1-20 of 5,588 results for subject:"Network Rail"
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.514 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.011 seconds
- Search query
- subject:"Network Rail"
- We searched for
- subject_t:"Network Rail" OR subject_ses:58404
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
More
Member
More
Primary member
More
Answering member
More
Legislative stage
Legislation
More
Subject
More
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what protected species licensing requirements Network Rail is required to comply with when undertaking (a) maintenance and (b) enhancement projects on the railway network.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what protected species licensing requirements Network Rail is required to comply with when undertaking (a) maintenance and (b) enhancement projects on the railway network.
Network Rail is required to comply with a range of protected species legislation when undertaking both maintenance and enhancement activities on the railway network. The primary legislation includes the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Licencing requirements in relation to the species protected by those laws are determined by the relevant statutory nature conservation body (Natural England, Natural Resources Wales or NatureScot).
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2026 to Questions 14929 and 15007 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, whether her Department has made any assessment of the impact of ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements on the cost and delivery of...
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2026 to Questions 14929 and 15007 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, whether her Department has made any assessment of the impact of ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements on the cost and delivery of...
Since 4 July 2024, the Department has not made any assessment of the impact of ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements on the cost and delivery of Network Rail projects.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which protected species most frequently require surveys, licences and mitigation before Network Rail can undertake maintenance and enhancement works.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which protected species most frequently require surveys, licences and mitigation before Network Rail can undertake maintenance and enhancement works.
I refer the Hon Member to Question 15858 answered on 13 July 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 15858 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, which sites or projects do the standard licenses for (a) badgers, (b) bats, (c) great crested wewts, (d) hazel dormice and (e) roman snails relate to.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 15858 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, which sites or projects do the standard licenses for (a) badgers, (b) bats, (c) great crested wewts, (d) hazel dormice and (e) roman snails relate to.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11452 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what the total cost to Network Rail was of producing habitat management plans in each of the last five financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11452 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what the total cost to Network Rail was of producing habitat management plans in each of the last five financial years.
Network Rail does not have a centrally recorded figure regarding the total expenditure to produce habitat management plans in the last five financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Network Rail project account records, include additional expenditure arising from delays or rescheduling of vegetation management works following the identification of protected species.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Network Rail project account records, include additional expenditure arising from delays or rescheduling of vegetation management works following the identification of protected species.
Since Network Rail does not record the reasons for rescheduling vegetation work, it is not possible to provide a figure for what additional expenditure may be incurred as a result of rescheduling due to protected species.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 15007 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what guidance Network Rail has issued to its own staff on managing the impact of seasonal ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements on project delivery.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 15007 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what guidance Network Rail has issued to its own staff on managing the impact of seasonal ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements on project delivery.
Through Network Rail’s standards and guidance, along with the knowledge of its environmental experts, Network Rail outlines that there are strict legal requirements when managing land near to protected sites or species. Works planning and good communication with environmental regulators can support work carried out without the need for licences. Awareness of the presence of protected sites and species also means work can be scheduled to avoid fines and delays.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many habitat management plans Network Rail has produced in each of the last five financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many habitat management plans Network Rail has produced in each of the last five financial years.
Network Rail confirms that 188 site-specific habitat management plans have been produced in the last five financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, how many protected species licences have been applied for (a) by and (b) on behalf of Network Rail in each of the last five years, broken down...
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, how many protected species licences have been applied for (a) by and (b) on behalf of Network Rail in each of the last five years, broken down...
An organisational licence is a licence which permits an organisation to undertake activities (that are specified within the licence) which would otherwise require individual standard licences. Standard licences typically contain site- or project-specific conditions. Where Network Rail cannot use non-licensable techniques, it will apply for standard licences. Network Rail continues to explore the opportunity for organisational licences where application of multiple licences would be inefficient for them and the regulator.
Based on information held centrally by Network Rail the following protected species licences have been issued to, or on behalf of, Network Rail in England and Wales since 2021. These figures have not been subject to a further validation exercise with all Regions and Functions and are therefore a best estimate available.
Standard Licences | Number of permits, licences or consents |
Species |
|
Badger | 15 |
Bat | 3 |
Great Crested Newt | 8 |
Hazel Dormouse | 55 |
Roman Snail | 3 |
Organisational Licences | Number of permits, licences or consents |
Species |
|
Badger | 2 |
Birds | 2 |
Great Crested Newt | 1 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, whether her Department plans to require Network Rail to record centrally the (a) costs and (b) delays to projects arising from protected species survey, licensing and mitigation...
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, whether her Department plans to require Network Rail to record centrally the (a) costs and (b) delays to projects arising from protected species survey, licensing and mitigation...
The Department for Transport does not plan to require Network Rail to record centrally the costs and any delays to projects arising from protected species survey, licencing and mitigation requirements.
Network Rail must comply with species licencing requirements when delivering maintenance and enhancement projects. Network Rail has been working with Natural England to reduce the burden of species licencing through district level licences for some species.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11452 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what guidance Network Rail issues on when a habitat management plan is required; and how many such plans are currently in force.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11452 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what guidance Network Rail issues on when a habitat management plan is required; and how many such plans are currently in force.
Network Rail has a company standard entitled ‘Biodiversity’ published in March 2023. Within this standard is a module entitled ‘Habitat Management Plan’ and its scope reads: ‘This module contains the key principles for the management and enhancement of biodiversity and prescribes requirements for producing habitat management plans (HMP) for the rail network.’
There are two levels of habitat management plan in use across the rail network: (1) generic habitat plans which provide detail at a whole route or habitat-type level; and (2) specific location plans which are a more detailed document providing guidance for a particular location.
At present there is almost 80 per cent of the network by area covered by generic habitat plans. There have also been almost 200 of the specific location plans produced; these include railway-designated nature sites as well as sites of special scientific interest.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121192 on Network Rail: Assets, when Network Rail's next Delivery Plan update is expected to be published.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121192 on Network Rail: Assets, when Network Rail's next Delivery Plan update is expected to be published.
Network Rail expects to publish the Delivery Plan update document for 2026/27 in July 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067, what guidance her Department has issued to Network Rail on managing delays to projects arising from seasonal ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 13067, what guidance her Department has issued to Network Rail on managing delays to projects arising from seasonal ecological survey windows and protected species licensing requirements.
The Department for Transport has not issued guidance to Network Rail on managing delays to projects arising from seasonal ecological survey windows and protected species licencing requirements.
Network Rail is responsible for planning its projects, and when doing this, it takes into account the necessary species licencing requirements and ecological survey windows.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data Network Rail holds on the number of vegetation management works that were rescheduled following the identification of protected species in each of the last five years, broken down by species type.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data Network Rail holds on the number of vegetation management works that were rescheduled following the identification of protected species in each of the last five years, broken down by species type.
Network Rail does not hold information on the rescheduling of vegetation work due to the presence of protected species. This is because teams are adaptable and are able to carry out essential maintenance activities whilst being aware of the legislative requirements. If work in one area is found not to be possible, then it may be that work elsewhere can be carried out instead.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the expenditure by Network Rail has been on (a) transitioning 25 per cent of its car fleet to ultra-low emissions vehicles and (b) installing electric vehicle charging facilities across 10 per cent of passenger parking bays since 2020; and what estimate...
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the expenditure by Network Rail has been on (a) transitioning 25 per cent of its car fleet to ultra-low emissions vehicles and (b) installing electric vehicle charging facilities across 10 per cent of passenger parking bays since 2020; and what estimate...
Network Rail’s ‘Our ambition for a low-emission railway’, published in 2020, committed Network Rail to change 25 per cent of its car fleet to ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEV) by 2022.
The table below shows the operational expenditure for transitioning 25 per cent of the Network Rail car fleet to ultra-low emissions vehicles. The figures represent the uplift in leasing costs from a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to a ULEV model. It is important to note that the uplift in leasing costs is not just due to ULEV vehicles being more expensive than a traditional ICE, but also that they will be newer vehicles so representing inflationary changes in vehicle costs over a number of years.
| 4-weekly rail period additional leasing costs | Annual additional leasing costs |
25% of car fleet | £85,365 | £1,109,745 |
The 25 per cent target was achieved and ULEVs currently equate to 37 per cent of the Network Rail car fleet.
Network Rail aims to achieve a 100% zero emission fleet. In order to achieve that, investment is needed in charging infrastructure. The data below, broken down according to regional and functional level, shows the capital costs for the associated infrastructure being installed for a full battery-electric vehicle fleet; the figures run only to 2027, starting from 2023.
EV Rollout Funding (£m) |
|
| Capex |
Eastern | 11.7 |
North West & Central | 17 |
Southern | 20 |
Wales & Western | 20.1 |
Scotland | 16.2 |
Route Services | 11.8 |
Total | 96.8 |
The total spend so far on installing electric vehicle charging facilities across 10 per cent of passenger parking bays is £19,772,448 (Capex). This has delivered EV charging facilities across 7.8% of the total NR passenger parking bays so far.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the Liverpool Street Station redevelopment scheme of changes in senior leadership at Platform4 and Network Rail Property since January 2025.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the Liverpool Street Station redevelopment scheme of changes in senior leadership at Platform4 and Network Rail Property since January 2025.
Platform4, GBR Anglia & Network Rail Eastern region continue to work together on the scheme.
The Liverpool Street Redevelopment scheme is being promoted by Platform 4 on a commercial basis – no government funding has been allocated. Any specific queries regarding this scheme should be directed to Platform 4 (info@platform4.com).
The transformation of Liverpool Street remains a strategic priority for Network Rail, and this was demonstrated by taking the scheme to Committee in February 2026 - where resolution to grant consent was given.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Network Rail spent on ecological surveys associated with vegetation management works in each of the last five years; and how much it plans to spend in future years by survey type.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Network Rail spent on ecological surveys associated with vegetation management works in each of the last five years; and how much it plans to spend in future years by survey type.
Network Rail does not hold a centrally collated estimate of the annual cost of ecological surveys associated with vegetation management. Surveys are undertaken as a routine part of planned vegetation management, and costs are not recorded separately. Any costs associated with this vegetation management have already been agreed as part of the Final Determination for the current Control Period. Future costs will be determined as part of the settlement for Funding Period 1, due to start in April 2030.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7211 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what estimate Network Rail has made of the total cost of (a) compiling and completing habitat management plans for the remaining areas of the network not yet...
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7211 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what estimate Network Rail has made of the total cost of (a) compiling and completing habitat management plans for the remaining areas of the network not yet...
Network Rail does not hold centrally aggregated figures of estimated costs for compiling, completing and implementing habitat management plans for the remaining network. Developing and implementing habitat management plans is part of business-as-usual activity within Network Rail’s broader allocations for operations, maintenance, and environmental sustainability. The implementation of the plans will take place alongside regular management of railway lineside vegetation which is required for safety and operational reasons.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the reprioritisation of vegetation management following the identification of protected species results on costs to Network Rail.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the reprioritisation of vegetation management following the identification of protected species results on costs to Network Rail.
Network Rail has not made specific estimates of the cost or time arising from identification of protected species. For Network Rail, such activities are embedded within wider project development, environmental mitigation and vegetation management processes, rather than recorded as discrete cost categories.
Licensing and survey requirements can influence project scheduling, particularly where seasonal survey constraints apply or where mitigation measures are required before works may proceed. However, the scale of any impacts on cost or programme varies significantly depending on the nature, location and timing of individual projects, and has not been quantified centrally. Effective project planning supports with limiting the impact of these requirements on project delivery.
Network Rail will always attempt to continue work using non-licensable techniques. Where this is not possible, licences will be applied for and work undertaken according to any condition presented in a granted licence.