Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for the use of hydrogen-powered trains on the rail network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government supports the use of new technologies like hydrogen-powered trains to decarbonise the railway and help us meet our net zero carbon emissions by 2050 target. The Network Rail-led Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy indicates that decarbonising the railway by 2050 will involve a mix of the deployment of alternative traction technologies and further electrification.
The Government is supporting the development of battery and hydrogen technology through innovation funding and research. This includes work on safety and wider issues that will have to be considered to allow battery and hydrogen trains smooth entry onto the network.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on ensuring that the roll-out of hydrogen vehicles keeps pace with the rapid growth in hydrogen fuel production.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Low carbon hydrogen is one of a handful of critical options needed to deliver net zero, given its potential to help decarbonise heavy industry and flexible deployment across heat, power, and transport. We will be setting out our approach to growing the UK hydrogen economy early next year in the UK Hydrogen Strategy.
The Department regularly engages with the Department for Transport on tackling climate change and delivering our net zero commitments.
On 30 September, it was announced that Tees Valley will be the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub, bringing together industry, academia, and the Government to accelerate the UK’s take-up of green hydrogen. This aligns with wider plans to drive forward transport innovation by funding 19 new hydrogen-powered refuse trucks in Glasgow and starting trials for Britain’s first hydrogen-powered train. We are committed to exploring all options for low carbon hydrogen across freight, buses, trains, maritime, and aviation to ensure that the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use across the economy.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to bring forward plans for hydrogen trains.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government supports the use of new technologies and further electrification to decarbonise the railway and help us meet our net zero carbon emissions by 2050 target. Network Rail is currently working to determine which parts of the network could be best suited to hydrogen or battery trains and which could be best suited to further electrification.
The Department supports development of rail hydrogen technology and has contributed £750,000 to facilitate trials of the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train, HydroFLEX.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the role of hydrogen in the strategy to decarbonise transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Government is committed to tackling climate change and delivering our net zero commitment and Ministers regularly discuss this with Cabinet colleagues.
Last week we announced that Tees Valley will be the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub, bringing together industry, academia and government to accelerate UK’s take up of green hydrogen. This aligns with wider plans to driver forward progress by funding 19 new hydrogen powered refuse trucks in Glasgow and starting trials for Britain’s first hydrogen powered train. We are committed to exploring all the options for green hydrogen across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and ensuring the UK can leads the world in its deployment and use in transport applications.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to introduce early stage projects with the objectives of (a) progressing the introduction of hydrogen trains on the UK rail network and (b) increasing exports of UK-made hydrogen trains.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government supports the use of new technologies like hydrogen trains on the railway to deliver our legally binding target of net-zero UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To achieve railway decarbonisation, the Department is currently working with Network Rail and the rail industry to determine which parts of the network are best suited to the use of hydrogen or battery trains, and which parts are best suited to further electrification.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of the UK rail network are suitable for hydrogen technology powered trains to operate.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Network Rail has recently published its Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy Interim Programme Business Case (TDNS IPBC), a study to recommend how best to decarbonise Great Britain’s rail network. In TDNS IPBC, Network Rail has recommended that hydrogen train deployment could be considered for deployment across over 800 Single Track Miles of Great Britain’s rail infrastructure, in order to decarbonise the railway.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is his Department's policy is on the use of hydrogen trains as a replacement for diesel trains; and what steps his Department is taking to support the development and introduction of hydrogen trains.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government supports the use of new technologies on the railway to deliver our legally binding target of net-zero UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Department for Transport is currently working with the rail industry to determine which parts of the network are best suited to the use of hydrogen or battery trains, and which are best suited to further electrification, to support decarbonisation of the railway. We are also supporting the development of hydrogen and battery technology through innovation funding and research.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of progress in the development of hydrogen technology and how it could be applied to public transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2018, the Department for Transport published the outputs of the Transport Energy Model. The model provides a clear assessment of the relative environmental impacts, including on greenhouse gas emissions and air quality, of a range of fuel and powertrain options for cars, vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles over the period to 2050, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for green hydrogen in transport across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and how the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use. Further details will follow in due course.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to establish a hydrogen hub; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution that a hydrogen hub could play in de-carbonising transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for green hydrogen in transport across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and how the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use. Further details will follow in due course.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to establish a hydrogen hub; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution that a hydrogen hub could play in de-carbonising transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for green hydrogen in transport across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and how the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use. Further details will follow in due course.