Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the planned electrification on the Hull-Leeds, Sheffield-Hull and Sheffield-Leeds routes has entered Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network North provides £3bn (2019 prices) to upgrade and electrify the railway between Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.
We are working with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to agree the delivery schedule and will provide more information on this when plans are more mature. All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the the proposed electrification of the North Wales mainline, whether that project has entered the Rail network enhancements pipeline; what the project's Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is as of 16 January 2024; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the Member for Newport East which was answered on 18 January 2024.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 52 of the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, whether the proposed upgrade to Waverly station has entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Waverley station project has entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline. A Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for this project has been completed by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), with funding from the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund. The next stage for the Waverley project is being progressed by SYMCA, who will lead the project as far as Single Option Selection and the development of an Outline Business Case. The Department will then fund the project to delivery, subject to the updated business case.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 25 of the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, whether the proposed Midlands Rail hub has entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government received a business case for MRH’s "West and Central" scope (for improved services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Hereford/Worcester) from Network Rail in November 2022. We are assessing the case for moving to the next stage through the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, which would involve preparing detailed designs and working towards a future decision to deliver the scheme. We hope to be able to confirm next steps very soon.
In progressing MRH’s "Eastern" scope (for improved services between Birmingham and the East Midlands), in addition to considering the business case being prepared by Network Rail, we will also need to now take stock of the Network North plans and how the scheme can best optimise transport links throughout the region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 71 of the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, whether the new station at Tavistock has entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Tavistock to Plymouth project has entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline. A Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for this project has been completed by Devon County Council, with funding from the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund. Work is underway with industry partners to develop a proposal for the next stage of works, leading up to Single Option Selection and the development of an Outline Business Case. The next PACE stage for the project will be Engineering Stage 1. The Department is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timescales for the Tavistock to Plymouth project.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to increase access to affordable public transport options for people aged between 16 and 24 in Newcastle.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government introduced a £2 cap on single bus fares in England outside London on 1 January 2023 to help all passengers save on their regular travel costs. The Government is investing nearly £600 million to deliver the scheme, including additional funding redirected from HS2 to keep the cap in place until the end of 2024. There are currently over 140 bus operators and more than 5,000 routes in the scheme, including routes in Newcastle.
The Government is also providing over £2 billion to help local transport authorities (LTAs) deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP). This includes the announcement by the Prime Minister in October 2023 that a further £1 billion would be redirected from HS2 to deliver better bus services in the North and the Midlands.
The North East has so far been allocated £175 million to deliver their BSIP, which can be used to support any bus service improvements that the local authority – working with local bus operators – know their community needs, including introducing local fares initiatives in addition to the Government’s £2 bus fare cap. Thanks to this funding, Transport North East has launched a £1 fare for the under 22s and a £3 daily ticket for under 22s offering unlimited travel on bus, Metro and Ferry throughout the region.
More widely, the North East is now eligible for the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement following their Devolution Deal and, upon election of a Mayor, we will work with them on their delivery plans to support local transport within the region. Up to £563m is available from their CRSTS 1 funding settlement (from 2022 – 2027). CRSTS 2 allocations were announced as part of Network North in October, with the North East indicatively allocated a further £1,849 billion from 2027/28 -2031/32.
Additionally, there are a range of discounts available to 16 to 24-year-olds to help with the cost of rail travel - in 2019 we introduced the 16-17 Saver, meaning that a 50% discount is available to children throughout their period of compulsory education and training. For those aged 16-25, the 16-25 Railcard offers a third off most rail travel.
In England, the majority of bus services outside London operate on a commercial basis, and decisions about offering reduced or discounted fares for commercial bus services are predominantly for operators to take. Many bus operators currently offer discounted travel cards for younger people. Our most recent set of statistics shows that at least one commercial operator in 71 out of 84 travel concession authority areas in England, outside London, offered some form of discounted travel for young people.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Energy Coast Line Upgrades between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow have entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Officials are currently working with local partners and Network Rail on plans for the proposed upgrade following the Network North announcement. The project is currently at the Strategic Development & Project Selection stage in PACE.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline status and (b) Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is; and when Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment approval was received.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are making progress on planning and delivering the schemes within Network North alongside our other rail enhancements priorities, working with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver the benefits of this investment
The Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is part of the Government’s Network North proposals, which commit to providing up to £2bn (in 2019 prices) for significant improvements in rail connectivity between Bradford and Manchester (via Huddersfield) and a new station in Bradford.
The £2bn from Network North is in addition to £500m committed in the Integrated Rail Plan to upgrading the line between Leeds and Bradford Interchange with opportunity to reduce journey times to as low as 12 minutes between Leeds and Bradford.
All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the new approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements, replacing GRIP. We are working closely with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to develop delivery timescales and further information will be shared once work is more mature.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) final cost to the public purse and (b) completion date of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are making progress on planning and delivering the schemes within Network North alongside our other rail enhancements priorities, working with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver the benefits of this investment
The Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is part of the Government’s Network North proposals, which commit to providing up to £2bn (in 2019 prices) for significant improvements in rail connectivity between Bradford and Manchester (via Huddersfield) and a new station in Bradford.
The £2bn from Network North is in addition to £500m committed in the Integrated Rail Plan to upgrading the line between Leeds and Bradford Interchange with opportunity to reduce journey times to as low as 12 minutes between Leeds and Bradford.
All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the new approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements, replacing GRIP. We are working closely with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to develop delivery timescales and further information will be shared once work is more mature.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will publish the Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment status of planned upgrades to Ferryhill Station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements. Many of these projects are at the start of that process, reflecting their nature as new priorities, while other schemes had already made progress ahead of the announcement. The project was initially proposed by Durham County Council who led on the initial development work. Since being confirmed for progression, the Department has further developed the project's business case, looking at route capacity, station locations and has updated the forecast costs. The next PACE stage for the Ferryhill station project will be Engineering Stage 1.