Great British Railways Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston)
(Lab) 1. Whether he has had recent discussions with the Leader of
the House on legislation to establish Great British
Railways.(905158) The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Mark
Harper) With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I will begin by sending
my heartfelt condolences to the people of India, who, in the
eastern state of Odisha on Friday, suffered the country’s deadliest
rail crash in over...Request free trial
Great British Railways
(Ellesmere Port and Neston)
(Lab)
1. Whether he has had recent discussions with the Leader of the
House on legislation to establish Great British
Railways.(905158)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I will begin by sending my
heartfelt condolences to the people of India, who, in the eastern
state of Odisha on Friday, suffered the country’s deadliest rail
crash in over two decades. The death toll stands at 288, with
over 1,000 people injured. It was caused by the collision of two
passenger trains and a stationary goods train. I have written to
the Indian Rail Minister expressing our deepest sympathies, and I
believe I speak for the whole House when I say that our thoughts
are with the victims and their families, as well as with the
emergency services as they continue to respond to the
tragedy.
Turning to the question, the Government’s ambition is for a
customer-focused, commercially-led industry, with the creation of
Great British Railways as a new guiding mind for the sector. We
are working closely with the GBR Transition Team, the wider rail
sector and other Departments to move forward with reform, and I
was pleased to recently announce Derby as the location of GBR’s
headquarters.
On behalf of Opposition Members, may I associate myself with the
Secretary of State’s comments in respect of the people of
India?
In the north-west, we were hoping that the formation of GBR might
have been on track by now to help us deal with the chronically
underperforming Avanti West Coast, but we see no sign of the
legislation. Parliament certainly has the time to deal with it—we
finished after a couple of hours on Tuesday—and it is certainly
not a question of money, as we know £50 million has already been
spent on the project. What exactly is the problem with bringing
the matter before the House? Is it a lack of political will, or
is it a lack of competence?
Mr Harper
The Government remain committed to GBR. As I have said, we have
already announced that the HQ will be in Derby. Many of the
benefits can be achieved without legislation, and we are getting
on with them. It is worth noting, based on statistics published
this morning by the Office of Rail and Road, that we still face a
massive challenge with the rail industry: leisure is now much
more important than commuting and business; and passenger revenue
is still 28% down on the pre-pandemic level. A successful railway
needs to change to reflect passenger demand, and that is exactly
what this Government are going to deliver.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Transport Committee.
(Milton Keynes South)
(Con)
In the absence of legislation, will my right hon. Friend consider
setting up GBR as a shadow authority. That could, for example,
end the unsustainable practice of costs sitting with one part of
the industry and revenue with another. The rail industry has a
great appetite to move forward, so will he consider something
like a shadow GBR?
Mr Harper
My hon. Friend, who ably chairs the Select Committee, makes a
good point. Joining up the profit and loss account, revenues, and
costs can be done without legislation, and we are actively
working to do that. I have tasked my officials to move at pace on
this, and we are identifying where in Derby the GBR HQ will be.
We will continue to deliver rail reform every day to ensure that
we can respond to market conditions and have a successful,
thriving railway, and I want everyone in the sector to join us in
that endeavour.
(Cambridge) (Lab)
It is hugely frustrating that we still do not have an integrated
system. Does the Secretary of State agree with me and others
about the importance of projects such as the Ely area capacity
improvement? When are we going to get some progress on such
projects?
Mr Harper
The hon. Gentleman will know that we have set out a significant
amount of rail investment. We will be investing £40 billion
overall across the transport portfolio over the next two years,
and we do have to make choices about how to spend that money
sensibly. The Labour party is making unfunded spending pledges,
with £44 billion on rail and, interestingly, nothing on buses or
on roads.
Mr Speaker
We now come to a person who will have done 40 years tomorrow, I
understand. I call .
(Gainsborough) (Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Under the old British Rail, we used to
have a direct train to London from Grimsby and the constituency
of my hon. Friend the Member for Cleethorpes () through Market Rasen. I
have been campaigning for that train to be reinstated for 40
years—ever since I was elected as a Member of Parliament.
Sometimes I wander down from my home in the wolds and wait
forlornly on the platform at Market Rasen, but the train never
comes. Will the Secretary of State oblige an old campaigner and
give us our train back, please?
Mr Harper
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his service in the House.
This campaign may be coming to a successful conclusion. He has
been working closely with the Minister of State, my hon. Friend
the Member for Bexhill and Battle (), and we hope to be able to implement the change in
the next timetable update. My hon. Friend is working carefully to
ensure that none of the things that have hitherto stopped it will
prevent it from happening this time. I hope that there will be a
successful conclusion.
Mr Speaker
Make sure he’s not closing the station. [Laughter.]I call the
shadow Secretary of State.
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
I associate the Opposition with the Secretary of State’s
comments. We send our thoughts and prayers to the victims of the
terrible tragedy in India.
Over the past year, passengers have faced total chaos on our
railways. Cancellations rose to their highest ever levels.
Strikes have disrupted countless journeys, while the Transport
Secretary still refuses to sit down with the unions. The fourth
franchise in five years has just been brought into public
ownership. And now we hear that the lucky few who actually manage
to get a train will not have the luxury of using wi-fi. The Prime
Minister might not be aware of this, given his preference for
private jets, but will the Secretary of State at least admit that
our railways are fundamentally broken?
Mr Harper
They really are not broken. If the hon. Lady looks at the numbers
from the Office of Rail and Road this morning, she will see that
leisure travel has rebounded very strongly, but there has been a
real change in passenger demand for the railways post pandemic,
which is why we need to deliver change.
As far as industrial action is concerned, there is an offer on
the table that the trade union leaders need to put to their
members in the democratic way in which they should operate. That
is what the hon. Lady should be pushing for. She has been part of
Labour Front Benchers’ efforts to make unfunded commitments,
which the Institute for Fiscal Studies says will drive up taxes
and inflation. Interestingly, I note that Labour has massive
unfunded pledges on rail but nothing on buses and roads, the
modes of transport used by the vast majority of people living in
this country.
The Secretary of State has some nerve accusing Labour of tax
rises and interest rate rises after his party crashed the economy
last year, presided over funding cuts to buses and pushed most of
the road-building projects promised in his manifesto to later
down the line.
The Secretary of State’s predecessor, the right hon. Member for
Welwyn Hatfield (), admitted that our rail
system is broken when he first announced Great British Railways
more than two years ago. The bare minimum the Secretary of State
could do is bring forward the legislation his Government
promised, and that industry and investors have made clear is
required. It is a simple question: will he bring forward
legislation to establish Great British Railways before the end of
this Parliament—yes or no?
Mr Harper
It is interesting to note that the hon. Lady is interested in
what investors think. I thought her policy was to nationalise the
rail industry and take it away from investors. People will have
noted that with great interest.
We remain committed, as I said in answer to the hon. Member for
Ellesmere Port and Neston (), to moving forward on
delivering Great British Railways. Much of it can be delivered
without legislation. Legislation plans will be set out in the
King’s Speech in the autumn, in the usual way. We are getting on
with making sure that we have a rail system that reflects the
needs of passengers, post pandemic, as we deliver the transport
system across the country, delivering economic growth.
Access for All
(Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)
2. When he plans to make a decision on which projects will
receive funding from the Access for All programme.(905159)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
We are currently working with Network Rail to assess over 300
stations nominated for Access for All, and we aim to make a
determination later in 2023 for funding beyond 2024. I hope to be
in a position to announce the list of successful projects later
this year, in anticipation of securing further funding in the
following year.
I, too, associate myself with the Secretary of State’s comments
about the rail crash in India.
The response from the Department for Transport has always been
“later”, “soon” or “in due course”, so I ask the same simple
question I have asked every rail Minister since 2017: will the
hon. Gentleman come to Manchester to meet Levenshulme station
users to talk about access and accessibility?
I have recently come back from a very positive trip to
Manchester, where I met stakeholders. I have no doubt that I will
be there again soon, and I would be very happy to call in on the
hon. Gentleman and his campaign. We have delivered step-free
access to more than 200 stations through Access for All, and we
have made improvements at 1,500 other stations. I look forward to
working with him and his project, which I will visit next time I
am up.
Rail Usage
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
3. What contractual incentives his Department has agreed with
train operating companies to encourage more people to use rail
services.(905160)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Under the current national rail contracts, train operators earn a
fee linked to their performance on addressing key passenger
priorities, including punctuality, reliability, service quality
and customer satisfaction, as well as revenue growth. While the
new passenger service contract is developed, my Department is
looking to introduce a stronger incentive for operators to grow
rail patronage and revenue.
My hon. Friend knows my enthusiasm for open access services and
the way they bring competition and innovation. That benefits
customers by raising standards and therefore encourages more
people to use our railways. Does he share my enthusiasm? If so,
how will he be promoting open access services? May I gently
remind him that I have written to him on this subject with some
ideas to promote this way of driving more usage of our rail
system?
I thank my hon. Friend for his letter, for the number of times we
have met to discuss this issue and for his enthusiasm, which is
shared not only by me, but by the Secretary of State. We saw the
authorisation at the end of last year of Grand Union Trains to
run services between London and Carmarthen, and we are committed
to getting more open access operators, in order to encourage more
operators to come to the market. My hon. Friend will know that
during the recent rail strikes, open access operators such as
Lumo were able to continue to operate. I am meeting the Office of
Rail and Road, which is ultimately responsible for the rules in
this area, to encourage it to grow open access.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister very much for his response. Encouraging more
people to use rail services is about accessibility, the
availability of trains, and park and ride schemes, so that people
can park their cars and use the trains. Like him, I am a great
believer in this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, and we should always share our thoughts,
discussions and ideas. Has he had any opportunity to share how he
can do those things here in the UK with Translink and the
Northern Ireland Assembly back home?
I am conscious that these matters are devolved in Northern
Ireland but, as I have said before to all Members of the House, I
am keen to learn from best practice and to ensure that all parts
of the UK can learn from each other. It would be ideal if I could
meet the hon. Gentleman so we can discuss these things and I can
get his ideas, and if I could come over to visit the operators in
Northern Ireland that he references and join him in that
endeavour.
Active Travel
(North Devon) (Con)
4. What steps he is taking to support cycling and walking
schemes.(905161)
(Bath) (LD)
22. What assessment he has made of the impact of changes to
funding for active travel on levels of uptake of that
travel.(905181)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
As the House will know, active travel is at the heart of the
Government’s agenda and we are investing about £3 billion to
support it—that is more than any previous Government. The
Government report regularly to Parliament on progress towards
meeting their active travel goals, and the next report will be
published alongside the third statutory cycling and walking
investment strategy in due course.
I am delighted that active travel funding has reached North Devon
and that part of the missing link of the Tarka trail will be
completed. However, the time constraints on when the funding
needs to be spent mean that Devon County Council is not yet able
to complete the whole stretch. Will my right hon. Friend confirm
when further funding rounds will be available to enable this
much-needed and long overdue missing link to be completed?
I congratulate my hon. Friend, who is a fantastic campaigner for
active travel. She rightly says that it is great that North Devon
has been able to benefit, along with the rest of Devon, from £1.8
million through active travel fund 4. Active Travel England plans
to run a further capital funding round later this year and will
work with local authorities, including those in rural areas, to
encourage bids for schemes that have high potential to increase
walking, wheeling and cycling trips.
People walking, wheeling and cycling saved 2.5 million tonnes of
greenhouse gas emissions and avoided more than 29,000 early
deaths in 2021. However, only a fifth of total active travel
spending comes from dedicated funding, with the rest coming from
various funding pots that are not guaranteed. With such a low
proportion of ringfenced funding, how can the Government
guarantee that this money is really spent on active travel, which
is good for our health, economy and environment?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right that active travel—cycling,
walking and wheeling—is probably the single biggest health
intervention a human being can make in their lives as a choice of
habit. She is right to highlight the importance of supporting it,
as the Government have—more so than any previous Government.
There are a range of pots, including city region sustainable
transport settlements, the road investment strategy 2 and
levelling-up fund moneys, into which authorities can bid. Many
have done so and will continue to do so highly successfully. That
provides a continuing opportunity for them to benefit from these
levels of increased funding.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Sheffield, Brightside and
Hillsborough) (Lab)
May I associate myself with the condolences that have been sent
to those in India?
In 2021, Ministers set themselves four targets to measure
progress in active travel uptake. Three years on, how many of
these targets are they confident of meeting? I can tell Members
that it is not a single one, according to the Government’s own
assessment revealed by the National Audit Office yesterday. The
NAO report also uncovered a staggering cut to active travel
funding of £166 million, which, by the Government’s own workings,
would cost the taxpayer more than £700 million in the long run.
Will the Minister finally come clean and confirm whether he will
be slashing this vital funding by 60% next year, too—yes or
no?
The hon. Lady will be aware that the Government have had to make
efficiency savings across the board as a result of the illegal
war being waged by Putin in Ukraine. The report she mentions
reflects the fact that the Government set highly ambitious
targets, which have always been known and understood to be
testing. One great advantage of the installation of Active Travel
England—a sensational organisation—is precisely that we can drive
better value for money as well as better quality of schemes
across the whole of our infra- structure.
HS2: Monitoring and Oversight
(Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
5. What steps he is taking to ensure effective monitoring and
oversight of HS2.(905162)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Comprehensive monitoring arrangements are in place for HS2, which
all provide an up-to-date view of the status, challenges and
opportunities facing the programme. We produce a range of
public-facing updates, including the six-monthly update report to
Parliament, the next iteration of which is due for publication
shortly.
A few weeks ago, my constituents woke to find a large sinkhole in
a field directly above where the HS2 tunnel boring machines had
been. This was predicted years ago by my constituents in evidence
to this House. The Environment Agency’s response to the sinkhole
appears to be little more than allowing HS2 contractors to mark
their own homework, and it is the latest example of the
Environment Agency’s inadequate response to questions that have
been raised about HS2. It is vital that we can have faith in the
organisation to undertake its statutory responsibilities. Will
the Minister meet me and my constituents to hear directly about
their concerns about the oversight of HS2?
It is certainly the case that the High Speed Rail (London – West
Midlands) Act 2017 and the High Speed Rail (West Midlands –
Crewe) Act 2021 specify the circumstances in which HS2 must seek
the consent of the Environment Agency for construction. I know
that, on this particular matter, the Environment Agency has been
working with HS2 Ltd since that ground movement was discovered. I
have also asked for it to be looked into. I will ensure that I
get a separate report from the Environment Agency so that we have
that independence, and when I have that, I will happily sit down
with the hon. Lady and her constituents to take them through what
has been found. She is absolutely right: we need to have
independent scrutiny. I am absolutely fixed on that myself.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Two weeks ago, my constituents, the Hodges of Elm Tree farm in
Steeple Claydon, discovered by accident while walking their dogs
that HS2 Ltd was about to chainsaw an area of woodland on the
farm that it had not paid for. There was no consultation. HS2
fenced off land that it does not own and then there were
suspicious works in the middle of the night. When will my hon.
Friend clamp down on this appalling, bullying behaviour from HS2
Ltd and its contractors?
I was very pleased to sit down very recently with my hon. Friend,
people from HS2 Ltd and Buckinghamshire Council to go through
some of the matters that were on his agenda. I know that this is
the latest case that he has written to me about. I will look into
the detail to ensure that we both have the correct facts, and the
next time I am up near Steeple Claydon, which, as he knows,
happens on a regular basis, we can perhaps take a look
ourselves.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Slough) (Lab)
I, too, convey my condolences to the families of the victims of
the harrowing rail disaster in India.
The Government’s management of HS2 could hardly be worse: the
budget has ballooned out of all proportion; we are already years
behind on the launch of services; the merry-go-round of Ministers
has created chaos; and the project at Euston station may never
see the light of day. The six-monthly update to Parliament is
already months late. We are none the wiser about the promised
excellent alternative to the cancelled Golborne link, and we have
been waiting years for the review into the best way to run HS2 to
Leeds after this Government betrayed the north by scrapping the
eastern leg. It appears that trickle-down economics has been
replaced by trickle-down incompetence. Rather than the usual
woolly ministerial responses of “coming soon to a station near
you” and rather than responding to all of these failures, can the
Minister answer just one simple question: when will the Leeds
area study finally be published?
The ministerial merry-go-round goes round to a Merriman to listen
to yet another long-winded effort from the hon. Gentleman, which
eventually turns into a question. The reality is that we remain
committed to HS2 and to line of route from London all the way up
to Manchester. He talks about ballooning costs, but we have tried
to look at the cost estimate and rephase HS2 as a result. He
cannot have it both ways. I am committed to ensuring that the
study comes out very soon; I met with my right hon. Friend the
Chief Secretary to the Treasury to work on the matter and we work
closely together. Our aim is to ensure that when that study comes
out, it has the imagination in it to deliver properly all the
ideas that we had always intended, and we will do so. We are
committed to HS2 and to the investment and decarbonisation it
will bring. I am sorry there has been a change of Ministers, but
I can tell the hon. Gentleman that there will not be any changes
any time soon.
Bus Services
(Stockton South) (Con)
6. What steps he is taking to support bus services.(905163)
(Blaydon) (Lab)
7. What assessment he has made of the implications for his
policies of trends in the number of bus services since
2019.(905164)
(Thornbury and Yate) (Con)
12. What assessment he has made of the impact of the £2 fare cap
on the number of bus journeys since that cap was
introduced.(905170)
(City of Durham) (Lab)
20. What assessment he has made of the implications for his
policies of trends in the number of bus services since
2019.(905179)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
The Government have invested more than £3.5 billion in buses
since March 2020, including our recently announced package of up
to £300 million to protect and improve services long term, and up
to £200 million to continue capping bus fares on thousands of
routes in England outside London until November next year. That
funding is helping to ensure that those who use the bus every day
to live, work and travel can continue to do so for less.
The Government recently announced huge investment to improve and
protect bus services, but in my part of the world Arriva has
chosen to cherry-pick the most profitable routes, ditching others
such as the 17 and leaving youngsters unable to get to school,
adults unable get to work and pensioners cut off from health
services. Will my right hon. Friend work with me to prevent bus
operators from putting profit before people and to see what can
be done to protect services in Stockton South?
Mr Harper
I am confident that my hon. Friend will campaign in his area to
protect those bus services. The additional £300 million includes
£1.5 million for the Tees Valley, which will help local transport
authorities and bus operators to protect and improve their
services. We expect them to work together to deliver sustainable
networks. I know he will campaign strongly to ensure that a share
of that extra money from Government goes to protect services to
his constituents.
In January, I was glad to hear that Transport North East’s
decarbonisation bid for our bus services had been successful. I
now understand that subsidy control procedures mean that none of
the electric buses have yet been ordered, let alone delivered,
and I fear we may run out of time under the terms of the grant or
get fewer buses for our money because of inflation. We need those
electric buses in the north-east, so will the Secretary of State
meet me to ensure we get them on the road as soon as
possible?
Mr Harper
I am glad that the hon. Lady gives me an opportunity to remind
the House that Transport North East has been awarded £19.5
million as part of round 2 of the levelling up fund, which
delivers those buses. There are some appropriate checks that must
take place, and I hope she will also welcome the fact that the
North East and North of Tyne Combined Authorities got £117.8
million for their bus service improvement plans to deliver better
bus services for her constituents.
Rural bus services such as the 84, 85 and 622 services in south
Gloucestershire are vital for residents to commute to work, get
to school and attend health appointments, but they are under real
pressure. South Gloucestershire Council has stepped in to provide
a temporary fix for the 84 and 85 services, but will the
Secretary of State urge the council and the West of England Mayor
to work together to find a permanent solution for those services,
using the improvement plan subsidies provided to them, so that
residents in villages such as Charfield, Wickwar, Hawkesbury
Upton, Rangeworthy and Tytherington are not cut off from having
any bus services at all?
Mr Harper
As the Environment Secretary set out earlier this week, the
Government are committed to unlocking opportunities in rural
areas in particular, and local transport connectivity is crucial
to that. The extra money we set out will help to protect
services, and I can confirm that I would expect local councils
and the West of England Mayor to work together to deliver those.
I forgot to say in my previous answer to the hon. Member for
Blaydon () that I will of course make sure
that the roads Minister meets her to talk about her specific
question about her buses.
Recently, Arriva gave up its subsidised 57A route, which goes
through my constituency. The council has struggled to find an
alternative operator because the Government have banned it from
creating its own bus company—one that could serve the local
community, which is left struggling to access key local services
and even to get to work. Does the Minister agree that it is long
overdue and common sense to end the ideological ban on municipal
bus companies?
Mr Harper
The hon. Lady should recognise that, as I said in answer to the
previous question, the North East Combined Authority and the
North of Tyne Combined Authority were awarded £117.8 million to
deliver their ambitious bus service improvement plan. That is the
mechanism that we have set up for local authorities to have
ambitious plans to work with bus operators to deliver better
services for constituents, properly funded from central
Government. I hope that they use that revenue and those powers to
deliver the improved bus services that she wants.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wakefield)
(Lab/Co-op)
I am pleased that the Government’s latest bus deal lasts longer
than the usual three months, but as ever, there are winners and
losers. Last year, both Southampton and Swindon applied for
zero-emission bus funding. They got nothing. They applied for
BSIP funding, and how much did they get, Secretary of State?
Nothing. Last month, every council finally received something,
but Southampton and Swindon got barely £1 million between them,
amounting to a pathetic £2 per person. Can he explain why areas
such as Southampton and Swindon have got so little to fix their
broken bus systems?
Mr Harper
I am pleased that, in his question, the hon. Gentleman sort of
welcomed the £500 million that we made available for buses in our
announcement last month, which was welcome and provides money to
every local authority and to bus companies. There is a formula by
which that money is awarded—it is not awarded on a whim; it is
based on mileage and usage, and is done in a sensible way—and the
money was awarded fairly under that process. As I said in answer
to the previous question, it is all very well criticising us, but
we set out clear plans to support bus services in our
announcement last month. Labour Members have made no pledges on
buses; it is all on rail. Is that because ASLEF pays their wages
and they are not interested in buses, which twice as many people
use compared with rail services?
Electric Vehicles
(West Bromwich East)
(Con)
8. What steps he is taking to help improve the (a) market share
and (b) availability of electric vehicles.(905165)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Government are committed to accelerating the transition to
zero-emission vehicles. To support this transition, we will
introduce a world-leading zero-emission vehicle mandate. That
will support the future supply of zero emission vehicles by
setting a minimum percentage of manufacturers’ new car and van
sales to be zero emission each year from 2024.
It is great news that Jaguar Land Rover will manufacture its
first UK-made electric car in the west midlands, continuing our
long history of attracting manufacturing investment from across
the world. Will the Minister join me in welcoming JLR’s £15
billion investment, and does he agree that it shows that we are
emerging, thanks to this Government, as a world leader in clean
technology, which is good for jobs, good for the economy and good
for the environment?
Of course, I was delighted to see JLR’s commitment to investing
in UK manufacturing and confirming its plans to bring electric
vehicle production to the west midlands. Through our policies and
investments, the Government are accelerating electrification and
unlocking industry investment to meet our net zero ambitions. The
automotive industry is a vital part of that process. This is a
vote of confidence from the UK’s largest carmaker.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
May I say how pleased I am that, thanks to the wonderful people
at Guy’s and St Thomas’s, I am back in operation?
May I ask the Minister not to get totally fixated on electric
vehicles? There are a few companies establishing hydrogen-powered
service stations for trucks up and down the country. With less
impact on the environment, hydrogen has real possibility in this
country.
I welcome the hon. Gentleman back to his seat. He will be aware
that the Government are very interested in the potential of
hydrogen, not just in heavier vehicles but also in maritime and,
through hydrogen fuel cells, in aerospace. We take a
technology-neutral approach, so I have been looking at all those
things. I had the great pleasure of visiting JCB, which has
pioneered a hydrogen-based off-road digger, and what a splendid
machine that is.
(Poole) (Con)
Although electric cars are important, the EU, under pressure from
the German car industry, has put back the date when petrol
combustion engines will be banned. What discussions have we had
with our industry about whether it might be appropriate to do
that here, given that that may give some of our industry
difficulty in continuing to manufacture in the future?
The third round of consultations on the zero-emission vehicle
mandate has just closed. We work closely with all the relevant
parties, in particular the car manufacturers. My hon. Friend
should be aware that not deflecting from our path, as has been
done elsewhere, will not just put the UK further ahead in this
area but will trigger a substantial amount of private sector
investment in charging infrastructure. ChargeUK has announced
that some £6 billion will be invested by private means in the
charging network over the next few years, which is to be
welcomed.
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
The different application of VAT between domestic and public
charging points is clearly a disincentive to those who are
considering adopting electric vehicles. Some 38% of households do
not have access to private parking and would rely on public
charge points. Will the Minister speak to his colleagues in the
Treasury to ensure that the Chancellor takes account of that in
the next Budget and ensures that this unfair VAT charge is
scrapped?
It is worth saying that the tax system does support the take-up
of electric vehicles already. As a former Financial Secretary, I
can tell the hon. Lady that I would be skinned if I made Treasury
policy from the Dispatch Box. I am not going to do that, but I
have no doubt that my colleagues in the Treasury will have noted
her concern.
Rail Services
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
9. What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer on delivering rail service improvements. (905167)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Secretary of State and the Chancellor regularly meet to
discuss rail services, and between them they are delivering
unprecedented investment in rail infrastructure and reform of the
industry. That includes delivering High Speed 2, core Northern
Powerhouse Rail and East West Rail, as confirmed by the
Chancellor at the autumn statement, while investing in the
existing network across the country.
According to reports, Great British Railways is dead in the water
thanks to a Treasury that knows the cost of everything and the
value of nothing. We have seen the Yorkshire leg of HS2 dumped,
Northern Powerhouse Rail stripped to the bone and HS2 terminating
at Old Oak Common. Does the Minister agree that his colleagues in
the Treasury are the biggest threat to the rail network and
public transport across these islands?
I do not agree at all. The Secretary of State was quite clear in
his Bradshaw talk that Great British Railways would be put
forward. It is being put forward, and that Bradshaw address was
endorsed by the Treasury and all parts of Government. We are
absolutely committed. Later today I will have a discussion with
all the team involved in rail reform, as I do on a weekly basis,
as we look to transition this project from the Department to
Great British Railways. Legislation delivers certain parts of it,
but it does not deliver the project. We are delivering the
project, and we will look to deliver the legislation when time
allows it.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
I am sure the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be delighted if
rail companies, some of which take a rather lax approach to
ticket inspection, ensured that passengers had a valid ticket. I
can give an example. I, along with seven other members of the
High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill Select Committee, went
to Manchester on Tuesday. We paid an extortionate amount for our
tickets. On the outward journey, no one inspected the tickets,
nor did we pass through any barriers. If the Chancellor had more
money, he could use it to improve rail services.
I thought my hon. Friend was about to tell us about an even more
unfortunate incident, but I am glad that did not occur. We have
increased the fine for those who are not using valid tickets to
£100, which is reduced to £50 if it is paid on time. That
increase demonstrates that we take this matter very seriously.
Like him, I find it frustrating when I encounter journeys where
the ticket is not checked either on the train or at barriers. I
am determined to do more on that front; he is aware of that, and
I encourage him to work with me as we do that.
Speeding on Roads
(Dewsbury) (Con)
10. What steps he is taking to tackle speeding on
roads.(905168)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
As I am sure the House will widely agree, speeding is a very
serious road safety issue that has a direct link with the risk of
collisions, serious injury and fatality. Traffic law enforcement
is an operational matter for the police, and operational
decisions are for police and crime commissioners and chief
constables. That includes policy and procedures for using police
powers and resources.
Speeding continues to be one of the biggest issues in Dewsbury,
Mirfield, Kirkburton and Denby Dale. Will the Minister agree to
visit my constituency to meet with community groups and road
safety campaigners and discuss how best we can tackle this
problem?
The Government are committed to ensuring that roads are safe for
drivers. I have no doubt that the roads Minister would be
absolutely delighted to visit my hon. Friend in his constituency,
and to talk to those community groups and other interested
parties about this important issue.
(Brentford and Isleworth)
(Lab)
Since 2010, the rate of road deaths has plateaued. Is the
Minister proud of that record, and when will he finally publish
the long-awaited road safety strategic framework?
As the hon. Lady knows, when I was roads Minister, we did a lot
of work on safety reviews for walking and cycling. I do not think
anyone who looks at the statistics, which of course are not
controlled by Government or any single force, will be proud of
where they are. One reason why I am excited about the potential
for new automated, driver-assistive and other technologies is
that in principle, they have the capacity to reduce the number of
fatalities and injuries very significantly. That is something we
should all welcome.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Outside London
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
11. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the roll-out
of electric vehicle infrastructure outside of London. [R]
(905169)
(North Tyneside) (Lab)
18. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the rollout of
electric vehicle infrastructure outside of London.(905177)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
There are currently over 42,000 public electric vehicle charge
points in the UK, alongside hundreds of thousands more in homes
and workplaces. The Government have allocated a share of £381
million to every local area in England under the local EV
infrastructure fund, and are also supporting rapid chargers along
the strategic road network. The Government also provide grants to
support the provision of charge points in flats, rental
properties, residential car parks and workplaces.
According to The Times, the gulf between the number of electric
vehicles on our roads and the number of public charge points has
doubled in the past year. Logistics UK reports that many of its
operators with commercial vehicles cannot access those points, so
it seems that the Government need to do more on planning and
encouraging investment. Could the Minister update us?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question—I thought he was
going to mention the £3.29 million of capital funding that
Warwickshire County Council has received in this area, but I take
the general point he raises. When EV purchases are growing
rapidly, as they are in this country, there will be moments of
disconnect between the amount of infrastructure and the number of
vehicles. We have certainly seen a bit of that recently, and we
will perhaps continue to see it for a number of months or more,
but what is interesting is that the new zero-emission vehicle
mandate allows us to trigger billions of pounds of potential
private investment, as I have mentioned. That is a world-leading
intervention by Government, and I think it will pay long-term
dividends in supporting the expansion of the electric car
fleet.
EV charging in the north-east is falling behind the rest of the
country. Most of the stock are older, much slower charging points
that often do not work, and the ones that do are often at
capacity. Will the Minister commit to working with Transport
North East and our councils to ensure that owning and charging an
electric vehicle continues to be a possibility in our region?
The point of the LEVI fund is precisely to create an equitable
spread of public charge points around the country. The north-east
is not badly served in the overall numbers per head of
population, but we can always do better. I would be happy to meet
any local organisations that are committed to that agenda, as the
hon. Lady has suggested. She will know—if she has not done so,
she can check in the transparency records—that we have been very
active in dealing with local authorities, motorway service
operators, charge point operators and others with an interest in
this area.
(Wimbledon) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that if local authorities were to
look at their byelaws, that would enable EV charging gullies to
be facilitated for those who do not have off- street parking?
That would have a huge impact on the roll-out of EV charging
infrastructure.
Yes.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
I associate those on the SNP Benches with the Secretary of
State’s comments on the horrendous rail incident in India.
Last week, my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun
() and I visited the Cromarty
Firth, Aberdeen and Orkney to see the real progress in Scotland’s
renewables and transport decarbonisation sectors, including the
public charger roll-out, where Orkney has the highest number per
capita in the UK—four times the English rate outside of
London—and Scotland has twice as many rapid chargers per head.
Surely that shows the fundamental role of Government in driving
transport decarbonisation. The low numbers in England outside of
London highlight the danger of leaving it to the market.
I do not accept the premise of that argument. We have discussed
it in the Select Committee. My hon. Friend the Member for
Wimbledon () was right, because he
highlighted the different technologies that can be used rapidly
to extend charge points, including gullies and pop-up charge
points. We are in the process of rapid expansion and change, and
the House would expect that to continue. The amount of private
sector investment that we have already triggered or will be
triggering through the mandate once it is on the statute book
will drive that process still faster.
What the Minister says ignores the reality that the gap between
Scotland and England on chargers is widening, rather than
narrowing. What we have seen in Scotland is a party that believes
in the power of Government to benefit transport. We have EV
infrastructure outstripping England, a publicly owned rail
service scrapping peak-time fares, many times more zero-emission
buses ordered and on the road, and active travel spending
increasing to more than £300 million while budgets here are
butchered. Is it not time that the Government admitted that the
Thatcherite deregulation model has failed completely and instead
got to work helping the state to build a transport network fit
for the 21st century?
I do not accept that at all. It is inevitable with a change of
this magnitude that it will be essential for state interventions
to trigger private investment. That will go in the first instance
where it can trigger additional growth in the market. We use the
LEVI fund and other mechanisms to ensure equity across the
country.
Avanti
(Lichfield) (Con)
13. What comparative assessment he has made of the service
delivered by Avanti’s rail timetable (a) now and (b) at the
launch of that franchise.(905171)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Avanti began operating in December 2019 and within 16 weeks had
transitioned on to an emergency measures agreement due to the
covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the service provision has adjusted
to align with demand and to balance taxpayer and passenger needs.
I welcome recent performance improvements, with Avanti-caused
cancellations down from 13.2% in January 2023 to 1.4% for the
month of April.
I thank my hon. Friend for his answer —[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. I was shouting to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Mrs
Latham) not to come past the hon. Member for Lichfield () when he was in the
middle of a question. Try again, Mr Fabricant.
Take 2. Mr Speaker, you might disagree with the Minister’s answer
and say that the reliability of Avanti is still not that good.
Nevertheless, my question is about services from Lichfield Trent
Valley station. I wonder when services can be restored whereby we
have a decent service on Sundays, particularly early Sunday
evenings, both down to Euston and to the north. That used to
exist before covid, but those services are no longer on the
timetable.
Normal service resumed after a passenger crossed the line of
sight in front of my hon. Friend. Anything that deprives my hon.
Friend, and indeed his constituents, of the ability to get down
from Lichfield is something that I will have to look at and help.
I am meeting the managing director of Avanti today, as it turns
out. I will raise my hon. Friend’s point and happily write back
to him and do my best.
(Glasgow North) (SNP)
ScotRail, the Caledonian Sleeper, LNER and now TransPennine
Express have all been nationalised. Increasingly, that is clearly
the model that will deliver the reliable train services that
customers need. What steps is the Minister taking to monitor the
impact of nationalisation and whether it ought to be rolled out
to the other franchises?
The steps I am taking on monitoring are looking at being able to
put those operations back to the private sector. That is our
preferred model. On TransPennine trains, I had a very good
meeting with the interim chief executive, and I thank him for the
work he is doing to stabilise. A plan is being looked at that
will be delivered by next month, I believe. We currently have a
situation where 50% of drivers are not trained up. What that
tells us is that we need a lot more co-operation with the unions
to get our drivers trained so that they can drive trains across
all routes.
Topical Questions
(Buckingham) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(905182)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
We know that buses are a social and economic lifeline for
millions across the country. That is why we are keeping fares
down and keeping vital bus routes open. We have extended our
popular £2 bus fare cap until the end of October, followed by a
£2.50 cap until November next year. On top of the £2 billion in
support we have provided to the sector since the pandemic, we are
investing £300 million to support essential services and routes
for the next two years. This is giving the sector certainty,
helping people with the cost of living and delivering against our
priority to halve inflation, as well as protecting the vital role
that buses play in growing our economy.
Overcrowding on Chiltern services from stations such as Haddenham
and Thame Parkway and Princes Risborough has become beyond
unacceptable. That will only get worse if Chiltern is forced to
discontinue the Class 68 loco-hauled trains, as expected. Will my
right hon. Friend agree to enable the continued use of these
trains until Chiltern can complete its full planned fleet
renewal?
Mr Harper
I am able to tell my hon. Friend that officials in the Department
are already working with Chiltern on looking at how we deal with
those issues. I know that the rail Minister, my hon. Friend the
Member for Bexhill and Battle (), will be delighted to meet him to give him more
detail of the work already under way so that we can deliver a
better service for his constituents.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
Due to the UK’s out-of-date and inefficient airspace, designed in
the 1960s, the average flight from Luton to Jersey emits 24% more
carbon than necessary. Modernising UK airspace is the quickest
and most effective way to save carbon in the UK aviation sector.
The process is so slow and bureaucratic that it is going to be
the 2060s before this is sorted. Is it not time the Secretary of
State stepped up to the plate?
Mr Harper
I agree with the hon. Gentleman about the importance of airspace
modernisation, which is exactly why we are getting on with it. I
have had recent discussions with National Air Traffic Services on
the work it is doing and discussions with the Civil Aviation
Authority. That work is under way, and we are looking at it in
the UK, but also working with our international partners to make
sure this plays a part in decarbonisation. It was something I
discussed in the US when I co-chaired a summit with the US
Transportation Secretary, and we talked about these issues with
important players in the aviation sector globally.
(Wimbledon) (Con)
T2. As railway ridership returns to pre-pandemic levels, we need
an efficient approach to railway finance. Can my hon. Friend say
when he intends to reunite cost and revenue, so that that
continues to drive up demand and provides an efficient
method?(905183)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
My hon. Friend is right to point out that we currently view costs
as sitting with the DFT and revenue as sitting with the Treasury.
This can make it harder to increase services, even when extra
revenue can be assured, because costs at the DFT cannot increase.
He can be assured that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and I
spoke yesterday about how we can grow services and revenues with
one profit and loss statement. I am also working with the train
operators to amend their contracts, so they can be the parties
that take the risk and get a greater share of the reward.
(Motherwell and Wishaw)
(SNP)
T5. Current regulations on hydrogen transport and storage are
preventing world-leading renewables innovators such as the
European Marine Energy Centre in Scotland from using surplus
energy from tidal turbines to produce green hydrogen and export
it off-island? Will the Department work with the Competition and
Markets Authority to review these regulations and ensure that
Scotland’s green industrial revolution is not hampered by
Westminster’s regulatory dead hand?(905187)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
As the hon. Lady will know, I have already outlined the support
that we have been giving and the warm interest we take in
hydrogen, so I am very interested to hear what she says. If she
could bear to send me the details, I will make sure that I or the
relevant Minister responds to her.
(Blackpool South) (Ind)
T3. The cut to air passenger duty was a welcome boost for
domestic aviation and for facilitating the growth of regional
airports, such as Blackpool. Following this success, will the
Government consider introducing public service obligation routes
from destinations such as Blackpool to support tourism and
economic growth?(905184)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. We had a Westminster
Hall debate on this a few months ago. As he will know, the UK
policy on public service obligations is to protect existing
routes in danger of being lost, and the DFT jointly funds routes
into London from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry. Lord
Hendy’s independent Union connectivity review has now been
lodged. We have welcomed it, and we will continue to consider the
ways in which PSOs can help the Government to achieve regional
connectivity needs.
(Vauxhall)
(Lab/Co-op)
British Transport Police highlighted that instances of sexual
harassment and sexual offences on public transport have soared by
a shocking 175% between 2019 and 2020. We need our women and
girls to feel safe to use public transport, and to use it so that
we can tackle the climate emergency. Labour is committed to
halving violence against women and girls. When will the
Government match that commitment and make sure that our women and
girls feel safe to use public transport?
Mr Harper
The hon. Lady is right to focus on this. That is why the
Government published our cross-Government “Tackling violence
against women and girls strategy”, which the Department for
Transport is fundamentally involved with. Since 2019 the BTP,
which the hon. Lady mentioned specifically, has enhanced its
approach to combating violence against women and girls,
complemented by the BTP chief constable’s personal commitment and
drive on this subject.
(North Devon) (Con)
T4. North Devon’s pothole group recently made national news and,
while much work is being done, our roads are still more pothole
or patch than road in far too many places. What is my right hon.
Friend doing to ensure that local councils are spending their
pothole funding effectively and, in particular, that rural road
surfaces are improving?(905185)
My hon. Friend might know that I visited Devon in a previous
incarnation as roads Minister precisely to look at its innovative
work on potholes. She will also be aware that the Government are
investing £5 billion in local highways maintenance outside
London, with the mayoral combined authorities already receiving
CRSTS—city regional sustainable transport settlement—money. It is
up to each local highway authority to decide how best to spend
that money, but of course we do expect them to be able to account
locally and we also think about how roads are surveyed and
assessed and how well they are being treated as assets by those
authorities.
(Luton South) (Lab)
With Luton Town being promoted to the premier league last week,
many fans will be travelling by train, including from London
clubs such as Arsenal. However, as the Minister knows, Luton
station is sadly not accessible for many people with mobility
issues, and while he has confirmed Access for All money is
forthcoming to put lifts in the station by next year, what recent
conversations has he had with the Sport Minister, the right hon.
Member for Pudsey (), regarding accessibility of
the rail network for travelling sports fans?
I congratulate Luton Town. As the hon. Lady knows, my family are
big supporters; they have been there through the bad times and
they will be there in the good ones as well. I also thank her for
showing me around Luton station. I am committed to ensuring that
Access for All is delivered at that station on time; any attempts
to push back will not get signed off by me. On her campaign on
the leaky roof on platforms 1 and 2, which she showed me, the
work will start in August and complete in early 2024—I thank her
for that.
(Ruislip, Northwood and
Pinner) (Con)
T6. I have heard concerns from many constituents who are business
users of Heathrow airport that it is now by some margin the most
expensive airport in the world. Will my right hon. Friend
consider looking at the regulatory model, bringing it more into
line with other airports in the United Kingdom to ensure that its
charges become much more competitive in future?(905188)
Mr Harper
Recognising Heathrow’s significant market power, it is
economically regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, including
capping Heathrow’s charges. The CAA published its 2022 to 2026
settlement decision in March. The Competition and Markets
Authority is considering appeals against that decision and I hope
my hon. Friend will recognise that I cannot comment on that
ongoing process. Separately, the Department aims to publish the
independent review of the CAA by the summer and will consider any
economic regulation-related recommendations at that time.
(North East Fife)
(LD)
My constituent Vance applied for a medical driving licence in
April 2022; 14 months later, after delays, he has been told he
needs to reapply. This is having a direct impact on his job. Why
is any constituent experiencing such delays, and can the Minister
explain what is being done to address them?
Mr Harper
Obviously that specific case should not have happened. If the
hon. Lady sends through the details, I will make sure that the
roads Minister looks at it in detail. Generally, medical cases
are taking longer to get sorted out than general cases following
both the pandemic and industrial action, but we are well on our
way to getting that on track. I will, however, make sure the
roads Minister looks at that specific case.
(Burnley) (Con)
T7. Junction 11 of the M65 currently only allows traffic to join
going eastwards towards Colne, where the motorway ends, and not
westwards towards the M6, opening up the whole country. The
result is a majorly congested Burnley town centre and a limit to
economic opportunity. Could my right hon. Friend set out what
funding opportunities are available for a viability study into a
westwards slip road?(905189)
In 2021, we asked National Highways to undertake a study looking
at possible interventions on or around the M65 at Colne. That
study focused on localised congestion pinch points on that road,
which is owned and managed by Lancashire County Council. It
concluded in 2022, and the findings were handed over to the
council and Transport for the North. It is for them to decide
what further action they may wish to take as a result, but I know
they will, and they certainly should, attend closely to what my
hon. Friend said.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests. There is real frustration because the
Secretary of State and the rail Minister will not talk and settle
the dispute between the trade unions and the operators. No talks
have been held since the beginning of the year. When I speak to
the rail companies, they say they want to do a deal and they
believe that there is a pathway to end the dispute. When I speak
to the trade unions—ASLEF and RMT—they say the same. So why will
he not get round the table and end the dispute?
Mr Harper
As I said, the table, which the hon. Lady refers to, has an offer
on it. All it requires is for the RMT—[Interruption.] The hon.
Member for Sheffield, Heeley () on the Front Bench says that
they have not accepted it. The members of those unions—the
members—have not been given the opportunity to vote on it. The
deal is on the table. The union leaders should put it to their
members and ask them what they think.
(North Norfolk) (Con)
T8. I thank the Minister for coming to Sheringham and seeing the
A148-Holway road junction for himself, the congestion at that
important junction into Sheringham, which is a key tourist
destination in my constituency, and the rat-running in the
neighbouring towns and villages. May I ask the Secretary of State
to squeeze the Transport Department’s coffers just one last time
to find some important money to try to improve that
junction?(905190)
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for what he has said. I am sure
that the roads Minister will be happy to meet him to discuss that
further. I understand that Norfolk County Council has completed
the feasibility study into the improvements at that junction and
has committed funds to continue the development of the scheme.
That puts Norfolk in a strong position to submit a bid, should
funding opportunities arise. I know that he will press that case
strongly.
(Twickenham) (LD)
A simple question for the Transport Secretary: are the Government
committed to building a third runway at Heathrow—yes or no?
Mr Harper
As the hon. Lady knows, the decision about whether to build a
third runway is one for Heathrow. The funding has to come from
Heathrow. She knows that if, at some point in the future, it
wants to proceed with that, a significant process has to get
under way. She would not expect me to express an opinion on it
because there is obviously a clear judicial process to follow,
but it is up to Heathrow to make the first move and we wait with
interest to see whether it does so.
(South East Cornwall)
(Con)
T9. National Highways has already done a lot of research into a
safety package on the A38 from Carkeel to Trerulefoot in my
constituency. I thank it for that. I saw the aftermath of one of
the frequent accidents just one month ago. We need this urgently.
Please can the Secretary of State look again at this?(905191)
I thank my hon. Friend very much for her question. She knows, and
I have already said, how important the safety of all road users
is to the Government. This part of the A38 has a high collision
rate and we want to address that with local authorities. A
package of safety measures between Carkeel and Trerulefoot was
announced as a pipeline scheme in the second road investment
strategy for delivery in the future RIS. National Highways
consulted on proposed safety improvements and continues to
develop its plans in the light of feedback received. We will
encourage it to accelerate that work.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Is the Secretary of State aware of the anecdotally large number
of learner drivers who deliver pizzas and that sort of stuff?
They have learner plates. They have had no training. Is he
worried? We have all heard anecdotally that there are lots of
casualties and deaths. Has he any hard facts on that?
Mr Harper
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that issue and it
is very good to see him back in his place. It is difficult to
make policy based on anecdote. If he has specific examples and
evidence, I would be delighted if he wrote to me or the roads
Minister, and we will of course look into the serious matters he
raises in the House.
(Erewash) (Con)
Roadworks that continually reappear on the same stretch of road
at multiple locations are a major cause of congestion across the
towns and villages in Erewash, particularly in Long Eaton and
Sawley. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking, in conjunction
with colleagues in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities, to ensure that utility companies better co-ordinate
their work schedules to minimise disruption to road users?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that that can be a complete
pest. Over the last few years, the Government have taken some
action to address that. Utility companies have a right of access
to highways to install and repair apparatus, and we rely on them
to do so in many ways. The Government introduced a number of
initiatives, including the development of Street Manager and
regulatory changes, which are all designed to improve the
efficiency of how such works are carried out and
co-ordinated.
(Glasgow North) (SNP)
As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Malawi, I often
hear from stakeholders, both business and civil society, about
their frustration over the lack of direct flights between the UK
and Malawi. I appreciate that that is largely a commercial
decision for operators, but what role can the Department for
Transport play in bringing together interested parties to discuss
what options might be available?
Mr Harper
The hon. Gentleman put his finger on it: it is largely a
commercial decision. If regulatory issues or other issues are
preventing that from happening, I would be delighted to look into
those. If he raises them on behalf of the APPG, I would be
delighted to hear from him, but those are largely commercial
decisions for airlines and airports to take.
(Christchurch) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that road congestion is bad for
the economy, bad for the environment and bad for the mental
health of motorists? To that extent, why are the Government
pursuing policies that are making road congestion worse rather
than better?
There are a range of independent estimates of the impact of road
congestion financially. They range between hundreds of millions
of pounds and billions of pounds; my hon. Friend is absolutely
right. The Government are not taking any action to increase
congestion. Many schemes, for example active travel schemes,
which are regarded by some—by some—as schemes that increase
congestion, actually reduce it. He will notice, however, that
some schemes put in place under the emergency active travel fund
two or three years ago during the pandemic have been revised. I
think local authorities are coming to realise that those were
somewhat inexpeditiously put in place and we hope they will
continue to do so.
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