Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the viability of the UK heritage rail sector of indigenous fuel constraints resulting from a ban on house coal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Government is aware of concerns raised on the matter of of the potential effect of a ban on domestic coal on the UK heritage rail sector. DCMS officials are hosting a meeting with representatives from the heritage fuel sector this month to discuss this issue, after which we will make an assessment of potential next steps.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which sites were identified by Network Rail as its (a) second and (b) third choice preference for a new sleeper factory following the selection of Bescot Rail Yard as its preferred site; for what reasons those two sites were rejected; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
A proposal for a new facility in Bescot is being developed by Network Rail to produce the sleepers necessary for them to maintain, renew, and enhance our rail network. The facility is intended to make up the shortfall when an existing facility at Washwood Heath is closed to become an HS2 depot.
There were originally six sites identified as potential locations for a new sleeper factory. Following a comprehensive review, Bescot Down in Sandwell and Kingmoor Depot in Carlisle were shortlisted for final consideration.
Kingmoor was subsequently discounted for a variety of reasons, including: a number of potentially significant environmental constraints such as land contamination; being located adjacent to several designated heritage assets as well as being within a world heritage site – significantly increasing development costs and reducing viability; and its geographical location in the north-west of England posing logistical challenges for transporting sleepers to projects based around the entire network.
I have no plans to make a statement about the proposed facility.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when (a) he or (b) one of his Ministers give evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on heritage rail for its inquiry into the potential effect on UK heritage railways of the proposals in the Government consultation on the cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
I have agreed with the RHM for Loughborough to speak to the APPG, though this is not about giving evidence to an inquiry. We have yet to agree a date.
The proposals in the consultation on domestic burning would not prevent heritage railways purchasing the fuels they need, including coal.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, where (a) deaths and (b) injuries on the rail network occurred in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The independent safety regulator for Britain’s railways, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), is responsible for monitoring health and safety performance across the rail network. This includes collecting annual data on the number of fatalities and injuries on the rail network, wherever these should occur.
Over the last 10 years, fatalities and injuries have been recorded on a number of parts of the network. These include stations and depots, at level crossings, at the trackside, on heritage railways, on tramways and on metro services such as London Underground.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 20 July 2017, HCWS85, on rail update, which models of (a) electric trains which would have been used on the lines will no longer be electrified and (b) bi-mode trains will now be used on those lines.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to using the best available technology to improve journey for passengers across the country – both through infrastructure works and new and refurbished rolling stock.
Electrification and bi-mode operation are not mutually exclusive. The Government is already taking advantage of the opportunities bi-mode trains presented by their ability to work across the network.
Great Western: From October 2017, passengers in Wales began to benefit from new bi-mode Intercity Express trains which will each deliver over 130 more seats, faster journey times and improved connectivity for south Wales to London with 40% more seats in the morning peak once the full fleet is in service.
Midland Main Line: Electrification of the whole route would have meant passengers waiting longer for new trains, as well as having more disruption to their journeys.
We will use the competition for the next operator of the East Midlands franchise to determine the precise model of train along the route.
Windermere: From May 2018, Northern will operate the route between Oxenholme and Windermere with a Class 319 flex, otherwise known as a Class 769. This is a bi-mode train, adapted from a former electric-only train which will be able to run under its own power as well.
Northern, the train operator, is looking at a number of technologies to improve journeys for passengers on this route and to protect the environment in this World Heritage Site.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to invest in station upgrades on the lakes line from Oxenholme to Windermere in light of the cancellation of plans to electrify that line.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are investing over £40bn in our network in the current investment period (CP5: 2014-2019) as part of the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century to provide faster journeys and more comfortable trains. On 12th October the Transport Secretary announced continued record levels of investment in the railways, with around £48bn to be spent between 2019-2024 (the next investment period: CP6).
Through our investment in the railway, passengers in the Lake District will benefit from four direct services a day in each direction between Windermere and Manchester Airport from May 2018. From 2019, there will be brand new trains with more seats and better on-board facilities. In addition, Northern, the train operator, is looking at a number of technologies to improve journeys for passengers on this route and to protect the environment in this World Heritage Site.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current legislation regarding endangering passenger safety on trains; and what assessment they have made of whether the current legislation regarding the safe operation of trains adequately protects the guard from legal action related to reckless actions by passengers.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is a range of legislation in place aimed at rail operators, to ensure the safety of the travelling public and workers, which is reviewed periodically. For example, The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS) provide the regulatory regime for rail safety, including the mainline railway, metros (including London Underground), tramways, light rail and heritage railways. These regulations were recently subject to a periodic implementation review (PIR), which found they were working well.
Any allegations about the conduct of rail staff, including in response to actions by passengers, would be subject to the appropriate civil or criminal law.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Transport on the potential merits of improving rail infrastructure on the Durham heritage coast in order to promote employment opportunities and inward investment in East Durham.
Answered by Margot James
Through its Growth Deal the North East Local Enterprise Partnership has prioritised £3.44m of funding through the Local Growth Fund (LGF) for the construction of a new station at Horden (Peterlee) on the Durham Coast line. The station will improve local travel links and improved access to more employment opportunities in the East Durham area and beyond.
In November 2016 the Department for Transport received an application to the second round of the New Stations Fund from Durham County Council to support the construction of the station. The Department for Transport is currently evaluating all bids against the qualifying and assessment criteria.
Also as part of the new Northern Franchise which operates on the Durham Coast line, Seaham will benefit from an additional early morning service to Middlesbrough and later evening service from Newcastle by May 2018. Also by 2020 the Pacer trains currently in operation will have been removed from the fleet.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with rail heritage organisations on the future of the Class 14X series Pacer trains.
Answered by Claire Perry
The rolling stock market is a private sector one and Class 14X Pacer trains are owned by rolling stock companies. The Secretary of State has held no recent discussions with rail heritage organisations about the future of the Pacer trains.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has issued on improving safety for pedestrians at railway crossings.
Answered by Claire Perry
Railway safety in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Department for Regional Development.
The Office of Rail and Road, in its role as the independent railway safety regulator for Great Britain, has published guidance for those who design, install, operate and maintain level crossings to assist them in understanding risks and responsibilities. This is available from http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/2158/level_crossings_guidance.pdf.
The Office of Rail and Road, and the Heritage Railway Association, have also worked with Network Rail to develop a range of guidance documents based on the type of user – pedestrian, driver, cyclist or horse rider. These are available from www.networkrail.co.uk/level-crossings/using-level-crossings.