Restoring Your Railway Programme 2021-12-16
2021-12-16
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP inquired about the steps being taken to maintain railway project funding after the COVID-19 outbreak.
What steps his Department is taking to maintain funding for restoring your railway projects following the covid-19 outbreak?
Through our restoring your railway programme—a £500 million fund—we remain committed to reopening lines and stations, reconnecting communities across the country.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify when or how funding will be awarded for specific projects like Devizes station.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asked about the timeline for announcing successful award of restoring your railway funding to Devizes, a station that was closed by Beeching.
Can the Minister tell us when he is likely to announce the successful award of restoring your railway funding to Devizes?
We have now received the business case for that particular scheme, and we will be considering the next steps for a tranche of projects, including Devizes gateway, in the new year.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide an exact timeline for announcement or specific funding amounts for Devizes.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP supported the opening of the Barrow Hill line and advocated for a tram-train service to encourage car use reduction.
Will the Minister seriously look at the option of implementing a tram-train on the Barrow Hill line going into the centre of Sheffield?
I think he is completely right. There are now many more light rail and very light rail products out there, which would be very suitable for this scheme. The whole point of the restoring your railway scheme is to help people find the right product to deliver the right scheme for them in their locality.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific commitment or timeline regarding considering the tram-train option.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP extended Christmas greetings and thanked the ministerial team for their evidence to the Transport Committee. He asked about proposals for automatic compensation for late trains.
Will the Minister consider looking at automated and automatic compensation to allow the money to come straight back into bank accounts even if passengers do not even know they were late?
Great British Railways will almost certainly be doing this sort of thing. We are trying to make sure that we go faster, so what he will have seen in the story today is our direction of travel. We want people to have every confidence when they return to our railway that, should they be significantly delayed, it is a very simple process to claim their refund.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific commitment or timeline for implementing automatic compensation systems.
Response accuracy