Railways

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on railways. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
03.07.2013National rail usage and performance: Social Indicators page
In 2012/13, the number of journeys taken and distance travelled by passengers increased to new post WW2 highs.
27.06.2013Railways: high speed rail (HS2)
This note takes forward the HS2 debate from January 2012. Information on the scheme prior to that point and the extensive debates about its value or otherwise can be found in HC Library Research Paper RP 11/75. Information on the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill 2013-14 can be found in SN6624.
27.06.2013Railways: High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill (Bill 10 of 2013-14)
In the 2013 Queen's Speech the Government announced a 'paving bill' to authorise further spending on preparation for the HS2 project. This short note will cover the Parliamentary stages of the paving bill through to Royal Assent.
18.06.2013Local transport governance and finance in England, 2010-
This note explains the structures and reform of local transport governance and finance in England following the 2010 General Election.
24.04.2013Railways: British Transport Police
This note looks at the structure and funding of the British Transport Police.

Research Papers

DateDescription
17.11.2011High Speed Two (HS2): the debate
HS2 is a £32 billion project to build a high speed rail line from London to Manchester and Leeds, via Birmingham to begin operation in 2026 and be completed in 2032.
02.03.2011Transport policy in 2011: a new direction?
This paper outlines the changes made to transport policy by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government and looks at some of the long term transport challenges the government is likely to face over the course of this Parliament.
19.03.2010Transport Policy in 2010: a rough guide
This paper gives an overview of transport policy in the UK in 2010. It examines a range of issues related to transport policy, including policy-makers, spending on and sources of funding for transport, the transport policy of the main political parties, and the challenges in formulating transport policy in 2010.
21.04.2008Transport in London
Transport in London. House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/36
11.12.2007Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Bill: Committee Stage Report
The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Bill. (Bill 4 of 2007-08). House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/89.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
29.11.2011Tunnel vision? Completing the European rail market.
European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
22.06.2011Department for Transport: the InterCity East Coast Passenger Rail Franchise.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
03.05.2011Transport and the economy.
Government response. Transport Select Committee report [Commons]
26.04.2011Keeping the UK moving: the impact on transport of the winter weather in December 2010.
Transport Select Committee report [Commons]
15.02.2011Transport and the economy.
Transport Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
25.01.2012GREAT WESTERN FRANCHISE
That this House notes that the Department for Transport has recently published the Great Western Franchise consultation document; is concerned that proposals in the document to encourage ...
25.01.2012CHURCHILL CLEANERS AND THE TYNE AND WEAR METRO
<p>That this House commends the work undertaken by the cleaners employed by Churchill Contract Services on theTyne andWear Metro; notes they are paid minimum wage rates for the vital ...
19.12.2011FUTURE FUNDING OF CROSSRAIL
That this House notes with alarm reports that the Secretary of State for Transport has refused to grant Transport for London's request to raise its debt ceilings in order to directly ...
19.12.2011PROCUREMENT OF ELECTRIC MULTIPLE UNIT RAIL VEHICLES FOR SOUTHERN RAILWAY
That this House welcomes the decision of the Secretary of State for Transport to bring forward the procurement of approximately 130 additional electric multiple unit rail vehicles for ...
15.12.2011BOMBARDIER
That this House welcomes the decision by the Secretary of State for Transport to explore the possible procurement of approximately 57 electrically-powered vehicles for insertion into ...

POST Papers

DateDescription
25.03.2013Accessing Public Transport
This POSTnote looks at the current barriers to and future opportunities for improving the accessibility of the public transport system.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - papers compiled by the House of Lords Library on Bills and for debates in the Lords