Sixth Report - Trains fit for the future?
Select Committee
Transport Committee
HC 876
23 March 2021
Government response
Third Special Report: Trains Fit for the Future? Government Response to the Committee’s Sixth Report of Session 2019–21 · published 27 May 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
6
Recommendation
Accepted
We call on the Department to work closely with other Government departments, including the Treasury,...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
Para 61
We recommend that Network Rail and the ORR continue to explore the potential for an...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
Para 79
The Department must make the case within Government to ensure that hydrogen trains are fully...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
Para 80
In its response to this Report, the Department should provide more information on how it...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
The long-term rail decarbonisation strategy must explain the process by which the development of alternative...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
Para 109
Public transport must be accessible to all.
Conclusion
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 Summary
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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