| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
17 Jun 2009 : Column 137WH—continued
5 pm
Sitting suspended for a Division in the House.
5.10 pm
Chris Mole: I was talking about the Department’s efforts to ensure that engineering works reflect passenger needs. My noble Friend the Secretary of State recently convened a meeting of senior figures from across the rail industry, including Network Rail, the Office of Rail Regulation, train operators and Passenger Focus, to discuss possible ways to improve the situation. In particular, we encouraged the industry to give Passenger Focus, the independent national passenger watchdog, a greater role in the process of planning engineering works. We were broadly encouraged by the response that we received from the industry at the meeting. Our priority now is to ensure that all parties in the industry maintain their focus on improving network availability for passengers.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this opportunity to explain the engineering works on the Cleethorpes line and what the train operators will be doing to look after passengers and business. Network Rail is to carry out a multi-million pound project this summer to improve the condition of the line between Doncaster and Scunthorpe and, most importantly, to reinstate the 55 mph line speed. The line requires major engineering works to address ground settlement in the Medge Hall area in particular, as my hon. Friend has mentioned, where the track and its substructure are poorly supported by the peat and soft clay beneath. Speed restrictions are as low as 10 mph in some places.
The line will be closed between Doncaster and Scunthorpe for 11 weeks to allow works worth more than £16 million to be completed. I am sure that my hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that in order to minimise disruption, Network Rail will complete several other jobs at the same time, making its total investment in the line about £20 million. I understand entirely why my hon. Friend asked about Doughty road bridge. It would be ideal if the Doughty road works were done at the same time as the blockade, and if that is not possible I will write to her to clarify why.
First TransPennine Express train services will be replaced by direct road services between Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Doncaster from Monday 22 June until Sunday 6 September. TransPennine trains will continue to run between Doncaster, Sheffield and Manchester airport.
As I will mention later, there are some parallels with an experience that I had as a constituency MP when the Ipswich tunnel closed for several months a couple of years ago. I encourage my hon. Friend to visit the works while they are going on, as that might provide an incentive for Network Rail to ensure that they are completed in a timely manner.
Shona McIsaac: My hon. Friend has stated that the works are taking place between Doncaster and Scunthorpe. Most of the works are near Thorne, which is closer to Doncaster. He has not mentioned the remaining section of line from Scunthorpe to Grimsby and Cleethorpes. I understand that no works are happening on that section of line, so why can a service not run on that part of the line, so people can at least get from Grimsby to Scunthorpe?
Chris Mole: I was coming to that point, but I will deal with it now. TransPennine Express considered a shuttle service, but unfortunately it is not practical, as the rolling stock would be trapped and unable to return to its Manchester depot for the necessary regular central servicing and safety checks.
On the timing of the blockade, the work has to be done at this time of year, because aside from being an important passenger route to and from Cleethorpes and Grimsby, the line between Immingham and Doncaster via Scunthorpe is a vital—to use my hon. Friend’s word—freight traffic artery, particularly for coal, iron ore and steel. Network Rail’s decision to select the period between late June and early September for the closure of the line was dictated primarily by the lack of capacity on alternative routes for the freight traffic.
During autumn, winter and spring, there are high levels of coal traffic to power stations. For that reason, it was necessary to select a period during the summer, when loadings to power stations were less and reduced traffic levels could be accommodated on the alternative route. The summer also offers advantages for construction works and replacement passenger road services because of longer daylight hours and generally better weather conditions. Although leisure travel to Cleethorpes over the summer months increases, demand from schools and colleges and for work purposes decreases.
In timing the closure, Network Rail has had to balance the requirement to transport passengers against the requirement to maintain sufficient deliveries of coal to power stations and support the workings of Immingham, which I am sure that my hon. Friend will recognise is vital to the local economy. The engineering work will solve a long-standing problem and allow trains to run more quickly, improving long-term punctuality, reliability and the overall attractiveness of the service. TransPennine plans to work alongside local businesses and organisations to encourage more passengers to use the trains after the line is restored. In the meantime, promotional rail tickets, including discounted entry to Pleasure Island at Cleethorpes, will still be available during the works.
On the question of alternative routes, there is little opportunity to accommodate additional passenger trains on the alternative route via Brigg, as most of the spare capacity on that route will be taken by freight trains. That option was explored fully by TransPennine, but it was not possible to hire additional drivers from freight operating companies who had knowledge of the alternative route. Also, running via Brigg would take the trains to Sheffield but omit a call at Doncaster, which would affect passengers making journeys on that busy section of the network.
Shona McIsaac: On the drivers, my understanding is that TransPennine would not pay the rate, not that drivers were not available.
Chris Mole: I will have to make further inquiries and come back to my hon. Friend on that point in writing.
On replacement coach services and how customers will be handled, the detailed timings and calling points for the alternative coach services and connection times at Doncaster are available at stations, via online journey planners and from National Rail Enquiries. Informative posters looking something like this one are also being displayed at stations, and opportunities have been taken to circulate information to passengers in advance of the start of the work. That has included working with North East Lincolnshire council and providing information through tourist offices. Staff will be on hand at stations to assist passengers using the road service, and signage will be placed at stations to indicate pick-up points. I am sure that my hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that all coaches will have toilets on board. From my own experience a couple of years ago, I know that the information process is critical. If everyone is aware of what is happening, it helps the alternative arrangements operate much more smoothly and perhaps without some of the anticipated concerns.
My hon. Friend asked about the new trains that her constituency currently enjoys. The TransPennine franchise serving Cleethorpes has one of the newest fleets in the country, consisting of 51 brand-new units and seven five-year-old refurbished trains. That modern rolling stock is committed until the end of the franchise in 2012.
My hon. Friend discussed through-route services to London. The east coast main line passenger timetable will be improved in December 2010, with more trains and reduced journey times, delivering on a commitment made by National Express East Coast as part of its franchise agreement with the Department for Transport. The new timetable will include one direct service every two hours between King’s Cross and Lincoln, giving
Lincoln direct services to London for the first time in many years. National Express East Coast and Network Rail are examining the case for extending some services to provide a direct link between Cleethorpes, Grimsby and London via Lincoln. That would be a commercial initiative by National Express.
The provisional timetable, which is not yet finalised, will contain a morning service to London and an evening service returning from London. The timing of those services will be particularly attractive to business travellers. The December 2010 east coast main line timetable will deliver other benefits for rail travellers from Grimsby and Cleethorpes. A standard repeating pattern of services will be adopted with trains running at the same times in each hour throughout the day. That will introduce a regular hourly connection at Doncaster for Grimsby and Cleethorpes with a standard connection time of 15 minutes. Present journey times will be maintained and passengers will be able to plan their journeys more easily in the knowledge that regular connections are available.
My hon. Friend raised a few issues about the road network at the end of her speech. If she was referring to trunk roads, they fall within my responsibilities, and I would be delighted to hear from her about those issues in due course.
In conclusion, I look forward to the completion of the engineering work that will allow trains to run more quickly and improve the long-term punctuality, reliability and overall attractiveness of the service to Cleethorpes. I commend my hon. Friend’s work in promoting the prosperity and future of Cleethorpes and the surrounding area.
5.21 pm
| Index | Home Page |