§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, following recent railway accidents, any extra funding to improve rail safety will apply to all rail networks in the United Kingdom [HL4344]
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)The Rail Regulator announced on 23 October that he will support expenditure by Railtrack on the network in Great Britain of some £15 billion over the next five years. This includes £3.5 billion for track maintenance and renewal; £4 billion on maintenance and renewal of signalling systems; and £500 million on signalling enhancements such as the train protection warning system (TPWS). All this will help to ensure greater safety.
The responsibility for railways in Northern Ireland lies with the Northern Ireland Executive.