Rail Infrastructure: East of England Alistair Strathern (Mid
Bedfordshire) (Lab) 1. What steps he is taking to ensure that new
rail infrastructure meets the needs of communities in the east of
England.(900647) The Minister of State, Department for Transport
(Huw Merriman) Mr Speaker, may I start by thanking you very much
for bringing us all together at the carol concert yesterday, as you
always do? I trust that this next hour will also be in keeping with
the...Request free trial
Rail Infrastructure: East of England
(Mid Bedfordshire)
(Lab)
1. What steps he is taking to ensure that new rail infrastructure
meets the needs of communities in the east of
England.(900647)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Mr Speaker, may I start by thanking you very much for bringing us
all together at the carol concert yesterday, as you always do? I
trust that this next hour will also be in keeping with the season
of good will.
We are delivering record rail investment in the east of England,
including upgrading the midland main line, a new station at
Cambridge South, improvements at Ely and Horley junctions to
increase passenger and freight capacity, and a new railway
connecting eastern towns and cities to Oxford, which will deliver
transformational growth across the region.
Wixams new town in my constituency was built in the perfect
location for rail connectivity, but over a decade after moving
into their homes, residents are still waiting for a start date to
be confirmed, let alone for a station to open. Will the Minister
work with local stakeholders and Network Rail to get sign-off for
that line and ensure that my residents can finally enjoy the rail
connectivity that they were promised?
I am happy to give that commitment to work with the residents.
Indeed, I recently spoke to the Mayor of Bedford on that exact
point. We are working at pace to get the station delivered. There
are also funding requirements that involve the local region,
which have been agreed to previously, and we are keen to make
progress.
Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con)
My hon. Friend has referred to the Horley junction and Ely
junction developments, which came as very welcome news in
October. The Horley junction development, in particular, is a
very small project. It would be excellent to get a starting date
agreed for next year, with the business case sorted out,
recognising how that could improve resilience not only for
passengers, but for freight and the port of Felixstowe.
My right hon. Friend has been an absolute champion for that
project, as have other hon. Friends present. We are keen to make
progress. The Secretary of State and I were very keen to see the
project brought in, which was possible only because of the Prime
Minister’s decisions on Network North in October. We are looking
to make rapid progress on it, and I have heard my right hon.
Friend’s call and will work to that speed.
Rail Services
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
2. What steps he is taking to improve rail services.(900648)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Government are committed to reforming the railways and
ensuring that they are customer focused and commercially led,
with the creation of Great British
Railways to bring together infrastructure, operations and
oversight of whole-industry finance. In the interim, the
Department continues to hold the rail industry to account to
deliver the punctual and reliable services that passengers and
taxpayers deserve.
In November last year, services on the west of England line out
of London terminated at Axminster because of a land slip near
Honiton. The same line has been closed for nine days this month,
and passengers at Feniton are unable to travel to Exeter or
London. Will the Minister ease the delays and cancellations for
passengers in Honiton by dualling the track from Chard Junction
to Axminster and adding a passing loop?
With the Prime Minister’s Network North commitment, £36
billion-worth of transport projects will be going ahead in other
parts. I am happy to look at the project to which the hon.
Gentleman refers. I should also mention that I am aware that
there have been problems on the western and Wales routes,
particularly those coming out of Paddington. The chief executive
of Network Rail is also well aware of those problems and is
taking action to ensure that we remedy the situation.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
So many families in Pembrokeshire have sons and daughters working
away or studying all over the country who will want to get home
this Christmas. With such poor rail services into Wales, what
assurances has the Minister had from companies such as Great
Western Railway that they will stop putting on five-carriage
trains when they should be running 10 carriages; that they will
have a full roster of drivers available in the days ahead, so
that we can have a full complement of services running; and that
services will not be cut short in places such as Swansea and
Carmarthen, leaving my constituents stranded late at night?
My right hon. Friend makes a very good point. With Christmas eve
and new year’s eve falling on Sundays this year, the team at GWR
had to approach the Department because drivers were requesting
additional payments for driving trains on those Sundays, as
Sunday is still not part of a working seven-day week on the
railway. We have delivered on that commitment, but the
fundamental reform point remains: we need ASLEF and other trade
unions to ensure that we have a modern railway that works seven
days a week. I can give him an assurance that everything is being
done, but a lot more could be done if we could reform with the
unions’ co-operation.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
What role does the Northern Transport Acceleration Council have
in Network North?
Being straight, transparent and open, I will write to the hon.
Member and give him that detail, rather than attempt to make it
up at Christmas time.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
Until fairly recently, Northern Trains provided a Saturdays-only
service between Sheffield and Cleethorpes via Brigg. That has now
changed to one train a day, five days a week, allowing people
only an hour and a half to enjoy the shopping in Grimsby or the
excellent resort of Cleethorpes. Could my hon. Friend look into
this matter and contact me after speaking with Northern
Trains?
Yes, I will do so. We have discussed that service before and are
looking at a timetable alteration for the future. I will ensure
that is looked at with my hon. Friend’s point very much in
mind.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
The Transport Committee, with which the Minister is fairly
familiar, heard evidence last week that, thanks to the
cancellation of HS2 phase 2 to Manchester and the inability of
high-speed rolling stock to tilt on the remaining west coast main
line track, journey times to and from Glasgow could actually
increase by up to 24 minutes, even with the £50 billion
Birmingham to London branch line complete. Does the Minister
think that passengers in Scotland will see that as yet another
Union connectivity dividend?
No, I do not agree. In fact, when that matter came up at the
Public Accounts Committee, the official who works on HS2 was able
to explain that, where trains tilt, they can do so at certain
speeds on the west coast main line. However, that does not
actually require a tilting train: any train can go at that speed,
provided the speed is on the train. HS2 trains will also have
faster acceleration, so I dispute the hon. Member’s point.
Mr Speaker
Some trains on the west coast main line would be more helpful, I
think.
Road Resurfacing
(Dudley North) (Con)
3. What funding his Department is providing for road
resurfacing.(900649)
(Walsall North) (Con)
13. What funding his Department is providing for road
resurfacing. (900660)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
Mr Speaker, before responding, given that these are the last
Transport questions of the year, may I put on record my gratitude
to the staff of the House, and also to those across the transport
sector who will be working tirelessly across the Christmas period
to ensure that families can get together and goods can keep
moving?
As part of the Prime Minister’s Network North plan, the
Government are providing a record funding increase of £8.3
billion for local highways maintenance over the next decade,
which will enable local highway authorities to resurface roads up
and down the country.
Potholes are a scourge everywhere, so I am not only very grateful
for the additional Government funding, but very impressed by the
responsiveness and the quality of work by Dudley Council’s
highways department. Will the Secretary of State agree to visit
Dudley, and would he support tighter contracting frameworks by
local authorities so that utility companies and others are made
to pay for all the consequences of their substandard work?
Mr Harper
I am very grateful to my hon. Friend, including for telling us
about the good work that his local authority is doing to improve
the quality of local roads. Utility companies already have legal
duties to ensure that their works and reinstatements are to
required standards. Earlier this year, we introduced a new
performance-based street works regime to crack down on the worst
performing companies leaving behind poor road surface repairs
that can lead to more potholes. Those with higher failure rates
are now inspected more often and are charged for it, so companies
are incentivised to carry out good-quality reinstatements first
time and to repair existing defects.
As a civil engineer, I am always excited to hear about more money
being spent on the highways, but is the Secretary of State aware
of the Pothole Pro? This is a machine, developed by
Staffordshire-based JCB, that can allegedly repair a pothole in
as little as eight minutes. Should that sort of technology be
rolled out across the country so that we do not just spend more
money, but spend it more effectively?
Mr Harper
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of tools to
deliver increased productivity so that we get more for what we
spend. I was lucky enough to visit JCB myself and see the Pothole
Pro in action, as well as the innovative work it is doing, as a
fantastic world leader in innovation, on some of its hydrogen
engines for its mobile off-road machinery. I am sure that local
councils will look carefully at the Pothole Pro and other
technologies that can help us make the best use of that record
investment in road improvements.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
The Secretary of State will know that we all want good roads, but
we also want safe roads. Can I draw his attention to the dreadful
road accidents killing young people recently? Is he aware that
over the last 13 years, from being one of the safest places in
the world in terms of road safety and deaths on the roads, we are
steadily becoming very bad indeed? Will he do something about
that, if he can?
Mr Harper
I of course share the hon. Gentleman’s concern about the deaths
of anyone on the roads, but particularly of young people. I do
not recognise the characterisation he has set out. Our road
safety record remains one of the best in the world.
[Interruption.] Well, it does. The Department spends a great deal
of resource on campaigns to get people to drive more safely, and
we do that when we are engineering and delivering new roads.
Safety is one of the very important things that we think about as
we design and roll out new road infrastructure.
Furness Line Electrification
(Barrow and Furness) (Con)
4. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of
electrifying the Furness line.(900650)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Northern is developing a final business case for a new fleet that
will bring new trains to my hon. Friend’s route, and include
options for greener technology such as batteries. We are also
working with the Great British
Railways transition team to assess options to decarbonise
the whole network.
I thank the Minister for his answer. He will be delighted to know
that, for once, I am going to ask not about the quality of
service on the Furness line, but rather about capacity. The
Government recently announced, through the Network North deal,
the electrification of the energy coast line. That will take 150
million tonnes of freight off that line every year and is hugely
welcome. Through the SSN-AUKUS programme and the Dreadnought
programme, and the doubling of the size of the shipyard in
Barrow, a similar amount of freight will be needed going the
other way. Will the Minister meet me and the wider Team Barrow
board to discuss the merits of electrifying the Furness line?
As my hon. Friend knows, my officials are active members of Team
Barrow, alongside the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities and local partners, recognising the national
significance of the submarine programme. Work is ongoing, looking
at improvements to the A590, and at options for the rail industry
to improve the local rail network. I would be delighted to meet
my hon. Friend to discuss that work.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(Strangford) (DUP)
5. When he plans to publish further information on the UK
sustainable aviation fuel mandate.(900651)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
After four years in Parliament, this is my maiden voyage at the
Dispatch Box. [Interruption.] Indeed, it is Christmas come early,
and it is a gift that the first question I am asked comes from
the hon. Member for Strangford ().
The UK sustainable aviation fuel mandate is on track to start on
1 January 2025, with preparatory work on secondary legislation
progressing well. We recognise that final decisions on the
parameters of the mandate must be taken in a timely way to
provide certainty for investment decisions, and we will publish
those as soon as possible.
I welcome the Minister to his place and wish him well in his
endeavours. It is always a pleasure to see some of the 2019
intake elevated to the Front Bench, so very well done. I thank
him for his answer, as the issue of sustainable aviation fuel is
important for my constituents. To ensure that we do not overshoot
climate targets on the road to jet zero or net zero, will the
Government consider introducing the SAF mandate under a
greenhouse gas intensity scheme? That is quite a technical
question, but I know it is one that the Minister is well up to
answering.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that question. I more normally get
asked concerns about whether we are going to undershoot the
target, rather than overshoot it, but it is a valid question. It
is important for us that we are introducing the SAF mandate, and
we must give certainty to the industry so that investment comes
in. We have funded 13 different companies to set up SAF plants or
do development, but we are looking at all the different options
and nothing is off the table. We will consider all the different
proposals and publish our response to the second consultation as
soon as possible.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
The Government’s plans to have five sustainable aviation fuel
plants under construction by 2025 look doomed. We are falling
behind competitors who have a head start on SAF infrastructure,
and with hydrogen likely to be the dominant fuel source for
aviation beyond SAFs, we also need hydrogen infrastructure.
Grangemouth currently supplies Scottish airports with fuel, and
has the right feedstocks and infrastructure to turn waste and
renewable electricity into jet fuel. What are the Government
doing to save Grangemouth as part of a just transition to net
zero, and when will we see plans for a contract for
difference-type scheme for SAFs?
As I outlined in my previous answer, with SAFs we are generating
a whole new industry. It is happening across the world. I spoke
at the International Civil Aviation Organisation conference in
Dubai, and to aviation Ministers from around the world, and all
are trying to promote this industry. We are probably more
advanced here than anywhere else in the country, and as I
mentioned, we are funding 13 different schemes to get the
industry going. I will meet SAF producers in the next couple of
days, and we want information from them about what is needed.
What is needed is certainty, and there are benefits from across
the country in both Scotland and England. There are huge economic
benefits from this, and it could create many thousands of
jobs.
Motor Traffic
(East Yorkshire) (Con)
6. What steps he plans to take to improve traffic flows in towns
and cities.(900652)
(Buckingham) (Con)
18. What steps he is taking to support motorists.(900665)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
This Government recognise that most journeys in this country are
made by car, and that is why we are providing comprehensive
support for motorists through our plan for drivers, which
includes a package of measures to improve traffic flow, and also
through the £8.3 billion investment in road resurfacing. That
historic investment in road condition will benefit all road
users, as we have set out in earlier answers.
Despite the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister saying that
the war against the motorist is over, is he aware that many
Labour local authorities have not got the message, with unwanted
low-traffic neighbourhoods in place, unjustified 20 mph speed
limits being proposed and traffic lights phased deliberately to
delay traffic flows, causing added pollution? Will he consider
giving advice to local authorities that they should do all they
can to improve traffic flows and not disrupt them because of some
misguided dogma against the motorist?
Mr Harper
My right hon. Friend is right: we are pro-driver, but also pro-
public transport and pro-active travel, and those things are
about giving people better choices and making sure that councils
do not deliver anti-driver traffic management measures. The
network management duty requires local authorities to manage
their roads as efficiently as possible for the benefit of all
road users, including drivers, which some of them forget from
time to time. We have also announced new funding totalling £40
million specifically for improvements to traffic lights to keep
local roads moving, including deploying machine learning and
artificial intelligence to optimise traffic flow to get cars
moving.
The plan for drivers clearly shows that this Government are on
the side of Britain’s motorists, but there is one missing link,
which is rural roads. When a rural road is closed by a utility
company or others, the diversion is not just a quick five
minutes, but often half an hour or 40 minutes. Buckinghamshire
Council tells me that the current fines system is just too low
and the utility companies shrug it off. Can my right hon. Friend
take real action to ensure that councils can properly fine
utility companies when they disrupt rural communities?
Mr Harper
My hon. Friend makes a good point that I am well aware of,
representing a rural constituency myself. Some of the benefits of
investment in infrastructure such as broadband do bring with them
traffic disruption. One of the things we have put in place, as I
mentioned in an earlier answer, is the change to make sure that
good utility companies will have much less inspection and much
less cost involved in delivery. Those utility companies that
leave behind a mess, and therefore cause that disruption over and
over again, will face more inspections and more costs,
incentivising them to do a better job for his and my
constituents.
(Cambridge) (Lab)
I welcome my constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for South
Cambridgeshire () to his place on the Front
Bench. For the past two years, part of the guided busway in
Cambridge has been closed due to a complex legal wrangle with the
Health and Safety Executive. It has meant that buses are snarled
up and motorists and bus users have had thousands and thousands
of hours of wasted time. Will the Minister meet me to try to find
a way to resolve this issue speedily and get Cambridge
moving?
Mr Harper
I am not familiar with the specific situation that the hon.
Gentleman raises about a dispute with the Health and Safety
Executive. I will of course make sure that the relevant Minister
meets him to deal with this issue. I have to say that my previous
experience of Cambridge City Council was that it was tending to
implement policies such as its congestion charging scheme, which
it has now had to drop because it was so unpopular. It was not
focused on getting traffic moving, but being against the
interests of road users. I am glad that he welcomes that
change.
(Leeds North East)
(Lab)
Leeds is one of the most congested cities in the country, mainly
because it is the largest city in Europe without a rail-based
public transport system. Why do the Government have such contempt
for the citizens of Leeds? When will we see a decent public
transport system in our city?
Mr Harper
That is an extraordinary question, given that the Government
have, in the Network North announcement that the Prime Minister
made, put aside £2.5 billion for a mass transit system in Leeds
so that Leeds no longer remains one of the largest cities in
Europe without one. I have to say that that investment in Leeds
to benefit his constituents is possible only because of the
choice that this Government made to cancel the second phase of
HS2 and to spend the money on that mass transit system in Leeds.
I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman did not welcome that
significant investment for his constituents.
High Speed 2
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
7. What estimate he has made of the net cost to the public purse
of land purchased and planned for sale in connection with HS2
phase 2.(900654)
(Tamworth) (Lab)
16. What estimate he has made of the net cost to the public purse
of land purchased and planned for sale in connection with HS2
phase 2.(900663)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
As of October 2023, a total of £573 million had been spent
acquiring land and property assets on phase 2. That includes all
property asset types, such as plots of land, farmland, farms,
commercial property and domestic property. Any land and property
asset that is no longer required will be sold, and a programme is
being developed to do that.
Data from the High-Speed Rail Group suggests that the
Government’s fire sale of land on the former Birmingham to
Manchester stretch of HS2 will cost taxpayers a staggering £100
million. But they are not content with wasting taxpayers’ money
and denying us the high-speed rail in the north that we deserve;
Denton and Reddish is not even set to benefit from local rail
improvements. That would not be hard—I have one train a week
serving Denton and Reddish South stations. Why?
I am glad the hon. Gentleman mentioned that report, because it is
completely wrong. For a start, it states that £205 million has
been spent on land and property, which is wrong—it is a different
figure.
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
What is it, then?
I just stated exactly what it is, if the hon. Lady had listened
to my answer. We have published exactly how much has been spent:
on phase 2a it was £273 million, and on phase 2b it was £201
million. Property and land will be sold only when it is right to
do so, ensuring good value for the taxpayer and the communities
where the property is sold.
It is my understanding that HS2 trains are designed for new
tracks rather than the current Victorian-era infrastructure.
Surely, that incompatibility will result in HS2 trains running
slower and in fewer trains per hour for my constituents. Can the
Minister explain how decreased capacity across the network,
slower trains and reduced services will be better for my
constituents?
Again, that is not the case at all. HS2 trains will be built to
run across the network that they will travel on. I made the point
previously that on the parts of the west coast main line where
tilting trains go faster, HS2 trains will also be able to go at
that faster speed. As a result, the journey time to Manchester
will come down from two hours and 12 minutes to one hour and 40
minutes, leading to a faster service for all, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker
Marvellous.
(Stoke-on-Trent South)
(Con)
As the Minister will know, I very much welcome the decision on
phase 2 of HS2. However, there is still an impact on many land
and property owners in Staffordshire. We heard in the Transport
Committee that it could take up to two years to get land back to
those owners. Will my hon. Friend look into this urgently to
ensure that those property owners—particularly farmers, who need
to know when they can sow their crops—get that land back as soon
as possible?
In the words of Take That, I ask my hon. Friend for a little
patience. It will take time to develop a programme to ensure that
we deliver value for money for the taxpayer and do not disrupt
local property markets. We will engage with the affected
communities throughout the process. Where land can be rented back
out and therefore put to use—farming is a good example —that is
happening right now, and we will ensure that that happens even
more so now that we have certainty about HS2.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wakefield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Between July and September, Ministers admitted that tens of
millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money had been spent on HS2
land, at the same time that the Prime Minister was planning to
cancel the project. Now, Ministers plan to flog that same land at
a huge loss. Even the party that crashed the economy is still
able to find unique ways to fleece the taxpayer. Will the
Minister explain what safeguards he will put in place to protect
the land and taxpayers’ money from this ill-judged and costly
fire sale?
Despite what I said about this being the season of good will,
quite frankly that is complete and utter nonsense. As I have
stated, there will be a very careful analysis of the property
that will be released. The Crichel Down rules require tests to be
met, and only once they are will we return the property to the
original owner at its market value. This will be done properly.
We have delivered certainty: we have said that the route will not
go ahead. What I am sure everyone along the line of the route
would like to know is whether HS2 would go ahead under the Labour
Transport team, or whether it would not, because of the Labour
Treasury team. Give them some certainty.
UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Ferry Services
(Orkney and Shetland)
(LD)
8. If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the
potential impact of the UK emissions trading scheme on domestic
ferry services. (900655)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
The UK ETS Authority will publish a second consultation on the
implementation of the UK ETS in 2024. We welcome any evidence in
response to the consultation. We will publish a full analysis of
the policy’s impact in the Government’s response to the
consultation. The Department has not yet conducted a full
assessment of the implications for domestic ferries.
Mr Carmichael
I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. He may be aware
that there are many in the shipping industry who are concerned
that including lifeline ferry services, such as those that serve
my constituency, in the emissions trading scheme could hinder
rather than help the process of decarbonisation. The EU has
already recognised that by giving its lifeline ferry services a
derogation until 2030. Will the shipping Minister—I know it is
not this Minister’s responsibility—engage with operators in
Scotland and elsewhere to ensure that we are not hit by the law
of unintended consequences?
I very much welcome that question. The right hon. Member for
Orkney and Shetland is a doughty champion for ferries in those
islands and I know how important ferry services are for residents
there. We have been very careful, across our transport
decarbonisation plan, not to damage industries or sectors. We
have given many billions of pounds in support for the whole range
of different transport sectors and domestic ferries are very much
a part of that. I am very happy to engage with the sector and to
meet him to ensure that the ferries can carry on transporting
passengers throughout Orkney, Shetland and elsewhere in the
British Isles.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I smile because I am welcoming the
Minister to his place perhaps half a dozen Ministers since I
first stood at the Dispatch Box—but the best of luck to him in
the time ahead. [Laughter.]
Decarbonising maritime will require unprecedented investment in
UK technologies, with visionary policy and regulatory frameworks
that limit ships’ emissions and mandate the use of clean fuels.
When will the Government follow the advice issued by the
Transport Committee in June and streamline the muddle of 184
recommendations it set for itself in “Maritime 2050”? Speaking of
which, we were promised a refreshed “Maritime 2050” in 2023 by
one of the Secretary of State’s many predecessors. There are a
handful of days left. Where is it?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for what I am going to call his warm
words—it is Christmas, a time to forgive and forget. The clean
maritime plan is being refreshed and we will publish it as soon
as possible. We are taking in and analysing a very wide range of
evidence from a wide range of different people. The Government
are committed to the whole “Maritime 2050” plan, and we are
investing over £200 million in the UK SHORE programme to help
fund research and development to make shipping decarbonise.
Transport Connectivity: North of England
(Blyth Valley) (Con)
9. What steps he is taking to increase transport connectivity
between cities in the north of England.(900656)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
Aside from the £1 billion investment in Network North, my hon.
Friend will be aware that the single biggest connectivity project
in his community is the Northumberland line, a groundbreaking
railway line that will connect Blyth and the surrounding cities
to Newcastle.
I am delighted consultation has now taken place regarding a
relief road for Blyth, which is badly needed. As a result of the
proposed plans, which could see the closure of an existing road
and the rerouting of residents along a new road, many residents
of Cramlington could see their journey times increase. Keeping
the existing road open would address that, as well as save money.
Will my hon. Friend agree to look at that again and see whether
it could be achieved?
I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend and Northumberland County
Council, post the consultation.
(Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
Ten years ago, David Higgins, the then chair of HS2, said that
connectivity between Sheffield and Manchester was worse than
between any other major cities in Europe. Since then, Sheffield’s
connection with Manchester airport has been scrapped. We had a
review of a tunnel under the Pennines. That tunnel got shorter
and shorter until it finally disappeared altogether. Can the
Minister say in what way—if any, because I do not think there
have been any—transport links between Sheffield and Manchester
have improved while this Government have been in power?
As the hon. Gentleman knows, a substantial amount of
electrification is taking place. He will also be aware of the
city regional sustainable settlement, which will provide
significant investment in the north.
Rail Manufacturing: Alstom
(Derby South) (Lab)
10. What steps he has taken to support rail manufacturing at
Alstom in Derby.(900657)
Mr Speaker
is not here. Will the
Secretary of State answer the question as though she were, so
that I can call the shadow Minister?
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
My officials and I have held regular meetings with senior
management at Alstom. We have also convened, under my direction,
a cross-Whitehall group to advise on ways to support continued
production at Derby, and on how best to support the workers who
could lose their jobs. This must be a commercial decision for
Alstom, but the Government have been working with the company to
explore every option to enable it to continue manufacturing at
its Derby site, and local Members in Derby—including the
fantastic colleague sitting beside me, my hon. Friend the Member
for Derby North ()—have been raising these
issues with me regularly, effectively representing their
constituents.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
Three years ago, the Government hailed the deal to manufacture
HS2 trains in Britain as putting the country
“firmly at the forefront of the high speed rail revolution”.
Today, the jobs of the skilled people who work in that industry
and build those trains in Derby and Newton Aycliffe are at risk.
There are just days left to find a solution. Will the Secretary
of State, specifically, meet Hitachi and Alstom as a matter of
urgency? Does he accept that if Ministers fail to act in the
coming days, the final legacy of this shambolic Government will
be thousands of skilled jobs lost and HS2 trains built
abroad?
Mr Harper
I am slightly surprised by the hon. Gentleman. He wrote to my
hon. Friend the Rail Minister on 17 November, asking a series of,
I am afraid, quite ill-informed questions. I sent him a
comprehensive reply on 24 November, which I note he has not
chosen to publicise. He tries to pretend that our decision on HS2
has something to do with this. I made it quite clear that
Alstom’s contract with Hitachi—their joint venture to design,
build and maintain HS2 trains—is for phase 1 only. Phase 1 of HS2
is continuing. That position was reiterated by Alstom group’s
chief executive in his commentary on its recent results. I have
met both Alstom and Hitachi regularly since the decision on
Network North. I am afraid that Alstom’s problems predate our
decision on HS2, and the hon. Gentleman’s attempt to play party
politics on this incredibly serious matter, on which the
Government are working very hard on a cross-party basis with the
companies and the trade unions, is beneath him.
Transport Workforce: Migration
(Coatbridge, Chryston and
Bellshill) (SNP)
11. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the
potential impact of Government proposals to reduce net migration
on the transport sector workforce.(900658)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
I regularly engage with Cabinet colleagues on Government policy,
including migration, and my Department works closely with
organisations across the transport industry to understand the
sector’s concerns about the transport labour market.
The driver shortage in the UK is far from over and, according to
sector insiders, a “tipping point” is looming. Figures from the
Office for National Statistics show that there were 6,000 fewer
delivery and courier drivers in the UK in 2023 than in the
previous year, and more than half the UK’s HGV drivers are due to
retire in the next decade. What steps is the Secretary of State
taking to ensure that this ticking time bomb does not blow up in
our face as happened during the period following Brexit? Surely
migration is part of the solution.
Mr Harper
It is disappointing that the SNP’s first response to any
tightness in the labour market is to want to import people from
abroad. My colleague the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, along with the fantastic officials in that Department
and our jobcentre network, is ensuring that we provide skills
training for those who are already in the United Kingdom so that
we can deal with the skills shortages, as we did so effectively
in the case of HGV drivers when, during and following the
pandemic, we worked rapidly to get more of them into the
industry.
Airport Security Scanners
(Milton Keynes South)
(Con)
12. What recent discussions he has had with airport operators on
the introduction of new security scanners by June
2024.(900659)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
The Secretary of State has visited many airports to discuss the
upgrading of airport security, and has seen the new security
equipment in operation. I know that my predecessor engaged
regularly with airport representatives to seek reassurances on
timescales for the next generation security checkpoint. Most
recently, I met Heathrow’s chief executive for discussions. I can
reassure the House that I will continue this good work, and will
shortly meet representatives of the aviation sector to discuss
the matter further. There are many visits already in the diary;
indeed, I will be meeting the Airport Operators Association
straight after this session. My Department—
Mr Speaker
Order. I think we have got the gist.
I am grateful to the Minister for his answer, and I welcome him
to his new role.
This new technology will greatly improve passenger experience at
airport security. For example, it will obviate the need for those
little plastic bags we all love putting our liquids into.
Airports are worried about potential delays if the passenger
scanners are introduced in one go for every passenger, as people
will need to get used to the new technology. May I urge the
Minister to discuss with the airport operators the phased
introduction of the new scanners, to remove the possibility of
delays?
I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his question, which
he asked when I gave evidence to the Committee yesterday. I said
he would have to wait until today for my answer.
This new technology will bring huge benefits for passengers, as
my hon. Friend said—I think we will all be delighted to see the
end of putting our little bottles into those little plastic
bags—and it will improve safety. The screening of passengers with
these security scanners is already being phased in. The
Government have long been clear with airports about the
requirement for next-generation security checkpoints, and the
deadline for implementation has already been delayed several
times, partly because of covid and other factors. Airports were
consulted on the June 2024 deadline, and many have successfully
trialled the scanners. They are already phasing them in, and June
2024 is the end deadline. My message to the airports is that they
should start implementing them now; they should not wait for the
deadline. I will discuss it with the Airport Operators
Association in our meeting immediately after questions.
Transport Decarbonisation
(Motherwell and Wishaw)
(SNP)
14. What steps his Department plans to take following COP28 to
support transport decarbonisation.(900661)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
Our transport decarbonisation plan is probably the most advanced
of any country in the world, and we continue to implement it.
Just yesterday, King Charles approved the zero-emission vehicle
mandate, which requires 80% of new vehicles to have zero
emissions by 2030. Petrol and diesel cars, vans and trucks
weighing up to 26 tonnes will be banned by 2035. We have
introduced the sustainable aviation fuel mandate, under which 10%
of aviation fuel should be sustainable by 2030. Similarly, we are
pushing ahead in all the different sectors.
I welcome the Minister to his place. This financial year, active
travel spending is £1.91 per head in England and £30.10 per head
in Scotland—a 1,400% difference between Scottish and UK
Government priorities. Decarbonisation needs transformational
investment in active travel, which particularly supports
accessibility, and it simply is not happening for folk in
England. Will he undertake to begin the long process of finally
getting England on the road to matching Scotland’s ambition?
I thank the hon. Member for that question. We are actually
spending more money on active travel than any other Government in
history. As she says, active travel is an important part of
decarbonisation and the route to net zero. Her figures do not
take into account the regional spending within England, which
should be added to the total. I would be happy to write to her
with the actual figures for spending in the UK.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
The Secretary of State told the Transport Committee that electric
cars are cheaper to run than their petrol and diesel
counterparts. He also knows that sales of new electric cars fell
by 17% last month.
The Minister has just mentioned the ZEV mandate, and I remind him
that it was passed only because Labour MPs voted for it. He also
knows that it addresses manufacturers, not consumers—supply, not
demand. How do the Government plan to reassure drivers that
buying electric means cheaper motoring? How will he undo the
damage that the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says
was done to consumer confidence by his Prime Minister’s comments
on the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars?
My key focus in my decarbonisation of transport role is to ensure
a smooth and successful roll-out of electric vehicles. The hon.
Member quoted one month’s figures, but overall sales of electric
vehicles are up 41% this year compared with last year. Indeed, a
greater share of electric vehicles is being sold in the UK than
in any of the five major countries in the EU—more than in
Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland. It really is a record
to be proud of. He is right that this is about supply and demand.
We have stipulated in the ZEV mandate that 80% of sales should be
zero/electric by 2030, but we also need to ensure that there are
enough charge points for them. We have spent nearly £2 billion
supporting electric vehicles, and we have a whole range of
different schemes to deliver that.
Motoring Costs
(Stockport) (Lab)
15. What assessment he has made of the impact of trends in the
level of motoring costs on drivers.(900662)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
Nationally, we have substantially reduced fuel duty. Locally, I
hope that the hon. Member will welcome the £33 million investment
with his local council into the A34, which will help his local
residents.
Labour has revealed that the Government’s delay to the phase-out
date for the sale of petrol and diesel cars to 2035 is set to
cost drivers £13 billion in higher fuel costs. On top of that,
petrol prices have already soared and car insurance costs have
gone up by an eye-watering 50% in just a year. Where is the
Government’s plan to tackle the rip-off prices facing
drivers?
I suggest that the hon. Member reads at speed the plan for
drivers, and goes back into history and remembers Gordon Brown’s
fuel duty escalator. Perhaps his constituents do not remember the
6% increase that was introduced by the Labour Government, but my
constituents definitely do.
Topical Questions
(Wimbledon) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900672)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
As I said earlier, these are the last Transport oral questions
before Christmas, and we are backing drivers with an easier
Christmas getaway. From next Tuesday, National Highways is
lifting over 1,000 miles of roadworks, which means that over 98%
of motorways and major A roads will be roadwork-free until 2
January. We are also getting on with the job of resurfacing
Britain’s roads, thanks to the record £8.3 billion uplift in
funding. Earlier this month, highway authorities received the
first tranche of that investment, which will mean smoother, safer
journeys and save drivers hundreds of pounds in costly vehicle
repairs. Local authorities also have new reporting requirements,
so taxpayers will know how that money is being spent.
The Prime Minister made the right long-term decision to redirect
money from HS2 towards the local journeys that matter most,
ensuring that more people in more places will see benefits more
quickly. That is what the British people want, it is what the
country needs, and it is what we are delivering.
Will my right hon. Friend say when the strategic objectives
behind Network North will be announced and published? Can he
confirm that any projects announced so far are consistent with
those objectives, and whether any of the HS2 funding will come to
London and the south-east?
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question. As I set out,
the objective of the decision is to ensure that that £36 billion
of transport spending, which we are reinvesting in transport
projects, will benefit more people, in more places across the
country, more quickly. We are investing £6.5 billion pounds of
savings from HS2 outside the north and midlands, which will
benefit his constituents as well. That includes additional
funding for London—
Mr Speaker
Order. Come on boys, you’re going to have to help me. I call the
shadow Secretary of State.
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
May I wish you, Mr Speaker, and the whole House a very merry
Christmas? Why have the Government wasted £95 million on
technology to retrofit buses that does not work?
Mr Harper
The hon. Lady will know that we have done a great deal of work to
make sure that buses are compliant with the emissions rules.
There are some technical issues being worked through at the
moment, but I am not in a position to announce any decisions yet.
We will announce to the House in due course when that work is
completed.
Bus services are disappearing at record levels, yet the Secretary
of State’s Department has wasted almost £100 million on
retrofitting technology that does not work, because it was never
tested outside a lab. Even for this Government, this is a
shocking display of incompetence and waste. Will he now work with
those cities left with useless technology and ensure that the
next round of zero-emissions funding is targeted there, so that
they can get on with the job of cleaning up our air and cleaning
up his mess?
Mr Harper
Once again, the hon. Lady simply does not recognise the
significant investment that we have made in bus services. We have
announced a significant amount of extra money for protecting bus
routes, we have rolled out funding to deliver the £2 bus fare
cap, and we have announced the money to deliver zero-emission
buses and delivered the full 1,000 we said we would deliver.
There has been a huge amount of investment in bus services,
because we know it is the most popular form of public transport
and we will always back it.
(Aylesbury) (Con)
T2. My right hon. Friend’s Department has ensured that many bus
passengers can benefit from the £2 cap on fares, but sadly Red
Rose buses in my constituency is not offering it because the
company says it is not compulsory. Will my right hon. Friend help
me persuade all bus companies to do the right thing for
Aylesbury’s residents, including by meeting bosses of the
companies that refuse?(900673)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
I am disappointed to hear that news from Aylesbury. I would be
delighted to meet my hon. Friend and to invite the bus company in
to explain why it is not taking up the Government’s generous
offer.
(North East Fife)
(LD)
T4. Earlier this year, the UK Government pledged to fund a bridge
repair in the constituency of the hon. Member for Moray (). The Newburgh train station
campaign is working to re-establish a train station that will
provide a vital transport link. Assuming that strategic funding
is not just available to Members of the Conservative party, who
can I speak to in order to get that station
re-established?(900675)
Mr Harper
On her first point, we are working with the local authority to
progress that scheme, which was announced earlier. On her
specific point, I will arrange for the relevant Minister to meet
her so that she can put forward the case for that scheme, and we
will look at whether it is possible to do anything to help
her.
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
T3. I know the Minister understands that open-access rail can
provide better, cheaper, more varied and more resilient services
for passengers. In the next few weeks or months, how much rail
network capacity does he expect to make available for open-access
services from currently unused track slots, potentially from
unused slots freed up by timetable improvements and from services
currently provided by the operator of last resort?(900674)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
I thank my hon. Friend for joining me and others in the industry
to discuss open-access rail on 27 October. I have today written
to the Office of Rail and Road and the chief executive of Network
Rail, asking them to review the unused access rights and agree a
timeline, so that we can get decisions made more promptly. I hope
to then give him more information.
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
T6. The Prime Minister announced the electrification of the rail
line to Hull in October at the Conservative party conference, so
will the Minister tell me what the start date for that work will
be?(900678)
As part of the engagement exercise, which the Prime Minister
promised, I have met leaders from across the north. Last week, it
was a pleasure to meet those from the region around Hull to
discuss their preferred route. They made the point that the route
should be prioritised because electrification has been talked
about before, and I think that is a very good idea.
(Waveney) (Con)
T5. I emphasise to the Government the point made by my neighbour,
my right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Dr Coffey),
about pressing ahead with the Ely junction and Haughley junction
schemes. Network Rail has done much of the preparatory work and
is poised to get on with it as quickly as possible.(900676)
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that scheme again. I
know it is an important issue for colleagues in the east of
England and I am delighted that we are able to make progress as a
result of the decision on Network North. I have discussed it with
Network Rail and the next steps involve the development of the
full business case. Network Rail has what it needs to make
progress, and I know my hon. Friend will be wishing it every
speed.
Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)
T7. Over the past year, yet more people have been killed or
seriously injured on our roads, and the UK’s record on that has
plateaued. While we have accident investigation organisations for
air, maritime and rail, we do not have one for roads. The
Government promised to set up a road safety investigation branch
last year. When will that become a reality?(900679)
Mr Harper
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising the important issue of
road safety. I notice that the statistics she set out are
inconsistent with those set out by her hon. Friend, the hon.
Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman). She recognises that our
road safety record is not going backwards, as he suggested. When
there is a fatality, road accidents are investigated by the
relevant authorities, and that remains the position. We learn
lessons from accidents, so that when we build new road
infrastructure it has safety at its heart.
(Great Grimsby) (Con)
T8. Will my hon. Friend update the House on the progress of the
potential return of the direct rail link from King’s Cross to
Grimsby and Cleethorpes?(900680)
My hon. Friend follows my right hon. Friend the Member for
Gainsborough ( ) and my hon. Friend the Member
for Cleethorpes () in raising that matter at
Transport questions. They are without doubt the strongest
lobbyists when it comes to train timetabling changes. She will
have seen the test train that ran in June. My right hon. Friend
the Secretary of State said at the last Transport questions that
we hope to make an announcement shortly. It is something that we
are working on.
(Blaydon) (Lab)
Of the 4,000 zero-emission buses promised in the national bus
strategy, only 660 have been funded outside London and half of
those have gone to overseas manufacturers. What are the
Government doing to help UK manufacturers develop competitive
zero-emission buses capable of longer distance journeys?
I was delighted to meet and engage with many of the different
manufacturers from the UK only two weeks ago. I look forward to
discussing the matter with them in more detail.
(Carshalton and Wallington)
(Con)
T9. What conversations is the Minister having with Southern and
Thameslink about increasing rail capacity and running longer
services from Carshalton and Wallington, addressing the dangerous
gap at Hackbridge station, and installing step-free access at
Carshalton Beeches station?(900681)
I have met my hon. Friend and I appreciate the work that he does
campaigning for the stations in his constituency. I have regular
conversations with people from Govia Thameslink Railway, and I
know that they have recently increased capacity on some busy
services through Carshalton and Hackbridge. On Hackbridge
station, I offer to meet him with a team from Network Rail to see
whether we can address the matter that he mentions.
(Slough) (Lab)
Such was the excitement in Wales in 2012 when Conservative
Ministers announced that they would be building the four-mile
western rail link to Heathrow to open in 2020 that First Minister
described it as one of the
“most important announcements” in the last 50 years, but it was
yet another broken promise. After more than a decade, when does
the Transport Secretary expect the first spade to be dug into the
ground to build the No.1 infrastructure priority of the Thames
Valley region?
When this proposal was first mooted, it was to be a 50:50 split
with Heathrow airport and the new runway, but matters changed
after the pandemic. We are determined to see private sector
involvement in the railways continue. If there is a private
sector proposal, we are very happy to support it, but these
schemes must not come at the expense of taxpayers.
(Cities of London and
Westminster) (Con)
The Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the
Member for Hexham () saw for himself on Sunday night the scourge of
pedicabs in the west end. With the Pedicabs (London) Bill having
reached Report stage in the Lords, can he update the House on
when we can expect it to be presented in this place?
Early in the new year.
(Easington) (Lab)
One train per hour stops on the Durham coastline, usually with
two carriages. This severely limits access to economic
opportunities in Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
Recently, Northern Rail confirmed a new two-hourly service, but
my constituents will only be able to wave at it as it goes by,
because the plan is that it will not stop at the stations at
Seaham and Horden. Can the Rail Minister please use his influence
with Northern to see whether he can get those trains to stop?
I am sure that everyone waves at the hon. Gentleman, great man
that he is. It was great to meet him when he came to the
Department. We talked about Durham coastal service and timetable
changes. Today, Transport for the North is discussing timetable
changes, so I hope that that proposal goes through and that I can
therefore give Durham coastal service the improvement that he
asks for.
Sir (North East Somerset)
(Con)
May I encourage my right hon. Friend to cut the money given to
the West of England Combined Authority, as it spends it
extraordinarily badly on vanity schemes for the Mayor, on cutting
bus services for my constituents and on pillorying motorists with
this dreadful scheme, which is hated in Saltford, for a bus lane
on the A4?
Mr Harper
My right hon. Friend makes a very good point about regional
Mayors, which is that we have devolved powers and resources to
them, but they are ultimately accountable to their constituents.
I hope very much that if they are punishing the motorist, the
motorist will punish them back at the appropriate time at the
ballot box.
(North West Leicestershire)
(Reclaim)
Now that the blight of HS2 has been lifted from North West
Leicestershire, can the Minister update the House on when work
will commence on reopening the Ivanhoe line, which will offer
rail access for the first time in many decades not only to my
constituents, but to our neighbours in South Derbyshire?
The Prime Minister’s Network North announcement gave that
commitment on the Ivanhoe line down to Leicester. We are fully
committed to that. I know that I am due to be meeting the hon.
Member on another matter, so I will give him more of an update
then.
(Sedgefield) (Con)
Like many, I welcomed what was going on with Network North,
particularly the announcement of Ferryhill Station. When it comes
to the final assessment and decisions, we need to ensure that the
right question is asked, as the Green Book says. The right
question is: what is the socioeconomic benefit to the towns and
villages around the station, not to the GDP of the UK? May I ask
for that assurance please?
That was another commitment that the Prime Minister made in the
Network North announcement. My hon. Friend has campaigned for
Ferryhill Station for so long, and I thank him for bringing it
forward. The business case will look at the socioeconomic
conditions that he mentions, and I am confident that we will be
able to get spades in the ground for his station very
shortly.
(Gateshead) (Lab)
LNER is going to consult again on altering the timetable to
increase the frequency of trains from Edinburgh and Newcastle to
London, but that inherently means a reduction in services to West
Yorkshire, Manchester and Merseyside. That is very sad, and it is
bad for the northern economy. This is not a timetabling issue; it
is a capacity issue on the east coast main line. Can we have some
investment in the east coast main line, north of York, to remedy
those problems?
As things stand, we are unable to operate that service because
the trans-Pennine route upgrade, which is delivering the billions
of pounds’ worth of investment to enhance the route that the hon.
Member asks for, is currently being constructed. That will
provide the bandwidth. As I mentioned, today we hope to get a
decision from Transport for the North that will improve services
and add an extra service north to south. Then, with the
multi-billion pound investment in the trans-Pennine route
upgrade, we will get east-west service improvements as well.
(Hyndburn) (Con)
In Hyndburn and Haslingden, we are hoping to have a very happy
new year, as we hope to hear the announcement that both Rishton
Station and Church and Oswaldtwistle Station have been successful
in the Government’s Access for All scheme. Can any indication be
given of when we might hear the announcement, and will the
Government look favourably on them?
It is worth noting that 75% of all rail journeys now take place
from step-free stations, with 220 stations made step-free under
Access for All. We have 300 in the list for the next batch, and
my hon. Friend will be pleased to know that hers are in that long
list. We will decide shortly which ones to take forward next
year.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Will the ministerial team stop briefing against hydrogen
combustion engines? The fact is that hydrogen is on its way, in
trucks and JCBs. Cummins in my constituency is prepared for three
years. [Interruption.] When will the Secretary of State stop?
Mr Speaker
Order. Hang on a minute. Do not take advantage, Barry, because I
will not call you again otherwise.
Mr Harper
The hon. Gentleman is simply wrong. Not only are we not briefing
against hydrogen combustion engines; we are very supportive of
them. I have been to Cummins. I have been to JCB. I have looked
at the fantastic work that is being done developing hydrogen. We
have some world-leading companies here. The Department is very
supportive, and working closely with them.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
I commend the work of my disabled young constituent, Nathaniel
Yates from Reddish, who has assessed every single railway station
in Greater Manchester. Too many of them are not step free. We
have the money for Reddish North, but when can we get the money
for Levenshulme?
I commend that work as well. In fact, the Great
British Railways transition team has done a station
accessibility study auditing every one of our 2,500 stations.
That report is due out shortly. I hope that the team can work
with the hon. Member’s constituency to come up with some good
data and improve access for all.
Sir (Scarborough and Whitby)
(Con)
The key element of Scarborough’s successful town bid is the
station gateway project, but getting permission from Network Rail
to knock a new entrance into the back of the station is proving
slow and bureaucratic. Can the Secretary of State gently lean on
Network Rail a bit, please?
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that question. I am
sure that Network Rail will have heard that. I will take it away,
raise it with Network Rail, and get back to him to let him know
whether we can make that go faster.
(Gloucester) (Con)
The latest of many improvements to Gloucester Station since 2010
includes vital work on the station underpass and forecourt;
however, contractor costs have risen since the original station
improvement fund award. Will the Rail Minister agree to meet me
and Great Western Railways to resolve that potential issue?
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my hon. Friend and neighbour for that question.
I am very familiar with the investment and work that is currently
being undertaken at Gloucester Station, as it is the one that I
use on a regular basis when getting the train to London. The Rail
Minister will be delighted to meet with him to see whether there
is more that we can do to take those matters forward.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Inevitably, concerns about overcrowding will come up this
afternoon at a Chiltern Railways drop-in at Marylebone with
Buckinghamshire MPs, so can the Rail Minister assure me that the
Government are doing everything possible to push Chiltern to
improve?
I can assure my hon. Friend that the Department is working
closely with Chiltern as it looks to get more rolling stock to
replace some of its ageing diesel stock. There are capacity
issues, as he notes, because more people are using the railways,
which is a great success, but we will work with the operator to
ensure that it gets the rolling stock it needs.
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