Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the Birmingham to Shrewsbury (via Telford) railway line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Midlands Connect, the sub-national transport body which researches, develops and progresses transport projects in the Midlands, are refreshing the Business Case for line speed improvements to this route. My officials are in regular contact with Midlands Connect to support them in this work, and I expect to receive a Business Case later this year.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the installation of solar panels as part of the motorway network; and which Government department or agency would provide (a) consent, (b) investment and (c) retain revenue concerns.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways, who are responsible for operating, maintaining, and improving the Strategic Road Network, which includes motorways and trunk ‘A’ roads, is actively exploring renewable energy generation as part of its Net Zero Highways plan.
Multiple trials and studies have been conducted, including solar panels on signs and structures on the Strategic Road Network. National Highways have also considered larger ground-mounted solar farms on non-operational estates, small scale Renewable Energy Generation on the Strategic Road Network, Renewable Energy Generation at depots and solar car ports at depots and motorway service areas.
Feasibility studies to retrofit solar panels on existing motorway structures has shown that it does not represent value for money. The most economically viable option identified is rooftop solar generation at depots where most of the generation is consumed on-site and acts to offset the use of electricity from the grid.
On the issue of consent, rooftop solar generation in depots does not require planning permission, however, it is expected that any installations on the Strategic Road Network would be subject to consent using powers within the Highways Act 1980. Any installations on National Highways’ non-operational estates would be subject to consent by the relevant Local Planning Authority.
The Department provides investment to National Highways for such activities under the Road Investment Strategy funding. Any revenue from energy generation initiatives will help reduce National Highways’ operational expenditure.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of introducing a direct train from Telford to London.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No assessment has been made of the economic benefit of introducing a direct train from Telford to London. Since June 2024, Telford Central has had a regular fast service every 30 minutes to and from Birmingham New Street that provides good onward connections to and from London Euston, and journey times of as little as 2 hours 20 minutes.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of electrifying the train track from Telford to (a) Wolverhampton and (b) Shrewsbury.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
With an indicative cost of ~£270m, Midlands Connect, the sub-national transport body which researches, develops and progresses transport projects in the Midlands, view electrification of this route as prohibitively expensive.
However, they are refreshing the Business Case for line speed improvements to this route, and my officials are in regular contact with Midlands Connect to support them in this work. The Minister of State for Rail expects to receive an updated Business Case later this year.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made on the potential economic impact of linking the M54 and M6 north.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The proposed M54 to M6 link road in the Road Investment Strategy was most recently assessed as high value for money and with a benefit to cost ratio of 3.17.