Tag: Railways

Bishop of Exeter asks about restoring railways in South West England

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answers on 10th May 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government how many passengers on the Dartmoor Line used the re-opened Exeter to Okehampton railway in each month for the past year.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con): Below is a table that shows how many passengers on the Dartmoor Line used the re-opened Exeter to Okehampton railway in each rail period from April 2022 onwards.

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Bishop of Blackburn speaks in a debate on railway strikes

The Bishop of Blackburn spoke in a debate on railway strikes on 20th June 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Blackburn: My Lords, I want to try to take some of the vitriol out of the conversation, just for a moment, to ask the Minister a question. Considering the number of conversations that have been going on behind the scenes, which have not produced a result and have, therefore, not prevented the strike, has any thought been given to working on a really long-term plan—not just for the rail industry but for a number of other industries that are talking about some kind of industrial action? This would allow there to be some hope and clarity in the longer term rather than immediately just trying to resolve this issue at this moment. The longer-term plan could be a real help, if that could be talked about.

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Bishop of Leeds asks about support for transport in the north-east of England

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on improvements to transportation infrastructure in the north-east of England on 14th December 2021, during a debate on the effects of new COVID-19 restrictions on the arts and entertainment sector:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the cultural venue future for the north of England would be considerably enhanced if communications were improved—that is, if you could actually get to venues in the first place? What weight are he and his department giving to discussions about northern rail and other transport infrastructure?

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Bishop of Exeter asks about reopening of railway lines in the south-west of England

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 1st December 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked Her Majesty’s Government, following the successful re-opening of the railway line between Exeter and Okehampton, what plans they have to reinstate the remaining section of the line between Okehampton and Calstock to secure an alternative route to Plymouth and Cornwall; what is the timetable for any such plans; and what assessment they have made of the risk of the Great Western Railway line to (1) coastal erosion, and (2) high seas.

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Bishop of Durham asks about investment in rail services in the north-east of England

On 15th July 2021, the Bishop of Durham asked a question on government plans to improve rail services in the north-east of England, following a discussion on frequency of services on the east coast mainline network:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I declare an interest as a regular LNER user. I have a lot of sympathy with the noble Lord, Lord Beith. I recognise that connections from Darlington, Durham and Newcastle are northwards as well as southwards. Will the Minister comment on how local services such as those from Bishop Auckland to Middlesbrough and the possible reopening of Durham to Sunderland need to be invested in for the economic growth of the north-east as a whole?

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Bishop of Durham asks about security of local jobs following Hitachi train defects

On 13th May 2021 the House of Lords considered the recent train delays caused by defects in the Hitachi stock.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I declare an interest as a regular LNER user—indeed, I experienced disruption to the service on my trip down from Darlington. While it is essential that the defects are addressed, I am very aware of the jobs and investment brought to County Durham by Hitachi. Can the Minister confirm that this issue will not impact the investment in the region and the security of the jobs?

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Bishop of Winchester questions Government about overcrowding on the railways

On the 29th of October Baroness Randerson asked an oral question in the House of  Lords about the steps the government were taking to modernise rail fares.  The Rt Revd Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, asked a supplementary question: 

18.03.20 Winchester 2

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, the modernising of rail fares is one aspect of a range of changes needed in our rail service. The Transport Secretary has announced £1.3 billion of investment in spacious trains yet despite this there is still overcrowding, cancellation and delay. Staff operating train services are also unhappy and just last week, on the South Western Railway line that I use regularly, I am afraid that there were regular cancellations and further overcrowding. Can the Minister outline what action will be taken between now and the implementation of the rail review reforms in 2020 to address the urgent issues of rail cancellations, delays and significant overcrowding?

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Bishop of Chester asks Government about London-Chester rail service

ChesterOn 23rd February 2017 Lord Shipley asked Her Majesty’s Government “what plans they have to ensure that HS2 will maximise links between cities in the north of England and with Scotland.” The Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, currently there is an excellent two-hour direct service at 125 miles an hour between London and the city of Chester. Will being able to get to Manchester—wherever Manchester is—in an hour call into question the current excellent direct service between London and Chester? Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks Government about London-Chester rail service”

Bishop of St Albans asks about potential benefits of reopening rural rail lines

Bishop St Albans June 2015On Thursday 2nd July 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question to Government about reopening rural rail lines.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the evidence recently published in the Campaign to Protect Rural England report Rural Reconnections: The social benefits of rail reopening.

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Railways: High Speed 2

A Government statement on the High Speed Two rail project was repeated in the House of Lords on 24th March 2014 by Transport Minister Barioness Kramer. The Bishop of Chester asked a question:

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, the spirit of the Statement is in for a penny, in for pound—a lot of pounds, of course—but if it is to be done, it should be done well and quicker. 14.03 Bishop of ChesterI particularly welcome the extension to Crewe, which is in my diocese, so much sooner; I am sure that the people of Crewe, that noble old railway city, will welcome that warmly. I notice in the Statement, though, that direct trains will be able to run off HS2 to serve north Wales. I have always assumed that the trains on the high-speed rail link will be electric. Does this mean that the Government are announcing plans to electrify the railways beyond Crewe to Chester and into north Wales? If so, when is that going to happen?

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