Transport
The Secretary of State was asked—
Tactile Paving: Rail Network
(Richmond Park) (LD)
If he will take steps to install full tactile paving installation
across the entire rail network.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Yes.
Network Rail is still working to a timetable of installing
tactile paving at all train platforms by 2029, some eight years
away. Given that 35% of platforms are seriously dangerous for
blind and partially sighted people, will the Minister commit to
ensuring that every station has the basic safety measure of
tactile paving in place by 2025?
I very much hope so. I have asked Network Rail to develop a
programme to install platform edge tactile strips on every
platform in Great Britain as soon as possible; I have yet to
receive that programme. I will make a further announcement in the
very short term.
Cross-UK Transport Links
(Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve cross-UK transport
links.
(East Devon) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve cross-UK transport
links.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
Sir Peter Hendy is carrying out the independent Union
connectivity review, which will report later this year.
Following only two days’ notice, this week East Midlands Railway
has halved the train services through Stoke-on-Trent on the
Crewe-Derby-Newark line to a train only every two hours. The
usual hourly service is barely acceptable, so to reduce it
further is totally inadequate. Will my hon. Friend work with the
Secretary of State to look urgently at what can be done to
restore these vital rail services and further improve local rail
in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South and all along this
important cross-UK east-west rail link?
I thank my hon. Friend for supporting those vital rail links. I
know that he is doing a fantastic job of ensuring connectivity to
his constituency; I know that he spoke to the Rail Minister about
it yesterday. East Midlands Railway has introduced a new
timetable, but I understand that a number of challenges arose
because of a different fleet, train crew issues and sickness.
This has resulted in the need to swiftly implement timetable
changes, but it now needs to provide passengers with a robust and
reliable service.
Confidence within the aviation industry and among passengers is
at an all-time low—it is shattered. The travel industry will take
longer than most industries to get back to business and will need
further support to survive. Will my hon. Friend speed up the
review of air passenger duty and explore extending business rates
relief to regional airports to help the industry weather this
terrible storm?
I absolutely commend my hon. Friend for being a continued
champion for Exeter airport in his constituency, which provides
jobs and employment for many of his constituents. He will know
that the airport and ground operations support scheme provides
eligible commercial airports with support towards their fixed
costs. In the March Budget, the Chancellor announced a six-month
renewal of that scheme from April. Initial payments will be made
towards the end of the summer.
My hon. Friend mentions aviation tax reform. The Treasury is
currently reviewing responses and will update on timing in due
course.
(Wythenshawe
and Sale East) (Lab)
To follow on from the question asked by the hon. Member for East
Devon (), regional airports play a critical role in connecting
our regions and our Union. This month, Stobart Air collapsed, and
easyJet is to close its bases at Newcastle International, London
Stansted and London Southend airports; Teesside and Newquay have
previously shut their doors. Without a sector-specific deal, our
regional airports, the connectivity that they provide and the
jobs and communities that they support are at risk. What
assessment has the Department made of the long-term viability of
this critical infrastructure to our nation?
As the hon. Gentleman will know, we fully recognise and support
the importance of the aviation industry to our country. That is
why this Government have stood behind the sector and provided up
to £7 billion, in the round, of support for jobs through the
furlough scheme and support for airports and the airline
industry. It is vital that we get the travel industry back on its
feet, which is why we are taking a public health approach to
restarting travel. The Transport Secretary will say more on that
this evening.
North of England: Transport Connections
(Colne Valley) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve transport
connections in the north of England.
(Penistone and
Stocksbridge) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve transport
connections in the north of England.
(Warrington South) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve transport
connections in the north of England.
(Cheadle) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve transport
connections in the north of England.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Building on the £29 billion invested in northern transport since
2010, this Government are delivering improved connectivity to
level up the north.
[V]
Does the Minister agree that we need a fully integrated transport
network across the north, with smart ticketing? It is not a
question of either/or; we need regular affordable bus services as
well as the HS2 eastern leg, as well as Northern Powerhouse Rail,
as well as electrification of TransPennine rail and as well as,
finally, upgrades to the Huddersfield-Penistone-Sheffield line.
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Better transport is
central to the Government’s agenda to level up the north. The
TransPennine route upgrade is already under way, our national bus
strategy is being delivered and we will soon publish our
integrated rail plan for the midlands and the north, ensuring
that transformational rail improvements are delivered as quickly
as possible.
Mr Speaker
It is just that we need the TransPennine trains to go through
Chorley, not Wigan.
[V]
The Penistone line in my constituency connects major Yorkshire
towns and cities such as Sheffield, Barnsley and Huddersfield, as
well as serving smaller communities such as Penistone and
Dodworth, but with only one train per hour in each direction, it
does not meet the needs of local people or businesses. I have
just submitted a bid to the levelling-up fund, with my hon.
Friend the Member for Dewsbury (), to upgrade the Penistone line and improve the
service, but does the Minister agree that we must invest in these
secondary commuter lines in the north if we are to see the same
benefits in our city regions that other parts of the country
already enjoy?
I agree with my hon. Friend that we must improve connectivity to
all our communities in the north—especially Chorley—and I welcome
her commitment to improving services on the Penistone line. Bids
to the £4.8 billion levelling-up fund are being assessed, and we
expect to announce the outcome of that competition in the autumn.
As the number of commuters travelling from Warrington gradually
starts to increase again, does the Minister agree that east-west
links from Warrington will really benefit from investment? Could
I ask my hon. Friend to update the House on plans to extend
Northern Powerhouse Rail from Manchester to Liverpool via
Warrington Bank Quay, and does he agree with me that the £2
billion allocated for the Golborne spur could be better spent on
helping local rail links across the north-west of England?
The Government remain absolutely committed to Northern Powerhouse
Rail and, as ever, my hon. Friend makes a powerful case for
Warrington. As he knows, decisions on the routes for NPR and
consideration of the Golborne spur are matters for the integrated
rail plan, so he will have to be patient just a little bit
longer, but I can assure him that his representations have been
heard.
[V]
Connectivity is key to levelling up northern communities, so I
welcome the Government’s commitment to reversing Beeching cuts
and restoring rail connections to towns across the region,
including through the towns funding for a new railway station in
Cheadle town centre. Delivering that connectivity is about
timetabling and joined-up services, as well as the rail
infrastructure itself. What is the Minister doing to work with
Transport for Greater Manchester and other stakeholders to ensure
that an integrated service is delivered and provides the regular
connections that Cheadle and other communities in the region
need?
Through the Manchester recovery taskforce, of which Transport for
Greater Manchester is a member, we are working with organisations
across the rail industry to develop the service and
infrastructure options that will address the congestion and
reliability issues across Greater Manchester and, I hope, improve
the experience of all rail passengers across the region.
(Slough) (Lab)
This Government have a track record of over-promising and
under-delivering. We know that if the north had received the same
investment as London over the last decade, it would have seen £66
billion more. For all their bluff and bluster about levelling up
in the north, what do we see? Services between Newcastle and
Manchester to be halved, the proposed increase in the frequency
of services between Teesside, Sunderland and Newcastle scrapped,
Transport for the North’s budget to be cut by 40%, and now
Government sources saying that they plan to pull the plug on
Northern Powerhouse Rail. Just to ensure that there is no further
backtracking, will the Minister guarantee that Northern
Powerhouse Rail will be delivered in full, on time and on budget?
Of course, the hon. Gentleman tempts me to prejudge the
integrated rail plan, which I will not do, because no decisions
have been taken yet. However, I am happy to confirm that we are
getting on with investing in Transport for the North; we are not
waiting for the integrated rail plan to be delivered. On top of
the billions of pounds that we have already invested in transport
across the north, just on 26 May we announced two new stations
outside Leeds—White Rose and Thorpe Park—and we announced an
additional £317 million for the TransPennine route upgrade. Of
course, over 60% of the region is now covered with metro Mayors,
with historic devolution settlements. We are getting on with
investing in the north of England.
Active Travel Pilots: Accessibility to Disabled People
(York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
What steps he is taking to ensure that all active travel pilots
are fully accessible to disabled people.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Local authorities are responsible for ensuring active travel
schemes are accessible to all. Government guidance, which
includes the “Cycle Infrastructure Design” publication, reflects
best practice in safety and inclusivity for disabled pedestrians,
cyclists and wheelchair and Motability scooter users.
The Government are rolling out a number of pilots for e-scooters
and also supporting with funding a number of schemes to expand
active travel, yet those schemes do not need to have accessible
formats of travel for disabled people and older people, further
excluding them from the benefits of active travel and moving
around in car-free environments. Will the Minister ensure that
every pilot scheme is expanded so that it is fully accessible?
Will he also challenge the sector to provide Motability scooters
and other forms of e-travel that are fully accessible for
everyone in our communities?
It is very important that local authorities consider the impacts
of e-scooters on people with disabilities and allow them to
access the trials as well. E-scooters have the potential to offer
additional means of transport, and we allowed seated e-scooters
within the scope of the trials to enable people with certain
mobility issues to use them. Our guidance told local authorities
to encourage groups representing the interests of disabled people
in their areas to advise people with accessibility issues on how
they can best use the schemes.
Rail Passenger Numbers
(Blackpool
North and Cleveleys) (Con)
What steps the Government plan to take to increase the number of
rail passengers.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
We are working with the rail industry to develop a number of
recovery initiatives focused on restoring passenger confidence in
rail travel.
[V]
Given the importance of improving train passenger numbers once
the nation has fully reopened, marketing rail travel will be
crucial if only to keep the Treasury happy. What support will the
Secretary of State give to community rail partnerships up and
down the country, which do so much to enhance the quality of
local services, not just in making stations more attractive but
in attracting the leisure passengers that we will need to travel
on all our railway lines in ever greater numbers?
As a distinguished former Rail Minister, my hon. Friend will be
pleased to hear that community rail is very much at the heart of
the recent White Paper on rail reform. He can expect to see our
commitment to rail community partnerships grow in the years to
come, which will, I hope, fulfil the ambitions he set out during
his time as Rail Minister.
Condition of Roads: England
(Fylde)
(Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve the condition of
England’s roads.
(Dudley North) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve the condition of
England’s roads.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
In addition to investing £1.7 billion in ’21-22 into local roads,
the Department is working towards the creation of a common data
standard for the monitoring of the road condition. That will aim
to drive innovation and flexibility in monitoring local roads,
which will enable local authorities to target defects in their
networks more quickly.
[V]
First, I thank my hon. Friend for her support and that of the
Department in securing the Lytham St Annes M55 link road. After
years of fighting for this project I was delighted to see work
get under way on Monday. I have, however, been inundated by
complaints from constituents regarding the poor quality of many
of Fylde’s road surfaces, so can my hon. Friend assure me that
the Government are taking the resurfacing of roads seriously and
not simply filling in the cracks and covering over potholes?
May I start by paying tribute to my hon. Friend for his
determined campaigning over a number of years to secure the start
of work on this vital road? I am sure that his constituents will
be reaping the benefits in the years to come, but he is right to
say that they must be able to drive on roads that are
pothole-free. That is why the Government have committed £2.5
billion through the potholes fund. The Department believes that
local highway authorities should develop a risk-based approach to
asset management plans; that means they need to have a long-term
inspection regime and be proactively maintaining those roads to
ensure that they are in good condition in the years to come.
The very light rail site in Dudley—of course, Chorley could have
one as well, Mr Speaker—will be a world-class innovation centre,
developing and testing prototypes, and very light rail is
installed on roads with minimal disruption. Does the Minister
agree that it could be a game changer for public transport for
the UK, and will she join me in congratulating the team on
pioneering it in the west midlands?
I am delighted to hear about more pioneering innovations in the
west midlands. That does not surprise me at all; I visited the
west midlands just last week to see some of its groundbreaking
work across a number of travel innovations. Of course, Mr
Speaker, the west midlands leads the world—I am afraid it even
leads Chorley—in these matters. I strongly congratulate all those
involved in the project in Coventry and Dudley. We are always
interested in building on these successes and seeing them benefit
more areas in the future.
HS2 Compensation Payments
Dame (South Northamptonshire) (Con)
What steps he is taking to ensure that all HS2 compensation
payments are made promptly.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
May I start by congratulating my right hon. Friend on her
recognition in the birthday honours list? My HS2 land and
property review, published in November 2020, set out a number of
measures to speed up the payment of compensation, and we are
making rapid progress in implementing the recommendations of that
review.
Dame
My hon. Friend has done a great job since taking over as HS2
Minister, but I am sure he will agree that there is so much
evidence of appalling behaviour from HS2 in the way that it is
treating individual households and businesses and its slowness to
compensate even the outgoing legal costs of those who are simply
trying to protect their own homes and businesses. What can he do
to improve the compassion, quite frankly, as well as the
efficiency of HS2?
My right hon. Friend makes a powerful case. HS2 Ltd can and must
treat those affected by HS2 with consideration and respect. To
that end, I am pleased to say that the root-and-branch review of
land and property cases that I commissioned is now starting to
bear fruit. I hold HS2 Ltd to direct account in a fortnightly
review of the most complex cases, and I pay tribute to my right
hon. Friend for drawing my attention to several pressing
constituency cases in her area.
Zero Emission Vehicles
(Lewisham West and Penge) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
incentivising the purchase of zero emission vehicles ahead of the
2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
Alongside the phase-out dates, we have pledged a £2.8 billion
package of measures to support the industry and consumers to make
the switch to cleaner vehicles. Discussions with my colleagues
are ongoing.
[V]
The 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles is a
necessary step to reach our net zero targets, but to enable mass
adoption of electric vehicles, we need to fix the issues around
charging points. Currently, many in service do not work—or they
charge inefficiently—and they are under-provided and excessively
priced in some areas. Because they are run by independent
providers, there is no joined-up national infrastructure. Given
that we need to roll out widespread charging points across the UK
and tackle these issues, does the Secretary of State agree that
the Government need to invest much more and properly regulate the
sector so that it is better joined-up, more reliable and more
accessible?
As a driver of an electric vehicle, I have experienced the exact
issues that the hon. Lady talks about. There are too many
different membership cards, and people have to use too many
different forms of payment and sign up to too many sites before
they can even pay for the miles that they charge. We have a plan
in place, which has included taking secondary legislation action
that will require all chargers providing rapid charge to allow
contactless payment, which I know the hon. Lady will appreciate.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
As a fellow electric car driver, I cannot wait for those
regulations to come forward.
As the Climate Change Committee made clear this morning, the
Government are not delivering on the policies needed to meet
their climate targets. As well as incentivising EV purchases and
improving EV charging infrastructure, we need EVs to be built in
Britain. What conversations has the Secretary of State had with
the Business Secretary about Government support for EV
manufacturing at the Ford Halewood plant, which is crucial if we
are to secure the future viability of the site, and about saving
jobs making vehicle components at the GKN plant in Birmingham?
The hon. Lady will know that the Government have pledged half a
billion pounds towards creating factories to produce batteries,
which is a very important part of the development of electric
cars. I often hear people say that we are somehow falling behind.
In fact, we had the second highest sales of electric vehicles in
Europe in the first quarter of this year; one in seven cars sold
now has plug-in. I cannot comment directly on the discussions
that my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary has had about
those specific plants, but I can tell the hon. Lady that
discussions are ongoing in order to achieve the infrastructure
delivery in this country, including the manufacturing base, which
will continue to ensure that we lead Europe when it comes to
electric car provision.
East West Rail Consultation
(Bedford)
(Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with transport authorities on
the progress of the East West Rail consultation.
(North East
Bedfordshire) (Con)
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the 2019
East West Rail route consultation.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The East West Railway Company will consider the 2021 consultation
responses. The 2019 consultation met open and fair consultation
standards.
[V]
The 2019 East West Rail consultation and the 2020 route
announcement made no mention that six tracks would be needed at
Bedford Midland station or of the consequential demolition in the
Poets area of my constituency. I urge the Minister to please
consider the many representations on this matter from members of
the public, rail groups and local councillors, and Bedford
Borough Council’s SLC Rail report showing a credible four-track
option that would avoid the loss of homes.
I assure the hon. Gentleman that this is a non-statutory
consultation. It is a consultation where we really do want to
listen to the opinions of people affected across the route of
East West Rail, and we will most certainly take into account his
representations here today.
Many of my constituents are appalled at the environmental damage
that the East West Rail route will cause across Bedfordshire, and
baffled that this 21st-century project will use a 19th-century
fuel. Will my hon. Friend please look again at the environmental
considerations that East West Rail has undertaken and bring them
up to scratch?
I thank my hon. Friend for the pragmatic and dedicated campaign
that he is running on behalf of his constituents and others on
this issue. I know that he has encouraged his constituents to
have their say in the recent consultation, and I thank him for
that too. We are committed to decarbonising our railways, and
East West Rail will continue to assess the potential
environmental effects as part of the route alignment development
work. An environmental impact assessment will be undertaken and
an environmental statement submitted when the development consent
order application is made to the Planning Inspectorate.
Transport Decarbonisation
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
What recent steps his Department has taken to help facilitate
transport decarbonisation in line with the Government’s
commitments (a) to the Paris agreement and (b) for COP26.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The transport decarbonisation plan will set out a pathway to
achieving net zero. We are delivering ambitious international
COP26 campaigns, including a zero emission vehicles campaign that
aims to at least double the pace of the global transition to zero
emission vehicles so that all new cars and vans are zero emission
by 2040 or sooner; an aviation campaign that will galvanise
industry, state and civil society support for international
action to reduce the climate impacts of aviation; and a maritime
campaign, where we will deliver important cross-sectoral
opportunities for significant emissions reductions nationally and
internationally.
[V]
The Scottish Government have committed to cutting car use by 20%
by 2030 and to providing an interest-free loan for first-time
buyers of new and used electric vehicles. In contrast, the
British Government are cutting the grant for electric vehicle
purchases by 50%. Will the Minister explain how that 50% cut in
support will help to facilitate the decarbonisation of transport?
I remind the hon. Gentleman that his constituents in Scotland,
like those across the UK, have benefited from up to £1.3 billion
of support to help them transition to electric vehicles. Shall we
look at the facts, Mr Speaker? The plug-in car grant, the home
charge grant, the on-street chargers and the workplace chargers
are all funded by the UK Government for the benefit of the hon.
Gentleman’s constituents and those across the United Kingdom.
Mr Speaker
I do apologise for the noise. There is a helicopter somewhere
overhead. I know it is Transport questions, but it is getting a
bit much.
(Ilford
South) (Lab)
As someone who is regularly stuck in traffic on the A13, I think
no one wants to return to the levels of pollution we saw before
the pandemic began, particularly as emerging evidence indicates
that exposure to air pollution increases the severity of
coronavirus symptoms and other respiratory conditions. That is
why I am so glad to see the work done by brilliant, publicly run
light rail systems such as Tyne and Wear metro and Tramlink, led
by fantastic local Labour administrations. Light rail networks
are an effective means of reducing congestion and pollution given
that they produce next to no pollution at the point of use. What
assurances will the Minister give, therefore, to support projects
that incorporate light rail, tram trains, and electric and
hydrogen buses such as the mass transit system proposed by the
new West Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor?
I hope the hon. Gentleman was listening earlier when I spoke at
the Dispatch Box about the support that the Government have
provided for the West Midlands Combined Authority, led by the
Conservative Mayor , for light rail and a number of other transport
innovations. The point is, the Government are investing in
zero-carbon green transport across the whole country. We intend
to build back better and greener from the pandemic, and we will
create hundreds of thousands of skilled green jobs across the
country as we do so.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)
The consensus at the Transport Committee yesterday—I include the
Minister in this—was that the EV market is immature. Quite why
the Government would therefore reduce support when EVs are still
a lot more expensive is beyond me. The fact is, they have cut the
grant by 50%. In addition to what my hon. Friend the Member for
Glenrothes () said about interest-free loans, in Scotland we have
doubled the home charge grant as well. On the decarbonisation
plan, last week the Minister said:
“We have done a huge amount of work on the plan…I am not
satisfied with the draft because it does not meet the ambition we
need in order to reach those incredibly challenging
targets.”—[Official Report, 16 June 2021; Vol. 697, c. 117WH.]
Quite how the DFT has done extensive work on it and yet still
lacks ambition is beyond me. Will we see the plan before the
summer recess—yes or no?
Yes.
A27 Worthing to Shoreham: Congestion
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
What recent progress his Department has made on researching
alternatives for alleviating traffic congestion on the A27
between Worthing and Shoreham.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
We have committed to improvements on the A27, including the
sections around Worthing and Lancing. Highways England is working
to identify options to go to consultation next year.
As anyone setting out for Chorley from the south coast will know,
Mr Speaker, the Worthing to Lancing section of the A27 is one of
the most congested roads in the whole of the south-east. In 2014,
we were allocated £70 million as part of road investment strategy
1. Seven years on, with several thousand additional houses nearby
and with a new IKEA attracting 2 million customer journeys a year
about to open, nothing has happened. Now, apparently we have just
been allocated £20 million in the Budget for delivery of
something between 2025 and 2030. Could we please have a bit of
levelling up for infrastructure in Sussex urgently?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this vital issue. It is of
course right and critical to get the right solution for the right
place. Highways England is actively working on the project and,
in particular, working closely with stakeholders, because this is
a very sensitive area. I hope my hon. Friend will welcome the
fact that Highways England is engaging and working closely with
stakeholders on detailed options for the A27. There will be a
consultation on all those next year.
Eurostar: Long-term Viability
(Manchester, Withington) (Lab)
What recent assessment he has made of the long-term viability of
Eurostar.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The Department fully expects that Eurostar will continue to be a
highly successful, profitable company carrying record numbers of
passengers once international travel recovers.
[V]
But the Minister knows that there has been a real threat to
Eurostar’s survival, and British business leaders and the Chair
of the Transport Committee have all called for our Government to
be part of the solution. Eurostar is not just a vital service; it
contributes to our net zero agenda. When we are in a climate
crisis as well as a covid crisis, does the Minister think it is
right that the Government should be giving billions in loans and
guarantees to air travel and risk Eurostar going under?
The Government welcome the recent announcements from the company
and its shareholders and lenders regarding a new financing
package. We will continue to engage with Eurostar fully to
understand the company’s position, but we would expect
shareholders, including the majority shareholder SNCF—the French
state-owned railway—to exhaust all options fully and play their
full part.
River Tyne: Transport Links
(Newcastle
upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
What plans he has to improve transport links across the River
Tyne.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
It is for local authorities in the area to promote any further
improvements to local connectivity across the River Tyne.
[V]
I would like to thank the Minister for that response, but it is
not really one, is it? As well as being a great icon of
north-east people, culture and engineering, the Tyne bridge is an
essential part of our transport infrastructure and it is in a
dire state. Hon. Members from across the region, together with
local authority leaders, the North of Tyne Mayor and the police
and crime commissioner, have written to the Secretary of State
for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Secretary
of State for Transport in support of an £18.5 million bid to the
levelling-up fund. Does the Minister agree that the Tyne bridge
must be levelled up if it is going to be in a fit state to
celebrate its 100th birthday in 2028 as a beautiful and
functional symbol of the north?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I am aware of the bid
that has gone in as part of the levelling-up fund. Obviously, the
Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities
and Local Government will assess the bids submitted to that fund
and we expect to announce the outcome of the competition in the
autumn, but the Department for Transport is also aware of a
proposal for the bridge including the bid for £36 million from
the major road network funding developed by Transport for the
North on behalf of north-east partners. DFT officials continue to
work with Newcastle City Council on the business case for that
proposal.
Flexible Rail Season Tickets
(Bracknell) (Con)
What progress his Department has made on introducing flexible
rail season tickets.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
I am pleased to say that flexible season tickets went on sale on
Monday and they will be available for use from next Monday.
Back in 2018, South Western Railway undertook to conduct a review
to ensure that we have earlier and later trains on the network.
With many of my constituents working in the care sector, often
with antisocial hours, and dependent on public transport, will my
right hon. Friend agree to work with me and SWR to make the
change?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the issue of
flexibility with train travel, particularly as we return post
covid, which is why the flexible season tickets are very
important. I would be delighted to arrange for him to meet up
with the rail Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry
(),
to discuss the specific issue that concerns him on SWR.
Rural Areas: Transport Connections
(Bolsover)
(Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve transport
connections in rural areas.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Through schemes such as the restoring your railway fund and the
national bus strategy, we are determined to ensure that rural
areas have the transport links they need to grow and prosper.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Next month, I will launch a
bus survey across the Bolsover constituency, because many of my
villages—particularly the rural villages—have either lost
services or are completely isolated, such as Hilcote. Will he
commit to coming to meet some of the residents who have been most
eloquent in their arguments about what this loss of services has
done to their communities?
I am sure that my hon. Friend’s survey outputs will assist his
local authority in the development of the bus service improvement
plan over the coming months and help to ensure that we bus back
better from covid-19. My noble Friend Baroness Vere, the Minister
for roads, would be happy to meet my hon. Friend and his
residents to coincide with the launch of his survey.
Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail
(Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to implement the policies set
out in the Williams-Shapps plan for rail.
(Denton
and Reddish) (Lab)
What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the
Williams-Shapps plan for rail proposals on levels of investment
in the rail network and infrastructure.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
The transformation of our railways has now started and passengers
are already benefiting as we are investing billions in rail
across the UK, including with the flexible tickets just
announced.
Given York’s historic connections and its strategic location,
does my right hon. Friend think that it would make the perfect
location for a new headquarters for our Great British Railways?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: it is a stunning location. I
launched the Williams-Shapps rail review at the York National
Railway Museum. I commend it to everybody in this House and I
think he is right that York could provide a very attractive
location for Great British Railways, although that matter is some
way down the line yet.
[V]
The world’s first passenger railway station is located on
Liverpool Road in Manchester. As the Secretary of State knows,
Greater Manchester has an objective to integrate rail stations
and commuter rail services into a single joined-up public
transport network alongside bus, Metrolink, walking and cycling.
The best way to do that is to devolve the necessary funding and
powers for rail, so can the Secretary of State reassure me that
Great British Railways, in partnership with places such as
Greater Manchester, will not shut down the route to securing
this?
Yesterday I was at what will become Great Britain’s biggest ever
railway station built in one go—Old Oak Common—so it is fantastic
to hear about the railway station in the hon. Member’s
constituency, which was the first ever railway station. I think
it is now a museum, if I am correct. I know that he has read and
studied the Williams-Shapps rail reform and will have taken
particular note of page 41, which contains information about that
devolution plan. I do not think it will disappoint him when it
comes to bringing together those services—a matter that I was
speaking to the Greater Manchester Mayor about just this week.
Suburban Rail Services: London
(Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)
What recent progress he has made on plans for the devolution of
suburban rail services in London.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Transport for London submitted a strategic outline business case
for the devolution of these services in late 2019, and the
Department considered the potential benefits and risks associated
with the proposal to be finely balanced. We were doing further
work with TfL when the pandemic struck. I have to admit that not
much work has been going on since that time.
I thank the Minister for that answer. He knows that I am firmly
of the view that the transfer of Southeastern services to TfL is
the best long-term means of guaranteeing passengers in my
constituency the fast, frequent and high-quality metro-style rail
services that they desire. As we emerge from the coronavirus
crisis, what plans does his Department have to pick up and take
forward the conversations that took place with TfL about the
matter early last year? Will he meet me in due course to discuss
the future of the Southeastern franchise in more detail?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and I know his
passion in this area. As I say, since the pandemic struck, the
Department has had to be very much focused on keeping services
running while developing our passenger-focused reform. As the
Secretary of State just said, Great British Railways will be
organised around regional divisions so that decisions are made
closer to the places that the railways serve. The White Paper
also includes a commitment for strategic partnership with TfL and
other local authorities to ensure that the rail sector is working
best for passengers in London. I would be delighted to meet him
to discuss these matters further.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
(Gower) (Lab)
What recent assessment he has made of the strength of industrial
relations at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
(Swansea East) (Lab)
What steps he has taken to help protect workers at the Driver and
Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea site from covid-19.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
Staff safety is a priority, which is evidenced by the very
significant investment that has been made.
[V]
Two weeks ago, representatives from the Public and Commercial
Services Union and senior management, including the permanent
secretary of the Department for Transport, had reached a deal to
bring an end to the ongoing industrial dispute over covid safety,
but in a development unprecedented in 20 years of civil service
negotiations, the Department subsequently reneged on a deal, much
of which it had written, with no word of explanation. Is PCS
right in believing that the deal was scuppered at the last minute
after direct intervention from the Secretary of State? Will he
apologise to those members of the public who now face further
backlogs as a result of this unnecessary, ideological refusal to
find the resolution to this dispute?
With the greatest respect to the hon. Lady, the only thing that
is unnecessary is for the PCS union to be continuing a strike
that is purported to be about safety when, in fact, £4.2 million
has been invested at the DVLA to make it covid- safe. An
additional building has been rented. Air conditioning has been
changed so that the air comes directly in from outside. Perspex
screens have been put in place. Zones and bubbles have been
created, and there is a very substantive clean regime. If this
dispute is indeed about making sure that the building is
covid-secure, then that has been achieved. What we need to know
is why the demands then switched to demands about pay and demands
about holiday, which have nothing to do with being covid-secure.
[V]
I wonder whether the Secretary of State would therefore be
willing to accompany me and other colleagues who have
constituents working at the DVLA to the site so that he can show
us just how safe it is, because our constituents are telling us a
completely different story.
It is probably important that we allow those who are experts in
these things to follow through. Public Health Wales has signed
this off. Swansea Council’s environmental health team has signed
this off. The Health and Safety Executive has signed this off. I
think we should be listening to all those health experts as they
decide what should happen in a site like this and are looking at
the data and facts. We can then make the decision from there. I
do not think there is any further excuse for preventing
vulnerable people from being able to pick up the documentation
that they require from the DVLA, which is the only thing this
ongoing strike is now achieving.
Bus Services: Isolated Communities
(City of Durham) (Lab)
What recent steps the Government have taken to increase local
authority powers to deliver regular bus services to isolated
communities.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The national bus strategy, which draws on £3 billion of
transformational funding, sets out the Government’s vision for
bus services across England, including in isolated communities,
and we believe that those bus service improvement plans,
delivered through enhanced partnerships and franchising
arrangements, will deliver what is needed. Alongside this, we
have announced 17 successful rural mobility fund bids, each
receiving a share of £20 million funding to trial innovative
bookable minibuses where demand is more dispersed.
[V]
Since 2010, 134 million miles of bus routes have been lost and
bus coverage in Britain is the lowest it has been in 30 years. In
villages such as Pittington and Waterhouses in my constituency,
bus services are virtually non-existent. Can the Minister confirm
whether the national bus strategy’s bus service improvement plan
will give local authorities enough power and resources to deliver
regular bus services to communities on routes that may not be
commercially viable?
The hon. Lady has put her finger on the entire purpose of the Bus
Back Better strategy, which is about ensuring better, cleaner,
safer and more reliable buses with simpler fares and ticketing.
It is absolutely what communities such as hers and others all
over the country want. The Government are supporting local
authorities through funding and we have set aside £25 million to
help to build the capacity and capabilities of local authorities.
Every local transport authority has received £100,000 in capacity
support to enable them to submit bids for the funding and get
those bus services back.
Topical Questions
(Oxford
West and Abingdon) (LD)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
Following up on the conversations earlier, I am delighted to
inform the House that in the next few weeks we expect a milestone
in the number of rapid chargers being available, with 3,000
different locations and 25,000 public charging points. That means
more charging point locations than petrol stations in this
country. As mentioned, that is on top of £2.8 billion of
Government support for the transition to zero emissions, with
companies such as Gridserve, BP Pulse and Shell committing to
significant investment in charging infrastructure and working
together to back up the fact that in this country we now have
more rapid chargers per 100 miles of major road network than any
other location in Europe.
[V]
Last week, Oxfordshire County Council, the Vale of White Horse
District Council and I applied to the levelling-up fund for the
snappily titled B4044 strategic cycle link between Botley and
Eynsham. This project would significantly boost sustainable
travel between Oxford city centre and the new housing planned
around Eynsham, linking through more deprived communities. Does
the Minister agree that this is exactly the kind of active travel
initiative that we need more of in areas of high housing and
economic growth, especially given our desire to achieve a
zero-carbon Oxfordshire by 2050?
I have not seen that particular application yet, but we do know
that the Government have put in a record amount of more than £2
billion of active travel funding for walking and cycling. I know
that the hon. Lady will be delighted that Oxfordshire investment
has now reached £355 million in different transport environments,
and that is on top of the £760 million for East West Rail, so
when it comes to investing in her constituency in Oxfordshire,
this Conservative Government are really going for it.
Mr Speaker
We now go to the Chair of the Select Committee.
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con) [V]
Is the Secretary of State hearing, as I am, that our airports and
Border Force are getting people through arrivals more quickly and
therefore more safely? Is he confident that we will be in a
position to get more people who have been double-jabbed through
arrivals with digitisation and the NHS app delivering proof of a
double jab?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The last few weeks have seen
a remarkable digital transformation in the background, which
means that people coming in from green-list countries have been
going to e-gates that have been updated, both physically and with
software, or going to see a Border Force officer and having their
passports scanned in one way or the other. That has been
automatically linked back to the passenger locator form that they
filled out before they left their country of departure, which
tells Border Force whether they have had a pre-departure test and
whether they have future tests booked. This links the whole
machinery together, so yes, the automation is really starting to
get into place now.
(Oldham West and Royton) (Lab/Co-op)
Yesterday, hundreds of workers in the aviation and tourism
industry held a demonstration outside Parliament urging the
Government to protect their jobs and those of 1.5 million people
employed in aviation and the wider supply chain. On behalf of the
countless staff and trade unions I spoke to, will the Secretary
of State finally deliver on the sectoral deal that his Government
promised but have so far failed to deliver? When he makes an
announcement later on the traffic light system, which, it should
be noted, is not being made to this House, will he publish the
criteria, the country-by-country assessment and the direction of
travel for each country, to give travellers confidence to plan
for this summer?
I find the hon. Gentleman’s policy confusing, only because, as I
understand it, he has previously called for all countries to be
put into the red category, meaning that there would be no travel
at all. In addition, the former shadow Chancellor has said that
Labour would never provide financial support to these companies,
yet Labour is now saying that it wants more support to be
provided and the hon. Gentleman is saying that he does not want
to follow his own policy. Having a red, amber and green list
enables people to see which countries are in which category, and
the Joint Biosecurity Centre is publishing the data on the
website to show why particular countries are in each category.
I can give you an assurance, Mr Speaker, that I have tried my
hardest to get the Transport Secretary to fully understand our
sectoral deal and the way we have laid it out, but I cannot help
the confusion that continues to reign with this Transport
Secretary.
Let us now move closer to home. We have had two questions today
on the DVLA in Swansea, and the Transport Secretary did not give
a convincing answer to either. It was reported last week that a
deal had been reached with staff, trade unions and the Government
to finally resolve the industrial dispute over health and safety
failings at the DVLA in Swansea, but that it was pulled at the
last minute by a Minister. Will the Secretary of State confirm
whether he or senior members of the Department pulled the deal,
and, if so, why? He and his Department are now squarely against
the loyal workforce at DVLA Swansea. What will he now do to
restore trust and confidence in those fantastic workers?
The Public and Commercial Services Union continues to take
industrial action, which is targeting the services and having a
negative impact on some of the most vulnerable people in society.
The fact of the matter is that the safety concerns have been
signed off by Public Health Wales, the Health and Safety
Executive, the Welsh Government and the UK Government, yet this
strike continues and now is apparently not about healthcare, but
about demands over money instead. Will the hon. Gentleman
actually ask people to go back to their work in order to help
vulnerable people in this country? That is the question and this
House needs to know.
Mr Speaker
Next question, . He is not here, so let us go to Scottish National
party spokesperson, .
(Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)
I have lost count of the number of times I have asked this
Government about their long-abandoned commitment to specific
support for the aviation sector. Despite the Secretary of State’s
tinkering with the traffic light system, it looks increasingly
unlikely that there will be any summer season. It is clear to the
dogs on the street that an aviation, travel and tourism recovery
package and a targeted extension of furlough is now an
imperative, so how does he plan to better support the sector and
its workers, such as those who were at the travel day of action
protest yesterday on College Green, as has been mentioned?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The Department does recognise the severe impact that the covid-19
pandemic has had on regional air travel. We have supported
critical routes through policies such as public service
obligations and the airport and ground operations support scheme.
The Government are working on a strategic framework for the
sector, which will focus on building back better and ensuring a
successful aviation sector for the future. What the sector will
certainly be glad of is that it is this Government who are
looking after its interests, not the Scottish Government, who
have been accused of sacrificing the industry by the Scottish
Passenger Agents’ Association.
(South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)
I welcome the new flexible season ticket that was introduced this
week. It will save someone travelling from Stanford-le-Hope into
London three days a week more than £120, and someone travelling
from Basildon more than £100. Does my right hon. Friend agree
that, as more and more people move to hybrid working, it is
important that we have flexibility in our public transport
systems?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I saw some coverage of the
flexible season tickets, and it is true to say that ticketing is
complex across the network, but, compared with somebody who would
otherwise buy a regular ticket, somebody travelling two or three
days a week will always be at least 20% better off with a
flexible season ticket.
(Lewisham East) (Lab) [V]
A constituent of mine who was blind tragically died last year
when he fell in front of a train owing to a lack of safety
measures, a lack of audio announcements and a lack of tactile
paving on the platform. I know that the Government have plans for
tactile paving, although they are unclear at the moment, but
while we are waiting for this to happen, will the Minister commit
to introducing audio announcements, which provide safety
information at railway stations, as a matter of urgency to keep
people safe and to prevent another person from losing their life?
I am familiar with that absolutely tragic case. Indeed, I know
that my hon. Friend the Rail Minister met the partner of the
deceased last week and discussed all of these matters, including
the integration of audible announcements, which we consider to be
very important indeed. We are speeding up the introduction of
tactile pavements on railway stations and, in particular, close
to the rail tracks.
(Cities of London and Westminster) (Con)
Improving our air quality is a major priority for my
constituents. Both they and I remain very concerned about the
ongoing number of drivers who continue to idle their vehicles
when parked at the kerbside. A single minute of idling an engine
of a car creates 9 litres of CO2. Unfortunately, regulation 98 of
the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 does
not adequately equip local authorities with the power they need
to deter repeat engine idlers, only with an £80 fine. With that
in mind, does my hon. Friend agree that we should now be
considering increasing fines for drivers who continue to idle
their engines, making it a genuine effective deterrent?
I know that my hon. Friend is a passionate campaigner on this
issue and I completely agree that it is vital that we take
action. Ultimately, it will be better technology, such as
stop-start and zero-emission vehicles that will solve the issue.
The UK is a global leader in the development and the manufacture
of electric vehicles and we will continue to work to foster that
position.
(Manchester, Withington) (Lab) [V]
Experts have warned that the carbon impact of the Government’s
£27 billion roadbuilding programme could be around 100 times
greater than the official Government estimates. Why will the
Government not reassure us by committing to a comprehensive
environmental impact assessment of the plans?
In the same session, we have managed to hear the hon. Gentleman
be, first, anti-air, and now anti-road. I have just explained to
the House how we will ensure that this country stays well
connected, that we serve the people we represent, and that we
foster technology, because it will be technology that will give
us the answer to the zero-carbon emissions challenge.
(Lancaster
and Fleetwood) (Lab)
Ending financial support before demand has returned could leave
bus and light rail operators facing a cliff edge. What plans do
the Government have to ensure a smooth recovery for operators,
such as Blackpool Transport, so that they can expand their
timetables on routes such as the 2C, which runs through to Knott
End-on-Sea via many other villages?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right that bus transport has required
a huge amount of support. We have put in hundreds of millions
during this pandemic. We have also launched the Bus Back Better
strategy, which puts a lot of money into buses—some £3 billion.
In the meantime, I will ensure that we return to this House to
talk about further ways that we can support our bus sector and
ensure that those essential local links that she describes are
maintained.
(Calder
Valley) (Con)
The Calder Valley line is a major strategic passenger and freight
line, which was placed as the top priority in the 2015 Northern
Sparks report, which highlights that the Calder Valley line is
long overdue in playing its part in decarbonising the local
transport network. Can my right hon. Friend update the House on
when we may expect the publication of the Government’s transport
decarbonisation plan?
Yes, the transport decarbonisation plan is central to our lead-in
to COP26 and it is absolutely essential that we get this right
and that it is ambitious enough to match the scale of the problem
that we face. My hon. Friend will not have to wait long, and I
think he will be impressed by the ambition.
(Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
I was recently contacted by the McKenna family in my constituency
in regard to the availability of driving tests. Ross had to
travel to Blackpool to sit his theory test, and is unable to sit
his practical test in a timely manner because there is a backlog
of tests. This issue is impacting many of my constituents, so
will the Department speak to the relevant agencies to obtain
additional funding in order to make available more localised
testing?
First, I welcome the hon. Lady to the House and to her first
question at Transport questions. Secondly, may I say that in my
household I have two teenagers who literally ask me the same
questions every day of the week. There is a very large
backlog—about 440,000—due to the pandemic. The agency has a
recovery plan to increase the number of tests carried out every
day. I will personally be seeing that it keeps on track with that
recovery plan because, as she says, young people need to be able
to take their tests and pass
(Cheadle) (Con) [V]
Lorry drivers such as my constituent Stewart have kept the
country going through the pandemic, but they face the threat of
robbery and assault on a regular basis. He tells me that there
are not enough facilities where drivers can take their legally
required breaks, forcing many to park in lay-bys, and that even
the facilities that exist can be inadequate and insecure. Will
the Minister look at that issue and work with the industry to
increase the number of secure truck stops for these drivers, who
are a critical part of our economy?
I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to hauliers such as
Stewart, who have literally kept the country moving over the past
18 months. My Department will continue the work started last year
to engage with stakeholders, including the freight associations,
to encourage the development of more safe, secure and
high-quality lorry parking.
Mr Speaker
I call . Not here.
(Hyndburn) (Con) [V]
Improving our railway stations and improving connectivity across
east Lancashire is key to levelling up and making sure that we
spread opportunity, but we still have accessibility issues at
some of our stations, such as Oswaldtwistle. Can the Minister
outline whether there will be further support to improve
accessibility across areas such as mine in Hyndburn and
Haslingden?
All the funding currently available to Access for All has been
allocated to projects, including nearby Accrington station, with
works due to be completed by 2024 at the latest. When further
funding is available, any station without an accessible route
into the station and to all platforms will be a potential
candidate.
(East Yorkshire)
(Con) [V]
Ministers are aware that E10 fuel, due to be introduced from
September 2021, is not compatible with all motor vehicles, and
that older vehicles in particular can suffer serious damage if
they use it. What extra measures do the Government intend to
take, therefore, to ensure that motorists are fully aware of
these dangers, so that they do not in error fill their vehicles
with the wrong fuel? Can the Minister also assure me that the
information on the gov.uk website on whether a vehicle can run on
E10 fuel or not is completely up to date, comprehensive and
correct?
I can reassure my right hon. Friend that that website is already
up to date and will be accurate. It is the case that some older
vehicles and historic vehicles—the type of cars which I know he
is very keen on—cannot run on E10 fuel. It will be clearly
marked, and he will be pleased to hear that E5 will continue to
be available, so that historic cars can continue to travel on our
roads.
