Tag: Lilian Greenwood

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 6 of Sir Peter Hendy’s report on the replanning of Network Rail’s Investment Programme, published on 25 November 2015, if he will publish an analysis by cost heading of the £2.8 billion estimate of the cost of Great Western Main Line electrification.

Claire Perry

As the Sir Peter Hendy report states, ‘work to update the programme for Great Western Electrification is being concluded as this report is completed. The latest estimates for cost and delivery milestones have been reflected in this report although this is still subject to final review. Electrification to Cardiff is planned to be completed in Control Period 5 (2014-19) within the estimated total cost of £2.8 billion (in 2012-13 prices). As elements of the design programme mature, a more accurate assessment of the cost and delivery schedule will be established.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the gauge clearance is of routes used to divert freight services disrupted by the temporary closure of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.

Claire Perry

This is an operational matter for Network Rail. Network Rail advises that the current published freight clearances by diversionary route are as follows:

i. The freight clearance for the diversion via the East Coast Main Line is W9.

ii. The published freight clearance for the diversions via Glasgow & South Western Route and the route between Kilmarnock and Barassieare both W8.

iii. The published freight clearance for the diversion via Mauchline to Newton on Ayr is W7

However, in response to the situation at Lamington, Network Rail has confirmed clearance to move certain types of larger deep-sea containers on both the Glasgow & South Western Route and the Newton on Ayr route.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 2 of the actions of the meeting of the Rail Delivery Group National Taskforce of 30 September 2015, what the effect of the Autumn Statement and Spending Review 2015 is on the funding of the British Transport Police.

Claire Perry

Funding for the British Transport Police is not derived directly from a specific Government grant but from holders of police service agreements. However, during the recent spending review, the Department has made clear to the British Transport Police Authority that it considers that appropriate efficiencies should be identified and made. However, it has also emphasised that any efficiencies should not materially impact on the operational policing capability of the British Transport Police, including in relation to counter-terrorist activity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2016 to Question 24776, whether his Department has made or plans to make a financial contribution to Transport for London related to the decision to increase the cost of rail fares in London by the retail price index in 2016.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The 2015 Spending Review settlement provided to Transport for London already takes into account its likely income from rail fares in 2016 and subsequent years. The Department has no plans to make any further adjustment to TfL’s funding in respect of this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 2 November 2010 to the Questions from the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish, Official Report, column 702W, on bus services: finance, if he will place in the Library a copy of the equalities impact assessment carried out by his Department of the decision to reduce the value of the Bus Service Operators Grant by 20 per cent.

Andrew Jones

The equalities impact assessment was published in 2010 and can be found at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/165220-/cuts.pdf.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) consultants and (b) permanent staff are employed by Network Rail’s Infrastructure Projects division; and how much Network Rail has spent on consultants who work in its Infrastructure Projects division in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

Claire Perry

I have requested this information from Network Rail and can confirm that the number of permanent staff in Infrastructure Projects in 2014-15 was 3641 and in 2015-2016 is 4309. During this period Network Rail insourced the High Output Team from Amey which increased permanent staff figures.

Network Rail Infrastructure Projects’ expenditure on companies that class themselves as providing consultancy in 2014-15 was £178,401k, and in 2015-2016 is £154,430k. The majority of expenditure on consultants occurs via Network Rail’s Principal Contractors and therefore is not included above.

We are not able to provide details of the number of consultants because the contract specification for each piece of work is based on the deliverable and not on the number of consultants working on it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 25499, how many of the speed cameras referred to in that Answer had been painted grey on the latest date for which figures are available.

Andrew Jones

We have currently converted five camera sites from grey paint to yellow and we are on track for all working motorway speed cameras to be yellow by October 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s discussion paper on options for supporting English regional airports from the impacts of air passenger duty devolution, published in July 2015, what advice he has received from the European Commission on the compliance of the options in that paper with state aid rules; and whether he plans to issue an update to that discussion paper.

Damian Hinds

The Government is carefully considering the responses received to the discussion paper on options to support English regional airports from the impacts of air passenger duty devolution and will respond in due course.

The options contained in the discussion paper could each be taken forward in a variety of ways. Any proposals brought forward will be compliant with EU law and the European Commission will be consulted, if required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Enhancements Delivery Plan Update, published in March 2016, page 138, whether Network Rail carried out an equality impact assessment of the proposal to reduce Access for All funding in Control Period 5 from £135 million to £87.1 million in 2012-13 prices.

Claire Perry

The Department will undertake an impact assessment as part of our analysis and response to the Hendy Report consultation. This response is due to be published over the summer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2016 to Question 24854, on railways: repairs and maintenance, for what reasons Network Rail did not publish its updated Delivery Plan in March 2016.

Claire Perry

Network Rail has completed its internal review of its plans for operations, maintenance and renewals (OMR), but before it publishes a revised Delivery Plan it must obtain agreement to any material differences from the Department for Transport. The Department is expecting to shortly receive the Office of Rail and Road’s review of Network Rail’s targets for train performance at route level, after which OMR plans can be considered in the round for agreement. I expect the Delivery Plan to be published on Network Rail’s website in the near future to assist with industry forward planning.