Covid-19: Safety of Rail Workers
(Gower) (Lab)
What steps he has taken to ensure the safety of rail workers
during the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Good morning, Mr Speaker. We have worked closely with the rail
industry throughout the pandemic to mitigate covid-19 risks to
workers. Since the covid outbreak, operators have been cleaning
trains in line with existing guidance, increasing cleaning
regimes and concentrating on high-touch areas that present a
higher risk of contamination.
[V]
The Minister will be aware that the rail industry coronavirus
forum’s figures show that total covid deaths among rail workers
have tragically more than doubled since November, from 12 to 26,
and that absences have also doubled. The figures could be even
higher when subcontractors are included. The National Union of
Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is concerned that, despite
the new variant, some rail companies are acting like it is
business as usual. Can the Minister tell the rail companies to do
more to protect our rail workers who are so bravely keeping our
country moving?
I thank the hon. Lady for her excellent question. I have been
talking to the rail companies and, indeed, the general
secretaries of the unions throughout this crisis and we have
issued comprehensive guidance to public transport operators,
including rail operators. This has been reinforced by officials
throughout the pandemic on how to keep staff safe and trains
clean, so that passengers and staff are able to maintain good
hygiene.
Railway Stations: Tactile Paving
(Richmond Park) (LD)
If he will make it his policy to speed up the installation of
tactile paving in all railway stations.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Department expects the industry to meet current accessibility
requirements whenever it installs, renews or replaces station
infrastructure. This includes appropriate tactile paving.
[V]
Does the Minister acknowledge that travellers will need extra
encouragement to get out of their cars and back on to public
transport once the coronavirus restrictions have been lifted?
Will he prioritise making railway stations safe and accessible as
a means of attracting travellers back?
I am fully aware, as is every single person in the industry, that
we will need to entice and encourage passengers back when they
are allowed to travel on our trains. And yes, the hon. Lady is
absolutely right: our stations need to be more friendly, more
welcoming, more accessible and spotless—and they will be. To
accelerate the programme of tactile paving, we have included it
as part of our core scope for accessible routes installed under
the Access for All programme, so I hope that she will see some
changes when she returns to public transport.
Oxford-Cambridge Expressway
(Oxford
West and Abingdon) (LD)
What plans his Department has for the paused Oxford-Cambridge
expressway project.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The project is paused and no work is being done on it. We are
considering how other transport interventions can best support
growth and jobs in the Oxford to Cambridge arc.
[V]
Residents in Oxfordshire, who are strongly opposed to the Oxford
to Cambridge expressway, are worried that while the expressway is
officially paused, it seems that parts of the road project are
going ahead, but in smaller chunks. One expressed it as
“expressway by stealth”. Can the Minister tell us how many
subsections of the expressway project are in their planning
stages, and does “pause” mean that “go” is still an option?
I can assure the hon. Lady that the Government have announced
plans to develop with local partners a long-term spatial
framework, and that it is along the lines of the 25-year
environment plan to build beautiful and sustainable places in her
community and in the whole region. Consultation with local
residents and herself is central to achieving this vision.
Transport for London Budget
(Kensington)
(Con)
What assessment he has made of the progress of the Mayor of
London in putting the Transport for London budget on a sound
footing.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
The Mayor of London is responsible for Crossrail’s costs and
completion through Transport for London, although the Government
have offered an additional £825 million in borrowing to meet
Crossrail’s funding shortfall.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Mayor of London has
monumentally mismanaged the Crossrail project, which is over
budget and several years delayed, and that it is ordinary
Londoners who are having to pick up the bill with a 10% increase
in the share of council tax for the Mayor?
My hon. Friend is of course correct. We have had the failure to
deliver Crossrail on time, £5.2 billion; higher pensions at TfL,
£828 million; the fare freeze, with £640 million of fares not
collected; and fare dodging, £400 million. I know that that is
all just millions and billions to us, but it all adds up.
Mr Speaker
We now welcome to the Dispatch Box shadow Minister .
(Ilford
South) (Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Instead of levelling up the north, where
this Government have cut £4 million from Transport for the North,
the Minister and his Government clearly intend to level down
London’s transport network. This is not the first time we have
had to come to the House to ask about the Government’s support
for TfL because it did not go far enough in the first place. At a
time when public transport ridership has collapsed and we are
still a long way off recovering to pre-pandemic ridership levels,
we must think about redistribution. That is clearly the right
approach. Vehicle excise duty, which raises £500 million from
drivers who live in London, is invested almost exclusively in
roads outside the city. Keeping it in the capital would enable
TfL to continue to be a world-class transport provider and boost
our nation’s economy, so will the Transport Secretary commit to
looking at this as a way to support TfL?
I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his position, warmly congratulate
him and look forward to many exchanges. He asks about TfL. The
Government have provided £3.3 billion and counting to TfL to keep
it afloat. I just listed some of the moneys that had not been
collected in by the Mayor, and I hear that the hon. Gentleman now
wants to give the Mayor responsibility for the collection of
vehicle excise duty in addition. Londoners will be interested in
this. The Mayor is already planning an over £31 band D increase
in council tax this year and now he has this new boundary tax,
which might be £3.50 or £5.50—we await to hear—for entering
London from certain locations. Where does it end?
Cycling and Walking
(Truro and
Falmouth) (Con)
What support his Department is providing to local authorities to
maintain and increase levels of cycling and walking.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Government are investing £2 billion in active travel over the
next five years, much of which will go to local authorities. This
is the biggest ever boost for cycling and walking.
[V]
In Cornwall, we have benefited from over £600,000 in the second
tranche of the Government’s active travel fund—that is 100% of
our initial indicative allocation. This will allow Cornwall
Council to take forward a package of walking and cycling projects
in the two biggest towns in my constituency, Truro and Falmouth.
Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government’s active travel
fund is the key to enabling our country to start walking and
cycling? Will he confirm that further tranches of this fund will
be available to local authorities?
Obviously, we agree that the provision of high-quality
infrastructure is vital to getting more people cycling and
walking, and that local authorities have a key role to play in
delivering that. There will be further funding for local
authorities to deliver high-quality cycling and walking schemes
in the next financial year, and beyond, as part of the £2 billion
announced by the Prime Minister in the gear change plan, and I
will be announcing further details of this in due course.
Car-free Environments
(York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to make an
assessment of the effect on the economy of car-free environments.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The Government strongly agree that investment in cycling and
walking infrastructure delivers benefits to national and local
economies, better public health and cheaper travel. That is why,
as Members will have heard my colleague just set out, the Prime
Minister has announced the biggest ever funding boost to cycling
and walking— a total package of £2 billion.
[V]
As our high streets struggle and, ironically, York’s Green-Lib
Dem council is waving through new car park developments, which
will suck even more cars into York, Living Streets’ work on “The
Pedestrian Pound” is certainly the antidote, showing that
pedestrianisation and investment in the public realm will drive
up footfall by up to 35% and retail sales by a similar
proportion. Will the Minister work with me to realise York’s
potential as a car-free city, so that my community can reap the
environmental, social, health and economic benefits of walking,
cycling and active travel?
I very much thank the hon. Lady for the way in which she is
championing active travel in the city of York, and the Department
strongly shares that ambition. For example, she will know of the
electric park and ride service that has been delivered, thanks to
funding from the Department. We very much look forward to
continuing those conversations with her.
Rail Connections: North of England
(Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve rail connections
in the north of England.
(Calder
Valley) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve rail connections
in the north of England.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Last year, we took control of the Northern rail franchise to
deliver better and more punctual services. We announced £589
million to kick-start the Trans-Pennine route upgrade, and we
continue to invest in improving Leeds station. This month, we
have launched a consultation to address the Manchester
bottleneck, and on Saturday we announced £34 for the initial work
on reopening the Northumberland line.
[V]
I welcome my hon. Friend’s commitment to rail in the north. Will
he give me and my constituents an update on step-free access at
Garforth station, which I have been campaigning on for many
years?
My right hon. Friend has been a tireless champion for the
much-needed improvements at Garforth station, to make it safer
for all passengers, especially those with restricted mobility or
those with pushchairs. I share his frustration at the length of
time it has taken to deliver the improvements that he has secured
for his constituents, and we will seek an update on timescales
from Network Rail.
[V]
It is concerning to see, in the local press at least, incredibly
negative and biased reporting that the High Speed 2 eastern leg
is to be scrapped. Will my hon. Friend confirm whether those
reports are true? If so, how does that fit in with his
longer-term ambition to improve rail connections in the north?
My hon. Friend frequently raises his constituents’ concerns,
particularly about the Calder Valley line and the need for
improvements in local services. He is completely right to raise
the importance of major rail infrastructure projects such as the
eastern leg of HS2. We are committed to building HS2 phase 2b and
to enabling the east midlands, Yorkshire and the north-east to
reap the benefits of high-speed rail services. We aim to publish
the integrated rail plan early this year, which will set out our
plans covering the eastern leg.
Delivery of Transport Infrastructure Projects
(Mid Derbyshire) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of
transport infrastructure projects.
(Bishop Auckland) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of
transport infrastructure projects.
(Fylde)
(Con)
What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of
transport infrastructure projects.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
My Department is at the forefront of delivering plans and detail
for the national infrastructure strategy, and we are using
Project Speed initiatives and my acceleration unit in the
delivery of infrastructure.
Mrs Latham [V]
Duffield railway station in my constituency is expected to become
busier during the next few years, as work on improvements to the
A38 will make driving from Duffield to Derby very difficult. I am
concerned that the platforms are not accessible for mothers with
children in pushchairs, the elderly and the disabled, as the
steps are steep and narrow and there are no lifts. Will the
Secretary of State inform me of what plans there are to improve
accessibility at Duffield railway station in the immediate
future, because work on the A38 is starting very soon?
I am delighted that we are upgrading the A38. I know that my hon.
Friend is a regular user of Duffield railway station. She will be
pleased to know that there will most likely be further rounds of
the Access for All funding, which has done so much to improve
access to railway stations throughout the country. I look forward
to receiving an application from my hon. Friend.
[V]
My right hon. Friend is used to me bending his ear about the Toft
Hill bypass, but today I am mixing it up. Last week, I held a
call with residents of Whorlton, Wycliffe and the surrounding
villages about the full closure of Whorlton bridge. Durham County
Council has funding available for the necessary testing of the
bridge’s components, but there are concerns about funding
availability for the full repairs, so will the Secretary of State
meet me and council officers to help to find a funding solution
for the repairs of this nationally significant bridge?
I came armed to the teeth with information about Toft Hill
bypass, so I am disappointed. None the less, my hon. Friend’s
concerns about Whorlton bridge sound like they would be well
addressed by the £4 billion levelling-up fund that we recently
announced. We look forward to hearing from her when that fund
becomes available. Of course, I would be happy either to meet my
hon. Friend myself or to arrange for my roads Minister to do the
same.
[V]
I am delighted that the progress on my bid for the restoring your
railway fund means that feasibility studies at Ansdell station
are soon to begin, bringing the doubling of services on the South
Fylde line closer than ever before. With more passengers on the
line ending their journeys or transferring at Preston, which is
already a busy station, what plans are in place to increase
platform capacity at Preston station?
I know that my hon. Friend has been campaigning tirelessly on
this issue. It is fantastic that these Beeching reversals, with
the restoring your railway bids, are helping to improve Ansdell.
Increasing platform capacity is part of the proposals for
Preston, which include extending platforms 3 and 4 and removing
platforms 3c and 4c. I know my hon. Friend already knows that,
but it is very exciting and I congratulate him on all the work
that he has done to bring the issue forward for his community.
Transport Decarbonisation
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)
What plans his Department has to facilitate a green recovery from
the covid-19 outbreak through transport decarbonisation.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
Transport decarbonisation through more active travel, electric
vehicles, greener aviation and shipping, is at the heart of our
green recovery.
[V]
[Inaudible.]
Mr Speaker
In that case, we will go to shadow Minister .
(Wythenshawe
and Sale East) (Lab)
With our borders open and our schools closed and the Prime
Minister introducing new quarantine measures, the recent aviation
test and release announcement is now in tatters. We want to
decarbonise and we want to give the industry confidence, but the
Jet Zero Council, much lauded by the Prime Minister, has met only
once and has no workstreams and the Government are dithering over
financing the airspace modernisation programme. When will the
Secretary of State step up?
I am disappointed that the hon. Gentleman missed my speech
yesterday at Davos where I addressed that subject in detail. In
fact, I want to correct the record of the House: the Jet Zero
Council has actually met on two occasions and—wait for the
punchline—has sub-committees that have met on many occasions,
because they are the work horses of the Jet Zero Council and they
bring together academia, the sector itself, Government and
international partners to deliver zero-carbon flight by 2020. I
refer him to my speech of yesterday, which he can get to from my
tweet at @grantshapps.
Mr Speaker
Let us return to .
[V]
More needs to be done to create jobs in decarbonised transport. I
have three asks of the Secretary of State: introduce mandatory
e10 fuels; provide funding for sustainable aviation fuel plants;
and provide a bus strategy that copies the combined Scottish
Government-EU initiative that saw the world’s first hydrogen
double-decker buses in Aberdeen. The bus strategy needs to
include orders for Scottish and UK manufacturers. Will he confirm
dates and funding for these initiatives and in writing as well,
please?
I certainly share the hon. Gentleman’s enthusiasm for all things
hydrogen, and I think I am right in saying that the UK Government
fund a hydrogen bus project in Glasgow. He will know that we are
also funding a hydrogen train project. In fact, I have ridden on
the HydroFLEX train. We have also announced the country’s first
hydrogen hub, which happens to be in Teesside. Mr Speaker, given
the Prime Minister’s 10-point decarbonisation plan from last
month, you will not find a more pro-decarbonisation Government
than this one. I look forward to working with the hon. Gentleman
on many more measures, including in Scotland.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP) [V]
I do not know about you, Mr Speaker, but I cannot wait to read
the Secretary of State’s speech to Davos. As he very well knows,
Scotland is more ambitious in this area and is world leading in
its pursuit of rail electrification, with the editor of Rail
magazine saying last week that Scotland has made big progress
here, all while the major English electrification projects got
cancelled by his Department. Moreover, in our electric vehicle
industry alone, domestic charge point funding and e-bike loan
schemes have also been deemed world leading. When will the UK
Government match their climate emergency rhetoric and decarbonise
transport and improve transport sustainability?
The audio was not perfect there, but I got the bit where the hon.
Gentleman was saying that he is very enthusiastic about zero
carbon and getting to the point where the UK Government are the
first major economy in the world to legislate for net zero by
2050. I am pleased that he is so enthusiastic. He will no doubt
be backing the UK Government’s plan to get to zero carbon cars,
starting with the end of the sale of petrol and diesel cars by
2030. I know that he will be welcoming the enormous sums of money
that will have gone right the way across the United Kingdom,
which has enabled—credit where credit is due—the Scottish
Government to roll out an impressive number of charging stations
for electric vehicles. Let us work together to get this job done.
It seems that we are better when we do these things together.
Covid-19: Support for the Rail Industry
(Southend West) (Con)
What financial support his Department is providing to the rail
industry during the covid-19 outbreak.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
The 2020 spending review provided a total of £10.1 billion of
confirmed funding for the Department for Transport to support
passenger rail services in England during the covid outbreak.
[V]
The service on both the Greater Anglia and c2c lines has been
significantly cut during the latest lockdowns. Many constituents
have contacted me to tell me that social distancing is near
impossible on the few trains that are being run. Will my right
hon. Friend assure me that enough money is being given to allow
train operators to run a safe service?
My hon. Friend from nearly the city of Southend is absolutely
right to mention the importance of keeping the right level of
trains running. I mentioned that we funded £10.1 billion—an
unprecedented amount—to keep these trains running during the
covid crisis to make sure that essential workers can get to work.
Of course people should not be travelling to work unless they
cannot do that work from home. He will be interested to know that
there have been discussions with Build UK and the Construction
Leadership Council, particularly on that c2c line and concern
about those trains coming into Canning Town. We will keep a close
eye on this, and I have asked Sir Peter Hendy, the chair of
Network Rail, to also work to ensure that we are alerted as soon
as there are any signs of congestion and make sure that these
lines can operate safely.
Railway Resilience Work: Dawlish
(South West Devon) (Con)
What recent progress Network Rail has made on railway resilience
work at Dawlish.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
Work is under way on the second phase of the new sea wall
following the opening of the first phase, which I was happy to
open in person in September—one of the few visits that I have
been able to make in the last year.
[V]
This region is still talking about the Minister’s visit to
Dawlish. He will know the importance of the rail link from
Plymouth to Paddington, and the disruption that we have suffered
in the past. The region is very grateful for the work that has
been carried out in recent years, but can he assure me today that
the next phase of work at Dawlish, to secure the cliff face from
crumbling on to the track, will not be delayed or compromised, in
order to ensure that essential rail services can continue along
this iconic part of the journey?
I thank my hon. Friend; I am sure that the ticker tape and dried
rose petals are still being cleared. I am happy to assure him
that we remain committed to improving the resilience of this
vital transport artery. Network Rail is continuing to develop
proposals for further phases of the resilience programme, using
£17.2 million of Government funding that has already been given.
Rail Network Capacity
(Chipping
Barnet) (Con)
What steps he is taking to expand capacity on the rail network.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Government have made record investments in building and
modernising our rail network, and providing capacity for rail
users. The spending review included over £58 billion of
investment for road and rail transport between 2021 and 2025,
delivering some of the Government’s largest capital projects and
helping us to build back better post covid-19.
[V]
The Government’s programme of rail improvements is the biggest
since the Victorian era. Will the Minister confirm that it is
going ahead, even if passenger numbers take some time to recover
from the covid outbreak? Will he also ensure that it delivers
significant improvements to connections between our great
northern cities, because that is essential to levelling up
economic opportunities in our country?
My right hon. Friend makes an important point. We are getting on
with delivering record amounts of investment in our rail
infrastructure, particularly across the north, with the
TransPennine route upgrade. We announced £589 million for that
investment, joining Manchester, Leeds and other great cities
across the north of England. That will be the biggest investment
in the conventional rail network. Of course, at the same time we
are also making progress with major infrastructure projects such
as high-speed rail; last week we concluded the parliamentary
passage of the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Bill,
taking the railway line from the west midlands through to Crewe.
Port of Liverpool: New Rail Link
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a new rail
link at the port of Liverpool.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Department is increasing rail freight at the port of
Liverpool by enhancing the Bootle branch line. This will double
capacity from one to two freight paths per hour each way, and
will be completed later this year.
[V]
Moving freight off the roads and on to rail is crucial if we are
to cut carbon emissions. The changes that the Minister announced
will be a very small contribution because the Government are
planning a new road from the port of Liverpool through the
Rimrose valley into my constituency, which will have precisely
the opposite effect and increase emissions. Earlier, the
Secretary of State told us that transport decarbonisation is at
the heart of his plans. Do Ministers want to play their part in
meeting Government targets or not? If they do, will they think
again, look at the report produced by Arup for Sefton Council on
alternatives to road from the port of Liverpool, and invest
properly in rail freight?
Doubling capacity on the Bootle branch line is expected to meet
forecast demand for the foreseeable future. Recent forecasts,
unconstrained by limits on infrastructure capacity, indicate
demand for 40 trains per day in each direction by 2043. Two paths
per hour in each direction of course provides capacity for 48
freight trains per day. However, the nature of some freight
requirements, particularly for shorter movements and smaller
loads, means that road transport can sometimes be more
economically efficient.
March 2021 Rail Fares Increase
(Jarrow) (Lab)
What assessment he has made of the potential effect on passenger
numbers of increasing rail fares by 2.6 per cent in March 2021.
(Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op)
What assessment he has made of the potential effect on passenger
numbers of increasing rail fares by 2.6 per cent in March 2021.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
This is the lowest fare rise in four years. Passengers are
advised to reduce journeys as much as possible, and, as such,
usage has fallen dramatically during the lockdowns. Passenger
behaviours in the future are unbelievably uncertain, but a small
fare rise will help to ensure that taxpayers are not unfairly
overburdened for keeping vital rail services running.
[V]
Because millions of commuters are now working from home, the RMT
union has produced research on flexible rail ticketing that shows
that if the cost of full-time season tickets was pro-rated to
two, three or four days a week, these tickets would offer better
value for money and encourage passengers back to our railways
when it is safe to do so. Will the Minister update us on the
Department’s plans with industry on flexible ticketing and when
these tickets might be introduced?
I thank the hon. Lady for her very wise question. I welcome the
work done by the RMT in this area, and a whole host of others. We
are working with industry on what we can do with flexible
ticketing going forward. We are wary that sending mixed messages
at this time in trying to encourage people to buy tickets for
future travel might not be the right thing to do, but I promise
her that we are working closely with industry and expect to make
announcements when we can.
[V]
Train commuters using the Greater Anglia service from Edmonton
Green to London Liverpool Street are set to pay £1,436 from March
2021—£436 more than in 2010. Labour has long argued that public
ownership of the rail network would provide better value for
taxpayers and for passengers. Does the Minister agree that the
Government must stop bolstering profit for private companies and
bring the network in-house?
No. I am absolutely sure that public ownership of the railways,
if we nationalised rail, would mean that the increases the hon.
Lady outlined would be way more.
(Slough) (Lab)
In the midst of a pandemic and facing a deep recession, when
people are losing their jobs and seeing wages slashed, this Tory
Government are pushing through inflation-busting rail fare
increases this March. After a period of record low passenger
numbers, we need to encourage people back on to trains to help
our economy and our environment, so it makes absolutely no sense
to increase ticket prices. Can the Minister explain why his
Government continue to pay risk-free guaranteed profits to
private train companies? Is it fair that rail passengers across
our country will be picking up the tab and paying more—much
more—to get to work or see their loved ones?
I always try not to be overtly political in these matters, but
under the last Labour Government, in the run-up to 2010, we had
rises of 4%, 3.9%, 4.3%, 4.8%, and 6%. We have temporarily frozen
fares in January and February so that people can look at what
their travel plans might be as lockdown plans are announced. We
have introduced all sorts of railcards and a whole host of
discounts, and regulated fares will be increasing at the lowest
actual rate in four years. But yes, the hon. Gentleman is quite
right: we do need eventually to encourage people back on to our
railways. If we are going to decarbonise, and if we are going to
level up, we want to take people off the roads and entice them
back to the railways, and we will have products to do that—but
now, I am afraid, we also need to remember that the taxpayer
stood by the railways with £10.1 billion in the course of this
time, and they do need some money back.
Traffic Management: Kent
(Dover) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to ensure the effective
management of traffic in (a) Dover and (b) Kent.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
We are working to support all those in Kent with traffic
management, including the Kent Resilience Forum and the local
authorities. I also pay tribute to the military and to NHS Test
and Trace for the way that they helped to get things going again
after the Christmas lorry crisis.
Mrs Elphicke [V]
Having worked so positively with my right hon. Friend and with
the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Redditch
(), over so many months on the Keep Dover Clear
strategy, it was extremely disappointing that Dover came to halt
and a standstill and faced gridlock following France’s
unreasonable closure of the border. Will my right hon. Friend
reaffirm the Government’s commitment to keep Dover clear so that
whatever happens at the port of Dover or is done by the French,
people can get around to work, to school and in their daily
lives?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I pay tribute to her for
the way that she has campaigned to keep Dover clear. She is right
also in saying that before Christmas, President Macron decided to
close the French border with no notice, meaning that we ended up
with thousands of lorries gridlocking Kent. We had to put in
place emergency measures, which have included at this stage
having provided lateral flow tests to 120,000 hauliers in order
for them to cross. I can report to the House that once they have
crossed to the other side, the French have also been carrying out
some tests. No one has come across with coronavirus as a result
of the enormous programme we have put in place, none of which
would have been possible without my hon. Friend’s tremendous
assistance during those few days before Christmas while the
military, NHS Test and Trace, the police and, not least, the
local MP worked to clear the problem.
Access to Bus Services: Cumbria
(Penrith and The Border) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to bus
services in rural areas in Cumbria.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
We are developing a national bus strategy for England. Cumbria is
participating in phase 2 of the rural mobility fund.
Dr Hudson [V]
Bus services offer a vital lifeline for people in rural
communities such as Penrith and The Border, and the importance of
this connectivity has been brought into sharp relief in the
pandemic. In 2014, Cumbria County Council opted to stop using
central Government funds to subsidise commercial bus services,
meaning some routes were not viable for operators, leading to a
reduction in provision. Does my hon. Friend agree that now is the
time for the council to revisit that decision and use available
funds to support rural bus routes to allow people to go about
their lives, reconnect and improve their health and welfare?
We recognise the importance of public transport for the
sustainability and the independence of communities, particularly
in rural areas like Cumbria, which is why we are providing a £20
million rural mobility fund to support demand-responsive services
in rural and suburban areas. I am pleased to say that thanks to
my hon. Friend’s support, Cumbria County Council was successful
in phase 1 and has been invited to participate in phase 2.
Covid-19: Aviation and Airport Transport Workers
(Cardiff South and Penarth) (Lab/Co-op)
What assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on the
level of (a) infection, (b) hospitalisation and (c) deaths of
transport workers in the (i) aviation, (ii) airports and (iii)
airport transfer sectors since January 2020.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
My Department engages regularly with the Department of Health and
Social Care, SAGE and the Joint Biosecurity Centre to ensure we
have up-to-date information on the risk of transmission in the
aviation sector. We have published safer transport guidance to
operators on reducing the risks, and we engage regularly with the
sector on the steps they are taking, including the level of
absences they are seeing.
[V]
This week, we passed the grim milestone of 100,000 people having
lost their lives tragically to this terrible disease. Last year I
was strongly critical of the Government’s policies on the border,
including through our airports. Figures released by Government
Ministers showed that more than 2,000 UK Visas and Immigration
and Border Force officials were off with symptoms of coronavirus
in January to April last year, and that is before we even look at
others working in, for example, our airports and on planes. Can
the Minister explain what exactly he is doing to keep airport
workers safe, particularly those at Heathrow and other major hubs
and especially those who will be involved in transporting
individuals to quarantine hotels?
The hon. Gentleman is right to pinpoint the critical importance
of those who work in the aviation sector for the country, and I
join him in mourning the loss of every single life tragically
lost during the course of this pandemic. We are working very
closely with operators and the Home Office to operationalise the
safer transport guidance that I referred to earlier, in addition
to the rapid testing pilots, which may also assist.
North Cotswold Line
(West
Worcestershire) (Con)
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of additional
improvements to the North Cotswold line.
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
An updated strategic outline business case for improvements to
the North Cotswold line is due to be resubmitted by the North
Cotswold Line Taskforce.
I think people will be astonished to learn that the great cities
of Worcester and Hereford are served by a rail line from London
that in many places is single-track. The North Cotswold Line
Taskforce has done some fantastic work in proposing that we
redouble some of that track. Will the Minister look closely at
its suggestions and support the local councils that are
contributing to the develop phase of this project?
The Department and Network Rail will continue to work with the
taskforce on its proposals. I recognise that the line has
experienced a renaissance over the past decade, and the taskforce
is keen to build on that. I know that my hon. Friend’s desire for
improvement is shared by many of my colleagues, not least the
Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member
for Witney ().
Support for Hauliers Transporting to and from the EU
(Lichfield) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support hauliers
transporting goods to and from the EU; and if he will make a
statement.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
We have rolled out a large-scale haulier communications campaign,
opened 46 information and advice sites around the country and
published our haulier handbook in 14 languages—all the languages
that hauliers will be speaking when they come to the UK. We are
also offering free covid-19 testing for hauliers at many of our
information and advice sites.
[V]
My hon. Friend may well know about the Road King truck stop,
which is along the A5, not far from Burntwood. I was going to ask
her a question about what work she is doing, but she has already
answered it, so instead I will ask her this: when we are allowed
to do so, will she join me for breakfast at the Road King?
How could I possibly turn down such a wonderful invitation? I can
tell my hon. Friend that I have already visited an information
and advice site in Hopwood. It is a fantastic service, and there
are thousands of hauliers visiting these sites up and down the
country, including the Road King at Cannock. I would like to join
him there, and hopefully he can tell me what the best breakfast
is.
Mr Speaker
He will pay, of course.
(Bristol East) (Lab) [V]
I am afraid that my question for the Minister might be slightly
tougher to answer. As she knows, the new three-stop limit will be
devastating for UK hauliers working with touring musicians or on
events that involve multiple stops in EU countries. This is such
an important sector for the UK, and it has already been hit so
hard by covid. Can the Minister at least acknowledge today that
the Government’s failure to seek an exemption during the
negotiations was a massive own goal? Will the Government get back
round the negotiating table and sort this out before the summer,
when we all hope that the live music scene will be open once
again for business?
We certainly share the hon. Lady’s desire to see the live music
scene open once again in this country. The trade and co-operation
agreement that the Government have negotiated with the EU is an
excellent deal for our hauliers that allows 95% of haulier
movements to continue as they did before. All hauliers who carry
out work for a commercial purpose in the EU will be subject to
the provisions of the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement. It
is really important to put on the record that during negotiations
with the EU, the Government proposed exemptions for specialist
hauliers such as the ones she referred to due to the nature of
their businesses, but unfortunately the EU did not agree to those
asks. However, because we recognise the important impact that
this will have, we continue our discussions.
Covid-19: Support for Coach Operators and Manufacturers
(Easington) (Lab)
What plans the Government have to support coach (a) operators and
(b) manufacturers during periods of reduced demand as a result of
the covid-19 outbreak.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
A range of support measures have been made available to UK
businesses, including the coach industry, such as the coronavirus
job retention scheme. Coach operators and manufacturers can also
contact their local authority regarding discretionary funding
provided by the Government for companies experiencing a severe
impact on their businesses.
Notwithstanding that answer, I have a simple question: why have
Ministers still not committed to providing targeted support for
coach companies, most of which are small, family-run,
community-based businesses that provide essential support to
other sectors but have been unable to access coronavirus support
packages?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this matter. I know that
he led a very well-attended debate in Westminster Hall just
before Christmas. This is a very challenging time for the sector;
I entirely recognise that. It is a very diverse sector, and it is
difficult to have a one-size-fits-all scheme. A variety of
support has been provided by the Government, such as the
Department for Education’s money to provide additional support
for school and college transport, the Department for Transport’s
money to support Christmas travel and the Treasury’s funding for
the additional restrictions grant.
Improving Roads in England
(Beaconsfield) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to improve roads in England.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
The Department is committed to providing improvements for all
road users. It is providing over £2.7 billion for the maintenance
of England’s local highway network outside London over 2020-21
and 2021-22, and as part of road investment strategy 2, it is
providing £4.1 billion for capital renewals on the strategic road
network in England over the next five years.
[V]
Too many roads in Beaconsfield, Iver and Denham in my
constituency are blighted with potholes. As my hon. Friend is
well aware, we want to see our potholes mended. Can the Minister
confirm that the Government are still on track and committed to
investing £500 million every single year in tackling potholes,
and will the Minister commit to meet me to discuss further how we
can tackle potholes together?
I thank my hon. Friend so much for raising this issue. Every
single Member in the Chamber is supportive of this question,
because we all know how important this is to our constituents’
daily lives. I can happily confirm to my hon. Friend that that is
absolutely the case: Budget 2020 announced £2.5 billion in total
for the pothole fund, providing £500 million this year to local
highway authorities in England for tackling potholes and £500
million each year for the next four years. I am sure that my
noble Friend in the other place who deals with this matter would
be delighted to meet her to discuss the matters in Beaconsfield.
Topical Questions
(Manchester, Withington) (Lab)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Transport ()
On Saturday, I was delighted to announce £34 million to help to
reopen the Northumberland rail line between Newcastle upon Tyne,
Blyth and Ashington. Restoring many of the lines closed during
the 1960s is an important part of this Government’s mission to
level up the north when it comes to transport. I can announce
today that, since the creation of the northern powerhouse in
2014, this Conservative Government have spent more than £20
billion on the region’s transport, delivering roads, rail, and
cleaner and better transport, including 168 miles of rail
electrification.
Mr Speaker
You should see the railway station at Coppull.
[V]
The Committee on Climate Change has reported that aviation
accounted for 8% of UK emissions in 2019, before the pandemic
stopped flights. I am pleased that the Government have finally
indicated that they will bring forward a support package for
aviation this autumn, but will this be conditional on action to
tackle emissions in the climate crisis?
Mr Speaker, do not think that I did not hear that plea for a rail
station.
I want to address the hon. Gentleman’s point about aviation.
Again, without sounding like a stuck record, I must refer him to
my World Economic Forum discussion and announcements on this just
yesterday. Of course, we have COP26 coming up at the end of this
year, where the whole world will come together to try to tackle
some of these aviation emission problems, and the UK is taking an
absolute leading role through the Jet Zero Council. I welcome the
hon. Gentleman’s interest in this subject, and indeed extend an
offer to work with him to progress it.
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
I welcome the decision to have evidence-based enhancements to
control covid at our international borders, as opposed to a
blanket approach. Would the Secretary of State agree with me that
a blanket approach could see essential goods and services failing
to come into this country from countries where the covid risk is
perhaps less than our own, because those delivering are currently
enjoying a 10-day stay in the Holiday Inn? Can I ask him, in
particular, to ensure that he publishes the criteria for
countries that will go on to the red list or come off it, so that
the aviation industry in particular has the chance to plan ahead?
I think my hon. Friend, the Chair of the Transport Committee, is
absolutely right. This has required a proportionate and
science-based approach to where people for quarantine in hotels
should come from, and that includes a red list of countries. I
can tell my hon. Friend and the House that that list is available
on gov.UK—it contains 30 countries. South America, South Africa
and Portugal are primarily the areas and countries involved. I
think it is very important that we do make this science-based,
and this adds to the pre-departure testing and, of course, all
the other measures we have put in place. We will hear from the
hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton () shortly, and I know he is going to explain why he
called for quarantine to be lessened.
(Oldham West and Royton) (Lab/Co-op)
I am very disappointed that the Secretary of State would go so
low as to repeat an untruth that was made by the Prime Minister
yesterday, and a point of order has been submitted on that
matter.
Mr Speaker
Nobody would deliberately say there was an untruth; somebody may
not have had the right information, but it certainly would not be
a deliberate mistruth.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. As we all know, 500 covid cases have been
recorded at the DVLA offices in Swansea. There have also been
worrying allegations that employees were coerced into turning off
their track and trace apps or given warnings for taking time off
sick, and those must be fully investigated. The evidence offered
by the chief executive of the DVLA to the Transport Committee
has, I am afraid, turned a crisis into a political test. Will the
Transport Secretary explain why he ignored warnings about that
issue, and why he essentially allowed a Government office to
become a covid-19 superspreader? Will he confirm whether the
chief executive of the DVLA still enjoys his full support?
I would like to clear up this confusion, because I do not think
that a mis-statement should stand. I will quote from the hon.
Gentleman on 3 July:
“Labour, like families and businesses up and down the country,
are keen for the Government’s quarantine measures to be
lessened,”.
That was the precise quote.
On the DVLA, I share the hon. Gentleman’s concern about the
stories we saw in the newspapers this weekend, and I have
investigated fully. Only one-third of the staff are currently
working at DVLA. He might ask why any staff are working there,
and the simple answer is that there are paper-based forms and
submissions that are not being made online, and without them key
workers and others would not be getting their licences. There are
databases that, for privacy reasons, cannot be connected to from
home, and that requires some people to go to the offices. A
number of important steps have been taken, including work with
Public Health Wales and setting up a new office for people to
work in. No requests to turn off test and trace have been made by
either DVLA or the Department for Transport. DVLA works under
strict civil service guidance on sick pay and leave, and it must
not diverge from that. I take the matter extremely seriously, and
I will provide further written reassurances to the hon.
Gentleman.
That opportunity for the Transport Secretary to confirm his
support for the chief executive was not taken, which is
interesting in itself.
Let me turn to smart motorways. This month, a coroner concluded
that the lack of a hard shoulder on the M1 in South Yorkshire
contributed to the deaths of two men, making a total of nearly 40
lives lost as a result of smart motorways and the absence of a
hard shoulder. Even the former roads Minister, the right hon.
Member for Hemel Hempstead ( ), who
introduced the programme in 2010, admitted that it was a gross
public policy failure. Enough is enough. Will the Secretary of
State commit, the minute this session finishes, to pick up the
phone and issue an instruction to reinstate the hard shoulder on
smart motorways? God forbid we will be here again reviewing more
deaths if action is not taken.
It is tragic that anybody ever dies on our roads, and it is worth
recalling that motorways in general are safer than most roads
overall. Smart motorways were, and are, an issue that sparked a
great deal of interest from me, and as the hon. Gentleman may
recall, before he was in post last year I set up a review, a
stocktake, which recommended 18 different measures, including
spending more than £500 million to put in a whole series of
measures to ensure that smart motorways are not just as safe, but
safer than conventional motorways. That stocktake is now one year
through, and I will soon return to the House to report on its
progress. I know there is a lot of interest in that.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP) [V]
On the very day that the Prime Minister shamefully sets a
terrible example by making a completely unnecessary cross-border
campaign trip, which by my reckoning is against the law in
Scotland, will the Secretary of State say what steps he is taking
to ensure that the impact of border disruptions, which have
hammered important Scottish industries such as seafood and fresh
food, is reduced, and that hauliers are able to take more return
loads than the scarce amount they can take at present?
The House will know that, through a process called the Brexit
operations committee, there were over 180 meetings, which have
ensured that, with regard to the routing that those lorries
take—typically down to Kent and through the so-called short
straits—we have seen no queues at all thanks to that planning.
There have been some issues with paperwork. I know that that has
impacted Scottish fish. I know that Scottish fishermen are
celebrating the fact that they can catch and keep a quarter
more—in five and a half years’ time there will be no requirement
to give any of it away, subject to the discussions then—and I
know that additional money and assistance is going to both the
Scottish Government and Scottish fishermen in order to resolve
any outstanding problems with paperwork, which I trust will be
concluded as quickly as possible.
(Dartford)
(Con) [V]
What discussions has my hon. Friend had with the Mayor of London
about his proposals to charge my constituents in Kent £3.50 to
drive into the neighbouring London Borough of Bexley? Does my
hon. Friend agree that that would have a catastrophic and
disproportionate impact on places such as Dartford that border
London?
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
There are always lots of conversations going on between Transport
for London, the Mayor and the Department. Transport in London is
devolved to the Mayor of London and TfL, and it is because of
decisions that the Mayor has made that TfL has found itself
saddled with massive debt and unable to deliver infrastructure
projects, leaving it in a weak position even before covid raised
its ugly head. The Government—the UK taxpayer, therefore—have
agreed two extraordinary financing packages for TfL worth over £3
billion to ensure the continuation of public transport services
in this great city.
(Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab) [V]
Greenfield station in my constituency is completely inaccessible.
Anyone with a mobility impairment or young children in a buggy
may be able to get a train from Greenfield to Manchester, but
they would not be able to come back, because they would have to
get over the footbridge to get to the exit, which is impossible.
We have applied for every grant available to us to address this
and we have never been successful. If the Government are
committed to levelling up—there is a lot to level up in the
north—when will the Transport Secretary ensure that my disabled
constituents get a fully accessible station?
As I have said at the Dispatch Box a number of times, we have a
lot to do in getting all our stations accessible. This is a
Victorian network. While 75% of all passenger journeys go through
step-free stations, that means there is a huge number of old
stations that need major improvements. The trans-Pennine route
upgrade is expected to bring major improvements to several
stations along that route, and we are committed to making those
stations directly impacted by the TRU more accessible.
(Havant) (Con) [V]
Flexible season tickets will help commuters from Havant save
money, reflect modern working practices and support our railways
when movement restrictions ease. What work is my hon. Friend
doing with South Western Railway and Southern in particular to
make flexible season tickets a reality in our area?
I thank my hon. Friend for his wise question. We are actively
working with the train operators he mentions and others to
develop a solution that offers better value and convenience for
those who will be commuting flexibly in the future, and we will
provide further details in due course.
(Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)
Taxi drivers in my constituency have gone above and beyond the
call of duty during the pandemic to provide safe and reliable
transport for essential journeys. However, some have been
excluded from the self-employment income support scheme. Will the
Minister commit to providing the financial assistance necessary
to ensure that all taxi drivers are able to keep their businesses
going during these terrible times?
The hon. Lady has raised the issue of self-employed taxi drivers
and the grants they have received during the first three rounds
of the self-employment income support scheme previously. We have
announced several measures that are available to UK businesses,
including the taxi and private hire sector, to support them
through this challenging time, including that scheme. Over the
first three rounds of the scheme, up to £21,570 has been made
available for those eligible, but I will happily speak to her
about those who have fallen through the gap that she mentions to
see what we can do.
(Blackpool South) (Con) [V]
Once the current pandemic is over, many people are predicting a
rise in staycations and domestic tourism, which will be
especially beneficial to Blackpool. However, it will be difficult
for many of my local businesses to take advantage of these
opportunities without the ongoing viability of the coach sector,
which brings thousands of people into Blackpool every single
year. What assistance is my hon. Friend able to provide to this
vital industry going forward?
We all look forward to staycations in Blackpool and maybe the odd
party conference again, with those enjoyable days that some of us
of a certain age used to have there. Coach companies have access
to support measures such as the job retention scheme and bounce
back loans, as well as locally administered funding. When it is
safe to do so, the Government will explore opportunities to open
up business for coach operators.
(Liverpool, Wavertree) (Lab) [V]
The Transport Committee was told yesterday by the chief executive
of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency that work is being
slowed down and that she holds regular meetings with Ministers to
discuss work priorities. Does the Minister really believe that
activities such as processing provisional licences and even
personalised number plates, which I am told are still being
carried out, are priorities for the DVLA during this lockdown?
Does he agree with the Public and Commercial Services Union that
only the most essential work should be happening there right now?
I do agree with the hon. Lady. It is right that only essential
work should be taking place at DVLA, and I will check the reports
she mentions. It is absolutely critical. I pay tribute to the
people ensuring that essential work for key workers, for example
checking databases for the police, has been able to continue. I
appeal to the public to please use online facilities wherever
possible, because that prevents people from needing to go into
the office. I should mention that the UK Government have provided
2,000 lateral flow tests. That is now being expanded to every
single DVLA worker, something the Welsh Government were not
providing, and is helping to protect people now.
(West
Worcestershire) (Con)
The Government’s support for active travel is very much welcomed
by cyclists, walkers and horse riders in West Worcestershire. Is
the Secretary of State speaking to his counterpart in the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to find ways
in which farmers could be incentivised through their agricultural
management plans to contribute to the public good of creating new
greenways like the one proposed from Worcester to Leominster?
The Government are committed to providing an unprecedented £2
billion of dedicated funding for cycling and walking over the
rest of this Parliament. There are a whole host of ways in which
that can be spent. Conversations are going on across Government
about how to support cycling and walking infrastructure in
various areas, including potentially on disused railway lines. I
have seen the benefits of how they can be used in my own
constituency when cycling down the wonderful Brampton Valley Way.
(Bootle) (Lab) [V]
I appreciate the Minister’s response to my hon. Friend the Member
for Sefton Central (), my constituency neighbour, but I think he may have
missed the substantive point my hon. Friend was making. There is
a proposal to rip up Rimrose Valley Park, which is the only
substantive green lung in my very small urban constituency, and
plough a major road through it. Before he puts his signature to
the £300 million-plus cheque to build the road, will he agree to
meet me, my hon. Friend, council colleagues and very worried
friends of Rimrose Valley Park to listen to our fears about the
irreparable and long-term damage to our environment, leisure
opportunities, and the health and safety of our community, and
hear about alternatives to this road, which does not meet the
spirit or aims of the Prime Minister’s 10-point decarbonisation
plan?
Unbelievably, I have actually campaigned politically for my party
in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency in the past; I say
unbelievably because it is one of the safest Labour seats in the
country. I actually think he represents a wonderful part of the
world, with wonderful people, and he represents it well. I will
sort out the meeting with the appropriate Minister on his behalf.
Mr Speaker
I will now come to the final question, from . I am pretty disappointed—topical questions are meant
to be short and punchy. I say to everybody that, in the future,
we have to get through them.
(Buckingham) (Con)
On 6 January, the Transport Committee heard evidence of the
continuing nightmares faced by communities at the hands of HS2
Ltd. What progress has been made on the excellent suggestions
made at the Committee, particularly for a new independent role
with real teeth to hold HS2 Ltd to account?
My hon. Friend modestly mentions the excellent suggestions that I
believe he suggested at the Select Committee on 6 January. HS2
Ltd is meeting some parish councils on 1 March. I know that my
great friend the HS2 Minister is looking forward to ongoing
discussions about the ideas that my hon. Friend raised in that
Select Committee.
