Bus Services: Newcastle Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
(Lab) 1. What assessment he has made of trends in the quality,
availability and accessibility of bus services in Newcastle since
2019. (903132) The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Transport (Mr Richard Holden) In response to the Government’s
national bus strategy, all local transport authorities in England
outside London, including Transport North East, produced bus
service improvement...Request free
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Bus Services: Newcastle
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
1. What assessment he has made of trends in the quality,
availability and accessibility of bus services in Newcastle since
2019. (903132)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ( )
In response to the Government’s national bus strategy, all local
transport authorities in England outside London, including
Transport North East, produced bus service improvement plans.
Following a detailed assessment process, we have awarded TNE an
indicative allocation of £163.5 million to support the delivery
of its BSIP, which covers seven local authorities, including
Newcastle City Council.
In December, ahead of the launch of the Government’s £2 bus fare
on 1 January, I visited the north-east, including Blaydon and
Newcastle, and the Go North East depot. I was pleased to hear
about the work that operators and local transport authorities are
doing to continue to provide bus services for local people in
challenging circumstances.
An elderly man waits two hours in the rain not knowing whether a
bus will turn up. A lone woman is left stranded at 11 pm. A
business cannot open because half of its workforce are delayed on
different bus services. The bus companies say that the services
are improving, but my constituents tell a very different story.
We need accessible, affordable, regular, sustainable bus
services; information about where the buses are; and
accountability when they are not where they should be. How long
do we have to wait?
Mr Holden
I totally agree with the hon. Lady that we need affordable bus
services, which is why we have introduced the £2 cap. She will be
aware that today £19.5 million of levelling-up fund investment
has been announced for her area, including for 52 new electric
buses, supported by 26 rapid chargers in the depots, to help
provide that more regular and reliable service in the future. I
will continue to work with operators to ensure that we have the
drivers we need across the country, including in her constituency
and mine.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
In March 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, the previous
Secretary of State promised buses so frequent that people would
not need a timetable and said that the Government would
“not only stop the decline”—
in bus services, but—
“reverse it”. —[Official Report, 15 March 2021; Vol. 691, c.
50.]
Since then, have bus services increased or decreased?
Mr Holden
The pandemic had a major impact on many bus services across the
country. As the hon. Lady will well know, that included a huge
fall in the number of concessionary fare users and, as people
were having to work from home or were not able to go into the
office, in the number of paid fare users. We have put in more
than £2 billion in support for the bus network since the start of
the pandemic in order to support services.
I repeat that that promise was made in the middle of the
pandemic. Only once before on record, also under a Conservative
Government, have bus numbers fallen by as much as they did last
year. So instead of continuing to defend this broken bus system,
will the Minister extend franchising powers nationwide, remove
the hurdles that operators use to block reform and finally put
power and control over routes and fares into the hands of the
communities who depend on them?
Mr Holden
The hon. Lady will be aware that the BSIPs and the devolution
deals allow franchising powers to go forward, and Labour Mayors,
if they want them, can apply for them. If she wants all of this
across the country, she should speak to some of her Labour
colleagues in order to do that. Some are doing franchising, but a
lot are taking the other alternatives and working in close
partnerships. As for the new buses across the country, perhaps
she could welcome the extra money going into the north-east
today—the 52 extra electric buses in the north-east depot.
Perhaps she could welcome the news of that extra funding
today.
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
2. What assessment he has made of the accessibility of electric
vehicle charging infrastructure. (903133)
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
5. What assessment he has made of the accessibility of electric
vehicle charging infrastructure. (903136)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
As you will know, Mr Speaker, the Government take the issue of
accessibility extremely seriously. With the assistance of wider
research, we have identified specific accessibility barriers
faced by drivers of electric vehicles in using public charge
points. Those can include the height of charge points, charging
cables that are very heavy, the connectors, and street design. To
address those issues, the Government, with Motability,
co-sponsored publicly available standard 1899 in October 2022,
which provides, for the first time, specifications on designing
and installing accessible public charge points.
People who have off-street parking can easily meet the majority
of their EV charging needs at home, but people who do not are
rightly concerned about access to charging. How will the
Government address that issue to ensure that people in Basildon
and Thurrock have equitable access?
My hon. Friend will be aware that Essex County Council has been
able to use ORCS—the on-street residential charge point
scheme—and that there has been support in his area for workplace
charging and the home charge scheme. We want to go much further,
however, and the new local EV infrastructure fund will support
local authorities to do just that. A £10 million LEVI—local
electric vehicle infrastructure—pilot is in operation, which will
deliver more than 1,000 charge points. We will use that as a
springboard for further expansion of the fund.
Councillor Steve Dixon, the portfolio holder at Central
Bedfordshire Council, is a big enthusiast of electric vehicles,
as I am. Earlier this week, he told me that there are some issues
with connectivity to the grid, particularly for the 50 kW
superfast 20-minute chargers, which are especially important for
tradespeople and delivery drivers who need a quick charge-up
during the day. What conversations is the Minister having with
National Grid to ensure that it does not hold us back in this
vital area?
We take this issue extremely seriously. As my hon. Friend is
aware, responsibility lies with the electricity network
operators. Ofgem has allowed baseline funding of more than £22
billion, including the more than £3 billion proposed for network
upgrades. We need to ensure that that money is put in place and
that any blockages are addressed by the distribution network
operators. We are also working closely with fleets and industry
bodies to ensure that we can anticipate problems before they
arise.
(Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
I do not know whether the Minister has been on a long journey in
an electric car, but you can often travel for dozens of
miles—perhaps more than 100—without finding a rapid charger. When
you do get to one, you discover that “rapid charger” is a
misnomer, because National Grid cannot deliver the necessary
power. Even if you get to one that is working, it is often full
because of the number of electric cars now on the road, so you
end up waiting in a queue for half an hour or more. When will the
Government develop a proper national network so that what should
be a pleasant day out for motorists does not mean hours of
planning in advance and then hours of frustration and delay on
the journey?
The hon. Gentleman will be aware that there were very specific
problems over Christmas.
Mr Betts
Not just at Christmas.
We recognise that. Those problems had to do with adverse weather
conditions, as well as with particular concerns of the season,
but there is a wider problem and the hon. Gentleman is right to
mention it. That is why in due course we will promote regulations
that will require 99% reliability and other standards, as well as
transparency across charge points, in order to address some of
the points that he raises.
(Strangford) (DUP)
In Northern Ireland, there are 4,000 electric vehicles and 337
charge points. Central Government have assisted and funded charge
points in the past. People are unable and unwilling to buy an
electric car if there are not enough charge points, so what
discussions has the Minister had with the Department for
Infrastructure in the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that
the number of charge points is increased across the whole of
Northern Ireland?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising the question. I
myself have not recently spoken to the infrastructure board in
Northern Ireland, but I shall make a point of doing so in the
near future.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Sheffield, Brightside and
Hillsborough) (Lab)
This week, I and colleagues hosted leading figures from across
the car industry. They are desperate for the UK to lead the world
in electric vehicles, but they are banging their head against the
wall at the state of the charging infrastructure. In 2019, there
were 33 electric vehicles per rapid charger; today there are
almost 90 vehicles per charger. Given how critical the charging
network is to confidence in the EV market, why on earth are there
yet more delays to the botched roll-out of the rapid charging
fund? Will the Minister consider using binding targets to speed
up the roll-out?
The figures that the hon. Lady has given are a result of the
extremely rapid increase in the number of battery electric
vehicles, which is welcome and is supported by Government policy.
We have supported the provision of more than 400,000 chargers for
homes and businesses in the last few years, and, as I have said,
we take the issue very seriously. We have the LEVI fund and the
rapid charging fund, which I am seeking to accelerate. However, I
appreciate the hon. Lady’s point. It is right for us to continue
to proceed in tandem with the growth in the sector, all the more
so because this year our new zero-emission vehicle mandate will
continue to propel the number rapidly upwards, which I think will
benefit the public greatly.
Protesters: Motorway Disruption
(Dudley North) (Con)
3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce
disruption on motorways caused by protesters. (903134)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
Irresponsible action last year by a number of protesters put the
lives of police, motorists and National Highways staff at risk
and caused travel disruption for thousands. That is completely
unacceptable, which is why my Department worked with National
Highways to secure injunctions allowing a prompt and effective
response. The police and National Highways continue to look at
lessons that can be learned to deter similar protests. As my hon.
Friend will know, on Monday the Prime Minister announced an
amendment to the Public Order Bill giving the police more
flexibility and clarity in respect of when to intervene to stop
the disruptive minority who use tactics such as blocking roads
and slow marching to inflict misery on the public.
When hypocritical wealthy lefties cut off motorways, they are not
just damaging people’s jobs and damaging the economy; they are
potentially killing people by not allowing ambulances and other
blue-light services to pass. Does the Minister agree that we may
be able to help them save the environment by locking them up,
perhaps with the gas and electricity switched off?
Mr Harper
I thank my hon. Friend for putting his question in his own
direct, inimitable way. He will, I hope, be pleased to know that
we are working closely with council and Home Office officials to
ensure that we can follow all legal avenues to pursue those who
are arrested for protest activity. The injunctions mean that we
can take swifter action. The courts obviously have to hand down
the penalties; 13 Insulate Britain protesters received immediate
custodial sentences ranging from 24 days to six months, and
evidence from the gantry protests is being reviewed to support
committal proceedings against more than 50 additional
protesters.
Traffic Flow: Congleton
(Congleton) (Con)
4. What steps his Department is taking to help improve traffic
flow in Congleton constituency. (903135)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ( )
Managing the traffic on local roads is the responsibility of the
local traffic authorities—in this case, Cheshire East Council.
They are subject to a network management duty which requires them
to manage their roads to deliver expeditious movement for all
traffic, including pedestrians. A wide range of tools is already
available to help them to manage congestion and traffic flow.
I was prompted to raise this question by Cheshire East Council.
Can the Minister explain, for the benefit of Holmes Chapel
residents, why the Middlewich Road-Chester Road junction may
require alteration in connection with plans for High Speed 2,
bearing in mind that the planned HS2 route is some distance
away?
Mr Holden
I know how strongly my hon. Friend campaigns on behalf of her
constituents. The A54 Middlewich Road services an emergency
diversion route for the M6. HS2 Ltd and National Highways
identified the need for works on the route to mitigate traffic
impacts forecast at the Chester Road junction during the
construction of HS2, and measures have therefore been developed
to improve the junction. A supplementary environmental statement
for additional provision 1 to the High Speed Rail (Crewe -
Manchester) Bill describes the reasoning behind the inclusion of
this junction improvement, and HS2 is in the process of sharing
the technical work that supports it with the local highways
authority in Chester East. If my hon. Friend is concerned about
any further issues, I invite her to meet me so that we can
discuss them.
Rail Fare Evasion
(Cannock Chase) (Con)
6. What steps he is taking to reduce rail fare evasion.
(903137)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
From 23 January, the Government are increasing National Rail
penalty fares for the first time since 2005. The penalty will
change to £100, plus the price of the single fare to the intended
destination, to act as a greater deterrent and to reduce fare
evasion on the network.
There have been persistent problems on the Chase line with
passengers dodging fares, so I welcome the increase in the
penalty for those caught travelling without a valid ticket, but
if the system is to be effective it is essential for there to be
enough revenue protection officers to catch offenders. What are
the Government doing to ensure that there are enough inspectors
on lines such as the Chase line to check passengers’ tickets?
I thank my right hon. Friend for raising the important issue of
ensuring that resource is available to check tickets on lines
such as the Chase line. Ticketless travel is currently costing
the network, and, indeed, the taxpayer nationally, an estimated
£240 million per year. Back in December 2016, my right hon.
Friend joined the then London Midland revenue protection team.
She later told this House:
“The £20 penalty is insufficient to deter fare
dodging.”—[Official Report, 12 January 2017; Vol. 447, c.
619.]
She went on to ask for a review of penalty fares so that they
would become an effective deterrent. She has won that campaign,
and I thank her for it.
There are nine new revenue protection security managers within
the West Midlands Railway business. They are in training, ready
to be deployed on the Chase line and throughout the midlands.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
In Scotland, peak time rail fares on specific routes are being
disbanded in 2023 to ease commuting costs and encourage use of
services. Have Ministers discussed rolling out a similar scheme
with operators in England, as increased affordability could
reduce fare evasion?
I have a real passion for reducing fare evasion. It is important
that we learn from all parts of the United Kingdom how we can do
this. At a time when we are experiencing issues with financing,
it is vital that we do everything we can to ensure that
passengers pay their way, so I am happy to meet the hon. Lady to
share those ideas. If they are good ideas, I would like to see
them rolled out.
Railway Modernisation
(Bracknell) (Con)
8. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of
modernising the railways. (903140)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
I agree with my hon. Friend that the railway is in urgent need of
modernisation of both its working practices and the way in which
it is structured. The lasting consequences of covid-19,
industrial action and the financial challenges facing the railway
have made the case for reform stronger, and I will shortly set
out the next steps for that reform process.
The South Western Railway line between Bracknell and London
Waterloo is a really important link between Berkshire and London.
Even though passenger numbers are now increasing back to
pre-pandemic levels, South Western Railway’s own figures for
November and December last year are that more than 90% of trains
ran up to 15 minutes late. It is not acceptable. Will my right
hon. Friend the Secretary of State please outline to the House
what he is doing alongside South Western Railway to improve the
service?
Mr Harper
The level of services remains constantly under review. As
passenger numbers increase, both the Department and the operator
can look at that to see whether more needs to be done. On
performance, the operator is contracted to deliver our
operational performance benchmarks, and it is penalised
financially if it delivers below those benchmarks. The Department
has a right to request a mitigation plan if it fails to meet
those benchmarks consistently. Now that my hon. Friend has raised
that with us, we will keep an even closer eye on the performance
of that railway.
(Cardiff South and Penarth)
(Lab/Co-op)
I understand the Secretary of State will be in my constituency
later today to announce the successful £50 million bid, which I
backed alongside Cardiff Council, for improvements to the links
between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay—a crucial missing link in
our rail infrastructure. It is obviously very welcome,
notwithstanding the wider criticisms of the levelling-up scheme.
One of the positive things about the bid is that it involves
close working between the UK Government, the Welsh Government,
the council and Transport for Wales. Will he assure me that he
will work co-operatively with them to get that scheme up and
running as quickly as possible, for the benefit of our local
community?
Mr Harper
I am grateful for the positive tone in which the hon. Gentleman
has welcomed that announcement. Wales will receive the highest
amount of funding per capita from the levelling-up fund under the
announcement that has been made today. I am indeed visiting that
scheme later today and I will meet officials from the council. I
will of course continue to work closely with them to turn the
money into effective transport connectivity as soon as we
can.
(Kettering) (Con)
On average, how much do train drivers get paid and how many
contracted hours are they required to do each week?
Mr Harper
My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I think that about
£60,000 is the average salary and the contracted hours are about
35 per week.
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
TransPennine Express has been habitually using P-codes, which are
for pre-cancelled trains. This means that trains are cancelled at
10 o’clock the previous night. In conjunction with on-day
cancellations, this means that up to a quarter of all services,
including for my constituents travelling from Greenfield, are
cancelled; and on some days it is nearly half. Will the document
that the Secretary of State just mentioned address these
long-term issues, which we have had not just for the past year
but for many years?
Mr Harper
There are two issues. The most important is the level of
performance. The hon. Lady will know that one of the big issues
is the overdependence, particularly on that service, on rest day
working. One of the reasons why we want to modernise working
practices—
That is nothing to do with it.
Mr Harper
It is very much to do with it. The fact that the rest day working
agreement is not being delivered means there is a real problem,
which fundamentally argues the case for reform to working
practices.
On the hon. Lady’s narrower question about transparency in
P-coding, the rail Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for
Bexhill and Battle (), will be meeting the Office of Rail and Road to
discuss exactly that issue, to ensure that passengers have a
transparent understanding of rail performance.
Rail Service Improvements
(Carshalton and Wallington)
(Con)
9. What steps he is taking to improve rail services.(903141)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The current sustained poor performance on the railways is
unacceptable, and the industry needs to make significant
improvements to deliver the punctual, reliable services that
passengers and taxpayers deserve. We are addressing immediate
issues in the sector by engaging and facilitating discussions
between employers and trade unions to bring about a resolution to
the industrial dispute. As the Secretary of State said, the
Government will shortly set out the next steps for reform of the
rail industry.
I welcome the Minister’s comments, but rail services in
Carshalton and Wallington are still not back to pre-pandemic
levels, and there are regular delays, industrial action and
timetable changes by Southern and Thameslink. What steps is my
hon. Friend taking to unblock the Croydon bottleneck, which is
the real cause of congestion in south London, and to improve rail
services for Carshalton, Wallington, Hackbridge and Carshalton
Beeches commuters?
As a user of Southern for many years before I switched to
Southeastern, I understand my hon. Friend’s points. I thank him
for standing up for his constituents who use the services. The
Department remains committed to working with Govia Thameslink
Railway and Network Rail to address performance issues. Peak
service provision for Carshalton and Wallington users is at
pre-pandemic levels, although passenger numbers remain lower. I
take his overall point about the entire service. I also share his
desire to see improvements delivered for rail services in the
south-east. For this reason, we have recently implemented
upgrades to the track and signalling north of Gatwick airport,
which will deliver journey time savings and improved reliability
across the Brighton main line.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
Back in November 2021, the integrated rail plan confirmed that
there would be a study on running high-speed trains between East
Midlands Parkway and Leeds via Sheffield. Fourteen months on, not
only has the work not been done, but the terms of reference have
not even been agreed. Ukraine and Romania have just reopened a
train line in six months during a war. I ask the Minister to look
carefully at what more can be done to expedite this work so we
can get this vital rail corridor working in the way we all
want.
I am aware that the study needs to get out so we can look at how
to get High Speed 2 trains up to Leeds, and so we can look at the
other impacts on Leeds. There have been discussions in the
Department this week about how to move that forward. I expect the
report to be out very shortly.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
(Milton Keynes South)
(Con)
My hon. Friend the rail Minister will be aware that services on
the Marston Vale line serving my constituency are currently
suspended because Vivarail, which maintains the rolling stock,
has gone into administration. The replacement bus service is far
from ideal, which is causing significant difficulties for my
constituents, especially young people going to school and
college. Will my hon. Friend assure me that he is doing
everything he can to ensure the earliest possible reinstatement
of that rail service?
The Chair of the Select Committee has raised this point on a
number of occasions, and he is right to do so. It is incredibly
sad to see Vivarail, which is pursuing good, innovative
technology, have to go into administration. I am keen to work
with him to ensure that West Midlands Railway puts on a service
as soon as possible. Together we will look into whether
contractors can contract into West Midlands Railway and whether
those contractors have the essential skills that are needed. I
will work with him in partnership to ensure that his constituents
have that service back up and running.
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
Under Southeastern’s new timetable, my Blackheath constituents
have had significant changes made to their journey, which were
imposed on them without consultation. There are also far too many
disruptions to trains at Catford Bridge. Last month, the Rail
Minister promised to visit more train stations to see how the
timetable was impacting customers. Will he honour that commitment
to visit Blackheath station, speak to the service users and agree
to review the train disruptions at Catford Bridge?
Yes, I visit many of those stations because my train comes along
many of the Southeastern routes once I leave Etchingham and head
towards London Bridge. I am aware of changes that have taken
place, which mean that some passengers must change at London
Bridge if they wish to go on to Waterloo East and Charing Cross.
London Bridge is an accessible station that has been built with
that type of movement in mind. Furthermore, the timetable change
happened on 11 December. Since then, a series of events related
to weather and industrial action have made it rather difficult to
assess whether the changes are working. [Interruption.] They
impact my line, so while there is some chuntering going on, I
share the concerns and am keen to make the changes work.
(New Forest West) (Con)
When will services be restored on the mainline between Waterloo
and Southampton?
I am happy to write to my right hon. Friend on that matter. I am
not sure whether he is referring to landslips and recent
weather-related events, but Network Rail is working incredibly
hard to deliver. Perhaps I can update the entire House by putting
in the Library a letter with the most recent update.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
The Minister will be very much aware of the chaos that customers
experience on the Avanti West Coast line. What assurances can he
give me that Avanti will not be given yet another extension on
the extension that should never have been given in the first
place as this chaos continues?
The most important thing for me is to make sure that the service
is turned around. If the team at Avanti can turn that service
around, then that will be a matter that we will look at when it
comes to renewal of the contract. If matters within its control
cannot be turned around, then of course that will lead to a
different decision. Again, the timetable change of 11 December is
difficult to assess, but it has involved 40% more services than
in the summer, and all of that has taken place without rest-day
working, because more drivers have been recruited and trained. I
hope the hon. Member will join me in encouraging everyone at
Avanti to deliver on that extended service. If it succeeds then
we all succeed, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker
Just to say that the Minister ought to try travelling on the
line, because it is an absolute disgrace.
(Aldridge-Brownhills)
(Con)
Key to improving services is actually providing services, as the
rail Minister will be aware, and schemes such as Restoring Your
Railway reversing the Beeching cuts. Will my hon. Friend continue
to work with me and West Midlands Mayor to deliver a station for
Aldridge? The track is there. Mr Speaker, we must be one of the
few constituencies across the country that currently has no train
station at all.
Mr Speaker
It must be.
My right hon. Friend makes a great campaign point, which I hear.
Mayor met the Secretary of State for
Transport this week. We are passionate to ensure that we can
deliver the services that she needs in her constituency and that
are needed across the midlands as a whole.
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
My constituents learned today that they will not be receiving a
Cullompton relief road as a result of the second round of
levelling-up funding. They still have great hopes for easing
congestion through the reopening of the Cullompton railway
station, which is already in receipt of Restoring Your Railway
funding. Will the Minister come to Cullompton to see the merits
of the proposal?
I am keen to visit as many projects and potential projects as I
can to help see the potential and how we can realise it. When I
am in that part of the country, I would be very happy to visit.
On the levelling-up fund bid, as somebody who was disappointed
first time around but has managed to get better news the second
time, I would encourage the hon. Member to continue to apply. If
one works hard with people of all political colours in the local
community, one will be amazed by what can happen.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Slough) (Lab)
Neither passengers nor hard-working staff are happy with the
lamentable state of our railways on this Government’s watch. They
have bumped up ticket prices twice as fast as wages have grown,
yet passengers are experiencing delays and cancellations to most
services at Britain’s busiest stations, with experts declaring
that our rail system is broken. So what is their plan to fix the
mess they have made? If the Financial Times is correct, their big
solution is to impose even more devastating funding cuts of more
than 10% on train operators. Forget managed decline: in 2023 it
looks more like freefall decline. Rather than this veil of
secrecy over steep service cuts, can the Minister confirm how
much of a cut he is imposing?
The hon. Gentleman will be aware that passenger numbers are at
about 80% of where they were pre-pandemic. The timetable is at
about 90%, so it continues to run ahead of passenger numbers.
Taxpayers more broadly have put in £31 billion over the last two
years to support the railway, and there will be a further £11
billion required for the year to come. We have a balance between
those who use the railways, continuing to ensure that they can do
so, and those who fund the railways and the difficulties they
have in meeting their tax bills. I look forward to his optimism
and enthusiasm in working with me to ensure that railway services
improve, as I am determined they will.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
North) (SNP)
Cross-border rail services run by Avanti and Transpennine Express
have been shambolic. Last week alone, Transpennine Express
could not point to a single day when it ran the emergency
timetable it had promised. On two days, Avanti had only one and
two trains on time the entire day running out of Glasgow Central.
In contrast, publicly-owned LNER was running a much better
service. Is there not a lesson here that the private sector model
has failed both workers and passengers and it is time to follow
Scotland’s lead and bring rail operators under public
control?
Perhaps another way of looking at it is that on the east coast
there is competition with open access, whereas on the west coast
there is not. The hon. Gentleman might feel that we are not doing
enough on private enterprise and competition. I am rather keen
that we look at open access and see whether we can do on the west
what has been done on the east. However, he is right that
performance has not been good enough. I take your point on
Avanti, Mr Speaker; your interventions inspire me to ensure that
my weekly meetings on turning around Avanti performance
continue—but if that performance is being turned around, I must
say a big thank you to the staff who work on the Avanti services
day in, day out, because we need to motivate them that this can
work. TPE is a little further behind and I think we will be
discussing it further. I am keen to work with the hon. Gentleman
to get better services on TPE.
ScotRail, which is publicly owned and controlled, pays the
highest track access charges of any single rail operator, despite
repeated requests to complete rail devolution and transfer
control of Network Rail to Holyrood. Meanwhile, the Transport
Committee heard last week from Mick Lynch, who said:
“When there is a Network Rail strike, they shut Scotland and
large parts of Wales. They choose to run the parts that connect
to England.”
Does the Minister agree that Scottish rail passengers get a
second-class service in this UK system? Is it not time that he
turned over responsibilities to a Government who have recently
settled two rail disputes?
When there is industrial action on the scale that we have seen
impacting Network Rail, we implement the key route strategy,
which sees about 20% of the network remain open. That can be
patchy, because we tend to focus on the areas that are
strategically important for freight. That is our driving
mechanism for determining when lines open. I would like to see
more open, and of course there may be legislation around the
corner that will allow that to occur—the hon. Gentleman will no
doubt be happy with that outcome.
Transport Infrastructure: Adequacy and Sustainability
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
10. What recent assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy and
(b) long-term sustainability of transport
infrastructure.(903143)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
In November 2020 the Government published the national
infrastructure strategy that set out our long-term plans for
addressing Britain’s infrastructure needs and challenges. Those
plans include continued developments of our road and rail
networks across the UK, including in Scotland. The levelling-up
fund will play a key role in helping to reduce geographical
disparities. To that end, the second round of the fund, announced
today, will see £177 million awarded to Scotland, including three
transport schemes.
The specific point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for
Paisley and Renfrewshire North () a moment ago was not
addressed. For years, Scotland has paid the highest track access
charges of any single train operator: £354 million per year—over
£200 million more than northern rail, with broadly similar
services by distance travelled. Scotland is making huge strides
in decarbonisation and sustainability, as well as bringing
ScotRail back under public control, but this is a huge cost and
reduces capacity to increase infrastructure investment. Why are
Scottish taxpayers quite literally being taken for a ride by the
Department for Transport compared with their counterparts across
the border?
Mr Harper
I am disappointed; I missed the hon. Lady’s thanks for the £177
million awarded to Scotland from the levelling-up fund today. It
would have been nice if she had managed to recognise the fact
that that money is being distributed fairly across the whole
United Kingdom. Some of the issues about connectivity between
England and Scotland and across the United Kingdom were addressed
at length in previous questions. We are working very hard to make
sure there is a successful rail network, to reduce the impacts of
industrial action. On the question that the hon. Member for
Paisley and Renfrewshire North raised about what happens on
strike days, it is very important that we have minimum service
levels, and I hope the hon. Lady will support that
legislation.
TransPennine Express: Operational Performance
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
11. Whether he has had discussions with Transpennine Express on
its recent operational performance.(903144)
(Stockport) (Lab)
13. Whether he has had discussions with Transpennine Express on
its recent operational performance.(903147)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
The Department, which manages the TPE contract in partnership
with Transport for the North through the Rail North Partnership,
is in regular dialogue with the operator, as we seek to stabilise
the current service provision and provide passengers with a
reliable timetable. Due to high levels of absence, industrial
action and much higher than predicted driver departures, TPE will
continue to face challenges, even as it restores some
services.
How is it that in Ukraine—war-torn Ukraine—they manage to cancel
fewer trains and have a more reliable service than Transpennine Express?
Is it not now time to cancel the Transpennine Express
contract?
The contract for Transpennine Express
comes up for renewal in May. Anybody who takes that contract on
will be faced with the exact same issues we have. Sickness rates
are currently at 14%. We have no rest-day working agreement in
place, despite it previously being the highest rate offered
across the network. A number of drivers have left, some during
covid, and while 113 drivers have been recruited, it takes on
average 18 months to train a driver through that network. All
those issues remain to be fixed, regardless of who the operator
will be. I can assure the right hon. Lady that if the operation
does not improve, other decisions will be taken in addition to
the points I have just raised.
Mr Speaker, as a north-west MP, you will be aware of the
disgraceful service level offered by Avanti. My constituents have
to deal with Transpennine Express on
the one hand and also Avanti, so it is a double whammy for the
people of Stockport. It has recently been revealed that between
18 September and 12 November 2022, Transpennine Express
pre-cancelled between 250 and 450 trains per week through the use
of P-coded notices, meaning that thousands of people were left
stranded. P-coded notices were first introduced for cancellations
caused by exceptional circumstances but now appear to be used
routinely by private rail operators. Does the Minister agree that
this is an abuse of the P-coded notice system, and has he been
speaking to Transpennine Express
about that abuse?
As the Secretary of State said earlier, I will be speaking to the
Office of Rail and Road about P-coding, because I feel it needs a
good look. P-coding makes a lot of sense, to ensure that
passengers are told on the day they travel whether the train will
be operating. If rosters have not been put together because of
staff shortages, that makes absolute sense, but the current
levels on TPE give me concern, so I assure the hon. Gentleman
that I will look at that. P-coding has been used a lot across the
network due to the weather-related issues, where we have known
that we cannot operate services the following day and want to let
passengers know in advance. Finally, I assure him that
performance-related fees, which take up the largest part of train
operator payments, do of course take into account P-coding, as we
would with other cancellations.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)
The Minister must surely agree that this is simply not good
enough. In November, he assured us that the new timetable would
be deliverable. This week, the results are in and the service has
never been worse. This morning alone, at least 123 services have
been cancelled or disrupted on Transpennine Express.
He cannot pretend that the management are blameless in this
farce. The north cannot afford to continue like this any longer,
so will he strip Transpennine Express of
its contract and bring it under the operator of last resort?
The operator of last resort does a great job, but I also hear
criticisms from Members across the House with regard to Northern
Rail, which also has higher than average cancellations, and
Northern Rail is operated by the operator of last resort. I am
also keen to ensure that the operator of last resort has a
manageable portfolio. Nothing I have said in the House today or
in the Select Committee yesterday absolves the management of any
blame. I have said that this situation requires action from all
in responsible positions, and if it cannot be turned around,
decisions will be made.
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency: Performance
(Orkney and Shetland)
(LD)
12. What recent assessment he has made of the performance of the
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. (903146)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ( )
The DVSA is recovering after the pandemic. The theory test
service is performing well. There are 620,000 practical test
appointments in the booking system. Since April 2021, the DVSA
has created an extra 695,000 car practical driving test
appointments and the average waiting time to take a car test is
at 15.1 weeks, with more than 80,000 slots currently available.
The average waiting time for an HGV or other vocational driving
test is currently just over two weeks. The heavy vehicle testing
service is operating normally and enforcement operations
continued throughout the pandemic.
Mr Carmichael
If the Minister were to go online to book a test in my
constituency today, he would find that in Shetland, the earliest
date is 18 weeks away and in Orkney, there are no test dates
available. That is quite apart from the continued lack of
availability of off-road motorcycle testing. The history of the
DVSA in Orkney and in Shetland in particular in recent years has
been frankly pitiful. When it comes to the next performance
appraisal interview with the chief executive of the DVSA, could
the Minister prevail upon her to find a day or two to come north
and see for herself the effect that her stewardship has had on
our communities?
Mr Holden
My understanding is that in Shetland, the average waiting time is
18 weeks, but in Orkney the waiting time is significantly less. I
do not understand the discrepancy between us, so I shall write to
the right hon. Member about that. I was surprised that he did not
also welcome the £26.7 million that has just been announced today
for transport funding for the Shetland Islands Council for the
Fair Isle infrastructure project, showing how much this
Government are investing in his constituency.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Notwithstanding the answer that my hon. Friend just gave,
multiple constituents have written to me this week about the
inability to get a driving test. One said that despite logging on
daily, they cannot get a test at all in nearby test centres at
Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Banbury or Northampton.
For rural communities like those I represent, the car is
essential for people, young or old, to get anywhere, so when my
hon. Friend talks to the DVSA, will he prioritise test centres
for rural communities to get back on track?
Mr Holden
I also represent a rural constituency, although in a different
part of the country. What I would say to my hon. Friend is that
we have made big progress in recent years, with more than 300,000
new slots available due to the extra 300 driving examiners we
have hired since the pandemic. Waiting lists are coming down for
driving tests, and rapidly, and we hope to achieve pre-pandemic
levels within the next few months.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wakefield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Nationwide, almost one in 10 bus driver positions is vacant,
hitting vital services across the country hard, but Ministers are
asleep at the wheel, with no action plan to tackle it. Currently,
the DVSA requires a provisional bus licence to start training,
but with huge paperwork delays, 20% of applicants give up before
their training begins. Will the Minister listen to calls to speed
up this glacial process to allow applicants to begin their theory
tests while they wait for their provisional licences?
Mr Holden
The Opposition spokesperson raises an important point that I have
been raising myself. I have spoken to both the unions and the
management during recent visits to Stevenage and Gateshead bus
depots. There is an under three-week wait for practical driving
tests for bus drivers. We are looking to do everything we can to
speed that up. On a recent visit to the Gateshead depot I was
told that at the start of the pandemic they had more than 150
vacancies. They are now down to under 20. We are seeing massive
progress across the country. I want us to do everything we can to
go further, which is why we have increased the number of driving
tests, and during the pandemic we prioritised both HGV drivers
and passenger transport drivers. I will continue to do everything
I can in that space.
Topical Questions
(Dover) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(903157)
The Secretary of State for Transport ( )
Following today’s £2.1-billion levelling-up fund announcement, I
would like to briefly update the House about its transport
aspect. Through your decision making, Mr Speaker, you have
allowed Members the opportunity to range more widely. I am sure
that Ministers at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities are grateful to you for the opportunity they will
have to be at the Dispatch Box later today.
Nearly £650 million will be spent across 26 projects to help to
create a transport system that is modern, efficient, and
accessible to everyone across four nations. As we touched on in
earlier questions, that includes more than 15 new electric buses
in the north-east and the new metro line in the heart of Cardiff
which, as Members know from our earlier exchanges, I will visit
later today. Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in the
entire United Kingdom. As the hon. Member for Cardiff South and
Penarth () said, I hope that it is
rightly welcomed by both sides of the House.
Mrs Elphicke
When there are delays at the port of Dover, whether due to
weather, strikes or the French, the impact on local jobs,
businesses and residents is absolutely enormous. I welcome the
£45-million levelling-up fund investment in our local campaign to
keep Dover clear. I thank my right hon. Friend for that. Will he
join me in thanking the Conservative leaders of Kent County
Council and Dover District Council, and the excellent leadership
at the port of Dover?
Mr Speaker
Order. This is topical questions. Other colleagues want to get
in. Tell me who you do not want to get in, because that is who
you are depriving.
Mr Harper
I will give a pithy answer. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for
all her campaigning work. Dover is a strategic port for the
United Kingdom. This project will ensure that we can meet our
requirements and keep that flow of trade and traffic going. I am
pleased that we have been able to get that money to help the port
of Dover.
(Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
(SNP)
T2. The Law Society of Scotland, the RMT and others have all
expressed concerns about the Seafarers’ Wages Bill only covering
services that dock in our port 120 times a year. That threshold
is so high that several services will not be covered. Why will
the Minister not listen to their concerns and reduce that
threshold, thereby protecting more seafarers?(903158)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport ( )
My understanding is that around 98% of services will be covered
by the Bill, including the short straits services around which
there have been concerns about P&O.
(Milton Keynes North)
(Con)
T3. Despite more than £2 billion of support for buses from the
Government during the pandemic, my right hon. Friend will be
aware that the well-used and popular route 41 has suffered a
massive reduction of service across my constituency. The local
authority was made aware of plans to reduce the service in May
2022. However, my constituents still do not have a replacement
service and are unable to access healthcare, jobs and education.
Will my right hon. Friend meet me urgently to work out what more
we can do to encourage local authorities to keep those vital bus
services going?(903160)
Mr Holden
I am always delighted to meet my hon. Friend. He will be aware
that under our bus service improvement plans we are ensuring that
local authorities and transport providers work more closely
together. We provided more than £2 billion during the pandemic,
as he says. I would be delighted to meet him and his constituents
on this matter.
(Birkenhead) (Lab)
T4. Cuts to local bus services have left some of the most
deprived communities in my constituency, including the Beechwood
and Noctorum estates, effectively cut off from the wider Wirral
at evenings and weekends. Many constituents now find it almost
impossible to reach Arrowe Park Hospital by public transport.
Will the Minister commit to increasing funding for local
transport authorities so they can guarantee that no one is left
behind by cuts to local services? Will he commit to a review of
the Bus Service Act 2017, to allow the creation of municipal bus
services that serve the needs of local communities?(903161)
Mr Holden
My understanding is that talks are already under way about a
franchising service in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. We have
already provided an extra £60 million over these three months for
the £2 maximum fare cap, which will particularly help low-paid
working people who regularly use buses to get to work.
Sir (South Swindon) (Con)
T5. The commitment in the Williams-Shapps plan to reform the
structure of rail fares has particular resonance for commuters in
Swindon, who have historically endured disproportionately high
rail fares for journeys to London compared with those in Didcot,
Bath and Bristol. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that, in
any forthcoming legislation, those plans will be brought to
fruition? Is the Treasury supportive of them?(903162)
Mr Harper
I am grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend for his
question, particularly his reference to our important plan for
rail and the necessary reform. As I said, I will set out those
plans in more detail shortly, but he should be reassured that we
want to simplify the current complicated ticketing strategy while
protecting more affordable tickets. I hope he will be pleased
about that.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
T6. The impact assessment for the anti-strikes Bill stated that
on a strike day last year, 20% of rail services were still
operational. Clearly, the Tories think that 20% is too low, but
to a layman, that is a minimum service. What minimum service will
they impose on workers under threat of sack?(903163)
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
We have already written to our stakeholders and we will be
launching a consultation. The results of that consultation, in
terms of how the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill would work
across the network and whether we would look at a proportion of
the timetable or parts of the network, will be determined only
when it has been completed. That is the right way to take the
process forward.
Mr Speaker
On his birthday, I call .
(South Cambridgeshire)
(Con)
T8. Thank you, Mr Speaker—I could not imagine being anywhere more
joyful than in the Chamber. The Liberal Democrat and Labour
authorities in Cambridgeshire are introducing the country’s most
draconian congestion charge, but they claim that they are being
forced to do that by the Department for Transport, which
supposedly rejected Cambridgeshire’s bid for bus funding because
they were not committed to road charging. Can my right hon.
Friend the Secretary of State confirm that that is untrue and
that the Department did not require Cambridgeshire to commit to
congestion charging to secure bus funding?(903165)
Mr Harper
I am happy to confirm that bus funding has never been linked to
road charging. A disagreeable pattern seems to be emerging where
Labour politicians, backed by the Liberal Democrats, are not
being entirely straightforward with the people they represent
about road pricing schemes. I am pleased that my hon. Friend is
holding them to account, even on his birthday.
(Barnsley East) (Lab)
T7. The north has one third of the levelling-up funding, yet
train and bus services are a fraction of what they were. Every
train service between Barnsley and Manchester is cancelled or
delayed today and it takes two buses to get from neighbouring
Rotherham to Elsecar. Can the Minister explain to my
constituents, who simply cannot rely on public transport, how he
can possibly think that the Government are levelling
up?(903164)
Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Government are
levelling up. If one looks at it from a per-population
perspective, one will see that the areas are not London or the
south-east, but further north and in Wales. We are proud to level
up all areas. Many of the amounts that are going to areas involve
transport, and we in the Department for Transport are all proud
to play our part to ensure that those projects are delivered and
work for communities across the United Kingdom.
(Kettering) (Con)
T9. In thanking the roads Minister for visiting Kettering in
December to promote the £2 bus fare scheme, I ask him when
National Highways will complete its planning development work on
the proposed junction 10A on the A14 at Kettering so that it can
be submitted for potential inclusion in road investment strategy
3?(903166)
Mr Holden
I was delighted to visit Kettering—in fact, it was the same day
that I visited Gateshead—and to see such great coverage in the
Northamptonshire Telegraph, which is Northamptonshire’s paper of
record. My hon. Friend is an ever-passionate advocate for his
constituency and for the proposals to improve the A14. I can
confirm that National Highways is considering proposals for
junction 10A of the A14 as part of the RIS3 pipeline. Those
proposals will be considered alongside a further 30 schemes in
the pipeline this year as candidates for potential inclusion in
the scheme.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
This week, there were media reports that an 87-year-old south
London resident has been unable to attend her hospital
appointments since Southeastern made changes and cuts to its
timetable. My social media is inundated with complaints of
overcrowding, cancellations and continual delays on Southeastern
services. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of
the new timetable on reliability?
I welcome, and I congratulate the hon. Member on, the £19 million
that has been provided by the levelling-up fund to Lewisham. I am
looking forward to visiting her to talk to her and her community
groups about the issues she raises. Southeastern has had
considerable issues with weather-related matters, industrial
action and Network Rail asset improvements. [Interruption.] I
know that, unlike the Members talking to me, because I am on a
Southeastern line.
(Gedling) (Con)
Tomorrow, I will be meeting Nottingham City Transport to discuss
the new £2 single bus fare. Does my hon. Friend agree with me
that—coupled with the recent £11.4 million grant to Nottingham to
support bus services, including the Lime Line services and 53 and
39 buses that run through my constituency—there is no better time
for Gedling residents to take the bus for work and leisure?
Mr Holden
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. The £2 bus fare cap is
not only innovative in helping people save money on their regular
transport costs, but helping to take 2 million car journeys off
our roads. There are 4,600 routes across England in the scheme,
including the 44 bus from Nottingham and the 53 and 39 buses. I
look forward to visiting my hon. Friend very soon.
(City of Chester) (Lab)
The Conservatives’ promise of great bus services for everyone
everywhere is clearly another empty promise. The Minister was
right that the only way to solve this is through the devolution
of powers and funds to places such as Chester. Will he therefore
urge the Secretary of State to take seriously the devolution bid
put forward by Cheshire and Warrington, so that we can get buses
going where Cestrians need them?
Mr Holden
We always look forward to working with local authorities on
whatever plans they bring forward, but I remind the hon. Lady
that this Government put in over £2 billion of support during the
pandemic. We are trying to drive the crucial ridership that will
ensure services are sustainable in the long term via the £2 bus
fare scheme, which I am sure she will be promoting in her
constituency. It has been really good news to see Cheshire West
and Chester Council getting an extra £13.3 million today from the
levelling-up fund.
(Stroud) (Con)
I am working with the Stonehouse company BorgWarner in Stroud to
raise the profile of hydrogen combustion engines and the need to
ensure that they are considered compliant with the upcoming
zero-emission vehicle mandate and vehicle requirements from 2035.
Will my right hon. Friend agree to visit this important local
provider of hundreds of skilled jobs and apprenticeships to learn
more about its world-leading work?
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ()
I thank my hon. Friend very much for her question. She is
absolutely right that hydrogen is a key component of the full
decarbonisation of transport—not just heavier transport, but
aviation and maritime. I would be delighted to come and visit
her.
(Ogmore) (Lab)
The levelling-up fund bid for Pencoed level crossing was rejected
this morning on the grounds that the spend could not be done in
this year. Rail Minister after Rail Minister have promised me and
my borough council that this was the key way to get that level
crossing closed and unleash the potential of increased services.
Will the Rail Minister meet me so that we can resolve this and
get the much-needed funding for my constituency?
I would be absolutely delighted to meet the hon. Member. I am
sorry for the disappointment he receives on behalf of his
community, and I will do everything I can to work with him to
make sure that the level crossing is safer.
(Sedgefield) (Con)
Building on the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling
() about the £2 bus fare, I am
delighted to see it. However, for my Cornforth constituents, the
bus no longer exists to Spennymoor, where the supermarket is, so
they actually have to take two buses, changing at Ferryhill. What
can be done to help such constituents, and will the Minister meet
me to discuss this in more detail?
Mr Holden
I am always delighted to meet my hon. Friend and constituency
neighbour. He will be aware that the enhanced partnership put
forward by the Labour North East Joint Transport Committee is
currently looking at the BSIP as well. I hope to work with him
not only on that, but on the broader regional transport issues of
which I know he has been a major champion since he was elected in
2019.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
Reddish South and Denton stations are served by just one train a
week. This line is the subject of a restoring your railway
business case, but it is all coming down to the crossover with
the west coast main line at Heaton Norris junction, just north of
Stockport. Can I have a meeting with the Rail Minister so we can
highlight the case of this line for growth in south-east
Manchester and get train services to Denton and Reddish
South?
The answer to that is yes, and may I thank all Members I have met
who have come up with great ideas of simple timetable changes
that can benefit communities and rail patronage? The hon.
Gentleman’s idea may be one good example and I will be happy to
meet him.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
As my hon. Friend will know, National Highways has now submitted
a development consent order on the construction of the lower
Thames crossing. Who will be assessing the accuracy across
Government of the benefit-cost ratio, and who will make the final
decision on whether the £10 billion-plus-plus-plus budget still
represents value for money?
Mr Holden
My hon. Friend will understand that I cannot comment further
while the DCO process is ongoing. The LTC is a major transport
infrastructure project and I am happy to meet with him and other
hon. Members interested in this, as is the Secretary of State; it
is a major piece of infrastructure investment and we need to get
it right.
Sir (Rhondda) (Lab)
When will the Secretary of State sort out the Rhondda tunnel, in
particular the money for it? When is he going to come to the
Rhondda—it is not very far from the Forest of Dean—so that I can
dangle him down my hole?
Mr Harper
This is my first opportunity to congratulate the hon. Gentleman
on his recently announced honour in the new year’s honours list
for his long service in this House. He has raised this specific
question on the tunnel with me before; either I or the rail
Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle
(), will meet him to look at what we can do to bring
that forward.
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