Rail Services (Hansard, 19 April 2000)

§ Mr. Tony Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of Railtrack's figure for the investment needed to improve rail services and safety in Britain. [119458]

§ Mr. Hill
The Government have made clear that substantial sums will have to be invested in railway infrastructure to deliver the increased rail capacity and quality needed for the future. We will be publishing in the summer our 10-year plan for transport, which will set out indicative plans for transport expenditure, building on the advice of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, and responses of the Rail Regulator and others to Railtrack's 2000 Network Management Statement.
The process of reviewing the 2000 Network Management Statement is carried out by the Rail Regulator. He announced on 30 March 2000 that he would be consulting with the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, PTEs and train operators, to determine in particular whether the plans meet their needs and aspirations.

§ Mr. Tony Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Railtrack regarding future levels of investment in railways, with particular reference to the West Coast Main Line and railways in the North-west. [119459]

§ Mr. Hill
A group consisting of officials from the shadow Strategic Rail Authority (sSRA), the Office of the Rail Regulator, Railtrack and the train operators involved in the West Coast Main Line, both passenger and freight, has been established and meets regularly. The sSRA reports to Ministers as necessary. Railtrack has confirmed that it is on course to meet its contractual commitments to Virgin in 2002 and 2005. The Rail Regulator has published a draft final order he proposes to make, which would require Railtrack to produce robust plans which demonstrate that it can in fact do so, and that it can meet the reasonable requirements of other train operators and funders including the sSRA. The sSRA has input into all development plans for the railways via consultation with Railtrack, both on a formal and, on an informal basis.

§ Mr. Tony Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussion he has had with Railtrack since the Paddington disaster with regard to reducing the possibility of signals 109 Ladbroke Grove, S862 Swinton Manchester, MP503 Ordsall Lane Manchester, MP324 Ardwick Junction Manchester Piccadilly, MP332 Ardwick Junction, North Manchester and MP64 Lonsight Manchester being passed at danger; and what action has been taken. [119460]

§ Mr. Hill
After the accident at Ladbroke Grove, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued one prohibition notice and two improvement notices to Railtrack requiring them to reduce the risk of the signals listed being passed at danger. Since then, the HSE has been in detailed discussion with Railtrack about these signals. As a result, Railtrack has been given until 22 May 2000 to implement an action plan for reducing the risk of these signals being passed at danger.
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In addition, one of the measures agreed at the Deputy Prime Minister's Rail Safety Summit last November was a common standard for reporting and investigating signals passed at danger (SPADs) which has been in operation since December 1999. It was also announced that Railtrack will aim to complete the fitting of the train protection and warning system (TPWS) on its infrastructure (12,000 sites) by the end of 2002, a year earlier than planned, beginning with the highest risk locations. Train operators have committed to fit 33 per cent. of trains with TPWS by the end of 2001, 75 per cent. of trains by the end of 2002 and all trains by the end of 2003.