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Tag: 2023

  • Alan Brown – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    Alan Brown – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    The speech made by Alan Brown, the SNP spokesperson on transport, in the House of Commons on 20 March 2023.

    While the Secretary of State was finishing writing his statement before coming to the House, Avanti was doing what it does best—causing more chaos to the west coast. I was glad that I got the London North Eastern Railway down, rather than Avanti. Avanti was far and away the worst-performing company for cancellations in period 11 and the second worst in period 12, according to Office of Rail and Road tables. It was beaten in period 12 only by TransPennine Express. Coincidentally, both franchises involve FirstGroup. By contrast, ScotRail is by far the best performing major operator for cancellation percentages, and it runs eight times as many trains as Avanti.

    Since the much heralded Government intervention, ORR data for periods 8 to 11 shows that the number of trains arriving on time is lower, and hovers around 32% to 35%. The Secretary of State talks about facts, but the fact is that still only a third of trains are arriving on time. Does he really think that merits coming to the Despatch Box and bragging about a turnaround? Even on Avanti’s 15-minute threshold for arrival, performance has been consistently lower than in earlier years. In period 10, a quarter of trains arrived outside that 15-minute window. Period 11 was only marginally better. Yet again, ScotRail significantly outperforms it. LNER has had its own issues, but it still outperforms Avanti by some distance. There is no shareholder dividend system for ScotRail or LNER. Despite the Secretary of State saying that there is ideological battle on this issue, why are the Government still so opposed to nationalising rail companies and giving them public sector ownership?

    The Secretary of State mentioned discounted ticketing, yet no one north of Preston benefits from that, so passengers in Scotland are paying full whack for services that barely exist to cross-subsidise tickets for trains that stop 200 miles away. Scottish commuters have seen plans to shelve the Golborne link for HS2, with no replacement identified, and further delays to the Euston link. Even when HS2 comes into being, our trains will be slower on the west coast main line than Avanti’s are at present. Despite the rhetoric about rhetoric, is it not the case that this Government just do not care?

    Mr Harper

    Let me deal with those questions in order. First, it important to focus on the facts. To take today’s Avanti service, 95.5% of services were running within 15 minutes of their planned time. There was a service issue today, which I know at least one hon. Member was affected by. There was a Network Rail points failure between Carstairs and Carlisle, which resulted in the delay and part-cancellation of two services, including the 0939 from Lancaster, which started instead from Preston and arrived three minutes late at Euston. It is interesting that the issue was caused by the bit of the industry that is, of course, owned by the taxpayer, so that does not demonstrate the hon. Gentleman’s case for nationalisation.

    Secondly, on timekeeping, I said in my statement that Avanti’s punctuality was now within the pack of the train operating companies, but that it was at the bottom of the pack and there was more work still to do. I was very clear that Avanti has improved its performance but it is not where it needs to be, which is why I have sufficient confidence only to extend the contract until October. Both I and the Rail Minister have been clear that Avanti needs to continue to deliver improved performance.

    On LNER, on the east coast, in my view one of the reasons why good performance is delivered on that route is that there are open-access operators providing competition and choice to passengers. It is important for us to bear that in mind when we think about the future shape of the rail service.

    On the hon. Gentleman’s points about HS2, because I have to consider the interests of the taxpayer and the fact that inflation is significantly high at the moment, I had to make difficult decisions. The choice I made was to continue delivering phase 1, in order to ensure we deliver it as promised; to have a short delay to phase 2a, to continue to deliver phase 2b on track; and to look again at delivering a station at Euston, within the budget that has been set. I think those were the right decisions to deliver improved infrastructure, to benefit the country over decades to come.

  • Louise Haigh – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    Louise Haigh – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    The speech made by Louise Haigh, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 20 March 2023.

    I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. What a relief it is to see him in his place. Since he announced huge changes on HS2, affecting billions of pounds of investment and jobs, costs to the taxpayer and particularly affecting the north of England, this is the first we have seen or heard from him. You can call the search party off, Mr Speaker.

    I welcome the deal on Network Rail, but it is overdue. After 10 months in which the Government refused to negotiate and, according to the chief executive of Network Rail, engaged in “noisy political rhetoric” that had been “counterproductive” to negotiations, a compromise has finally been made. However, passengers across the midlands, the north and Scotland, Members from both sides of the House, and possibly you, Mr Speaker, will be looking on in disbelief today as millions more in taxpayer cash is handed to an operator that is so demonstrably failing passengers. For the Secretary of State to stand at the Dispatch Box and hail a turnaround in the service demonstrates how staggeringly out of touch he is with the lived reality of people in this country.

    The figures speak for themselves. Over the past six months, under the Secretary of State’s intensive improvement plan, Avanti West Coast has broken several records—records for delays and cancellations: the highest ever number of trains more than 15 minutes late and the highest single month of cancellations since records began. In one month, almost a quarter of services were badly delayed. That is higher than during the chaos in August and during the height of the pandemic.

    That is not all. Under the Secretary of State’s so-called improvement plan, the number of trains on time actually fell to just one third. If that is what success looks like to the Government, is it any wonder that people question whether anything in this country works any more? They look on in disbelief as the answer to this prolonged failure is always millions more in taxpayers’ cash.

    This issue matters because across the north, services remain in chaos. Today alone, more than 35 services have been cancelled on TransPennine Express. This has been an issue for not months but years. Six years ago, TransPennine Express had exactly the same issues that it faces today. Then, as now, it blamed staff shortages and the unions. It said then that it would recruit drivers and improve resilience. Then, as now, the Government shrugged their shoulders and let it off the hook as performance plummeted. The Secretary of State dismisses as pointless debates about the future of railways—little wonder, when the answer to the enormous challenges facing the railways is always more of the status quo.

    The Conservatives promised competition that would serve passengers and lower fares; instead, as is happening today, contracts are awarded without the faintest hint of competition while fares rise again and again, and passengers suffer. Their answer to it all is more of the same: the same failing operators; the same waste and fragmentation; the same broken system. Labour will end the fractured, fragmented system holding our railways back and put passengers back at the heart of our rail network, prioritising long-term decision making. But the message that today’s decision sends could not be clearer. Under the Conservatives, our broken railways are here to stay. Under the Conservatives, passengers will always come last.

    Mr Harper

    The hon. Lady must have been listening to a completely different statement; what she just said bears very little relationship to either facts or the things I set out. Let me take her points in turn. I am pleased that she welcomed the acceptance by RMT members of the deal on Network Rail, and that—she obviously did not say this—she recognises that my approach since I became Transport Secretary has clearly been the right one, having helped lead to the situation we are in today. I did not expect her to pay me any credit for that, but I note that she welcomed the result.

    The hon. Lady said that the Avanti figures speak for themselves, and they absolutely do. Weekday services have risen in the new timetable since December to 264 trains a day. The cancellation rate that she talked about was last year; the most recent rate is down to 4.2%, the lowest level in 12 months. That is a clear improvement. I have said that it needs to be sustained, which is why Avanti has an extension only until October. Some 90% of its trains now arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, which is not good enough—it is in the pack with the other train operating companies, but at the bottom of the pack. I have been clear that Avanti needs to deliver improvement in the next six-month period. But the figures do speak for themselves: they demonstrate an operator that is turning things around but still has more to do, which was exactly what I said in my statement.

    I was clear that TPE’s current service levels are unacceptable and that no options were off the table. I am interested in the hon. Lady’s focus on guarding taxpayers’ money. If I have added this up correctly, she and her Front-Bench colleagues have made unfunded promises of £62 billion of rail spending with no demonstrable means to pay for them. I am afraid that she will have excuse me for finding her professed concern for the taxpayer a little incredible.

    Finally, I was surprised that the hon. Lady does not seem to have noticed that far from talking about the status quo, last month I set out in detail a clear set of proposals for reform to bring track and train together in Great British Railways, which I reiterated in my statement. That is what we will continue doing: not having an ideological debate about who owns the railways but talking about delivering better services for passengers. That will remain our relentless focus.

  • Mark Harper – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    Mark Harper – 2023 Speech on Improving Rail Services

    The speech made by Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 20 March 2023.

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the progress the Government are making in improving rail services for passengers.

    Let me begin by saying how pleased I am that, today, members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers at Network Rail have voted to accept a 5% plus 4% pay offer over two years. Seventy-six per cent. of members voted to accept the offer, on a turnout of nearly 90%, showing just how many of them wanted to call time on this long-running dispute.

    From the moment I became Transport Secretary, the Rail Minister and I have worked tirelessly to change the tone of the dispute. We sat down with all the rail union leaders and facilitated fair and reasonable pay offers. Now, all Network Rail union members have resolved their disputes, voting for a reasonable pay increase and accepting the need for a modern railway.

    But not every rail worker is being given that chance. Despite the Rail Delivery Group putting a similar fair and reasonable offer on the table on behalf of the train operating companies, the RMT has refused to put it to a vote. It refused to suspend last week’s strike action even to consider it. Such a lack of co-operation is disappointing—and what does it achieve? It deprives the RMT’s own members of a democratic vote, denies them the pay rise they deserve and, most importantly, delivers more disruption to the travelling public.

    My message to the RMT is simple: call off your strikes, put the RDG offer to a vote and give all your members a say because it is clear from the vote today—the “overwhelming” vote, in the RMT’s own words—that its members understand that it is time to accept a deal that works, not only for their interests, but for passengers.

    Let me turn to the steps we are taking to help passengers and fix the issues on the west coast main line. Members will know that rest-day working, or overtime, is a common way for operators to run a normal timetable. However, last July, drivers for Avanti West Coast, who overwhelmingly belong to the ASLEF union, simultaneously and with no warning stopped volunteering to work overtime. Without enough drivers, Avanti had little choice but to run a much-reduced timetable, with fewer trains per hour from London to destinations in the midlands and the north. Passengers, businesses and communities along vital routes up and down the west coast main line rightly felt let down, facing cancelled services, overcrowded trains and poor customer information. Put simply, it has not been good enough.

    While the removal of rest-day working was the main contributing factor, my hon. Friend the Rail Minister and I repeatedly made it clear to Avanti’s owning groups, Trenitalia and First Group, that their performance needed to improve, too, because we should always hold train operators to account for matters within their control. That accountability should come with the chance to put things right. That is why my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Anne-Marie Trevelyan), extended Avanti’s contract by six months in October. She rightly set a clear expectation that performance had to improve—no ifs and no buts.

    I am pleased to say that not only was Avanti’s recovery plan welcomed by the Office of Rail and Road, but it has led to improvements on the network, with weekday services rising from 180 to 264 trains per day, the highest level in over two years, and cancellation rates falling from around 25% to an average of 4.2% in early March, the lowest level in 12 months. Nearly 90% of Avanti’s trains now arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, over 100 additional drivers have been recruited, reducing reliance on union-controlled overtime working, and it is very pleasing to see Avanti’s new discounted ticketing scheme benefiting passengers on certain routes.

    As you would expect me to say, Mr Speaker, there is much more still to do to ensure that Avanti restores services to the level we expect and to earn back the trust that passengers have lost, but we should welcome those improvements and recognise the hard work undertaken to get to this point. The Rail Minister in particular has overseen weekly meetings on Avanti for months and kept hon. Members from both sides of the House regularly informed. He deserves credit, along with Avanti, for that turnaround.

    October’s extension was not popular, least of all in parts of this House, but it was the right decision and Avanti is turning a corner. Its recovery so far has given me sufficient confidence to confirm that today we will extend its contract by a further six months, running until 15 October. However, that short-term contract comes with the expectation that it will continue to win back the confidence of passengers, with a particular focus on more reliable weekend services, continued reductions in cancellations, and improvements in passenger information during planned and unplanned disruption. My Department will continue to work closely with Avanti to restore reliability and punctuality to levels that passengers have long demanded and have a right to expect.

    I realise some hon. Members will also want to hear about TransPennine Express. I will update the House separately about TransPennine Express ahead of the contract expiring at the end of May, but let me be clear: its current service levels are, frankly, unacceptable and we will hold it to account on its recovery plan. We have made it clear that, unless passengers see significant improvements, like we have on Avanti, all options regarding that contract remain on the table.

    I spoke earlier about holding operators to account, but if we stand here and rightly criticise poor operator performance, we should also recognise that across the industry train operating companies have few levers to change it. Avanti, like others, relies on driver good will to run a reliable seven-day-a-week railway. Like others, it is at the mercy of infrastructure issues out of its control. In fact, seven separate infrastructure issues affected Avanti’s performance in the first week of March alone.

    Outdated working practices and track resilience are why predictable calls for nationalisation wildly miss the point. Any operator would face those constraints and struggle to run a reliable service. Ideological debates about ownership are therefore a distraction, like wanting to paint your car a new colour when what it needs is a new engine. Only fundamental reform will fix rail’s systemic issues, which is what the Government are delivering, bringing track and train together under the remit of Great British Railways, taking a whole system approach to cost, revenue and efficiency, and freeing up the private sector to innovate and prioritise passengers. Having set out my vision for rail last month, very soon, I will announce the location of the headquarters of Great British Railways, another clear sign of the momentum we are building on reform.

    We are getting on with the job of delivering a better railway. It is why we are finally seeing improvements along the west coast main line, as we continue to hold Avanti to account. It is why we are making progress on rail reform. It is why we will always defend the travelling public from unnecessary strike action. And it is why we will always play our part in resolving disputes in a way that is fair to rail workers, the travelling public and the taxpayer. Unlike others, I am not interested in pointless ideological debates about privatisation and nationalisation. The Government are focused on gripping the long-standing issues facing the industry for the benefit of its customers—freight customers and passengers—taking the tough but responsible decisions in the national interest, and building the growing, financially sustainable and modern railway Britain deserves. I commend this statement to the House.

  • PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 March 2023.

    Statement from UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, for the Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

    Vice-President,

    Commissioners, thank you.

    Since you last briefed this Council thousands have been forcibly transferred to Russia or within Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine. And reports of rape, torture and killings continue to mount.

    As you have concluded, several of the atrocities you uncovered amount to war crimes and some may amount to crimes against humanity. We welcome the progress made by the ICC investigation to hold those responsible for these barbaric acts to account. Russia is not just conducting a war against Ukrainian territory and statehood, but a war against Ukrainian civilians, the people – and very identity – of Ukraine. Civilians live in fear, undergo filtration, deportation and arbitrary detention. Those in detention include mayors in Russian controlled territories such as Ihor Kolykhaiev.

    The suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people will have long-lasting consequences.

    The UK is particularly concerned about the devastating impact on children – from severe disruption to education to deportation by the Russian authorities and attempts to erase their Ukrainian identity through re-education programmes.

    Let’s be clear – there can be no impunity for these atrocities. The Ukrainian people deserve justice, and the UK will stand by them for as long as it takes.

    Commissioners,

    How does the progress in the ICC investigation affect your own?

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Israel to sign landmark agreement deepening tech, trade and security ties [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Israel to sign landmark agreement deepening tech, trade and security ties [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 March 2023.

    The UK and Israel will today sign the 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israeli Bilateral Relations, boosting economic, security and technology ties.

    • The Foreign Secretary and Israeli Foreign Minister will today sign the 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israeli Bilateral Relations, boosting economic, security and technology ties.
    • The Roadmap builds on 75 years of close relations between the two countries and includes shared commitments to tackle the scourge of antisemitism.
    • The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Cohen are also expected to discuss the recent spike in violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the threat posed by Iran.

    Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will host his Israeli counterpart Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in London today (21 March) to sign a landmark agreement that will define bilateral relations between their two countries until 2030.

    The UK and Israel are committed to a modern, innovative and forward-looking relationship that continues to focus on mutual priorities for mutual benefit. The 2030 Roadmap for Israel-UK Bilateral Relations is an ambitious agreement that will ensure the partnership remains modern and continues to innovate to address shared challenges. Adopting a thematic approach, the Roadmap contains detailed commitments for deepening cooperation across the breadth of the Israel-UK relationship, including on trade, cyber, science and tech, research and development, security, health, climate and gender.

    New multi-million-pound programmes announced in the Roadmap, including around £20m of joint funding commitments on technology and innovation, will enable both countries to remain at the forefront of the technological revolution. The UK is also committed to working closely with Israel to tackle the scourge of antisemitism. As chair for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2024, the UK will promote fact-based knowledge of the Holocaust and strengthen media and information literacy.

    Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said ahead of the visit:

    The UK-Israel Bilateral Roadmap is a testament to the strength of our close and historic relationship.

    As we approach the 75th anniversary of UK-Israel relations, our Roadmap will allow us to fully take advantage of the opportunities in areas of mutual interest, including tech, trade and security.

    The UK and Israel also stand together, defiant in the face of the malign influence of Iran in the region, and against the wider scourge of antisemitism.

    The UK-Israel relationship has already delivered huge benefits to both economies. Our trade relationship is worth around £7bn, and there are more than 400 Israeli tech firms operating in the UK. Israeli investment into the UK drives growth and jobs, adding around £1bn gross value to the UK economy and creating about 16,000 jobs in the last eight years.

    The Roadmap is the culmination of efforts that began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2021 to work more closely over the next decade on cyber, technology, trade and defence, which formally elevated the UK’s relationship with Israel to a ‘strategic partnership’. Last year, the UK and Israel launched negotiations for a new free trade agreement, with a focus on innovation and the aim of upgrading the trading relationship. The new trade deal, by lowering barriers and championing free trade, is a key priority for both governments.

    During the visit, the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary will also discuss areas of shared concern including countering the current threat from Iran and tackling Iran’s destabilising and malign activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the UK’s ongoing support for the Abraham Accords.

    The Foreign Secretary will also raise the UK’s concerns about the recent spike in violence in the Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the need for all parties to take steps to deescalate and end the cycle of violence.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – Statement on children in armed conflict [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – Statement on children in armed conflict [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 March 2023.

    During the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, the UK delivered a statement on children in armed conflict.

    Thank you, Mr President.

    Let me begin by thanking the Special Representative for her work and extensive global advocacy on this issue.

    The number of grave violations committed against children is alarming. The dramatic rise of conflict-related sexual violence against children around the world is a scourge which cannot be ignored.

    The UK is committed to supporting all survivors and children born of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and taking concerted action in preventing such heinous crimes.

    At the UK hosted Conference on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence last year, a new Platform for Action Promoting the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence was launched. We encouraged all member states to join us and other stakeholders, in committing to action under this Platform’s framework.

    We are also concerned about the use of explosive remnants of war and the surge in improvised explosive devices which disproportionately affect children. The UK will continue to share good practice and strengthen cooperation with our partners.

    Madam Special Representative,

    Could you please provide an update on the situation in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Mozambique and the work your office is doing to support children in those countries?

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Major broadband rollout for Cambridgeshire to benefit 45,000 rural homes and businesses [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Major broadband rollout for Cambridgeshire to benefit 45,000 rural homes and businesses [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 21 March 2023.

    Tens of thousands of people in rural Cambridgeshire will enjoy access to lightning-fast broadband after a major contract was signed to upgrade the county’s network as part of Project Gigabit.

    • Work begins on £122 million plan to upgrade hard-to-reach areas across Cambridgeshire to lightning-fast broadband
    • Full fibre builder CityFibre to deliver connections to around 45,000 rural homes and businesses as part the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit
    • Part of Prime Minister’s pledge to grow the economy, roll out will benefit villages and hamlets around Ely, Newmarket, Royston, Huntingdon and many other areas

    Tens of thousands of people in rural Cambridgeshire will enjoy access to lightning-fast broadband after a major contract was signed to upgrade the county’s network as part of Project Gigabit – the government’s £5 billion roll out to hard-to-reach areas.

    Around 45,000 premises across the county and surrounding areas are in line for gigabit-capable full fibre connections – capable of speeds more than 30 times faster than superfast broadband – thanks to a £69 million contract under Project Gigabit.

    The contract, one of the largest to date, will unlock a further £53 million commercial investment from CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre provider, to expand their network.

    Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said:

    Thanks to our record-breaking roll out Project Gigabit, rural homes and businesses across Cambridgeshire can be confident they won’t be left behind in the upgrade to top-of-the-range gigabit broadband.

    This landmark deal with CityFibre will help deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by ensuring the county’s pioneering science and tech industries can unleash their full potential with lightning-quick connectivity, whether in the city or the countryside.

    Project Gigabit is the biggest broadband roll out in British history, backed with up to £5 billion to deliver faster connections to hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise have missed out. Gigabit-capable networks are fast and fit for the future, allowing users to work, stream and scroll online without the battle for bandwidth or disruption often experienced with ageing networks.

    Detailed planning in Cambridgeshire has already begun and the first Project Gigabit connections are expected in early 2024.

    As part of its private investment, CityFibre has committed an additional £300,000 local stimulus package to create local jobs and provide training – including construction and engineering internships for disadvantaged groups such as armed forces leavers, people with disabilities and those affected by Covid.

    The package will also provide free connectivity to 50 local charities and social enterprises and help those who have trouble using digital technology – often due to the cost or a lack of skills – by increasing their access to digital skills training and equipment.

    Aided by government policies to encourage and drive investment in broadband roll out, CityFibre already has extensive coverage in Cambridgeshire where it has so far committed more than £100 million of investment, completing roll outs in Peterborough and March, and with deployment well underway across the county.

    CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch said:

    Having already rolled out full fibre to 2.5 million homes in towns and cities across the country, we know just how important it is that rural communities and internet service providers are freed of their dependency on creaking copper networks and finally able to enjoy the benefits of fast and reliable digital connectivity.

    That’s why we are delighted that CityFibre has been selected by the government as a partner in its Project Gigabit Programme. We look forward to a long and effective partnership in this exciting programme which supports not only rural connectivity, but a healthy competitive market for the long term, benefiting consumers and business nationwide.

    Cllr Lorna Dupré, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Environment and Green Investment Committee, which oversees the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, said:

    Improved digital infrastructure is crucial for our county and given the significant economic and social benefits for Cambridgeshire I am delighted that we are among the first areas in the country to benefit from the Government’s Project Gigabit funding.

    Access to fast, reliable internet connectivity should no longer be a luxury. It is a basic necessity for all our residents, local businesses and the delivery of public services This initiative will greatly enhance the region’s digital infrastructure and support economic growth, education and innovation.

    The £122 million investment will support our ambition for our businesses to have the leading-edge digital connectivity needed to help them succeed and grow sustainably, and for our communities, particularly in rural and harder to reach areas, to be digitally connected so that residents can access education, jobs, health, social care and other public services.

    Today’s announcement follows more than £160 million worth of contracts already signed in locations right across England, including Cumbria, Teesdale, Northumberland, Dorset and Cornwall. More than 73 per cent of the UK can access gigabit-capable connections, a huge rise on three years ago when coverage stood at just six per cent.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost for buses as government takes more steps to support and decarbonise sector [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost for buses as government takes more steps to support and decarbonise sector [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 21 March 2023.

    Announcing the Bus Centre of Excellence and almost £3 million electric bus funding for Leicester.

    • new initiatives launched to make buses more frequent, cheaper and cleaner
    • national drive to support skills across the bus industry and help deliver improvements in services for passengers with new Bus Centre of Excellence
    • Leicester receives almost £3 million for its electric bus fleet, helping it become one of the first cities to run a fully electric bus depot in England

    A new initiative to upskill, recruit and retain a new generation of bus professionals, alongside support to help our bus sector get stronger, has been announced by the Roads Minister Richard Holden today (21 March 2023).

    Backed by £815,000 in government investment, the new Bus Centre of Excellence will bring together expertise from local government, bus operators and industry to boost skills and diversity in the bus sector.

    As pledged in the government’s National Bus Strategy, the new Bus Centre of Excellence will give life to a new generation of bus professionals to drive forward more reliable, affordable and cleaner bus services. Hosted by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, it will provide training opportunities, direct access to resources and industry experts, as well as networking events to uplift the capacity and capability of the whole sector, working to encourage people to get back on the bus.

    The Bus Centre of Excellence’s ambitions will complement the continued decarbonisation of the national bus fleet, improving the whole passenger experience, and today’s announcement comes as the government confirms £3 million for 18 brand new zero emission buses in Leicester. The new buses will be manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus and operated by First Bus, supporting hundreds of high-skilled jobs and helping to grow the economy.

    This latest investment means all diesel buses at the operator First Bus’s depot in Leicester will now be replaced with 86 electric buses funded by the Zero Emission Buses Regional Areas (ZEBRA), making Leicester home to one of the first bus depots in the UK to transition to fully electric. In total Leicester has benefitted from nearly £22 million funding from the ZEBRA scheme to support 114 electric buses.

    Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

    Buses are the backbone of our transport network, providing affordable travel for commuters, families, and pensioners, and providing an economic lifeline for towns and cities around the country.

    This multimillion investment for Leicester’s clean transformation, coupled with the new Bus Centre of Excellence, will help drive the country’s bus sector recovery and provide passengers with cleaner, more affordable buses that run on time.

    Zero emission buses are often cheaper to run, improving the economics for bus operators, and are more reliable, reducing repair costs and minimising delays.

    The new ZEBs for Leicester build on the success of the existing ZEBRA scheme, which was launched in 2021 to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding for ZEBs zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure.

    The move brings total government funding from the ZEBRA scheme to almost £300 million for up to 1,400 zero emission buses in England, taking the vision of a net zero transport network one step closer to reality.

    Neil Johnstone, President, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, said:

    CIHT has a proven track record of delivering high quality continuing professional development for those working in the transportation sector. We are delighted to be the chosen partner to help work on improving this important sustainable transport mode.

    This partnership (alongside other government initiatives) will see CIHT help to bring together a wide range of professional skills and knowledge from both the public and private sector to facilitate change to local infrastructure, service delivery and the sector across the country – with the ultimate aim of improving bus services.

    Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus, said:

    We’re absolutely delighted that Leicester will become one of our blueprint bus depots of the future, helping us to refine and iterate this new concept so we can roll it out across the rest of the UK. At First Bus, we’re continuing to trailblaze with our partners to ensure we meet our net zero targets, supported by co-funding from the Department for Transport.

    As leaders in sustainable mobility, we are fully aligned with the government’s ambitions for a net zero carbon transport system. Through this co-funding with the ZEBRA scheme, we’re excited to electrify another 5 of our UK depots before March 2024, and look forward to introducing even more electric buses to our constantly growing fleet.

    We cannot wait to see our customers’ reactions once the project is complete, as we know the difference this will make to the city. Electric really is the future and we’re glad we can take our customers on this journey with us.

    The new Bus Centre of Excellence initiative follows the £155 million announced last month to continue supporting bus services up and down the country and providing affordable journeys by extending the popular £2 bus fare cap.

    This brings the total government funding to protect buses at over £2 billion since the pandemic, with a further £1 billion invested to improve the quality of bus services through the Bus Service Improvement Plans.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK urges Sudanese authorities to accelerate peace agreement implementation and the plan to protect civilians – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK urges Sudanese authorities to accelerate peace agreement implementation and the plan to protect civilians – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 March 2023.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on Sudan.

    Thank you President. Thank you also to SRSG Perthes for his briefing and for the continued efforts of UNITAMS. I also welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Sudan in our meeting today.

    President, I will make four broad points.

    First, I would like to commend the progress made since the announcement of the Framework Agreement on 5 December.

    The United Kingdom welcomes the wide and diverse range of participants involved in the completed workshops.

    We encourage the holding of the remaining workshop on security sector reform as soon as possible.

    As we approach Ramadan, it is essential to consolidate the progress made so far. The time is now for all parties to seize momentum, accelerate their engagement and reach a final agreement within the coming weeks.

    The United Kingdom is working with partners to ensure an early and coordinated offer of support to a civilian-led transitional government.

    We support the role of UNITAMS, the AU, and IGAD in facilitating the political process, and encourage the non-signatories of the Framework Agreement to join these discussions and contribute to a final agreement.

    Second, we echo the Secretary-General’s call for the Sudanese authorities to create conducive conditions to help negotiations succeed.

    In this light, we welcome the release of hundreds of Darfuri civilians from arbitrary detention, but condemn the excessive use of force against protestors, which resulted in the death of 125 protestors since the start of the coup.

    Third, the UK remains deeply concerned by ongoing intercommunal conflict across Sudan.

    We call on the Sudanese authorities to accelerate implementation of both the Juba Peace Agreement and the National Plan for the Protection of Civilians, and to deploy the Joint Security Keeping Force to Darfur.

    Lastly, the worsening humanitarian situation continues to have a devastating effect on ordinary Sudanese citizens.

    We urge the Sudanese authorities to remove all bureaucratic impediments which are hindering the ability of humanitarians to address the record levels of need. This includes urgently processing visas and lifting movement restrictions for UN personnel.

    President, in closing, the United Kingdom remains committed to the realisation of the Sudanese people’s calls for freedom, peace and justice.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Jobs and investment boost for Thames region as Freeport gets green light [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Jobs and investment boost for Thames region as Freeport gets green light [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 20 March 2023.

    Thames Freeport has received final government sign off, unlocking new high-quality jobs and much-needed investment.

    • Thames Freeport fully operational after final government sign off
    • Up to £25 million in government funding released to drive development
    • Freeport will provide thousands of jobs to bolster region’s electric vehicle and green energy industries

    New high-quality jobs and much-needed investment for the Thames Estuary region will be unlocked today, as the Thames Freeport receives final government sign off.

    The Freeport will now receive up to £25 million seed funding from government and potentially hundreds of millions in locally retained business rates to drive growth in the UK’s advanced manufacturing, biomanufacturing, logistics, and low carbon industries.

    It will help drive investment into sectors including automated and electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery storage, generating thousands of jobs and boosting the local economy.

    Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

    We’re delivering on our mission to grow the economy and level up right across the UK.

    Thames Freeport is up and running and will bring high quality jobs, investment and trading opportunities for businesses in the region.

    Taking full advantage of the freedoms of leaving the EU, businesses in Freeports are offered generous tax incentives and a simplified customs procedure, unlocking much-needed investment and high-quality jobs.

    Robin Mortimer, Maritime UK Chair said:

    This latest wave of Freeport approvals is a major boost for UK maritime and the wider levelling-up agenda. Business, and the wider communities, will now be able to benefit from the wave of investment, development and jobs that Freeports are projected to generate.

    Thames Freeport estimates that it will generate over 12,000 new jobs, and as a gateway to London, its hubs are well placed to provide global shipping routes for exporting UK produced goods and importing vital products for supply chains.

    The hub includes three tax sites located at:

    • London Gateway – the UK’s most integrated logistics hub and one of the world’s fastest growing container ports, connecting over 130 ports and 65 countries and handling almost 2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually
    • Tilbury – London’s major port, with a throughput of 16 million tonnes per annum with an estimated value of £8.7 billion
    • Ford’s world-class Dagenham Engine Plant – London’s largest manufacturing location for over 90 years

    The government’s Freeport programmes is moving at pace, with five sites now fully operational in England, already creating thousands of jobs. In January the Government confirmed two new Green Freeports will be established in Inverness and Cromarty Firth and Firth of Forth.

    Freeports are central to unleashing economic growth across the entire United Kingdom and will drive the UK’s shift to a dynamic, low-carbon economy, helping businesses to collaborate, innovate, and develop the technologies and supply chains that will underpin our journey to Net Zero.