Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, published on 14 July 2021, when he plans to announce further rail electrification schemes.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Electrification will play an important role, alongside battery and hydrogen trains, in our programme to achieve our net zero 2050 target.
We will continue to develop electrification schemes through the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline process in the usual way, to ensure that they are affordable, deliverable, and represent value for money.
Announcements on future rail electrification schemes will be informed by the outcome of the ongoing Spending Review.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what impact assessment his Department has been made of the increase in electricity charges on Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Strategy.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
An impact assessment of electricity price fluctuations on Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy (TDNS) has not been undertaken. TDNS is a long-term strategy that provides advice about the most appropriate technology (electrification, battery, or hydrogen) to power trains on each section of the network, based on certain assumptions. While the electricity price changes are expected to be short-term, the analysis that informs TDNS will need to be updated as technology develops.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of full electrification of the UK's railways and the removal of all diesel powered rolling stock.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In ‘Decarbonising Transport: a Better, Cleaner Britain’, the government has committed to delivering an ambitious, sustainable, and cost-effective programme of electrification, alongside deployment of battery and hydrogen trains, guided by the Network Rail-led Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy.
Electrification costs can vary significantly depending on factors that include complexity and geography. We will continue to ensure that new schemes deliver value for money for taxpayers.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the impact of idling diesel powered passenger trains on railway station passengers; and if he will take steps to help increase the use of renewable diesel for trains.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is determined to reduce the impact of poor air quality on railway users, workers, and neighbours. We know that air pollution in stations is an area of particular concern. To better understand it the Department has funded air quality monitoring studies at three large enclosed stations; Birmingham New Street, London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly. This research has highlighted that enclosed stations can be high risk areas for poor air quality, due to idling diesel engines and poor air flow and ventilation.
Following these findings, and given the importance of the issue, the Department is now funding a new £4.5 million air quality monitoring network.
This will be rolled out over the next three years, with air quality monitors installed in around 100 stations across England and Wales. Once established, the network will help the rail industry identify priority locations where air quality improvement measures are required. Responsible organisations will be required to produce air quality improvement plans with the aim that levels of air pollutants meet the targets we will set for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2.
The government has committed to a net zero railway by 2050, and set out an ambition to remove all diesel-only trains from the rail network by 2040, which will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. To achieve immediate carbon savings and air quality improvements, some rail operators are exploring the use of biofuels and sustainable alternative fuels. We recognise the potential value of sustainably sourced biofuels as a transitional technology, where their use is technically feasible and makes commercial and environmental sense. As part of Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain, the government has set out plans to work with stakeholders to develop a longer-term strategy on how the uptake and use of low-carbon fuels, including biodiesel and renewable hydrogen, could support decarbonisation across transport modes to 2050. The strategy is to be published in 2022.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to require the operators of diesel powered long distance high speed passenger trains to use renewable diesel instead of fossil diesel to support air quality for passengers in stations, railway staff and local communities close to the railway.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is determined to reduce the impact of poor air quality on railway users, workers, and neighbours. We know that air pollution in stations is an area of particular concern. To better understand it the Department has funded air quality monitoring studies at three large enclosed stations; Birmingham New Street, London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly. This research has highlighted that enclosed stations can be high risk areas for poor air quality, due to idling diesel engines and poor air flow and ventilation.
Following these findings, and given the importance of the issue, the Department is now funding a new £4.5 million air quality monitoring network.
This will be rolled out over the next three years, with air quality monitors installed in around 100 stations across England and Wales. Once established, the network will help the rail industry identify priority locations where air quality improvement measures are required. Responsible organisations will be required to produce air quality improvement plans with the aim that levels of air pollutants meet the targets we will set for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2.
The government has committed to a net zero railway by 2050, and set out an ambition to remove all diesel-only trains from the rail network by 2040, which will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. To achieve immediate carbon savings and air quality improvements, some rail operators are exploring the use of biofuels and sustainable alternative fuels. We recognise the potential value of sustainably sourced biofuels as a transitional technology, where their use is technically feasible and makes commercial and environmental sense. As part of Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain, the government has set out plans to work with stakeholders to develop a longer-term strategy on how the uptake and use of low-carbon fuels, including biodiesel and renewable hydrogen, could support decarbonisation across transport modes to 2050. The strategy is to be published in 2022.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to encourage and require the operators of diesel locomotives in the rail freight sector to use renewable diesel in place of fossil diesel to improve air quality for rail freight terminals, local communities and railway workers.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is determined to reduce the impact of poor air quality on railway users, workers, and neighbours. We know that air pollution in stations is an area of particular concern. To better understand it the Department has funded air quality monitoring studies at three large enclosed stations; Birmingham New Street, London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly. This research has highlighted that enclosed stations can be high risk areas for poor air quality, due to idling diesel engines and poor air flow and ventilation.
Following these findings, and given the importance of the issue, the Department is now funding a new £4.5 million air quality monitoring network.
This will be rolled out over the next three years, with air quality monitors installed in around 100 stations across England and Wales. Once established, the network will help the rail industry identify priority locations where air quality improvement measures are required. Responsible organisations will be required to produce air quality improvement plans with the aim that levels of air pollutants meet the targets we will set for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2.
The government has committed to a net zero railway by 2050, and set out an ambition to remove all diesel-only trains from the rail network by 2040, which will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. To achieve immediate carbon savings and air quality improvements, some rail operators are exploring the use of biofuels and sustainable alternative fuels. We recognise the potential value of sustainably sourced biofuels as a transitional technology, where their use is technically feasible and makes commercial and environmental sense. As part of Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain, the government has set out plans to work with stakeholders to develop a longer-term strategy on how the uptake and use of low-carbon fuels, including biodiesel and renewable hydrogen, could support decarbonisation across transport modes to 2050. The strategy is to be published in 2022.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to achieve the target of the rail network being net-zero by 2050 as part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
To meet our net zero commitment, and our ambition to remove diesel trains by 2040, as set out in the Decarbonising Transport: a Better, Cleaner Britain, we will continue to electrify more of the network, building on the almost 700 track miles of electrification that we have delivered in England and Wales in the last three years, and deploy hydrogen and battery trains on some lines, where they make operational and economic sense.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how he plans to remove all diesel-only trains on the rail network by 2040 as part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
To meet our net zero commitment, and our ambition to remove diesel trains by 2040, as set out in the Decarbonising Transport: a Better, Cleaner Britain, we will continue to electrify more of the network, building on the almost 700 track miles of electrification that we have delivered in England and Wales in the last three years, and deploy hydrogen and battery trains on some lines, where they make operational and economic sense.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the use of cleaner fuels on the rail network during the implementation of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Departmental ministers and officials regularly meet with train manufacturers and other stakeholders to discuss rail decarbonisation technologies, including cleaner fuels and biofuels.
We are committed to supporting the development of cleaner technologies in rail, like battery and hydrogen trains, and we recognise the potential value of sustainably sourced biofuels as a transitional technology, where their use is technically feasible and makes commercial and environmental sense.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to bring in (a) battery powered, (b) hydrogen powered and (c) overhead electric-line powered trains on East West Rail.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
EWR will operate an interim fleet of trains for the first services in Connection Stage 1 – Oxford to Milton Keynes - and Connection Stage 2 – Oxford to Bedford – to ensure the benefits of EWR for those passengers can be realised as soon as possible.
For its long-term fleet, which will be introduced at a later date, EWR Co is currently developing its procurement strategy. The procurement strategy will outline how long the new fleet will be in operation for. To develop this strategy, EWR Co is taking into consideration the feedback received on what future customers of EWR want from their on-train experience at the recently held non-statutory consultation. This will ensure value for money for the taxpayer and an efficient and effective operation for EWR customers.
EWR will be a new, environmentally sustainable way to travel across the region. EWR Co is exploring innovative ways to become a net-zero carbon railway, consistent with the Government’s legally binding target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the entire UK economy by 2050.
As Government is considering the case for the electrification of EWR, EWR Co is undertaking a review by looking at options including full electrification along the whole route as well as various options for partial electrification using battery / electric hybrid rolling stock, and other sustainable rolling stock options.
The results of this review and steps to be taken will be announced in due course.