The type of role that railways play, for example the relative mix of local and commuter demand versus regional and longer distance travel, varies from country to country. The UK has one of the most intensively utilised rail networks in Europe, with many commuter services and over 4,000 extra services per week having been added over the past couple of years. The UK rail system has some of the highest passenger satisfaction levels in Europe, and the recent Transport Focus National Rail Passenger Survey Spring 2019 reported that the biggest single factor impacting on passenger satisfaction was punctuality, at a 36% contribution, whilst \u2018journey length\u2019 only made a 7% contribution. Furthermore, to the limited extent that journey length is considered important, 84% of passengers surveyed were satisfied with \u2018the length of time the journey was scheduled to take (speed)\u2019, the third highest satisfaction level out of the 40 different aspects of a rail journey assessed.<\/p>
<\/p>
Once construction of HS2 has been completed trains would be capable of operations up to 360km/h, however HS2 is about much more than just speed, it brings enhanced capacity, in particular released capacity on the existing rail network connectivity and wider economic benefits.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T13:24:20.61Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the finding of the July 2019 Railway Gazette International report that the real time performance speed of trains in the UK were 13th in a table of world rankings; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "275204"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127574", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127574/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The industry definition for cancellations includes those trains which did not complete their full journey or failed to call at one or more stations. Around 4% of planned services met this criteria between 7 January 2018 and 5 January 2019.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-23T15:54:27.77Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of train cancellations in 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4614", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hugh Gaffney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hugh Gaffney"} ], "uin" : "256365"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1123542", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1123542/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department does not hold the specific information requested. However, industry figures from the Rail Delivery Group suggest that the number of planned train services per year has increased from 5.69 million in 1997-98 to 7.30 million in 2016/17. The industry also cites some specific examples of increased services on routes to London, such as Manchester to London increasing from 17 trains per day in 1994 to 47 in 2016, and the number of trains from London to Sheffield increasing from 15 per day in 1994 to 31 in 2016.<\/p>
<\/p>
In relation to the number of seats, According to the Rail Delivery Group, there were 10,400 vehicles in passenger use in 1996/97 compared to 14,025 as at March 2018, an increase of over 3,500 vehicles or nearly 35%. This additional fleet capacity is helping to lengthen trains and contribute towards the thousands of extra rail services each week.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "248650"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-08T12:41:08.067Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many direct train services there were per day between (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow, (c) Newcastle, (d) Birmingham, (e) Nottingham, (f) Derby, (g) Peterborough, (h) Norwich, (i) Portsmouth, (j) Southampton, (k) Preston, (l) Stoke-on-Trent, (m) Leeds, (n) Sheffield, (o) Liverpool and London in (A) the year before privatisation of the railways and (B) the last financial year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3992", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Halesowen and Rowley Regis"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Morris"} ], "uin" : "248649"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1123543", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1123543/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department does not hold the specific information requested. However, industry figures from the Rail Delivery Group suggest that the number of planned train services per year has increased from 5.69 million in 1997-98 to 7.30 million in 2016/17. The industry also cites some specific examples of increased services on routes to London, such as Manchester to London increasing from 17 trains per day in 1994 to 47 in 2016, and the number of trains from London to Sheffield increasing from 15 per day in 1994 to 31 in 2016.<\/p>
<\/p>
In relation to the number of seats, According to the Rail Delivery Group, there were 10,400 vehicles in passenger use in 1996/97 compared to 14,025 as at March 2018, an increase of over 3,500 vehicles or nearly 35%. This additional fleet capacity is helping to lengthen trains and contribute towards the thousands of extra rail services each week.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "248649"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-08T12:41:08.113Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many seats on direct train services there were per day between (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow, (c) Newcastle, (d) Birmingham, (e) Nottingham, (f) Derby, (g) Peterborough, (h) Norwich, (i) Portsmouth, (j) Southampton, (k) Preston, (l) Stoke-on-Trent, (m) Leeds, (n) Sheffield, (o) Liverpool and London in (A) the year before privatisation of the railways and (B) the last financial year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3992", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Halesowen and Rowley Regis"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Morris"} ], "uin" : "248650"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109178", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109178/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Transport welcomes Network Rail\u2019s Putting Passengers First programme and Andrew Haines\u2019 commitment to ensuring that rail works for passengers and freight customers. The Department is continuing to engage with Network Rail as they implement the programme.<\/p>
The Office of Rail and Road has a statutory responsibility for monitoring Network Rail\u2019s performance. It is actively monitoring the effectiveness of Network Rail\u2019s efficiency and delivery as we move into the crucial early months of Control Period 6 (2019-24).<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-09T10:19:36.553Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has he made of the effect of the changes to the proposed accountability of routes and regions within Network Rail from June 2019 on that organisation\u2019s ability to deliver its Control Period 6 efficiency plans between 2019 and 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "239992"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1104911", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1104911/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Guidance for Rail Market-led Proposals published in March last year is clear that the Department\u2019s role is not to develop these proposals, as they are market-led. The Department has the capacity to evaluate rail market-led proposals in line with the guidance. On 5 December 2018 the Department responded to all promoters who had submitted a market-led proposal in response to the March 2018 Call for Ideas, and my officials are continuing to engage with those promoters whose proposals were evaluated to have the potential to be financially credible without government support.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-29T14:31:00.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the capacity of his Department to (a) develop, (b) evaluate and (c) award market-led proposals to enhance the railway; and how many of his Department's officials have been allocated to work relating to those proposals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "236448"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1092145", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1092145/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have already announced that we will invest up to £780m to deliver upgrades to the East Coast Main Line by the early 2020s. This is on top of the £400m invested since 2014 in power upgrades between London and Doncaster and infrastructure improvements elsewhere across the route. The Department is working with stakeholders, including Transport for the North, to identify and assess further potential enhancements for the East Coast Main Line. We will take staged decisions to progress further enhancements through the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline process.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-25T14:03:28.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which of the rail improvement projects proposed by Network Rail\u2019s East Coast Main Line Route Study will be prioritised for investment; and how those projects will be funded.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4125", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine McKinnell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine McKinnell"} ], "uin" : "234723"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1052249", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1052249/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "