Fair Investment, Better Services, More Economic Growth
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RAIL IN THE NORTH All Party Parliamentary Group Fair investment, better services, more economic growth supported by THE ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY RAIL IN THE North GRoUP Chair Julie Hilling MP Vice Chairs Jason McCartney MP, Ian Mearns MP and Andrew Jones MP Secretary/Treasurer Pat Glass MP The All Party Parliamentary Rail in the North Group was established at the time of the General Election in order to inform debate over the future of railways in the North of England. The group has quickly proved itself to be a useful platform for developing and maintaining effective dialogue between key political influencers and stakeholders, including Network Rail, Passenger Transport Executives and Train Operating Companies. It helps to raise the profile of rail issues in the North of England within Parliament and Government. The involvement of organisations across the rail industry enables the group to develop a programme of meetings and other activities on key issues affecting rail transport in the North, in recent times meeting to discuss key topical issues including metal theft and the Initial Industry Plans. The important role that the group is now playing in the policy debate is also evidenced in its submissions to recent Department for Transport consultations on rail franchising reform and on HS2. supported by FoREWoRD Welcome to Fair All this is against a background of record to our partners over the coming year, as it investment, better passenger growth, which is set to continue is a critical year for the sector. The debate services, more economic well into the future. Growth that exceeds on reforming the railways continues as the growth, a new pamphlet that of London (an estimated 4% per Government responds to Sir Roy McNulty’s we have commissioned annum compared to 1.5% for London routes value for money review; the future of high to reflect on the past according to industry estimates). These speed rail is to be settled; and, critically, year as the All Party levels of growth had not been anticipated in the process for letting the franchises for the Parliamentary Rail in the the current franchises for the North and as a North (Northern and Transpennine) begins in North Group. The articles consequence the opportunities to capture the earnest. included provide the key benefits of growth to reinvest have been lost. sponsors and opinionmakers for the North’s We must not allow that to happen again. Whilst the year ahead promises to be full railways with the opportunity to explore the of opportunities for us to influence the key policy issues affecting rail transport The All Party Group of MPs believes that there development of the railway, we all believe that provision in our region, and provoke are a series of specific priorities with regards without a concerted push, there is a very real discussion on how we as parliamentarians, to transport infrastructure which should be danger that the North’s needs are once more sponsors and stakeholders can work together committed to. It is absolutely crucial to secure ignored. As Chair of the group I am grateful to improve the North’s railways. an ongoing commitment to additional trains for the support of the sponsors and other in the near term to relieve over crowding partners who have helped us over the past One of the key reasons why the group was and replace the old and unsuitable rolling year. I am keen that the Group continues established and why it has enjoyed crossparty stock, as well as making the case for further to be a forum for raising and discussing the support in its first year of existence is that electrification across the North. needs our railways and it is important for the needs of the North’s railways are very us, as Parliamentarians to hear what the evident to anyone who has used them. In the The All Party Parliamentary Group also industry, local authorities, rail users and past the North has consistently done poorly believes that a commitment to full funding of others have to say. in terms of rail investment, resulting in poor the Northern Hub project in the next Control quality rolling stock, overcrowding and unmet Period (2014-2019) must be secured, and passenger demand, and a ever increasing will continue to act as a key supporter of the sense of general frustration among those of Government’s plans to bring High Speed 2 to us who care about the railways. the North of England as quickly as possible. Julie Hiling MP As a group we will be making our views Chair, All Party Parliamentary clear to the Government, to industry and Rail in the North Group A SERIoUS AND CREDIBLE PRoGRAMME FoR GRoWTH infrastructure that best deliver sustainable In addition to this, the Ordsall Chord has economic growth - including rail. That is finally got the go ahead. The Ordsall Chord why rail was allocated £18bn of funding in project will tackle a major bottleneck in the The Rt Hon Theresa last year’s Spending Review. That has come network, and enable faster and much more Villiers MP with a downside - an RPI +3% increase in frequent services to run across the North Minister of State fares for three years to help fund the vital of England - including between Liverpool, improvements we need. But even taking that Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, and Hull. for Transport into account, rail came out of the spending review far more strongly than anyone We also recognise the benefits that the expected. And I think the outgoing Secretary remainder of the Northern Hub programme of State deserved all the many accolades he could offer, and will be looking very seriously received for his part in securing that result. at the whole proposal in the run up to next For nearly 200 years, the railway has been July’s HLOS 2 statement. Affordability issues bringing prosperity to the North. Connecting There are a number of reasons why the will need careful consideration, and it will people with the workplace, and goods with Chancellor chose to prioritise investment be necessary to make a judgment on the the marketplace. Providing the links on in rail. Not only can rail deliver growth. It different components individually. This is which businesses rely. And the Coalition can deliver more balanced sustainable unlikely to be an ‘all-or-nothing’ decision. Government believe that rail can play a vital economic growth across the country, helping Alongside measures to improve the role in spurring growth in modern Britain. to tackle the prosperity gap that continues infrastructure, we’re also modernising our That’s why the Coalition is today overseeing to divide North and South. £300m will be rolling stock. In total, we’re investing in 2,700 the biggest rail upgrade programme since the invested in rail electrification in the North new carriages across the rail network to ease Victorian era. West over the next 6 years, upgrading overcrowding on many routes. In Leeds alone crucial routes between Manchester, commuters are set to benefit from an extra For decades, British Governments have Liverpool, and Wigan, delivering significant 2,000 seats a day. responded to the need to rein in spending environmental, economic and passenger by reducing capital investment - typically benefits. Electrification will also allow these Yet despite our very significant commitment in large scale infrastructure schemes. lines to benefit from the rolling stock cascade to updating and improving the existing Today, though, our priorities are clear. triggered by the Thameslink programme and railway, we also recognise its inherent Despite severe pressure on budgets, we allow existing diesel trains to be used on constraints. That’s why in 2008, in have made a strategic choice to increase other routes. Opposition, I championed high speed rail - at capital investment in those parts of the 2 a time when the Labour Government had thousands of responses and will publish our to invest in better services and address dismissed it as an option and ruled it out of response towards the end of the year. passenger needs. their 30 year strategy for the railways. I said then and I continue to believe that this is a As we do in so many areas, this Government We’ll also be reviewing fares regulation to project which can transform the economic also recognises the benefits localised see if we can eliminate some of the many and social geography of Britain. Contrary decision-making can bring to transport. The anomalies it contains, smooth out the most to the allegations made by its detractors, success of community rail gives us a hint extreme cliff edges, and better incentivise HS2 is not, and never has been, about of the benefits local input and commitment off-peak travel. I will be expecting the rail shaving a few minutes off the journey time to could bring. The upcoming refranchising industry to step up to ensure that they deliver Birmingham. It is about meeting the long term process for Northern and TransPennine a more user-friendly system for passengers. A transport needs of our economy. It is about Express will provide a real opportunity to modern fares system that helps fill up empty delivering the intercity transport links that test the case for devolving more decisions to trains and spends less on transport thin air are absolutely crucial for future economic local authorities and PTEs. Discussions are is bound to involve some complexity. So an success. I firmly believe that HS2 will do more ongoing between the DfT and the PTEs, with important component of a successful reform to tackle the economic imbalance between a number of options on the table.