Trains fit for the future?
Transport Committee
Closed
Inquiry
The inquiry will examine how technologies such as electric, hydrogen and battery can be deployed to reduce the rail industry’s reliance on diesel-only trains. Read written evidence submitted in the previous Parliament .
18
Recommendations
8
Conclusions
1
Report
2
Oral sessions
2
Events
Activity timeline 4 events
27 May
2021
2021
23 Mar
2021
2021
Report published
9 Dec
2020
2020
Oral evidence
11 Nov
2020
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
9 Dec 2020
View on parliament.uk
Andrew Haines · Network Rail
Andrew Kluth · Rail Industry Decarbonisation Taskforce
Chris Heaton-Harris MP · Northern Ireland Office
Helen McAllister · Network Rail
Malcolm Brown · Rail Industry Decarbonisation Taskforce
Philip Luxford · Department for Transport
Rachel Maclean MP · Department for Transport
11 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Chris Smith · Thirteen Group
David Clarke · Railway Industry Association
Leo Murray · Possible
Mark Gaynor · Rail Delivery Group
Mary Grant · Porterbrook
Paul Smart
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sixth Report - Trains fit for the future? | HC 876 | 23 Mar 2021 | 26 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
6
Recommendation
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
We call on the Department to work closely with other Government departments, including the Treasury,...
We call on the Department to work closely with other Government departments, including the Treasury, to secure agreement for the levels of funding necessary to begin implementing a long-term decarbonisation programme of the rail network. (Paragraph 31) 34 Trains fit …
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Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and commits to working closely with other departments, including the Treasury, to secure necessary funding for the decarbonisation policy to be set out in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Department for Transport
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14
Recommendation
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
We recommend that Network Rail and the ORR continue to explore the potential for an...
We recommend that Network Rail and the ORR continue to explore the potential for an extension in third-rail electrification capability and that the Department, as the overall sponsor of rail decarbonisation, proactively monitors this development in Trains fit for the …
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Government Response
The government agrees to proactively monitor Network Rail and ORR's exploration of third-rail electrification extension, and is funding a project by the Rail Safety and Standards Board to investigate safety improvements for third rail electrification.
Department for Transport
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17
Recommendation
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
The Department must make the case within Government to ensure that hydrogen trains are fully...
The Department must make the case within Government to ensure that hydrogen trains are fully incorporated within the forthcoming national Hydrogen Strategy. This will help ensure the roll out of this new technology is properly co-ordinated and supported by appropriate …
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Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and is actively making the case across government to ensure hydrogen trains are included at an appropriate level in the forthcoming national Hydrogen Strategy.
Department for Transport
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18
Recommendation
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
In its response to this Report, the Department should provide more information on how it...
In its response to this Report, the Department should provide more information on how it intends, working with other Government departments, to support the growth of a domestic battery industry to ensure this form of technology can be utilised on …
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Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to work with BEIS to support a domestic battery industry and detailing its existing £318 million investment in the Faraday Battery Challenge, which aims to establish the UK as a leader in battery science, research, and manufacturing.
Department for Transport
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20
Recommendation
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
The long-term rail decarbonisation strategy must explain the process by which the development of alternative...
The long-term rail decarbonisation strategy must explain the process by which the development of alternative technologies will be reviewed and how such technologies can be incorporated into the network strategy, if they reach the necessary level of development.(Paragraph 88) Decarbonising …
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Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that the TDNS recommends regional assessments of alternative technologies and that Great British Railways will be well-placed to consider all options and update the analysis periodically as technologies develop.
Department for Transport
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25
Conclusion
Accepted
Sixth Report - Trains fit for the …
Public transport must be accessible to all.
Public transport must be accessible to all. It is unacceptable that several train companies have consistently failed to meet targets to make their trains fully accessible, despite having had 11 years to do so. In our view, the Department’s response …
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Government Response
The government commits to removing the remaining 3% (525 vehicles) of non-compliant trains from service as soon as possible, with 133 of these only being used when coupled to compliant vehicles. Operators are prioritising compliant trains and taking operational mitigations.
Department for Transport
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