Written questions by Turner.

Whether her Department holds information on the number of railway strike days, broken down by year; and what is the first year for which such records are held.

Published Office of Rail and Road data reports that there were 52 national strike days between April 2022 and March 2024.

With reference to Network Rail's spreadsheet published on 2 February 2022 entitled Payments for disruption on the railway, if Network Rail will publish an updated version of that table.

Network Rail publish information to meet their statutory obligations and where it would be valuable to the public. They aim not to duplicate information published elsewhere (for instance on their Safety Central site, their Annual Report and Accounts, or through the Rail Data Marketplace).Annual Schedule 8 payment figures are published in Network Rail’s Regulatory Financial Statements.

What information her Department holds on the number Yutong buses ordered for operation in the UK by operator.

The Department holds partial information on the number of Yutong buses ordered for operation in the UK. The information in the table below is correct as of November 2025 for England only, taken from projects which the Department has funded. This includes buses which are in service and those which have been ordered. We do not hold data on any Yutong buses ordered outside of these schemes. OperatorNumber of Yutong busesStagecoach215First Bus329Kinchbus21White Bus10Leicester City Council6Nottingham City Transport62

If she will have discussions with National Highways on reactivating the overnight lights on the Rubery flyover on the A38.

Street lighting on this section of the highway is the responsibility of the local highway authority rather than National Highways. It is for each local highway authority to assess which parts of its network require attending to and to what standards based upon local knowledge and circumstance. The Government does not intervene in such local matters. Hence, I would encourage you to engage with the responsible local highway authorities, Birmingham City Council and Worcestershire County Council.

What recent progress she has made on the appointment of a new CEO of DfT Operator Limited.

The contract for the current CEO of DfT Operator Limited is due to end in December 2025. In preparation for this, work is continuing to recruit a new CEO to ensure continued leadership for the organisation.

Whether her Department has held recent discussions with (a) DB Cargo and (b) railway preservation groups on preserving the 58050 locomotive.

Freight operators are private sector companies who lease or own their rolling stock. Any such decisions relating to the preservation of locomotives would be a commercial matter for those freight operators.The department has not held any recent discussions with DB Cargo or railways preservation groups regarding the preservation of the 58050 locomotive.

Whether retired former employees of British Rail will retain travel privileges following the creation of Great British Railways.

The Government understands the importance of travel concessions for retired former British Rail employees and there are no plans to change these arrangements under Great British Railways.

With reference to paragraph 2.18 of the National Audit Office report entitled High Speed Two: A progress update, published on 24 January 2020, whether HS2 Limited has updated its indicative estimate that the cost of undertakings and assurances was £1.2 billion; and in which year's prices was that estimate.

HS2 Ltd has not updated this figure. The estimate was provided to the National Audit Office in late 2019 – at that time, HS2 Ltd’s cost estimates were in 2015 prices.

What the cost of a single anytime (a) first and (b) standard class rail ticket between Durham and Basildon was in April (i) 2010 and (ii) 2024.

The single anytime fares from Durham to Basildon are as follows:First ClassApril 2010- £201.50April 2024- £334.00Standard ClassApril 2010- £140.00April 2024- £214.90 The regulated fare for many LNER routes switched from the Super Off-Peak return to the Super Off-Peak single in 2023 due to single leg pricing. The cost of the Super Off-Peak fare are as follows:April 2010- £109.90April 2024- £94.80

With reference to Q12 of the oral evidence given by Alan Over to the Transport Select Committee on 9 July 2025, HC 1139, when her Department intends to write to the Transport Committee with the information referenced in the answer to that question.

The Rail Minister sent a letter on 10 September 2025 providing further information regarding Q12 of the Transport Select Committee’s oral evidence session of 9 July 2025.

What discussions her Department has held with railway trade unions on transfers of employment to DfT Operator Limited.

The Department and DFT Operator have regular discussions with trade unions on a range of topics, including the transfer of currently franchised rail passenger services into public ownership. As services are transferred into public ownership, staff employed by the privately-owned operator transfer to the public sector operator in accordance with Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations. Rail trade unions are intrinsically involved in this process.

What steps Network Rail are taking to ensure that its trackside vegetation management programmed is adequate.

Network Rail works hard to keep the rail network running. Its work to manage trees and other vegetation alongside the railway helps to keep trains running safely and on time. Network Rail carries out its activities in a way that minimises harm, and wherever possible improves the natural habitat while maintaining the performance and safety of the railway. Network Rail is committed to achieving an increase in biodiversity across the network by 2035 and publishes annual State of Nature reports to update on progress towards this commitment.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 65477 on Railways: Capital Investment, if she will publish each iteration of that graph during the fourth quarter of 2022.

The chart(s) in question represent scenario planning that was used to inform decision making of the previous administration and it is not appropriate to disclose them.

What recent progress Network Rail has made on the potential replacement of the Total Operations Processing System.

The Network Rail Route Service’s Digital, Data and Technology Services Team has a project progressing to replace the Total Operations Processing System (and related Passenger Operations Information System). This was started in January 2024 when funding had been allocated from the Control Period 7 settlement and is forecast to complete by Quarter 2 2029. The System Release Proposal provides additional information about this work. This document was issued for formal consultation on 9 May 2025 to 8 July 2025 to at least 60 stakeholders. (This number may be greater due to onward sharing). The Network Rail project team has received six formal responses of which only one was negative to the approach. Therefore, the project continues as planned.

Pursuant to the Answer of 04 July 2025 to Question 64211, on High Speed 2 Line: Compulsory Purchase, if she will extend those compulsory purchase powers until February 2031.

The government's priority is the safe delivery of HS2 Phase 1 between the West Midlands and London Euston at the lowest reasonable cost. Whilst we will not reverse the previous government’s decision to cancel Phase 2, we recognise concerns about rail capacity and connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester. We are reviewing our plans for future connectivity in the Midlands and the North, and we hope to say more in the coming months, including our plans for land and property between Birmingham and Crewe.

With reference to Q252 of the oral evidence given by Huw Merriman to the Transport Select Committee on 2 July 2025, HC 575, if she will publish the graph referred to in the answer to that question.

The graph in question is regularly updated. We are unclear precisely which iteration of the graph Huw Merriman was referring to.

What consultation her Department has undertaken with UK-based bus manufacturers on the potential impact of Section 37 of the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] on future sales of (a) hydrogen-fuel cell and (b) hydrogen combustion engine buses.

Clause 37 of the Bus Services (No.2) Bill will ultimately end the use of new non-zero emission buses on English bus services. The final date will be set out in later secondary regulations, however, will be no earlier than 1 January 2030. Hydrogen Fuel Cell electric (HFC) buses, which are used in various parts of the country, are what is commonly meant by 'hydrogen buses'. These are available from UK manufacturers and do not emit any nitrogen oxides. They are zero emission at the tailpipe, so would continue to be usable under these regulations, along with battery electric buses. Hydrogen combustion engine buses are not present in the UK. They would emit nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to human health. They would therefore not be considered to be zero emission buses and would not be usable under these regulations. My Department has engaged extensively with bus manufacturers as we have developed and then progressed this measure through Parliament.

What information her Department holds on the dates on which the leases for West Midlands Trains' rolling stock expire; and which entity owns those trains.

West Midlands Trains’ rolling stock leases for the Class 172/0, 172/1, 350/1, 350/3 and 350/4, which are owned by Angel Trains, are set to run until 31 March 2026. The Class 196/0, 196/1, 730/0, 730/1, and 730/2 leases also run until 31st March 2026 and are owned by Corelink. Finally, Porterbrook own the Class 139, 172/2 and 172/3, which expire on 31 March 2026, as well as the Class 350/2 fleet which expire on 30 September 2025.

On what date the powers to make compulsory purchases of land for HS2 Phase 2a purposes expire.

Compulsory Purchase powers under the Phase 2a Act will expire on 11th February 2026.

On what date the powers to make compulsory purchases of land for HS2 Phase One purposes expire.

The powers to make compulsory purchases of land for HS2 Phase One expired on 23 February 2022.