Written questions by Stephenson.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35855 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards, what information her Department holds on when Great British Railways plans to publish provisional (a) timetables and (b) capacity improvement plans for services on the Bedford line.

The Government will establish a new access and charging framework in primary legislation, enabling Great British Railways to be a true directing mind for the railway. We will simplify the operational running of the railways by bringing together responsibility for managing allocation of railway capacity and timetabling with the management of infrastructure. Legislation will be introduced later this session to make these vital reforms.

Whether Great British Railways will consider housing growth in capacity planning.

An integrated, affordable and sustainable transport network plays a vital role in unlocking homes and providing access to jobs and essential services. Great British Railways (GBR) will work closely with the Department for Transport, MHCLG and other government departments to align housebuilding with future transport infrastructure strategy and investment.  This will include considering housing growth as part of future capacity planning to help us deliver 1.5 million homes over the next 5 years.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed (a) railway station and (b) new town at Tempsford on (i) journey times and (ii) capacity on Thameslink services.

Network Rail will consider the impact of any new station at Tempsford as part of business case development for any East Coast Main Line infrastructure investment at the southern end of the route, including journey time and capacity implications for Thameslink services.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Luton Airport expansion on Thameslink services.

Luton Airport Parkway station is well served with up to eight Thameslink and two East Midlands Railway trains an hour to and from the station. Most passenger demand for the airport is either in the off-peak period or in the contra-peak direction, when trains are typically less busy. The two train operators for the station, Govia Thameslink Railway and East Midlands Railway, were involved in the planning process for the airport expansion plans, including in relation to their ability to provide sufficient capacity to meet expected changes in demand.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35855 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards, whether the timetable referred to would reduce the number of services provided on a given line in some cases.

Currently all train operators are required to plan services and timetables designed to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. In the future Great British Railways (GBR) will be accountable for decisions on the use of the railway including in relation to the planning of train services. GBR will plan and implement an achievable, reliable timetable, so that the services promised to passengers are delivered. It is anticipated that better coordination of the timetable will reduce delays, improve reliability and reduce costs. GBR will need to continually reassess its services to ensure it provides rail timetables that meet passenger travel patterns, are fit for the future, and carefully balance cost, capacity and performance. This could potentially result in increases or decreases in service levels across different routes to ensure the best outcomes for both passengers and taxpayers.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of East West Rail on passenger numbers on Thameslink services (a) from London to Bedford, (b) from Bedford to London, (c) northbound on the East Coast Main Line and (d) southbound on the East Coast Main Line.

East West Rail Co. will be considering abstraction of passengers from other services as part of the Outline Business Case for East West Rail.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35853 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Fares, if she will make an estimate of the first year in which rail fares will go down under Great British Railways.

We are committed to the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, delivering a range of improvements, from more reliable services to simpler ticketing. Through public ownership and the transition to Great British Railways, it is also our ambition to deliver a more affordable railway. Post-pandemic, the amount of taxpayer subsidy provided to the railway industry has increased from under a quarter in 2018/19 to over half of total income in 2022/23. A proportionate, annual increase in fares is necessary to support crucial investment and to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the railway.Our goal is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible, while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the railway.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 35021 on Motor Vehicles: Dangerous Driving and Noise, if she will make an assessment of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.

The Department does not have plans to carry out an assessment of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.The Department takes the impact of excessive noise on health, wellbeing and the natural environment seriously and conducted roadside trials of noise camera technology between October 2022-February 2023. Reports of these trials, including detailed assessment of the technology’s performance and potential merits, were published on 17 March 2024. Overall, the trials demonstrated that noise cameras currently have the potential to be used for enforcement, but only when accompanied by human review of the recorded evidence, which is likely to lower the cost effectiveness of deploying the technology in many circumstances.

If she will make an estimate of the number of passengers expected to interchange onto East-West Rail services at Cambridge South whose journeys began at London Stansted Airport in the next 12 months.

No estimate has been made of the number of passengers using Cambridge South station as an interchange to change from East-West Rail services to connecting services to Stansted Airport.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of running East-West Rail to Stansted Airport.

There are currently no plans to extend the EWR service outside of its core scope, but through services may be an option in the future.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of East West Rail on Thameslink services (a) from London to Bedford, (b) from Bedford to London, (c) northbound on the East Coast Main Line and (d) southbound on the East Coast Main Line.

EWR Co’s proposals to use six tracking north of Bedford have been designed to mitigate impact on Thameslink services from Bedford to London. EWR trains will provide an interchange at Tempsford with East Coast Main Line services but will not run on the East Coast Main Line. There may be a slightly additional dwell time on some East Coast Main Line Thameslink services to accommodate the new stop at Tempsford.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2025 to Question 30410 on Govia Thameslink Railway and London Northwestern Railway: Nationalisation, what the relevant circumstances considered are.

A range of factors will be taken into consideration as Ministers go through a process of decision-making on further transfers into public ownership, following the transfers of SWR’s services in May, c2c’s in July and Greater Anglia’s in autumn 2025. We expect further transfers to follow the order in which operators’ current contractual minimum terms expire, unless an operator defaults on its contract to the extent that there is a contractual right to terminate, or other extenuating circumstances arise. Other factors for Ministers to consider could include, but are not limited to, operational factors and relevant circumstances prevailing at the time.

If she will make it her policy to introduce a ban on pavement parking in non-metropolitan areas.

The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation in 2020 and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of planned housing developments in Bedfordshire on Thameslink services.

Any assessment on the impacts of housing developments on public transport is a matter for local partners through development of their local plans.

What plans her Department has to increase reliability on Thameslink services through its Great British Railways proposals.

Currently all train operators are required to plan services and timetables designed to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Improving railway performance is a top priority for this Government. We have been clear with Govia Thameslink Railway, who operate Thameslink services, that we will not tolerate poor performance and will continue to hold them to account through a range of measures. The Government’s plans for rail reform will deliver an accountable and integrated public body, Great British Railways (GBR), which will take decisions on the use of the railway in the public interest and deliver Government priorities. GBR will plan and implement an achievable, reliable timetable, so that the services promised to passengers are delivered. Better coordination of the timetable will reduce delays, improve reliability and reduce costs.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 30745 on National Highways: Flood Control, if she will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing additional funding to Internal Drainage Boards that wish to take on responsibility for Highways balancing ponds.

The ownership and management of National Highways’ assets, at this level, fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. The Department does not plan to make an assessment on the future ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways.

Whether her plans for Great British Railways will end the practice of cancelling stops to make services run faster once trains have set off.

The Government’s plans for rail reform will deliver an accountable and integrated public body, Great British Railways (GBR), which will take decisions on the use of the railway in the public interest and deliver Government priorities. GBR will plan and implement an achievable, reliable timetable, so that the services promised to passengers are delivered. Better coordination of the timetable will reduce delays, improve reliability and reduce costs. We understand that missing stops will be inconvenient, but sometimes it is the best way to quickly recover a reliable service for all users.

What plans her Department has to increase capacity on Thameslink services through its Great British Railways proposals.

Currently all train operators are required to plan services and timetables designed to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Improving railway performance is a top priority for this Government. We have been clear with Govia Thameslink Railway, who operate Thameslink services, that we will not tolerate poor performance and will continue to hold them to account through a range of measures. The Government’s plans for rail reform will deliver an accountable and integrated public body, Great British Railways (GBR), which will take decisions on the use of the railway in the public interest and deliver Government priorities. GBR will plan and implement an achievable, reliable timetable, so that the services promised to passengers are delivered. Better coordination of the timetable will reduce delays, improve reliability and reduce costs.

What plans her Department has to reduce fares on Thameslink services through its Great British Railways proposals.

Whilst it is our ambition through public ownership to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Through future legislation, we will set out the role Great British Railways (GBR) will have in fares, ticketing, and other operational aspects of the Railway. Fares and ticketing will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until GBR is established. The Government’s plans for rail reform will deliver an accountable and integrated public body, GBR, which will take decisions on the use of the railway in the public interest and deliver Government priorities. GBR will plan and implement an achievable, reliable timetable, so that the services promised to passengers are delivered. Better coordination of the timetable will reduce delays, improve reliability and reduce costs. Waste, inefficiency, and fragmentation on today’s railways is costing the taxpayer dearly. Reforming our railways will make them more efficient, providing better services for passengers and better value for the taxpayer. Once all franchises are in public ownership, up to £150 million could be saved every year in fees alone that would have been paid to private sector owning groups. Instead, under public ownership, every penny can be spent for the benefit of passengers.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of installing noise cameras to tackle excessively noisy vehicles on rural roads in Bedfordshire.

The Department for Transport conducted roadside trials of noise camera technology between October 2022 and February 2023, which assessed a range of different road conditions. This trial demonstrated that noise cameras currently have the potential to be used for enforcement to tackle excessive vehicle noise but only when accompanied by human review. It is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be for addressing issues with excessive vehicle noise within their area. The use of noise camera technology has already been taken forward by some local authorities.