Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 58 section 8.48 of the 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy, and the commitment to explore by 2020 the feasibility of amending legislation to recognise the use of cycles as a mobility aid to increase the number of disabled people cycling, what steps he has taken to fulfil that commitment; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
A feasibility review has now been completed and the Department is taking forward a number of actions. These include a planned trial of permit schemes in some local authority areas as part of an Active Travel Social Prescription Pilot which the Department will be rolling out shortly; further policy and data analysis to understand the scale of the problem for disabled cyclists; and exploring options for amending legislation. Further advice will be sought from relevant stakeholders as part of the development of the Active Travel Social Prescription Pilot.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how long the backlog is at the DVLA for HGV licence applications; how many staff currently process HGV licence applications; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of staff resources available to tackle application delays; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
On 22 September, there were 56,144 applications for vocational driving licences awaiting processing. These are a mix of first applications for a provisional vocational licence and renewals and include those applying for entitlement to drive both HGVs and buses. It is not possible to separate them out.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is prioritising applications for provisional vocational licences so these drivers can take their training quickly. Applications for provisional vocational licences are currently being processed within around 10 days of receipt.
It is important to note that the majority of those applying to renew their vocational licence will be able to continue to drive while their application is being processed.
It is not possible to specify how many staff are working on applications for HGV licences as most Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) operational roles require employees to carry out a range of tasks.
The DVLA continues to explore opportunities to reduce turnaround times for paper applications. Extra staff have been recruited and the DVLA is seeking extra office space to house more staff to help reduce backlogs and provide future resilience and business continuity.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what type of covid-19 test someone should take on day 2 of arrival back in the UK from a green or amber list country in the event that, prior to travelling, they have contracted and recovered from covid-19 in the previous 90 days; if he will set out the rationale for the type of test required; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The UK does not accept recent recovery from Covid-19 as proof of immunity. All passengers are currently required to take a PCR test on arrival in the UK, as PCR tests ensure that positive results can be genomically sequenced to prevent the importation of variants of concern. The government will continue to review the testing measures in place, with the next Checkpoint review taking place later this month.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to allocate additional funding to improve disability access at (a) Moulsecoomb, (b) Preston Park Road and (c) other railway stations that did not receive funding under the last round of Access for All programme funding; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
We are in the process of setting the funding envelopes for the next rail control period (2024-29). When further funding is available, any station without an accessible route into the station and to all platforms will be a potential candidate.
Further measures to improve rail accessibility were included in the recent rail reform White Paper.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's consultation on managing pavement parking that closed on 22 November 2020, when his Department plans to publish its response to that consultation; whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend existing pavement parking legislation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department received over 15,000 responses to the consultation. We are carefully considering the consultation findings and the results will inform our policy decisions. We will be publishing a response when we have completed this work, which is a priority.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the benefits and savings available to commuters travelling from Brighton to London and back in a day using (a) a flexible season season ticket and (b) single tickets with a network card; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The flexible season ticket is a national product, priced to provide better value and convenience for commuters travelling two to three days a week.
For most 2 and 3 day a week commuters, the flexible season ticket will offer savings against buying daily tickets or traditional seasons, provided that they are following this commuting pattern.
For those with different commuting patterns, existing tickets such as traditional seasons or dailies may be the best choice.
Commuters should always consider which product best suits their journey and travel pattern. This is easier than ever with the updated season ticket calculator.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a transfer of responsibility for litter clearance for all All-Purpose Trunk Roads in all local authority areas to Highways England on (a) the environmental impact of roadside litter and (b) access arrangements for maintenance.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department is working closely with Highways England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to determine the potential effects of any transfer of responsibility for roadside litter clearance on All-Purpose Trunk Roads from Local Authorities to Highways England, in relation to cost, effectiveness of litter clearance and safe access for regular road maintenance. This work is ongoing.
It is important to take a proportionate, evidence-based approach which recognises the pressures on Local Authority resources and costs associated with roadside litter clearance, especially considering the pressures which they have faced in the last year. At present, the Department has no plans to transfer responsibility of litter clearance of All-Purpose Trunk Roads on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) to Highways England.
DEFRA is due to publish a roadside litter report on All-Purpose Trunk Roads shortly and this may inform future work in reallocating responsibility for managing relevant cleaning activities from any Local Authority that is not fulfilling its statutory duties on the road network.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2021 to Question 4576, if he will make it his policy to bring forward publication of the final prices for flexible season tickets; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The new flexible season tickets will go on-sale on 21 June, and become available for use on 28 June. Tickets will go on sale a week in advance to provide passengers enough time to consider the best option for them before planning travel.
A new season ticket calculator will be available for passengers to check the best value option for their travel plan.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the prices of the new flexible carnet tickets announced on 20 May have not been announced; on what date those prices will be published; for what reasons the tickets can be bought on 21 June 2021 but cannot be used for travel until seven days later; and what assessment he has made of the ability of (a) commuters (b) employers to plan for a safe return to work for people who have been working from home during the covid-19 outbreak without full information on flexible commuting costs.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As announced on 20 May, alongside the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, the Government is introducing new flexible season tickets across England this year, with the new tickets going on sale on 21 June, and becoming available for use on 28 June.
Tickets will go on sale a week in advance to provide passengers enough time to consider the best option for them before planning travel. A new season ticket calculator will be available for passengers to check the best value option for their travel plan.
Illustrative savings for routes across the country are available now in the press notice announcing the launch of flexible season tickets on www.gov.uk, but final prices will be published on 21 June.
We continue to work closely with operators and other stakeholders to ensure we can support people to return to the network safely and with confidence, including people travelling to work, in line with the milestones set out in the Government’s roadmap for exiting national measures. In line with the easing of restrictions on 17 May, operators increased service levels to around 85 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 25 March 2021 to Question 171561 on Railways: Season Tickets, what progress he has made on his work with the Treasury to develop part-time and flexible season tickets (a) for people who need them and (b) as part of the Government’s four-step covid-19 roadmap; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government recognises the change in travel patterns, the impact of COVID-19 and therefore the need to accommodate a more flexible style of working and travelling.
The Department is actively working with train operators to develop a solution that offers better value and convenience for those who commute flexibly, and we will provide further details shortly.