Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kieran Mullan this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 28 · Department for Transport
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to Bus Service Improvement Plan funding on school travel costs.
We are providing nearly £700 million per year to help local transport authorities deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans, including more than £29 million allocated to East Sussex County Council over the next three years. This funding can be used to help reduce the cost of bus travel to education.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on allocations for the Bus Service Improvement Plan.
The government has allocated £670 million in Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding in the financial year 2025 to 2026. BSIP funding is allocated directly to local transport authorities in England.On 18 December 2024, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an additional £515 million in support for local authorities (including combined authorities) in England to mitigate the additional impact of the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions on their budgets, including their transport budgets. More information can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-explanatory-note-on-the-employer-national-insurance-contribution-grant-2025-to-2026.
What recent estimate she has made of the total cost to the public purse of extending HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston Station.
The government is considering a range of development models and financing mechanisms to best meet the objectives of the Euston area while delivering value for money for the taxpayer. Decisions around any further investment at Euston are for the second pha...
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 8568 on Roads: Freight, what steps her Department is taking to support road haulage businesses.
Small businesses including those in the road haulage sector are the beating heart of our communities, and essential to our economic success. This Government will draw on all resources to support these small businesses and boost productivity by delivering ...
What steps Shadow Great British Railways is taking to increase the volume of goods moved by rail.
The Secretary of State has tasked Shadow Great British Railways leaders with producing a delivery plan for both passengers and freight users. Priorities will be communicated in due course. In the future, Great British Railways will have a statutory duty t...
If she will provide additional funding for the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.
Live grant awards for this financial year total £20.8m, which is in line with historic levels of funding for this scheme. Future budgets are being determined as part of the continuing Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to increase the speed of rail electrification.
The Government expects electrification to play an important role in our programme to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target and improve the passenger experience.
How much and what proportion of the Control Period 7 funding settlement remains available to Network Rail; and if she will take steps to ensure that total funding level remains the same for the next financial y
The full regulated Control Period 7 funding settlement, as outlined in the Delivery Plan, remains available to Network Rail. The phasing of spend is subject to annual update of the Delivery Plan for the 5 year period as led by Network Rail working in conj...
What Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile is under the regulatory Control Period 7 funding settlement.
Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile for Control Period 7 can be found in Network Rail’s delivery plan for Control Period 7 which is published on its website. Please find below a link to the document:https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/upl...
What the terms of the agreement were with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that led to industrial action being called off at London North Eastern Railway.
Following discussions, on 29 August London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and ASLEF found a resolution to their long running local dispute at no extra cost to the taxpayer and preventing 22 days of industrial action whilst ensuring an improved service for p...
Whether she plans to fund (a) rail infrastructure and (b) fleet modernisation projects at (i) East Midlands Railway and (ii) West Midlands Trains (A) during and (B) following their potential transition to public ownership.
The process of transitioning railway passenger services into public ownership should not impact investment projects. Existing projects can continue unless there is a good reason for review; with new projects being considered on their merits. The Department will work closely with private sector train operating companies and Network Rail during the transition process to understand the position of any investment programmes, and build these into transition planning if appropriate. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts end, reach their contractual break point, or if they fail. DOHL is tasked with undertaking transfers efficiently and effectively, with no disruption to passengers and employees. It has managed four successful transfers in recent years and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of more services into public ownership.
What steps she plans to take to tackle (a) variances in employment terms and conditions and (b) the introduction of technological innovations in the rail sector.
We are committed to delivering the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, and ensure that Great British Railways (GBR) can drive innovation across the network. As we bring a fragmented industry together, we will need to consider a range of options on the right approach for future terms and conditions, taking account of employment law requirements. On the introduction of technological innovations, we expect a joined up industry to do more and faster in the use of technology for safety, cost reduction, revenue growth and accessibility, and we expect GBR to take a firm lead in this area. In the meantime, Network rail and train companies are working in this area, including through Shadow Great British Railways.
If she will publish her Department's detailed plans for the extension of HS2 to Euston.
The Government is working at pace to review the position it has inherited on HS2, including options for Euston. We will set out a clear plan in due course.
When she plans to set specific performance targets for the nationalisation of the railways.
Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point. The Government will continue to set targets for public sector train operating companies on a range of measures including punctuality, reliability and quality of service as appropriate, and will continue to hold them to account for performance against these targets. Modern service agreements, currently in development, will come into force for each train operator when operations transition into public ownership.
How timetable adjustments will be managed (a) during and (b) after the transition of operations into public ownership.
There will not be any immediate changes to how timetable adjustments are managed during and immediately after the transition of passenger train operations into public ownership. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd when current contracts end or reach their contractual break point, and timetable adjustments will be managed as they currently are. As announced in the King’s Speech 2024, forthcoming legislation will establish Great British Railways – an arm’s length body which will act as a “directing mind”, with a relentless focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers. As outlined in Getting Britain Moving, the Government’s vision is that, within the clear strategic direction set by the Secretary of State, Great British Railways will, once established, have operational independence and be responsible for planning timetables.
What steps she plans to take to support open access operators.
We are committed to delivering benefits for both passengers and taxpayers, and there will remain a role for open access services where they provide improved connectivity and choice. We will also continue to work to protect access to the network for all operators as we take forward the Railways Bill.
What progress her Department has made on the (a) designs for and (b) delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.
Following approval of an Outline Business Case, £123m was released to Network Rail in March 2024 to commence detailed design of Midlands Rail Hub’s first phase (for additional services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Worcester), while subsequent phases are at an earlier stage of development. Subject to future decisions about affordability and value for money, the first stage could be complete by the early 2030s. The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio. This will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review.
What steps she is taking to help (a) maintain and (b) improve the operational performance of (i) Greater Anglia and (ii) other private rail operators during the transition to public ownership.
The Government’s approach will be consistent across all operators, including Greater Anglia. While National Rail Contracts (NRCs) remain in place, we will set stretching performance targets for each operator through the annual business planning process. These targets will be specific to each operator, reflecting their individual circumstances. Where performance falls short, we will require operators to put in place robust improvement plans. The Secretary of State has already met a number of poorly performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, setting clear expectations for immediate improvement.
What steps she is taking to support the long-term sustainability of rolling stock manufacturing.
The Government recognises the importance of rolling stock manufacturing, and alongside our plan for the railways, Getting Britain Moving, we have committed to develop a long-term Rolling Stock Strategy which will support British manufacturing and innovation. My officials are working at pace on its development, and I will set out further details in due course. My officials work closely with the sector to understand future rolling stock needs. As trains are assets with a lifespan of 35-40 years, the Government will seek to end the boom-and-bust cycle by ensuring that there is a strong pipeline of work. There is now a clear domestic UK market for rolling stock procurement, with current competitions for SouthEastern and TransPennine Express underway. With other potential procurements on Chiltern, Northern, and Great Western upcoming, there are and will be numerous business opportunities available for rolling stock manufacturers.
What progress her Department has made on (a) strategic rail projects in the north of England and (b) Northern Powerhouse Rail.
We are committed to a long-term approach to infrastructure and investment, taking account of local transport priorities. We will thoroughly review the fiscal position we have inherited before setting out more detailed plans for this in due course.