§ 16. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for improvements in rail transport in the West Midlands. [138870]
§ Mr. McNultyA number of improvements have recently taken place. For the future, the Strategic Rail Authority has announced a new approach for planning of the railway network through "Regional Planning Assessments". These will establish key objectives for each region within a long-term context. The West Midlands Regional Planning Assessment is due for publication in Autumn 2004.