 billion for the SRN in 2025/26. The Interim Settlement, published in March 2025, details how this funding will be allocated, including priorities for maintenance, operations, and enhancements.