Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Welsh Government have made a formal request for the devolution of heavy rail infrastructure to Wales.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government committed to invest £445 million to enhance rail infrastructure across Wales at the Spending Review. Through the Wales Rail Board, the UK and Welsh Government are collaborating to make sure this investment delivers the greatest passenger benefits, drives economic growth, promotes social mobility, and tackles inequality.
Great British Railways will have a close and collaborative relationship with Transport for Wales, underpinned by objectives set jointly by UK and Welsh Ministers, to ensure the railway better serves passengers and freight.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to carry out an assessment of rolling stock as part of the move to Great British Railways to ensure that new trains meet passenger needs and the required speed of travel.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, for the first time in over 30 years, and we expect to publish it this summer. The strategy will pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction, passenger comfort and accessibility that can unlock jobs, opportunities and economic growth right across the country. The strategy will outline our expectations for our future rolling stock needs, including consideration of capacity and reliability, and how these can best be met.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many business units will Great British Railways comprise of.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Business Units will be the powerhouse of Great British Railways (GBR), bringing together today’s infrastructure management functions provided by Network Rail, and passenger operations currently led by train operating companies, into a single local team with an accountable leader.
The detailed design process is underway, including determining the geographic make-up of GBR’s Business Units, and hence their number.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the net zero targets are for (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s-length bodies; and whether guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport (DfT), the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Trinity House, Transport Focus, the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain, the Civil Aviation Authority, and Active Travel England (ATE) are committed to achieving the UK Government’s Net Zero Carbon target by 2050. The Department for Transport also holds policy responsibility for ensuring greenhouse gas emissions from in-use transport and transport infrastructure construction reduce in line with the legislated economy-wide target of net zero by 2050.
The position in terms of other Department for Transport bodies is set out below.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) supports the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. This includes reducing fuel lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, 80 per cent by 2040, and achieving zero emissions by 2050.
All other arm’s-length bodies will be expected to adopt the existing 2050 target or develop their own based on their operational impacts.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to reduce the cost to (a) the public purse, and (b) farepayers of the cost of maintaining payments to the current Rolling Stock companies (ROSCOs).
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We expect that, once established, Great British Railways (GBR) will continue to lease rolling stock where this offers value for money. The private-sector rolling stock market has brought significant benefits to passengers and taxpayers, with private investment worth over £20 billion since 1995. However, we are determined to work with the market to ensure it delivers best value for passengers and taxpayers in the future. That is why, even before establishing GBR, we are now developing a comprehensive long-term strategy for rolling stock and associated infrastructure – the first in more than thirty years. We intend to publish this next summer.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of upgrading and expanding monitoring and stabilisation works on Victorian railway embankments; and whether she plans to publish a timetable for funding for this infrastructure.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager of Britain’s railways, is responsible for maintaining the integrity and safety of the rail network to ensure passenger and freight services can operate reliably. Network Rail manages Victorian-era embankments—some over 150 years old—as part of a comprehensive, risk-based earthworks strategy. Its approach comprises policies, monitoring, maintenance, and engineering interventions. It is spending over £1bn on drainage and earthworks in 2024-2029 to ensure the integrity of the rail network, which includes embankment stabilisation.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the risks to (a) residents requiring urgent medical treatment and (b) other vulnerable residents when East Tilbury is cut off by level-crossing closures.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is for Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager for Britain’s railways, to assess and manage the risks at East Tilbury level crossing to ensure it remains safe for all users and the wider public, in accordance with its statutory safety duties.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on safety-risk assessments that consider the consequences for East Tilbury residents being cut off when the level-crossing barriers are down.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold this information. It is for Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager for Britain’s railways, to assess the risks at East Tilbury Level Crossing and ensure these are managed appropriately to protect users and the wider public, in accordance with its statutory safety duties.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of remote monitoring equipment used to detect landslips on the rail network; and what steps she is taking to improve detection rates.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager of Britain’s railways, is responsible for maintaining the integrity and safety of the rail network to ensure passenger and freight services can operate reliably.
Following the tragic derailment at Carmont in August 2020, Network Rail commissioned two task forces looking at earthworks management and extreme weather response. In response to these, Network Rail have taken forward a number of actions including commissioning an active nationwide monitoring regime using remote sensors, modelling and geotechnical assessments to monitor slope stability across the network.
In its 24/25 Annual Assessment, the independent safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, indicated that Network Rail is making good progress in its delivery of weather resilience and climate adaptation plans.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with National Rail and LNER on alternative platform solutions at Market Rasen on the Lincoln to Cleethorpes East Coast line.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
With rail infrastructure and passenger services being brought together as we progress towards Great British Railways, we expect a fresh assessment of the business case to be made. The aspirations of local communities and stakeholders are noted and will be incorporated as appropriate in future planning assessments, subject to available funding.