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1678024

registered interest
date	07/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of building the Western Rail Link to Heathrow.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	900671
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>This Government remains committed to improving rail access to Heathrow Airport and recognises the importance of the improved rail connectivity that a Western rail link could provide. However, we need to ensure that the projects we take forward reflect the changed shape of rail demand and are affordable. I understand that the promoters of a Western rail link continue to update their proposals.</p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 14/12/2023 11:54:36 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659690

registered interest
date	11/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Department for Transport: Meetings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers to Questions 193235 and 194771 on Railways: Ticket Offices, what protocols his Department follows to record meetings attended by Ministers.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198834
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>All ministerial meetings with external organisations are published in the quarterly transparency returns.</p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 18/09/2023 08:51:52 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659118

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Ticket Offices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers to Questions 193235 and 194771 on Railways: Tickets, on which date the meeting where Ministers met stakeholders to discuss closing the majority of ticket offices in England took place; who attended that meeting; and whether the proposal to close the majority of ticket offices was first raised by (a) Ministers or (b) stakeholders.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>I held roundtables with industry and accessibility stakeholders and passenger representative groups on 6 June 2023 and 18 July 2023 to discuss potential reforms. Over 20 different organisations were represented at the different roundtables including accessibility groups.</p><p> </p><p>Through the industry-led Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process Train Operating Companies have put forward proposals to change the opening hours or closure of station ticket offices and consulted on these. This consultation closed on 1 September and the independent passenger bodies, Transport Focus and London TravelWatch, are currently assessing the proposals and consultation responses.</p><p> </p><p>We expect train operators to work collaboratively with the passenger bodies in the coming weeks, to listen to the concerns raised and to refine their proposals accordingly.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 12/09/2023 14:08:51 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659120

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Overcrowding
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce overcrowding on rail services.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>As the pandemic has changed travel habits, train operators are using this opportunity to reassess their services to provide rail timetables that respond to new passenger travel patterns, are fit for the future, and carefully balance cost, capacity and performance.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with train operators to ensure their service offer provides capacity where it is most needed, whilst maintaining performance and protecting the public purse.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 14/09/2023 11:35:45 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659121

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railway Signals: Repairs and Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce instances of signalling equipment failures.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>Network Rail, in their capacity as the infrastructure manager for Britain’s railways, are undertaking a number of actions to reduce instances of signalling equipment failures on the network. This includes replacing old and obsolete equipment as part of their renewals work, undertaking reliability analysis to identify assets that are failing prematurely to enable targeted remedial action, applying predictive technology to identify the risk of failures, monitoring trends to identify underperforming assets so these can be replaced, and reviewing staff training to ensure staff are in the best position to manage and mitigate signalling failures. Moving to digital signalling, such as on the East Coast Digital Programme, will also lead to increased infrastructure reliability.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 14/09/2023 11:08:11 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659122

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking planned maintenance of the rail network( a) midweek, (b) in solid blocks of time which do not require start stop overnight repairs and (c) not on bank holiday weekends.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198425
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2023 answer text <p>The rail industry is committed to delivering its investment and maintenance programmes with the minimum disruption to passenger services, however it is necessary at times to close the railway to enable these essential works to take place.</p><p> </p><p>The industry takes into account a number of factors when making decisions about access. The number of passengers disrupted is a key factor considered when making decisions about access, however it is not the only factor. For example, the cost and the ability of the industry to deliver are also taken into account. There are times when access is taken midweek, in long solid blocks of time. The Milton Keynes to Rugby via Northampton week-long blockade is a recent example of this.</p><p> </p><p>Network Rail has carried out a trial of different blockades to take account of changed passenger demand patterns. NR will want to understand the outcome of the trial this year before looking at future years.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 15/09/2023 11:25:13 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659124

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Crew
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the monitoring of occupational psychological fitness of train drivers.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198427
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>My department recently published a statutory post implementation review of the Train Driver Licensing and Certificates Regulations 2010 (TDLCR) on 19<sup>th</sup> May 2023, which contains the requirements for becoming a train driver in Great Britain. The purpose of the review was to assess whether the regime was meeting its original objectives and whether it remains fit for purpose.</p><p>Since publication, my officials have started the process of exploring options for potential reform to address the findings of the review, and will engage industry to develop and consult on these proposals in due course. This will include reviewing the adequacy of the monitoring requirements concerning the occupational psychological fitness of train drivers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 12/09/2023 14:18:05 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659126

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Freight
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the quantity of freight that was transported on the rail network in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>The attached table summarises freight lifted, and freight moved by rail in Great Britain in each of the last 5 years.</p><p>Freight lifted is the mass of goods carried on the rail network measured in tonnes, excluding the weight of the locomotives and wagons. Unlike freight moved it takes no account of the distance travelled.</p><p>Freight moved measures the amount of freight moved on the railway network, taking into account the weight of the load and the distance carried. It is measured in net tonne kilometres.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 14/09/2023 11:44:40 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman attachment 1 file name Table - Quantity of freight on rail network in the last five years.docx title Table - Quantity of freight on rail - five years
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659128

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Weather
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to adapt the rail network to take account of (a) long-term changes in weather patterns and (b) increased incidences of extreme weather.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>Extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent as a result of climate change. In 2022 the Department for Transport published the <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Frailways-high-level-output-specification-2022%2Frailways-act-2005-statement-high-level-output-specification-2022&amp;data=05%7C01%7CLawrence.Howard%40dft.gov.uk%7Cb046200d16af4e58cb7a08dbb063d732%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638297715070528142%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=nM%2FlaJrV%2FRjPKK2ne9WJm9c8o8P5%2F%2BVmgeiHof9f2m0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">High-Level Output Specification (HLOS)</a> which outlines the Secretary of State’s objectives for Network Rail’s operation, maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure between 2024 and 2029—tied to a record £44.1 billion funding settlement. The HLOS is clear that the rail network must be as resilient as reasonably possible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather.</p><p> </p><p>Network Rail’s resilience taskforce was established in 2022 and is being led by independent experts. Their recommendations to improve weather resilience on the network are already being put into effect, including renewed investment in Network Rail’s capability and use of weather data and technology, upskilling of its workforce and competencies, and improving inspections and examinations of earthworks and drainage assets.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport is developing a transport adaptation strategy taking a holistic approach to addressing the transport-related risks in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 12/09/2023 14:36:27 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1659130

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Train Operating Companies: Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether sanctions are applied to train operating companies that do not provide fully-accessible trains.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	198432
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2023 answer text <p>All rolling stock in use by operators contracted by the Department for Transport comply with relevant accessibility standards. The Office of Rail and Road is the authority responsible for the enforcement of accessibility standards for both mainline and non-mainline rolling stock.</p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 13/09/2023 14:26:00 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi