Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of specialist rail plant used in the maintenance of the rail network.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail is responsible for assessing the availability of specialist rail plant used in maintaining the rail network. It is currently reviewing its long-term equipment requirements for track maintenance and renewals, to ensure that it has the capacity, flexibility, and technology it needs to meet future demand efficiently.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the capital and ongoing operating costs of developing, launching and maintaining the proposed Great British Railways ticketing website and mobile application.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Officials continue to develop the proposition for the Great British Railways app and website. We are engaging with industry on this project and will provide updates in due course.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish the new Road Safety Strategy.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government intends to publish the Road Safety Strategy this year.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what enforcement mechanism will be available to the Office of Rail and Road should Great British Railways breach the new statutory code of practice for ticket retailing anticipated under the Railways Bill.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Great British Railways’ (GBR’s) licence will require it to comply with the code of practice, which will be owned and managed by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR).
To ensure that GBR abides by the rules set out in the code of practice, affected third parties will be able challenge any decisions or actions they consider to be noncompliant, by raising them directly with the ORR. The ORR will be required to investigate and, if it considers that GBR has not complied, it will be able to demand corrective action by issuing binding orders on GBR.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have taken to ensure that Great British Railways will treat all its retail market participants, including the Great British Railways retailing unit, on a fair, equal and non-discriminatory basis.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to a fair and open rail retail market, in which Great British Railways (GBR) will sell tickets alongside, and compete with, independent retailers. Moreover, the retail industry management functions currently performed by the Rail Delivery Group will move to GBR.
To ensure fairness when GBR takes on these functions, the Government has announced a range of safeguards, including an industry code of practice. The code of practice will incorporate clear requirements for how GBR interacts with all market participants and impose separation of decision-making where relevant. It will be owned and managed by the Office of Rail and Road, and GBR’s licence will require compliance with it.