Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) dates on and (b) reports of all recorded (i) safety breaches and (ii) safety incidents involving (A) the Thames Clipper fleet and (B) other passenger boats on the River Thames since 2010.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Operators are required to report certain incidents to the MCA and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). The MCA will liaise with the operator directly and no formal reports are published.
Between the beginning of 2010 and the end of 2018, the MAIB received reports of 44 accidents and incidents on the River Thames in the Greater London area that involved vessels in the Thames Clipper fleet and 190 accidents and incidents involving other passenger vessels on the Thames (excluding large sea-going vessels e.g. cruise ships). Investigations are carried out where the MAIB believes there are lessons for the industry to learn and then publishes reports on its investigations online.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the (a) Royal Botanic Gardens and (b) Historic Royal Palaces to discuss the potential effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats on tourism and visitor numbers at (i) Kew Gardens and (ii) Kew Palace.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.
This process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to proposals from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on older UK passenger boats, what discussions he has had with the (a) Mayor of London and (b) Minister for London on the loss of competition and choice on the tidal River Thames.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor of London and the Minister for London to discuss a range of matters.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is in communication with the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure the effect of the proposals for harmonising safety standards on older and newer passenger vessels is acceptable from the perspective of competition and choice.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what impact assessment his Department (a) has carried out or (b) is proposing on the potential effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats and their potential effect on UK tourism and loss of historic river routes.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.
However, the process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has (a) conducted or (b) plans to conduct an impact assessment on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older Thames passenger boats on (i) tourism in London, (ii) the maintenance of skilled jobs, (iii) the night economy in London and (iv) employment in boatyards.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.
However, the process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties, and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that Hammersmith Bridge can safely reopen as soon as possible.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Maintenance on Hammersmith Bridge is the responsibility of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It is for the Council to determine their road maintenance programme.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities work together in ensuring that key routes between council areas, such as bridges, remain safe and accessible to the public.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Local authorities are independent bodies. Section 108, Part 2 of the Transport Act 2000 (as amended by the Local Transport Act 2008) sets out that each local transport authority must (a) develop policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport to, from and within their area, and (b) carry out their functions so as to implement those policies. The Act also defines transport as, among other things, the transport required to meet the needs of persons living or working in the authority’s area, or visiting or travelling through that area.
The Department collaborates closely with local authorities on a range of issues. However, in London, Transport for London is best placed to facilitate any additional coordination of transport issues between Boroughs that may be considered necessary.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with representatives of Hammersmith and Fulham Council on their prioritising maintenance of repairs of Hammersmith Bridge; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Maintenance on Hammersmith Bridge is a matter for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It is for the Borough to determine their road maintenance priorities. Ministers have not held discussions with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on this matter.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 4 March 2019 from the hon. Member for Richmond Park on Hammersmith Bridge.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
A response to the Hon Member’s letter about Hammersmith Bridge was sent to his office on 10 April.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received assurances from Heathrow Airport that there are no plans to increase landing charges; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Secretary of State has set out a clear expectation that airport charges should remain close to 2016 levels under expansion, and Heathrow Airport Limited has stated that it will seek to meet this challenge. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also confirmed in April 2018 that there are credible scenarios in which landing charges could remain close to 2016 levels in real terms.
As the scheme design and regulatory framework continue to develop, the CAA will scrutinise all proposals for expansion to ensure that, in line with its primary duty, they are in the best interest of the consumer. The CAA has confirmed that this could include a small increase in airport charges if that was required to unlock the wider consumer benefits of expansion.