Railways in Parliament
Coal on demand
HERITAGE railways, worried that sourcing coal to run steam locos will become a problem as the Government implements its climate policies, had their anxieties quashed by an unexpected parliamentary dialogue.
Ironically, it was the Green Party’s sole MP Caroline Lucas who eased their concerns as she quizzed the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regarding Government policies on mining coal in the UK.
The Brighton Pavilion MP wanted to know why the low demand for new coal extraction projects did not require a revision of the Coal Authority’s duties set out in the 1994 Coal Industry Act.
The authority issues licenses for coal extraction and it has the statutory duty to promote an economically viable coal industry.
The Minister for Climate, Graham Stuart, replying on behalf of the Secretary for State, said: “The Government is committed to phasing out coal from electricity generation by 2024.
“Demand for new coal licences has fallen away as a consequence. Parliamentary time is precious and the coal extraction industry is already in decline in the UK without further interventions.
“Although coal will soon no longer be part of our electricity system, there may continue to be domestic demand for coal in industries such as steel, cement and for heritage railways. The current licensing regime leaves room for projects to come forward that could potentially meet that demand.”
Black Country wires
SHROPSHIRE MP Thomas Kawczynski lobbied the ministerial team at the Department of Transport (DfT) on improving services and the possibility of electrifying the Shrewsbury, Black Country and Birmingham route.
Transport Minister Kevin Foster dashed the hopes of the Shrewsbury and Atcham MP, saying: “The DfT has not had any specific discussions with Network Rail about electrification of the Shrewsbury, Black Country and Birmingham route.
“In the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the Government committed to deliver a net zero rail network by 2050. To achieve this, we will electrify additional lines, alongside deploying battery and hydrogen trains on lines where it makes economic and operational sense to do so.”
The Transport Minister, however, was more positive about upgrading services on this route.
Mr Foster added: “The Government recognises the potential value of enhanced rail connectivity for the people and economy of Shrewsbury and Shropshire. We have received a Strategic Outline Business Case for improvements to the railway between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.”
Flat cost per mile?
NORTH Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson asked if the DfT will make an assessment of the potential merits of charging a flat cost per mile for tickets.
The Transport Minister explained: “Distance is just one factor governing a particular rail fare. Other factors taken into account include journey time, frequency of service and the historic volume of demand, amongst others.
“There are a wide range of fares available to meet different passenger needs, including advance fares. Where advance fares are available, including on journeys between Swindon and London, they will be cheaper than flexible fares such as off-peak tickets.”
Cutting rail fares?
RICHARD Foord, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and
Honiton, wanted to know whether the Government was formulating plans to reduce the cost of tickets.
The Transport Minister replied: “The Government is taking decisive action to reduce the impact inflation will have on rail fares during the cost of living crisis. In August, we guaranteed we will not be increasing fares as much as the July RPI figure. We are also delaying any change to March 2023, temporarily freezing fares for passengers to travel at a lower price for the entirety of January and February.
“Earlier this year, we launched the Great British Rail Sale, the first-ever nationwide rail sale. More than 1.3 million tickets were sold, offering around £7million worth of savings for passengers.
“There are also several railcards available to passengers, which offer discounts against most rail fares.”
HS2 water works
BARONESS Jones of Moulsecoomb asked the Government to publish the Mitigation Strategy for the impact of HS2 on the natural water resources.
Baroness Vere of Norbiton, the Minister for Transport in the House of Lords, replied: “HS2 Ltd’s approach to managing the impact of HS2 on the water environment is set out in a number of published documents, including Information Paper E4: Water Resources and Flood risk.
“The mitigation approach is driven by existing environmental law, Protective Provisions in the Acts which authorise the railway and additional commitments made to Parliament, including the project’s ‘Environmental Minimum Requirements’.
“HS2 Ltd’s contractors are required to fully assess risks to the water environment from all their activities and to mitigate risks through design or other interventions.”