Second reading High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
The debate is expected to commence between 2.30 and 3pm, following the conclusion of the Chancellor's statement on the Spending Review.
Timings are approximate and Parliamentary business is subject to change.
The High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
High Speed Two (HS2) is a £34-£36 billion project to build a high speed rail line from London to Manchester and Leeds, via Birmingham, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Crewe, to begin operation in 2026 and be completed in 2032.It was supported by the Labour Government after 2009 and has had the support of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government since May 2010.
Paving bills
The High Speed (Preparation) Bill is a 'paving Bill' to authorise further spending on preparation for the HS2 project. The paving Bill is a Public Bill, not a Hybrid Bill.The paving Bill requires Royal Assent before the expenditure it provides for could be authorised.
Progress of the Bill
The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 13 May 2013====================================================
HS2
Statement on the Spending Review and the Paving Bill
26 June 2013
HS2 Ltd's Chief Executive, Alison Munro, said:
“Today the Secretary of State has announced that he will be issuing a new remit letter and we have been set a cost target for the route from London to Birmingham. That provides a clear mandate not only to deliver the infrastructure, but also to work with the towns and cities to create a true Engine for Growth. We look forward to working with the HS2 Growth Task Force led by Lord Deighton to maximise the opportunities for payback from this significant investment that will be a catalyst for a High Speed Britain.”“The target we have been set is consistent with our Baseline 3 estimate produced in May and upon which DfT spending review bid was made. The scope of which is the same as the current round of consultation.”
“With the second reading of the Paving Bill and the indicative funding allocation made to DfT by the Chancellor for the period to 2021 we can now move forward with certainty towards the deposit of the Hybrid Bill in December this year and firm up the procurement strategy that forms part of our plan to deliver the efficiency savings that underpin the Target we have been set.”
“We have managed the scope for Phase One to arrive at a reference design that meets the objectives set by DfT for HS2 and have done so broadly within the cost and contingency envelope of £16.3 bn set out by the previous Secretary of State in Jan 2012. My team will continue to be focused on control of costs”
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US Department of Transportation
BTS Releases April North American Freight Numbers Trucks Transported 60.6 Percent of U.S.-NAFTA Trade in April 2013
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation today released the April North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) freight numbers showing that trucks carried 60.6 percent of the $99.0 billion of freight moved in April 2013 between the United States and its NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico. Trucks were followed by rail at 15.1 percent, vessels at 9.2 percent, pipelines at 6.8 percent and air at 3.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.5 percent of the total NAFTA freight flows.
BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that in April, for freight flows with Canada, trucks carried 55.2 percent of the $54.7 billion of freight, followed by rail at 17.2 percent, pipelines at 11.7 percent, vessels at 6.0 percent and air at 4.6 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 84.0 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
For freight flows with Mexico in April, trucks carried 67.3 percent of the $44.2 billion of freight, followed by rail at 12.6 percent, vessel at 13.2 percent, air at 2.8 percent and pipelines at 0.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 80.7 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.
Beginning with January 2013, BTS monthly TransBorder press releases contain data for all modes of transportation. Press releases and the BTS website now define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. Data on surface modes can be found in Figure 3 and in Tables 2, 3, 4 and 7 of the press release.
The value of goods moving between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners by all modes of transportation increased 7.4 percent from April 2012 and rose 74.4 percent from April 2009. Data in this press release are not adjusted for inflation, except for the monthly totals illustrated in Figure 2 for comparison.
See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables, state rankings and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.
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A new concourse, known as Hall 2, was officially opened today at Paris Gare de Lyon by the president of French National Railways (SNCF), Mr Guillaume Pepy, the president of Vinci Construction France, the main contractor, Mr Gérard Bienfait, and the president of catering company Elior, Mr Robert Zolade.
PASSENGER services have begun using the new £47m Hitchin flyover, which will carry London – Cambridge services across the busy East Coast Main Line (ECML) and eliminate conflicting movements through the flat junction, which had become a major bottleneck.
TRENITALIA and Alstom hosted an event at Alstom's Savigliano plant in northern Italy on June 25 to give the press, passenger associations, and representatives of the government of Piedmont a first glimpse of the new Coradia Meridian regional emu for Trenitalia.
MASSACHUSETTS Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has exercised an option worth around $US 70m with Wabtec subsidiary MotivePower for an additional 13 HSP46 diesel locomotives, which will be used on commuter rail services in the Boston area.
TramRus signs agreement to manufacture trams in Ukraine
TramRus, a joint venture of Alstom and its Russian partner Transmashholding (TMH), signed an agreement with Ukrainian bus manufacturer City Transport Group to manufacture high-speed trams for the Ukrainian market.
TramRus, a joint venture of Alstom and its Russian partner Transmashholding (TMH), signed an agreement with Ukrainian bus manufacturer City Transport Group to manufacture high-speed trams for the Ukrainian market.
MHI and Toshiba win Taiwan high speed rail project contract
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Toshiba, in co-operation with Mitsui, have secured a JPY20bn ($205m) turnkey contract from Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) to provide trackwork and electrical and mechanical (E&M) systems for its 9.2km Nangang Extension Project in Taipei.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Toshiba, in co-operation with Mitsui, have secured a JPY20bn ($205m) turnkey contract from Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) to provide trackwork and electrical and mechanical (E&M) systems for its 9.2km Nangang Extension Project in Taipei.
Transport for London shortlists bidders for Crossrail operation
Transport for London (TfL) has shortlisted four bidders, including Arriva Crossrail, Keolis / Go Ahead, MTR Corporation (Crossrail) and National Express Group, to operate Crossrail services.
Transport for London (TfL) has shortlisted four bidders, including Arriva Crossrail, Keolis / Go Ahead, MTR Corporation (Crossrail) and National Express Group, to operate Crossrail services.
Network Rail unveils plan to improve performance on West Coast Main Line
UK infrastructure manager Network Rail has revealed plans for a series of projects worth £40m to improve the reliability of the infrastructure and punctuality of train services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
UK infrastructure manager Network Rail has revealed plans for a series of projects worth £40m to improve the reliability of the infrastructure and punctuality of train services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
Other News.....
Network Rail
First passenger services start using Hitchin flyover
Work on £47m scheme to remove major bottleneck completed to help reduce delays and increase future capacity
Driver training programme has begun ahead of December 2013 timetable change, when more passengers will start feeling benefits of investment
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