Modernisation of the Railway Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con) 1. What
steps he is taking to modernise the UK’s railways. (900807)
Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con) 8. What steps he is taking to
modernise the UK’s railways. (900816) The Secretary of State for
Transport (Grant Shapps) The Government are delivering on the
reforms set out in the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, making
passengers’ journeys easier, more reliable and more affordable.
Mark...Request free trial
Modernisation of the Railway
(Fylde) (Con)
1. What steps he is taking to modernise the UK’s railways.
(900807)
(Eastbourne) (Con)
8. What steps he is taking to modernise the UK’s railways.
(900816)
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
The Government are delivering on the reforms set out in the
Williams-Shapps plan for rail, making passengers’ journeys
easier, more reliable and more affordable.
I am very passionate about this subject. Fylde is home to a
number of world-class events, bringing thousands of people into
our great county, but they need good rail connections. I am
delighted that the project to double the number of services on
the South Fylde line remains very much on the Government’s
agenda, with a bid still under consideration. With similar
projects progressing to the next stage of development, and some
seeing shovels in the ground, what assurance can the Secretary of
State give me that we will see similar progress on the South
Fylde line?
I think the whole House recognises my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm
for the South Fylde line. We received the strategic outline
business case in November 2021, we continue to review that and
the next steps will be outlined in the coming months.
It was game, set and match Eastbourne last week, at the
conclusion of our pre-Wimbledon tournament. That international
event puts us on the map as a visitor destination, with its
global coverage, but our great potential is wrapped up with our
transport links. In that light, what progress has been made with
Network Rail’s proposals to extend high-speed services to
Eastbourne to enhance those links to the continent, London and
the north?
My hon. Friend serves her constituents incredibly well. Again, a
strategic outline business plan for high-speed services from St
Pancras to Eastbourne is in, and I can confirm that the status of
the project will be updated very shortly, in the rail network
enhancements pipeline—RNEP.
(Cambridge) (Lab)
The census figures show the east of England to be one of the
fastest growing areas of the country, and Cambridge is fast
within that, but in recent months the Treasury appears to have
been going cold on some of the important rail developments in the
region, particularly Ely junction and the completion of the
Bedford-Cambridge east-west line. What representations has the
Secretary of State made to the Treasury and what has the response
been?
Or course we have a record investment in the railway—nobody can
argue with that; I believe the figure is £34 billion for
developments. We will be publishing the RNEP shortly, and the
hon. Gentleman will be able to see more in that—that is without
even mentioning the £96 billion, not in his region, but for the
midlands and north through the integrated rail plan. There have
never been a Government more committed to rail, and the hon.
Gentleman will not have to wait long to find out more.
(Ogmore) (Lab)
The reality is that Wales has higher levels of rail track than it
has received in investment from the UK Government. Also,
commitments on electrification beyond Cardiff have been scrapped.
Will the Secretary of State set out when he is going to start
investing in the railway lines right across Wales? Or are the
Tories simply going to keep underfunding Welsh railways?
I am passionate about rail, including in Wales. I will be
announcing more in the RNEP, and the hon. Gentleman will not have
to wait too long for that. I think he can see that, as I have
already pointed out to the House, the Department for Transport
has a lot of success in its discussions with the Treasury, which
is how we have managed to invest record amounts in rail under
this Government.
Mr Speaker
We love the passion, but do not forget Coppull railway station. I
call the shadow Secretary of State, .
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
Last week, our part-time Transport Secretary claimed it was a
stunt to suggest that he could do anything to resolve the rail
disputes. At the weekend, that claim was blown apart, as it was
revealed that a policy he issued means that he has direct powers
over train operators to get them to follow his directions on
disputes. Can he explain to the British public why on the eve of
last week’s strikes he found time to wine and dine Tory donors,
but still cannot find a single second to resolve these
disputes?
I think that I have actually just discovered the root of the hon.
Lady’s accusation that I am a part-time Transport Secretary. Just
to correct the record—and I will give her the opportunity to
withdraw her remarks—I can tell her that I was not, in fact, at
the event that she mentions. I am full-time on this job. It would
be rather surprising, to get to the nub of her case, if the
Transport Secretary were not setting the overall mandate for a
negotiation that is extremely important for the future of rail in
this country.
Mr Speaker
I now call the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
The railway is continually being modernised, and anybody who says
differently is being disingenuous. I do wonder, though, whether
the Government’s modernisation is just an excuse for cuts in a
workforce reform programme, including compulsory redundancies. I
thank the Minister of State, Department for Transport, the hon.
Member for Aldridge-Brownhills () for the response I received
this week on the inordinately high track access charges that
ScotRail has to pay. It was not that helpful, but I thank her
none the less. Can the Secretary of State explain in detail why
ScotRail, running broadly similar services by distance travelled,
had to fork out £340 million versus Northern Rail’s £150
million?
The one thing I would say is that ScotRail has been run latterly
by the Scottish Government. The amount of delays even before that
was extremely high. The disputes that have taken place, despite
ScotRail being taken into public hands by the SNP, have been
particularly pronounced. On his detailed questions, I will leave
it to my hon. Friend the Minister of State to write back to
him.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
(Newcastle-under-Lyme)
(Con)
2. What steps he is taking to improve electric vehicle
infrastructure. (900808)
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
Since 2020, the Government have committed £2.5 billion to
supporting the transition to electric vehicles.
Today, Newcastle-under-Lyme submits its business case for our
£23.6 million town deal, which will be granted through the towns
fund. Given his answer, I know that the Secretary of State will
welcome the transport projects that we have in place, including
the new circular bus route and most importantly, in light of what
he has just said, the 40 electric vehicle charging points in the
town centre, which will support 375 journeys to work each day by
electric vehicles. Will the Secretary of State welcome those
measures in our town deal, and will he come up to Newcastle to
see the projects for himself?
I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that he has done in
winning that funding. He mentions the important work that will
happen with 40 new electric chargers in his patch. It is worth
pointing out that this country now has more rapid chargers per
mile of road than any other European country.
(Brentford and Isleworth)
(Lab)
The Government have recently cut the plug-in grant, and the UK is
now the only major European country without any incentive in
place to switch to electric vehicles. How will this help us end
the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and become net
zero by 2050?
Just to correct the record: that is not true. We still have the
grant for vans, for taxis and for other vehicles. The reality is
that when the grant, which is a direct payment to people buying
their cars, was first brought in, it was envisaged that, by 2020,
about 5% of cars would be electric. In fact, we have reached 20%
in roughly that time, so that is clearly working. It is better to
put the £2.5 billion into the investment of the
infrastructure—the rapid charging—particularly given the price of
electric cars and the fact that second-hand cars have started to
come on to the market. This country is doing very well with
electric cars. It is time that the Opposition recognised that
fact, with one in five cars now electric.
(Sheffield, Brightside and
Hillsborough) (Lab)
A reliable charging network is vital to give motorists the peace
of mind that they will be able to charge their car wherever they
are in the country. We will need up to 480,000 public charging
points by 2030. However, the Government have set themselves no
target on the roll-out. The electric vehicle infrastructure
strategy simply contains an expectation of at least 300,000
charging points. The Government are pinning responsibility solely
on local councils and providing no national co-ordination.
Placing the entire burden on our already overstretched local
authorities means that we will be woefully unprepared for 2030.
When will the Transport Secretary finally do something useful and
set a national charging points target and give motorists the
confidence they need to make the transition to electric?
I do not know whether the hon. Lady has, like me, been driving an
electric car for the past three years, but in that period of time
I have noticed that the number of chargers available publicly has
gone up a great deal. In fact, it has doubled since I have been
Secretary of State. We have also said that by 2030, in just seven
and a half years’ time, we will increase that 10 times to 300,000
public chargers. It is also the case that the majority of people
charge their vehicles on driveways or off-street parking at
home—about 70% of the total. Our entire emphasis, through the
levy fund on local authorities, is to enable people without
off-street parking to park on the street. That fund is delivering
great work. She underestimates how much progress this country is
making.
Rural Bus Services
(West Dorset) (Con)
3. What steps he is taking to ensure the provision of bus
services to rural areas that have not been successful in securing
funding following the submission of a bus service improvement
plan. (900809)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
We have contacted all local authorities not receiving immediate
BSIP funding and are working with them to help improve their
local bus services.
The Dorset BSIP has returned no investment to rural Dorset. In
the light of that, will the Minister consider giving Dorset
Council the power to run its own services? Will she also consider
enabling journeys using concessionary bus passes to attract the
full commercial value of that journey to the operator?
I thank my hon. Friend for his determination to secure better bus
services in West Dorset. In our national bus strategy, we
committed to reviewing the annual concession reimbursement
guidance and calculator that he refers to. I reassure him that we
will continue to fund the practical support to develop enhanced
partnerships. I know he has frequent meetings with my noble
Friend in the other place, Baroness Vere, in which he will be
able to discuss his specific question further.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
As the Prime Minister apparently contemplates a third term, we on
Tyneside are left facing bus fare rises and reduced services. I
will ask the question I have asked many times before but have
still to receive an answer to: when can we on Tyneside expect to
see our bus fares levelled down to those in London, at £1.65 to
cross the entire metropolitan area?
I have written to the hon. Lady with specific information. At the
October 2021 spending review, the Department announced £1.1
billion of dedicated funding for BSIPs, which is part of the £3
billion new spend on buses over the Parliament.
Mr Speaker
We now come to shadow Secretary of State, .
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
I apologise to the Secretary of State, but what he has said
raises even bigger questions about what he has been doing with
his time.
From near-record delays on railways, mile-long tailbacks at
Dover, disruption at airports and the first national strike in
three decades, everything this Transport Secretary is responsible
for is falling apart, and now so is his promise on buses. From
October, when the covid funding runs out, there will be four
buses across the whole of South Yorkshire after 10 pm. That is
four buses for more than 1.3 million people. That is not
levelling up, is it? It is managed decline.
To date, the Government have made available more than £2 billion
of support through emergency and recovery grants since March 2020
to mitigate the impact of the pandemic for bus and light rail
services. Those measures are in addition to the £200 million
provided annually directly to commercial operators to keep the
fares down and to run an extensive network through the bus
service operators grant.
Train Service Providers
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
4. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of
proposals in the Williams-Shapps plan for rail on the choice of
train service providers available to rail passengers.
(900810)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Great British Railways will incentivise improved services for
rail users through new passenger service contracts, and there
will be opportunities for new and innovative open access services
where spare capacity exists.
I share the Minister’s attractive vision for more choice and
variety on our railways; the trouble is that that is not what the
Government’s plans will introduce. They weaken competition,
reduce choice and extend state central planning and control
enormously. Anyone using Hull Trains, Lumo or Grand Central Rail
can kiss them goodbye, because they will be the last of their
kind. I could understand it if these proposals were being
introduced by a Labour Government, but they are not. It is we
Conservatives who are doing this, not them. I urge Ministers to
take a long, hard look in the mirror before introducing any
legislation based on these plans.
I am conscious of my hon. Friend’s strong interest in open-access
services. Where there is spare capacity on the network, we will
support applications from open-access providers who promise new
and innovative services that benefit passengers without leading
to significant costs for taxpayers. To be clear, I assure him
that as part of the Government’s reform proposals the Office of
Rail and Road will maintain its role as the independent regulator
for access, ensuring that applications are treated fairly, and it
will be able to direct GBR to grant access should it think it
appropriate.
Mr Speaker
We have been waiting for Chorley railway station for four years,
but there we are; I hope it is better elsewhere. I call shadow
Minister .
(Slough) (Lab)
This Government are presiding over complete transport chaos. We
have had backlogs at the ports and backlogs at airports, even
though people cannot get passports, and our railways came to a
grinding halt thanks to Tory-induced rail strikes. While millions
of Brits are suffering from Tory tax hikes, inflation and
stagnant wages, rather than doing his job the Transport Secretary
has been busy touring media studios to union-bash, pitting rail
workers against the British public and washing his hands of all
responsibility. Now Ministers are proposing to use agency staff
to cover absences, which is both unsafe and reckless. If I can
organise and attend meetings with both the Network Rail chief
executive and the RMT union general secretary, why are Ministers
finding it so difficult? Is it because the Tory Government are
prioritising stripping workers of their
rights—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. When I stand up and ask the shadow Minister to sit down, I
expect him to sit down, not just carry on ranting. I do not think
that is acceptable. I worked with him to get him in at this
point, because he would not have got in otherwise. Please do not
take advantage of the Chair or the Chamber. We expect your
question to be shorter. Minister, I am sure you can answer
briefly.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to put on record that we had
a very good meeting following your request for a meeting about
stations in your own constituency. [Interruption.] He is nothing
if not enthusiastic.
Going back to the matter of industrial action, let us be
absolutely clear: we are incredibly disappointed that the unions
took the step to go down the route of industrial action. It
should be the last resort, not the first resort. On the hon.
Gentleman’s specific point about meetings, he will know full well
that it is the place of the employers to have the negotiations
with the union, not for the Government. It seems a bit rich that
the Opposition go on and on but the simple thing to prevent the
strikes—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Quiet, please.
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. [Laughter.]
Reopening Railway Lines and Stations
(Ashfield) (Con)
5. What recent progress he has made on reopening closed railway
lines and stations. (900812)
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
16. What recent progress he has made on reopening closed railway
lines and stations. (900827)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Through the £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund we have
already reopened the Dartmoor line, and we are supporting more
than 45 other promising schemes. This month we announced £15
million to further develop nine schemes to level up areas and
grow the economy.
Last year the leader of Ashfield District Council announced in
the local paper that the Maid Marian line was a goer and claimed
full credit. This year he has announced to the local paper that
it is not going ahead and blamed the Government. Will the
Minister please confirm exactly where we are with the Maid Marian
line just to avoid any more embarrassment for the council
leader?
I am happy to give the clarity that my hon. Friend is seeking. I
know he takes a keen interest in and is a passionate supporter of
the Maid Marian line. Although the bid to reopen the Maid Marian
line to passenger services was unsuccessful as part of the
Restoring Your Railways programme, I want to be absolutely clear
that the case will now be considered under the remit of the Toton
study. This is the best opportunity to get the line reopened, and
I am happy to meet him to discuss it further.
My hon. Friend will know that it was not just Beeching who cut
stations serving Stoke-on-Trent; it was also the last Labour
Government. Will she confirm that this Government are determined
to deliver rail improvements to Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove
and Talke, and that reopening the line from Stoke to Leek via
Milton, with services running on from Stoke to Longport and
Kidsgrove, is a serious option for relieving transport
deprivation and chronic road congestion for all?
My hon. Friend rightly highlights the importance and the benefits
of good rail connections to levelling up. He will know that the
Stoke-Leek line has successfully secured initial development
funding of up to £50,000, and we will be working with the
scheme’s promoters to develop a full business case so that a
decision can be made later this year.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
The Minister will know that the railways have not only a large
number of old stations but a lot of property. Will she take
seriously making some property from the rail sector available in
Huddersfield close to the George Hotel, where we desperately need
the perfect site for the rugby league museum? Could she look into
that, because there is a lot of property around the hotel? We
desperately need her help. Will she intervene?
The hon. Gentleman raises a specific point in his constituency. I
would be more than happy to look into it and respond to him.
(Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
I am pleased that the reopening of the Barrow Hill line to
passenger services has reached the next stage of the review. The
problem is that it will be a heavy rail service to a reopened
Sheffield Victoria, which has very poor connectivity. Will she
look again at the idea of a tram train, following the successful
service between Sheffield and Rotherham, which would go into the
centre of Sheffield and have real connectivity there? People
could then use the newly reopened Beighton station to access it.
I know the Minister has offered to meet me already, but will she
have a look at that in advance of our meeting?
I am glad that the hon. Gentleman recognises the step forward
with the Barrow Hill line, and I will certainly look at the issue
he raises in advance of our meeting.
(Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)
Re-establishing a new railway station in St Athan has been a
priority for me for some time. The Minister and I have met on
several occasions, but we have also discovered that the Welsh
Government failed to include it in the new stations fund
programme. Will the Minister therefore agree to meet me again, so
that we can consider how we can best take this project forward?
It is a priority not only for me but for the whole of the Vale of
Glamorgan.
I am happy to meet my right hon. Friend.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
The Secretary of State knows that he has promised twice to come
to the Rhondda to be dangled down a hole into the Rhondda tunnel.
We are happy to welcome him at any time. I have had a meeting
with him and one with the Minister. They keep promising that they
will get this sorted, and that there will be another meeting with
all the different stakeholders. We chase and chase, and just like
you have seen, Mr Speaker, nothing ever gets done. Can they
please sort out the Rhondda tunnel so that we can open it up? It
will be a great historic reinvention.
Mr Deputy Speaker—sorry, Mr Speaker. Three strikes and I will be
out. The hon. Gentleman knows that it is a matter for the Welsh
Government. I have had a meeting with him, and I am more than
happy to have another meeting with him, but it is time that the
Welsh Government put some money forward.
(South West Wiltshire)
(Con)
The Minister and I have met to discuss the notorious Tisbury loop
arrangement before. Can she update the House on what she proposes
to do about this, since for the expenditure of very little money,
she could dramatically improve services between Waterloo and
Exeter?
I know that my right hon. Friend has raised this matter before,
and I will be happy to give him a written update on the Tisbury
loop.
Legalisation of e-Scooters
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
6. What assessment he has made of the potential risks of
legalising e-scooters. (900813)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
Safety is our priority, and we continue to assess ongoing
e-scooter trials, international experience and further research
to inform forthcoming legislation.
Vehicle standards remain a reserved issue, so any changes
legislated for by the UK Government will impact on Scotland. What
data have the Government gathered through trials on the impact
that changes would have on people with sight loss, and how will
Ministers share trial data with the Scottish Government, as no
trials have taken place there yet?
The hon. Member is absolutely correct. The 30 e-scooter trials
have been hugely successful across England and will inform how we
legislate, but let me assure her, and thank her for the
opportunity to say, that we will share our data. We will publish
it and the findings, and we will of course work with the
Administrations across Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
A27: Shoreham to Worthing
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
7. What recent progress has been made on developing options for
the upgrade of the A27 between Shoreham and Worthing.
(900814)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
National Highways is currently finalising option proposals for
the A27 upgrade scheme. We expect that the proposals will be put
to public consultation later this year.
The Minister will be aware that the A27 between Worthing and
Shoreham is so congested that at times it resembles the biggest
car park in the south-east of England. Last week, National
Highways produced a summary of all the failed suggestions it has
come up with. At the same time, Transport for the South East came
up with much more imaginative proposals, including tunnelling
options at some pinch point junctions, which many of us have been
suggesting for the past 25 years. What do we need to do to get
Transport for the South East’s proposals translated into action,
after waiting decades for these improvements?
I thank my hon. Friend for the powerful points he has made. The
Department is very aware of the draft report by Transport for the
South East, and I thank it for that report. The proposals are
being considered carefully and looked at closely by the
Department, and I know that the Roads Minister will respond in
detail in due course.
Road Maintenance
(Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
9. What support his Department is providing to local authorities
for the repair of potholes and road maintenance. (900817)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
The Department is investing more than £5 billion over this
Parliament in local highways maintenance, which is helping to fix
potholes and other road defects.
The roads in Buckinghamshire are a mess—they are some of the
worst in the country—and Buckinghamshire Council blames a lack of
funding from central Government when it says that it cannot
invest in long-term repairs. What specifically are the Government
doing to help the worst-affected parts of the country address the
backlog of potholes and road repairs?
The Government are putting in approximately £950 million a year,
and have committed to do so for over three years. That enables
local authorities to plan over the longer term to manage their
highways assets and to tackle potholes and other defects. I note
that Buckinghamshire Council is putting £100 million into a
four-year highway improvement programme, which is a clear sign of
a Conservative council working with Conservative MPs to achieve
results.
Inter-city Rail Links
(Redcar) (Con)
10. What steps he is taking to expand inter-city rail links
between London and the nations and regions of the UK.
(900818)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Department is levelling up rail links and growing the economy
through near-term investment in additional inter-city services
and longer-term investments such as High Speed 2 and the
integrated rail plan.
In December, we welcomed the first direct rail connection from
Middlesbrough to King’s Cross for 31 years, helping to boost
connectivity between Teesside and London. Will the Minister
consider asking his officials to help us build a business case
for extending the service through to Redcar Central, which would
further unlock the potential across Teesside and connect the UK’s
largest freeport with our capital city?
Redcar is a fantastic part of the country, and my hon. Friend is
a valued, consistent and doughty champion of his constituency. I
understand that Redcar station is to receive a £6 million
refurbishment, thanks to his hard work. As his hard work
continues to prevail and Redcar continues to thrive, I am sure
that LNER will consider extending its service to this vital
northern town, which, as he says, is home to the UK’s largest
freeport.
Rockets and Satellites
(Truro and Falmouth)
(Con)
11. What steps he has taken to support the launch of rockets and
satellites from the UK. (900819)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
We have established the framework to enable the first launch to
space from the UK, and we remain on track for it to happen later
this year.
We have heard a lot about railways around the country this
morning, but Cornwall is leading from the front when it comes to
rockets and satellites. This year, we expect to see the first
launch from UK soil, when lift-off takes place at Spaceport
Cornwall in Newquay. One hundred and fifty-seven businesses
across Cornwall are now linked with the space industry. I ask the
Minister to ensure that the Civil Aviation Authority makes
progress as soon as possible with issuing the necessary licences
to ensure that the launch can take place this summer.
I have seen for myself the beauty of Cornwall and the ingenuity
at Spaceport Cornwall’s integration facility. It is thanks to the
championing of my hon. Friend, and that of my hon. Friend the
Member for St Austell and Newquay (), that in partnership with
Virgin Orbit, and with the CAA and the UK Space Agency firmly on
board, we will see the first ever space launch from UK soil later
this year.
Automatic Route Setting: Railways
(City of Durham) (Lab)
12. What assessment he has made of the (a) management and (b)
specifications of the use of automatic route setting on railways.
(900820)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Automatic route setting is an existing system that Network Rail
has used for more than 30 years to support the safe and efficient
running of our railways. I am delighted to report that this week,
my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a £1
billion investment in digital signalling on the east coast main
line, which will mean faster, safer and more regular trains for
millions of people.
My constituent Paul Day is a recently retired signaller for
Network Rail. While in his role, he provided the Office of Rail
and Road and Network Rail with nearly a decade’s-worth of
information about the safety issues posed by poor data quality,
data management and information security on the nation’s rail
network. Despite the fact that he first raised his concerns in
2012, nothing has changed, with Network Rail’s 2018 report
highlighting that the issues were the same as those identified in
2015. Does the Minister agree that the lack of accountability in
the rush for further automation cannot be ignored any longer?
Will he meet me and my constituent to look at the issues
further?
We will never compromise on the safety of our railways and the UK
railway network will remain one of the safest in Europe. It is
important to emphasise, however, that ARS is not a safety system
and would never be able to override one. Interlocking is a key
safety part of the signalling system and would never permit ARS
to set a train into a collision. The Department has invested in
early design and testing work to enhance traffic management
systems, and we will continue to invest record amounts to ensure
that our railways remain some of the safest in Europe.
Active Travel
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
13. What steps he is taking to encourage a shift from the use of
cars to active travel. (900821)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
We are investing £2 billion in active travel over this Parliament
to encourage more people to walk and cycle for short
journeys.
York should be the UK’s cycling capital—it is the home of Active
Travel England and it is easy cycling terrain. It was seeing
sustained growth, but the growth in car journeys is now exceeding
the growth in cycling, and there are concerns about accidents,
confidence and a lack of infrastructure. The active travel budget
is woefully small compared with that for roads, and less than a
third of what is needed to reach the 2025 target for cycling and
walking, so what is the Minister doing to ensure that the funding
is in place for the scale of modal shift that is needed?
The hon. Lady shares the Prime Minister’s ambition to ensure that
half of all journeys are walked or cycled in towns and cities by
2030, as set out in “Gear Change”. We are investing more money
than ever—£2 billion—and we have established Active Travel
England in York. We have now appointed Chris Boardman MBE as
England’s active travel commissioner and I will soon publish the
second cycling and walking strategy. Mr Speaker, put simply,
there has never been a better time to get on your bike.
Mr Speaker
Thank you, Norman.
(Wimbledon) (Con)
The shift from cars to all modes of transport, which will benefit
us in environmental and health terms, would undoubtedly be
improved by a better ticketing offer for the railways. Does the
Minister agree that it is the Government’s job to ensure a
well-functioning ticketing system, as opposed to mandating Great
British Railways? We have some of the world’s leading ticketing
companies putting forward innovative new offers, and it would be
better to ensure that shift by incentivising those companies.
That is a bit of a stretch from the question on active travel,
but I agree that it is equally important to have modal continuity
between active travel and public services. I suggest that my hon.
Friend meets the Rail Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for
Aldridge-Brownhills (), about that specific
question.
(Strangford) (DUP)
Although it is important for people to move from cars to more
active travel, the reality for many of us in rural communities is
that we cannot, because the bus services are not there and cars
are our mode of transport. One way to do it would be through a
park and ride—in other words, for people to make their journey
from the countryside to the town, park, then ride on a Glider. Is
the Minister looking at that?
I certainly am. We are looking at all ways to reduce congestion
and enable people to be fitter and to get from A to B in the most
cost-effective way. I would be delighted to meet the hon. Member
to talk in more detail about all the roles of active travel, lift
sharing and park and ride, and the different ways people can now
get around with the modern transport revolution.
UK Supply Chains
(Bolsover) (Con)
14. What steps his Department is taking to support UK supply
chains.(900825)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
We have published a future of freight plan, supporting efficient,
resilient and sustainable supply chains.
I thank the Minister for that very brief answer. I recently met
Rick Bromley, who runs a road haulage business in my
constituency, and he was very concerned about the impact of
rising fuel prices on the industry and the uncertainty that such
prices are creating. What assessment have the Minister and the
Department made of the sustainability of the haulage sector given
the current uncertainties?
I will reply at more length now, if that is what my hon. Friend
would like. We recognise that the cost of fuel, driven by global
factors, means that businesses are of course facing increased
operating costs, and we are taking steps to mitigate that. My
hon. Friend will be aware that we cut fuel duty by 5p in the
spring, and we have recently instructed the Competition and
Markets Authority to conduct an urgent review of competition in
the fuel retail market to ensure that customers and businesses
are not getting ripped off.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Ilford South) (Lab)
Mr Speaker, I apologise for my lack of a tie earlier this
morning. You know that I usually take my sartorial choices
incredibly seriously, given how much the media like to comment on
them.
From fashion to transport chaos. We know that the Government have
allowed supply chains to deteriorate to breaking point over the
past few weeks. Countless businesses are on the verge of going
bust, and the knock-on impact on families has been heartbreaking
given the full force of the cost of living crisis. Throughout
this, the Secretary of State has been and continues to be missing
in action. Time and again, he has refused to meet the Mayor of
London to agree a long-term funding deal for Transport for
London, jeopardising UK-wide supply chains. He did
nothing—nothing—to halt last week’s rail strikes, and instead
just attacked the workers, who had legitimate grievances. It is
clear that the Secretary of State does not care about fixing
supply chains; instead, he spends his time making TikToks. So
will the Minister get a grip on the transport chaos?
Let me enlighten the hon. Member. There is, for example, the
action we have taken on HGV drivers. We have taken 33 measures,
which have been praised by Logistics UK. That is what we are
doing. This Department has a very firm grip of the transport
network, and that is why we are seeing results.
Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham Railway
(Shrewsbury and Atcham)
(Con)
15. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of
updating and improving the Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham
railway line on employment, training and educational
opportunities for people in local communities.(900826)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
We are expecting to receive a strategic outline business case
from Midlands Connect in July, which I hope will set out the
potential impacts of this scheme on employment, training and
education.
I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. As she says, a business
case is going in to her Department in July to increase the line
speed between Shrewsbury and Birmingham, which could be done by
2025 if signed off quickly. Will she use her good offices to
agree the funding for the outline business case, so that we can
finally level up for Shropshire with connectivity and speed to
our regional capital, Birmingham?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that rail projects such as
this are a vital way of levelling up and growing the economy
right across every part of the country. I look forward to
receiving the business case next month, and I would be very happy
to meet my hon. Friend and stakeholders to discuss the scheme
further.
Industrial Action: Railways
Mr (South West Hertfordshire)
(Con)
17. What assessment he has made of the economic impact of the
rail industrial action between 21 and 25 June 2022.(900828)
(Grantham and Stamford)
(Con)
18. What assessment he has made of the economic impact of the
rail industrial action between 21 and 25 June 2022.(900829)
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
The Centre for Economics and Business Research has estimated the
cost of the RMT’s strike action to be at least £91 million due to
workplace absences. However, Network Rail has estimated the
direct cost of last week’s strike to the rail industry to be
between £100 million and £150 million.
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. The effect of the
covid-19 pandemic on the rail industry has been well documented,
as have been his and the Chancellor’s extensive efforts in
providing support for our railways during that time. Does my
right hon. Friend share my disappointment that, after two years
of taxpayers’ money being spent subsidising the rail industry,
the RMT chose to strike instead of accepting the pay rise it has
been offered or continuing to negotiate?
My hon. Friend is right, but it is actually even worse than that.
Not only was £16 billion of taxpayers’ money put in—£600 per
family in this country, or £160,000 per individual railway
employee—but the RMT balloted for strike action under the false
pretence that there would not be a pay rise, when in fact the pay
freeze had already ended. That is unjustified and unjustifiable
action that the whole House should be condemning.
Given the significant cost of the strikes, what progress can we
make towards the introduction of minimum service levels, like
they have in many other European countries, albeit as a
longer-term solution?
We are intending to progress with minimum service levels. That is
in our manifesto, and we will be introducing legislation later
this year. As my hon. Friend rightly points out, minimum service
levels exist in civilised countries such as France, Italy and
Spain, and it is about time we had them in the UK as well.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
Will the Secretary of State explain why it is that when essential
goods such as fuel are in short supply the price has to go up,
but when essential workers are in short supply, their wages are
expected to go down?
As I have explained to the House, a pay rise was already on the
cards, and it is false to have called a strike on the basis that
there would be a pay freeze. The pay freeze had ended. It is also
untrue to say that there needed to be wide-scale compulsory
redundancies. Indeed, we had a voluntary redundancy programme,
where 5,500 members of staff came forward, and we only accepted
2,500 of them. This strike has been called on the false pretences
that I have described. It is time to end the strike and ensure
that people get back to work, and it is time for those on the
Opposition Benches to condemn the strikes.
Topical Questions
(Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
(SNP)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900797)
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
I know the whole House will share our concerns about the
potential for aviation disruption this summer. Millions of
families are looking forward to getting away on holiday, which is
perhaps the first one they have had since the pandemic. We
appreciate that the airports are busy as they recover, but the
last thing we want is a repeat of the scenes that we saw at
Easter and half term. Let me stress that there is absolutely no
excuse for further widespread disruption. It is more than 100
days since we announced the easing of travel restrictions;
further to support the industry as it prepares for the summer, I
am today announcing, with a written ministerial statement to the
House, a 22-point plan to help recruit and retain staff, and
improve resilience, so that disruption to passengers this summer
is minimised, and if delays do unfortunately occur, so that
travellers get properly compensated. Those measures are what we
are doing, and we look to the aviation sector to do its part.
My constituents who work at the Alexander Dennis Limited factory
in Camelon, along with many others throughout the industry,
suspect that the Prime Minister’s green bus pledge will not be
met. In the same timeframe, the Scottish Government have, per
capita, ordered the equivalent of more than three times as many
buses as the UK Government’s figure. Will the 4,000 buses be on
the roads by the end of this parliamentary term?
Yes.
(Clacton) (Con)
T4. I thank the Minister of State for her recent response
regarding the much needed upgrade of Haughley junction. I am sure
that those on the Front Bench will be fed up with me banging on
about this, but will the Secretary of State commit, right now, to
upgrading Haughley and other important connectivity junctions in
the east, such as Ely, so that we do not lose out on the
levelling-up agenda?(900801)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
I have spoken to my hon. Friend several times, including
recently, about that scheme, and he is a keen campaigner for
getting faster and more reliable trains from Clacton to London.
We want to provide as much certainty as possible on rail
enhancements, and we will set out our plans, including our
proposals on Haughley junction, in the upcoming update to the
rail network enhancement pipeline.
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
It is my great pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State to oral
questions today, because he was absent without leave last time,
and he is missing in action when it comes to aviation. He
mentioned the chaos over Easter and the jubilee weekend, but he
did not hold one meeting with aviation bosses during that time.
Now EasyJet, among others, has announced that it could cancel
10,000 flights in the next three months. The Secretary of State
needs to step up to the plate. He needs to go to the Prime
Minister, knock on the door, and clean up the mess.
I am not sure what the question was. During the last oral
questions, I was taking on the UK presidency of the International
Transport Forum, which is the world’s most important
international transport body. If the hon. Gentleman does not
think that a Secretary of State should be doing that, he is very
mistaken indeed.
(Waveney) (Con)
T5. Leading on from my hon. Friend the Member for Clacton (), is my hon. Friend aware of
the growing alarm across East Anglia about whether the
Government’s long-term commitment to invest in Ely and Haughley
junctions will be fulfilled? That improvement to the rail network
will have significant levelling-up benefits across East Anglia
and beyond, improve services for both freight and passengers, and
help achieve our legally binding decarbonisation targets. Will
she confirm that the rail network enhancements pipeline will
prioritise this much needed investment?(900802)
My hon. Friend has previously raised the issue of Haughley and
Ely junctions with me. We remain committed to publishing the RNEP
update, which has been delayed by the need to take account of the
impacts of the pandemic and the spending review. However, I want
to be in a position where we can provide as much clarity and
certainty as possible. We will set out our plans shortly.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
The Secretary of State will doubtless be aware of the existence
of proof that Inverness airport, having proactively asked about
the private jet flight to Moscow two days after the Russian
invasion, was told by NATS that it had no reason to intervene and
that it should expect contact from the Department for Transport
on anything specific. He sought to embarrass Inverness airport
and blame it publicly. Would he like to correct the record and
apologise to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd for his
error?
As a pilot, I understand how NOTAMs—notices to aviation—work:
they are the responsibility of either the pilot or the aviation
operator, which in this case was the airport, to follow. There is
simply no excuse for not following them.
(Cities of London and
Westminster) (Con)
With more strike days on the tube under this Mayor than his
predecessor, his wanting to slash our bus services—in particular,
the 24 and the 211 in my constituency—and with the Met now in
special measures, does my right hon. Friend think it is time that
the Department for Transport considers putting Transport for
London in special measures?
My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. Labour Members
constantly call on me to enter into direct negotiations with the
unions. They may be able to tell us whether the Mayor of London
has done the same thing with the RMT strikes. If he has, it has
not worked. If he has not, why are they not calling on him to do
that?
To add to my hon. Friend’s lengthy list of problems, I got a
letter yesterday from the monitoring officer at the Greater
London Authority, who says that she will be referring to the
formal complaints process guidance as a result of the Mayor’s
releasing information about both the Elizabeth line and TfL in
advance of the markets.
Peter Dowd (Bootle) (Lab)
T2. Transport remains the UK’s biggest generator of
climate-wrecking carbon dioxide emissions. Road construction and
the traffic that those roads support represents a large
proportion of that. Does the Secretary of State agree, therefore,
that rather than pursuing an outdated, destructive road project
such as the Rimrose Valley Port of Liverpool access scheme in my
constituency and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Sefton
Central (), a complete rethink is
needed and that imaginative, innovative and sustainable
infrastructure is the only credible way forward in the face of a
climate emergency?(900798)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
The hon. Member makes a particularly important point, which is
exactly why we are investing £577 million in research and
development, more than half of which is on decarbonisation of
transport, including programmes such as ADEPT live labs where we
look specifically at how we can reduce carbon emissions from
bituminous materials and road making provisions.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Many of the roads in north Buckinghamshire are in a perilous and
dangerous state because of the thousands of heavy goods vehicle
movements related to the construction of High Speed 2 and East
West Rail. Does my hon. Friend agree that, as a point of
principle, that which those companies break, they should fix
without question?
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
My hon. Friend remains a doughty champion of his constituency and
the state of its roads. I continue to work with him to ensure
that any damage done by HS2 or East West Rail is put right. The
company has committed to that, and I will continue to work with
him and his local councillors to ensure that that happens.
(Westminster North) (Lab)
T3. We are back in another short-term extension of the Transport
for London funding deal. The Government cancelled a series of
meetings to discuss it, and business leaders are pleading with
them to get on and provide a long-term spending deal. There is a
very simple yes or no answer to this question: will the Secretary
of State meet the Mayor to sort this out?(900800)
There have been numerous meetings with the Mayor, and they have
included our officials as well as me from time to time. The Mayor
has failed to bring forward his plan for the reform of pensions,
missing the deadline and causing us to have to, in part, create
an additional extension for that purpose. On Thursday or Friday
of last week, he stood up and made a speech saying that he would
dodge the difficult issues set up by his own independent review
of the pensions and that there was not even a cause for having a
pensions review, which has cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions
of pounds. The Mayor needs to start taking some responsibility
for his own transport system in London.
(Rutland and Melton)
(Con)
I recently met the parents of Emily, a nine-year-old girl from
the Vale of Belvoir who was killed in a tragic car accident. They
want me to ask the Secretary of State what consideration he has
given to graduated driving licences, which we know have saved
lives around the world. Will he meet me to discuss the most
dangerous roads in Rutland and Melton, particularly the A52
junction at Bottesford?
Reducing road deaths and injuries is something that I am very
passionate about. We are working all the time with National
Highways and the local highways authorities. I will certainly
make sure that my hon. Friend gets an urgent meeting with the
Roads Minister to discuss her specific issues.
(Newport East) (Lab)
T6. During recent Transport questions, Ministers agreed to meet
me and campaigners for Magor rail station, but, like my hon.
Friend the Member for Rhondda (), despite chasing them, we
have heard nothing. Please could we have that meeting? It would
allow us to urge the UK Government to work with the Welsh
Government to deliver financial investment for cross-border rail,
which the Burns review, the Union connectivity review and the
western gateway partnership deem essential.(900803)
I assure the hon. Lady that my office has been endeavouring to
set up that meeting. I will chase them and make sure that it
happens.
(Kensington) (Con)
The Mayor of London is consulting on cutting 18% of London’s bus
routes. This will badly affect my constituency, with seven routes
cut completely and seven severely affected, even though the
elderly, the disabled and the vulnerable are dependent on buses.
Does my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agree that the
Mayor needs to stop these plans?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have provided £5 billion
to TfL. What the Mayor does with that money and how he spends it
is his choice. As I mentioned a moment ago, rather than doing the
difficult things—for example, tackling the pension fund that his
own review says requires tackling—he is cutting buses for
Londoners, and that cannot be right.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
T7. The right hon. Gentleman used to be a pilot. He is now the
Secretary of State for Transport and therefore responsible for
making sure that air transport on these islands complies with the
law. Does he accept as a fact that Inverness airport specifically
asked the National Air Traffic Service if it was okay to let that
flight go, and that it was told that, yes, it could? Does he also
accept that his Department did nothing to intervene? And does he
accept that it was a weakness in the sanctions regulations that
led to any dubiety at all as to whether that flight should have
been grounded?(900804)
No, no and no. For clarity, I will write to the hon. Gentleman
and put a copy of the letter in the Library, explaining how a
notice to airmen, as it used to be called—it is now called a
notice to aviation—operates. As soon as it is issued, it is the
job of the aviation organisation or pilot to obey it. There are
no ifs and buts—a NOTAM is a NOTAM. It does not matter what
anybody else says—that is what has to be followed. I will
illustrate that in a letter to the hon. Gentleman, and I hope we
can put this issue to bed.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
The No. 7 bus, which connects Smallthorne, Chell, Packmoor and
Kidsgrove, is sadly at risk, so could my right hon. Friend ask
the Bus Minister to hold an urgent meeting with me,
Stoke-on-Trent City Council and First Potteries, to make sure
that this vital service is not lost?
I know that the Bus Minister will be delighted to meet my hon.
Friend.
(Nottingham East) (Lab)
T8. The measures that this Government are taking will not even
touch the sides of the cost of living crisis, and transport
policies are no exception. By contrast, Germany offers a pass for
all regional and local public transport for just €9 a month, and
the Irish Government have cut fares by 20%. Will the Transport
Secretary consider such bold measures to ease the financial
pressures on people and tackle the climate emergency?(900806)
I know that the hon. Lady is passionate about transport issues. I
saw that she was on the picket line last week, although that,
unfortunately, stopped hard-working people getting to their jobs
to earn a living. I also know she will be a big fan of the recent
great British rail sale, which saved the public £7 million, with
lots of tickets up to half price. That was massively successful,
with about 1.5 million tickets sold. I hope to repeat such
exercises.
(Redcar) (Con)
Will the Minister confirm that the DFT will use the upcoming
Government response to the consultation on the renewable
transport fuel obligation to fine-tune the regulations and
stimulate the use of hydrogen in transport?
It is an absolute pleasure to respond to Mr Hydrogen on this
issue, because we in the Department share his enthusiasm for
hydrogen in the transport sector. We are looking at the RTFO to
see how it could support hydrogen in transport more effectively
while working with colleagues across the Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy to do the same.
(Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)
I thank the Rail Minister, the hon. Member for
Aldridge-Brownhills (), for her announcement on 18
June about more funding for the development of the line between
Poulton-le-Fylde and Fleetwood. Will she reassure my
constituents, who are important stakeholders in that potential
reopening, that they will be consulted by Network Rail as plans
develop?
I was really pleased that we were able to make that announcement.
I assure the hon. Member that, as we continue with that, we will
keep in touch with her and stakeholders as appropriate.
(Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)
There are media reports today that another 30 flights from
Heathrow have been cancelled, with considerable disruption for
many passengers. Many passengers have turned up to Heathrow not
knowing that those flights were set to be cancelled, so it is
disappointing that the Secretary of State has chosen not to
initiate an oral statement on his response to the crisis. How
many people does he think have been affected by the situation
facing our airlines? And if he does not know, why not?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ()
We have made it absolutely clear that the scenes we have seen at
airports are unacceptable and that we do not want a repeat of
them. It is important to remember that the responsibility for
ensuring the safe, efficient operation of airlines rests with the
aviation sector. We have announced a 22-point plan today to make
it clear what the Government are doing in support.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
On Saturday, I met RMT Scotland workers on the picket line at
Glasgow central station and was incredibly proud to do so. One of
the things they told me is that they are sick, tired and fed up
of the Secretary of State vilifying them in public. Will he take
this opportunity to apologise to RMT workers, our hard-working
railway staff who keep the railways safe every day, and actually
get around the table with them?
I am happy to clear this up: I think that railway workers are
very hard-working people who have been sold a duffer by their
union bosses, who are hard-line—in many cases—Marxists who want
to bring this Government down and bring the country to a
standstill. It is a great shame that the hon. Member is
encouraging that, rather than condemning it. Fortunately, they
are paid well above the average in the country—£44,000 for the
average railway worker compared with only £31,000 for a nurse.
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