Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report entitled, Identifying the Multimodal Strategic Freight Network and the Value of Improving its Operation, published by the UK Major Ports Group, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the cost of bottleneck junctions in (a) Bramley, Hampshire and (b) the UK.

In Control Period 5 (2014-2019), Government made available £235m through the Strategic Freight Network fund, investing in projects to support rail freight growth. The route out of the Port of Southampton is benefiting from a programme of investment to enable longer freight trains to operate between there and the North / Midlands.

There is funding available in Control Period 6 (2019-2024) for continued improvements to the rail network. Government is working with Network Rail and the freight industry to develop options for investment over the next five years.