Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise provide protective visors for staff in each station on that franchise.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
GTR is currently trialling the use of visors. Before it can issue visors to employees, GTR must first of all ensure that the use of a visor will not affect or inhibit the ability of employees to complete their duties safely.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what health surveillance procedures are in place at Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, to identify (a) sick, (b) asymptomatic and (c) vulnerable employees.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
GTR is one of a small number of train operators with an in-house Occupational Health team, and the only operator with its own Chief Medical Officer. Under normal circumstances GTR would identify these through pre-employment medicals, statutory periodic medicals, any employee referrals to the team from line managers and more ad-hoc health surveillance.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the Occupational Health team has offered a direct nurse telephone advisory service for employees and a dedicated ‘Covid referral system’ for managers to request specialist advice in regards to employees they manage.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will collate statistics on the number of London Underground workers by station at which those workers were based who have died of covid-19.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
My thoughts are with those who have sadly died with Covid-19 and their families and friends at this difficult time. As transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and delivered by Transport for London (TfL), it is TfL that is best placed to provide information regarding the number of London Underground workers who have died of Covid-19.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many employees the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise have contracted covid-19.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
There are 7,389 GTR employees, of these GTR has been notified of 18 cases where staff have received a positive test result for Covid 19. In addition, there are another 4 cases where employees have suspected Covid-19, however this has not yet been confirmed through testing.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the British Transport Police on the availability of CCTV footage relevant to the investigation of the assault of Belly Mujinga on 21 March 2020.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the British Transport Police on the availability of CCTV footage relevant to the assault of Belly Mujinga at Victoria Station on 21 March 2020. The investigation is an operational matter for BTP.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it illegal to disable a diesel particulate filter.
Answered by John Hayes
It is an offence under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Regulation 61a(3)) to use on a road a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet. Removal of a diesel particulate filter (DPF), from a vehicle used on the road, will invariably result in a contravention of the Regulations (making the vehicle unlawful to use on the road). The potential penalties are £1,000 for a car and £2,500 for a van, lorry or bus.
Under section 75 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence to alter a vehicle in such a way that the use of the vehicle on a road would be unlawful. Thus both the vehicle user and the person disabling the DPF (if they knew or believed that the vehicle would be used on the road) could be found guilty of an offence under the Act.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring before the House legislative proposals on requiring bus companies to instal audio-visual technology to aid visually impaired passengers.
Answered by Andrew Jones
I know that accessible on-board information can give a range of passengers the confidence to use bus services, safe in the knowledge that they will know when to alight.
Previously, the systems to provide such information have been expensive to fit and maintain, but I understand that new technology may make it more affordable.
We are currently considering the most appropriate next steps, but in the meantime I encourage bus operators to consider the benefits of better, more accessible information for all their customers.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's timeline on its cycling and walking investment strategy, published in December 2015, what progress it has made on its obligation of being ready to announce its funding plans for investment in cycling and walking by the end of winter 2015-16.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Infrastructure Act 2015 does not place an obligation on Government to publish plans for investing in cycling and walking at any specific time. However, in December my Department published “Setting the first Cycling and Walking Strategy” which set out our proposed timescales for publication, including our intention to publish a Statement of Funds Available. My officials are currently working on the first Strategy, to be published in draft in spring 2016, which will contain information on financial resources as well as our ambition, objectives and actions for delivery.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he to promote the expansion of the turn-up-and-go scheme for disabled transport users throughout the rail network.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Association of Train Operating Companies launched a six month trial of turn up and go at 36 London stations in May this year. If the trial is successful they will consider whether the service can be made permanent at the trial stations and if it can be expanded further across the network.