To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.13 of the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and the Midlands, CP 490, published by his Department in November 2021 pp65, whether a new analysis was conducted before to the decision in Network North for high speed...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.13 of the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and the Midlands, CP 490, published by his Department in November 2021 pp65, whether a new analysis was conducted before to the decision in Network North for high speed...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 18 of the command paper, Network North, Transforming British Transport, CP 946, published by his Department in October 2023 Network North, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) the Handsacre link, (b) signalling and network...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 18 of the command paper, Network North, Transforming British Transport, CP 946, published by his Department in October 2023 Network North, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) the Handsacre link, (b) signalling and network...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of a high-speed railway between Leeds and Manchester via Bradford.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of a high-speed railway between Leeds and Manchester via Bradford.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the potential agglomeration of Nottingham and Birmingham, which will be made possible by the introduction of high speed trains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the potential agglomeration of Nottingham and Birmingham, which will be made possible by the introduction of high speed trains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of upgrading the Hull to Liverpool train line to high speed specifications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of upgrading the Hull to Liverpool train line to high speed specifications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commit to commencing bilateral international negotiations on the creation of new high-speed rail routes between the UK and Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commit to commencing bilateral international negotiations on the creation of new high-speed rail routes between the UK and Europe.

My Lords, the vast majority of services across the national rail network are unaffected. The trains affected are Hitachi Class 800 series units operated by Great Western Railway on intercity services as well as some LNER services, Hull Trains services and a small number of TransPennine Express services. Most of...

My Lords, the vast majority of services across the national rail network are unaffected. The trains affected are Hitachi Class 800 series units operated by Great Western Railway on intercity services as well as some LNER services, Hull Trains services and a small number of TransPennine Express services. Most of...

I thank the Minister for that Answer and I appreciate the amount of joint working that has taken place to enable some replacement services to run. The abrupt and total withdrawal of Hitachi trains from several routes caused massive disruption to passengers and businesses in some regions. It is an...

I thank the Minister for that Answer and I appreciate the amount of joint working that has taken place to enable some replacement services to run. The abrupt and total withdrawal of Hitachi trains from several routes caused massive disruption to passengers and businesses in some regions. It is an...

My Lords, the agreements in place to use the affected trains contain provisions that protect the taxpayer. We expect those who have contractual performance and train availability obligations to fully compensate the taxpayer.

My Lords, the agreements in place to use the affected trains contain provisions that protect the taxpayer. We expect those who have contractual performance and train availability obligations to fully compensate the taxpayer.

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson, for asking this Question. I understand from the technical press that 86 out of 93 of these affected trains have either a failure of the yaw dampers, which connect the bogie to the body shell—they are quite important parts—or...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson, for asking this Question. I understand from the technical press that 86 out of 93 of these affected trains have either a failure of the yaw dampers, which connect the bogie to the body shell—they are quite important parts—or...

Unfortunately I missed the question, but I hope to provide some colour to what the noble Lord was saying. Indeed, there are two different types of crack. One is found on the yaw damper; those cracks were found three weeks ago and are not the reason for the withdrawal of...

Unfortunately I missed the question, but I hope to provide some colour to what the noble Lord was saying. Indeed, there are two different types of crack. One is found on the yaw damper; those cracks were found three weeks ago and are not the reason for the withdrawal of...

The current situation has brought about an intolerable level of stress and inconvenience to the travelling public, not least here in Wales on the GWR routes. It is a relief that Hitachi has issued a statement this morning advising that a significant number of the IETs can return to service....

The current situation has brought about an intolerable level of stress and inconvenience to the travelling public, not least here in Wales on the GWR routes. It is a relief that Hitachi has issued a statement this morning advising that a significant number of the IETs can return to service....

I would like to reassure my noble friend that I spoke to Mark Hopwood, the MD of GWR, this morning. He told me that the major routes of particularly high priority include those from south Wales and the south-west. We recognise that getting those services back is important. He is...

I would like to reassure my noble friend that I spoke to Mark Hopwood, the MD of GWR, this morning. He told me that the major routes of particularly high priority include those from south Wales and the south-west. We recognise that getting those services back is important. He is...

My Lords, the question of compensation arises here. Is there a liquidated damages clause in the agreement between the Government and Hitachi about these trains? If not, can Hitachi be pressed to make some ex gratia compensation payment for the huge damage that this delay is inflicting on both passengers...

My Lords, the question of compensation arises here. Is there a liquidated damages clause in the agreement between the Government and Hitachi about these trains? If not, can Hitachi be pressed to make some ex gratia compensation payment for the huge damage that this delay is inflicting on both passengers...

Of course, we are in conversations with Hitachi, and we welcome its decision to put safety first and take the trains out of service while we properly understand what is going on. As noble Lords will be aware, 122 Hitachi trains are procured via the intercity express programme, while the...

Of course, we are in conversations with Hitachi, and we welcome its decision to put safety first and take the trains out of service while we properly understand what is going on. As noble Lords will be aware, 122 Hitachi trains are procured via the intercity express programme, while the...

My Lords, the noble Baroness and I were in happy agreement recently in your Lordships’ House about the fact that it was not necessary to copy France in limiting domestic air travel here because cities such as Manchester are closer and well connected by fast intercity services. However, of course,...

My Lords, the noble Baroness and I were in happy agreement recently in your Lordships’ House about the fact that it was not necessary to copy France in limiting domestic air travel here because cities such as Manchester are closer and well connected by fast intercity services. However, of course,...

No one wants to see a vast modal shift towards cars, but I accept that, in certain circumstances, when we have a situation such as this, that will occur. However, it is a very rare occurrence for this sort of wide-ranging manufacturing or other fault to be found in the...

No one wants to see a vast modal shift towards cars, but I accept that, in certain circumstances, when we have a situation such as this, that will occur. However, it is a very rare occurrence for this sort of wide-ranging manufacturing or other fault to be found in the...

My Lords, in general, Hitachi trains have an incredibly good track record. Hitachi built the bullet trains in Japan, which, as noble Lords will know, have an exemplary safety record, and it has a very high engineering pedigree. While it will of course be up to Hitachi’s customers to decide...

My Lords, in general, Hitachi trains have an incredibly good track record. Hitachi built the bullet trains in Japan, which, as noble Lords will know, have an exemplary safety record, and it has a very high engineering pedigree. While it will of course be up to Hitachi’s customers to decide...

What is the estimated likely total revenue loss following the withdrawal from service for repairs of the Hitachi trains? Who will foot the bill for that loss of revenue? I hope it will be neither the taxpayer nor passengers, and I would be grateful if the Minister could confirm that...

What is the estimated likely total revenue loss following the withdrawal from service for repairs of the Hitachi trains? Who will foot the bill for that loss of revenue? I hope it will be neither the taxpayer nor passengers, and I would be grateful if the Minister could confirm that...

It is very tricky to make a detailed assessment of the reduction in revenue, given where we are at the moment and the fact that GWR operates a turn-up-and-go service, so numbers are very difficult to estimate. We estimate that, from an LNER perspective, it is probably a reduction of...

It is very tricky to make a detailed assessment of the reduction in revenue, given where we are at the moment and the fact that GWR operates a turn-up-and-go service, so numbers are very difficult to estimate. We estimate that, from an LNER perspective, it is probably a reduction of...