Thursday Volume 570 7 November 2013 No. 72 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 7 November 2013 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2013 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 393 7 NOVEMBER 2013 394 Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): When House of Commons will the Minister get his act together on buses? Most people in this country travel on buses. Buses are really Thursday 7 November 2013 important to our country, but the bus industry feels neglected by this Government—and why cannot I have The House met at half-past Nine o’clock a new innovative bus scheme in Huddersfield and Kirklees? PRAYERS Mr Goodwill: I wonder if the hon. Gentleman should declare his interest in having a bus pass, which, of course, the Conservatives promised— [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Sheerman: I’ve got one. Oral Answers to Questions Mr Goodwill: Despite what we heard in the last general election campaign, the Conservatives have kept the concessionary travel scheme for pensioners, along TRANSPORT with all the other benefits for pensioners. Some 40% of money going into buses outside London is Government The Secretary of State was asked— support and we believe we are discharging our Better Bus Areas responsibilities in that regard. 1. Mel Stride (Central Devon) (Con): What progress High Speed 2 his Department has made on the roll-out of better bus areas. [900943] 2. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): What procedures The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport are available to communities to seek mitigation of the (Mr Robert Goodwill): Last year we announced our effects of the High Speed 2 route with respect to visual, intention to establish a small number of new better bus aural and vibration disturbance. areas, within which bus subsidy would be devolved to [900944] the local authority to invest in bus improvement measures in partnership with local operators. The Department The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick has made good progress with five new better bus areas McLoughlin): There has already been widespread having been announced this year. These are in Sheffield, consultation on phase 1. In addition, there will be a York, the west of England—the area centred around consultation on the environmental statement following Bath and Bristol—Merseyside and Nottingham. the deposit of the hybrid Bill and the opportunity to petition the Select Committee established as part of the Mel Stride: I congratulate my hon. Friend on the hybrid Bill process. For phase 2, the route consultation speed with which this new scheme has been rolled out, is currently under way and is due to end in January but may I urge him to ensure we have fair and firm 2014. targeting, particularly on remote rural areas? I have a number of villages in my constituency that have no bus Michael Fabricant: A few months ago, I and a group service at all, and many that do have very little provision. of people from Lichfield came to see the Secretary of State to discuss the monstrous 20-metre high viaduct Mr Goodwill: Earlier this year we announced that planned for the HS2 crossing over Lichfield. He will current levels of Government support for buses will be know that this affects not only Lichfield, but the maintained until at least 2016, and we have also ring-fenced constituencies of my hon. Friends the Members for a portion of bus subsidy that will be devolved to local Tamworth (Christopher Pincher) and for Stafford (Jeremy authorities from January, providing greater security to Lefroy), because of the height of the line. A plan for vital local services. In addition, in 2011-12 a total of mitigation was developed together with HS2 engineers, £20 million in funding was targeted to rural authorities and this has been completely ignored. When can we to support those very vital community transport solutions. have some hope that there will be any mitigation for us in Staffordshire? Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab): What is the Minister doing to improve bus services for young people? I recently met some young people on the national citizenship Mr McLoughlin: I am grateful to my hon. Friend. He scheme in my constituency, and they raised the particular rightly says that he never loses an opportunity to make problem that for them travelling around after 6 pm on clear his objection to this viaduct. It was part of a route unaffordable transport is almost impossible. What are realignment which was done initially to help mitigate the Government doing to help young people travel some of the effects around Lichfield, but once the Bill is around in their areas? deposited and following Second Reading there will, of course, be an opportunity for those directly affected to Mr Goodwill: We believe these better bus areas are a petition the Select Committee. more intelligent way of supporting bus services. Rather than the crude method of a straightforward fuel subsidy, Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab): Does the Secretary the partnership between local authorities and bus companies of State know of any other countries which, on building will encourage things such as smart ticketing, better their second high-speed railway line, have chosen to information and bus priority schemes, which make buses connect it to the first via a single-track railway line with more reliable for young people and for everyone else. a capacity of three trains per hour? 395 Oral Answers7 NOVEMBER 2013 Oral Answers 396 Mr McLoughlin: The important thing is that there Mr McLoughlin: I know how very important the will be a connection between HS1 and HS2. That will high-speed service has been to my hon. Friend’s constituents. allow direct access for trips right through Europe from Although high-speed rail does not run right down to places that at present do not have those connections. Deal or Sandwich, his constituents get the benefit from That is important. We believe the three trains per hour HS1 as the Javelin train from St Pancras carries on that will be able to go directly from Birmingham, to serve them. There are ongoing negotiations about Manchester or Leeds to Paris or Brussels or other the franchise extension, which we will be doing with European destinations is a very positive move. Southeastern, and I will certainly bear his comments in mind. Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con): As my right hon. Friend knows, the preferred route for HS2 phase 2 goes Railway Electrification straight through the village of Hopton in my constituency, as well as Ingestre, Yarlet and Marston and close by to 4. Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) Great Harwood. What measures can HS2 take to mitigate (Con): What plans he has to extend railway electrification. the effects on these communities, either through extra [900946] tunnelling or realignment of the route? The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick Mr McLoughlin: What I said to my hon. Friend the McLoughlin): In the rail investment strategy the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) in my original Government are investing in more than 800 miles of answer was that the consultation for phase 2 is still electrification up to 2019. This includes lines in the ongoing and it would be wrong of me at this stage to north-west, north trans-Pennine, midland main line, pre-empt it. I know that my hon. Friend the Member electric spine, great western main line and Welsh valley for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) will be making strong areas. That is a substantial advance in electrification of representations through the consultation process, and I the railways in this country. will consider them in due course. Andrew Jones: I thank my right hon. Friend for that Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con): Pursuant to answer. A couple of weeks ago, I launched the business the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for case for the electrification of the Harrogate to Lichfield (Michael Fabricant), I know that the Secretary Knaresborough rail line, which would bring more frequent of State takes these matters very seriously, but does he and quicker services for passengers, and a great return agree that where mitigations are small scale, such as for taxpayers from public money. Will he meet me to those proposed by my constituents in the Knox Grave discuss this opportunity? Lane community, HS2 should be able to move ahead with them quickly and not give conflicting messages to Mr McLoughlin: I will be delighted to meet my hon. the community affected? I have written to him on this Friend, who wastes no opportunity to raise this case for matter. Will he give the letter careful consideration? electrification with me. He has been a doughty campaigner for it. We have received a copy of the business case for Mr McLoughlin: Of course I will consider any points the electrification of the Leeds, Harrogate and York that my hon. Friend has written to me about. Consistency line. The case looks promising and I am more than in HS2’s responses on these lines that directly affect happy to discuss it further with him. people is very important. I am disturbed to hear that inconsistent advice has been given by HS2, and I will Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op): want to look into it. Plans for electrification are very welcome, but when will rolling stock be available for the electrified lines in the High Speed 1 north, now that that there has been such a delay in the procurement for the Thameslink project? 3.