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Written Question
London-Weymouth Railway Line
Monday 15th December 2014

Asked by: Richard Drax (Conservative - South Dorset)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to consider options for creating a new fast train service between London Waterloo and Weymouth.

Answered by Claire Perry

We will consider all options for improving journey times on the route to Weymouth within the infrastructure and operational constraints. The draft Wessex Route Study was published by Network Rail for consultation on 3 November 2014, setting out the strategic vision for the route over the next 30 years. The consultation is open until 17 February 2015 and responses will be published in due course.

Responses to the consultation will feed in to the final version of the Wessex Route Study, which is due to be published next year. This will then help to inform the Government’s priorities for the next Rail Investment Strategy, for the period 2019-2024 (control period 6).

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"We have had green bins in Gloucestershire; perhaps we can have green buses in Dorset.

It is a fact that rural bus services in my constituency are under great pressure, as they are across the country. In urban areas, bus services will continue for as long as demand and passenger …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I thank my hon. Friend for his wise intervention and I agree with both the points he makes. However, although his efforts to provide some form of service are to be highly praised, such a service does not necessarily fit in with the right timings to get people to or …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I applaud the scheme in Northern Ireland. The Minister will no doubt have heard the hon. Gentleman’s point and perhaps he will comment on it.

Another pressure on rural bus services is the concessionary bus pass. Government statistics show that 30% of all bus journeys are now made using this …..."
Richard Drax - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s intervention and I agree with her entirely. I wonder whether the Minister will consider the point I was about to make. Obviously, some routes in rural areas are loss-making. When contracts are put out to bus operators, as part of that contract, should …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I welcome anything along those lines. I agree with my hon. Friend, and I am sure the Minister can expand on that point and say how far such an arrangement has progressed. We welcome any initiative that creates a better and more integrated bus service, not least for those who …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I agree, and I think my hon. Friend has answered her own point: our hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman) has made some suggestions. I would entirely concur with anything that creates a better, more integrated system that is not as convoluted as she describes.

Local authorities nationwide …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I have got two hon. Friends wishing to intervene...."
Richard Drax - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"Again, I agree with my hon. Friend. I have some experiences in my constituency—I am wandering slightly off the point—where, as I understand it, school children cannot get to school because the school bus will not pick them up, as they are not quite in the catchment area, yet if …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Rural Bus Services

"I give way to my hon. Friend...."
Richard Drax - View Speech

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