Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of closing train station ticket offices in Plymouth on the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of passenger rail travel in the South West.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Great Western Railway Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, on 30 May 2023, on the railway ticket offices consultation.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The letter is not appropriate for the House Libraries.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Great Western Railway and (b) CrossCountry about the removal of wi-fi from their trains in the south west of England.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has recently asked Great Western Railway and CrossCountry, as well as its other rail operators, to review the provision of Wi-Fi across their different service groups. No decisions have been taken.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the medical fitness certificate on fisherman aged over 50.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Aviation, Maritime and Security) at the Department for Transport, recently met with The Right Honourable Mark Spencer MP, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This meeting was to discuss the implementation of the medical certification requirement of the Work in Fishing Convention for those in the sector more broadly, as well as the medical fitness of those aged fifty and over.
Those working in the industry are assessed on their medical fitness, not their age, and there is no upper age limit for medical certification. Fishing remains one of the most dangerous professions in the UK, the risk level of commercial fishing in the UK is estimated to be 100 times greater than the general workforce. Medical certification ensures people don’t put themselves, their crewmates or those who have to rescue them at unnecessary risk. Extensive grandfathered protection for those working in the sector, and, to date, none have been prevented from fishing as a result of certification.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much (a) capital and (b) revenue funding for active travel was allocated to the South West for the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial years (A) before and (B) after March 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The majority of capital and revenue funding for dedicated active travel schemes has not been allocated for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years.
Three South West councils (Cornwall and Bath, North East Somerset, and Plymouth) are part of a three-year £13.9m Active Travel Social Prescribing Pilot Programme that commenced in 2022. Allocations under this pilot programme are expected to be published shortly.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it remains his policy to allocate funding to the A38 Trerulefoot to Carkeel Safety Project in Cornwall.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The A38 Trerulefoot to Carkeel Safety Package continues to be developed by National Highways as part of the pipeline of projects being considered for future Road Investment Strategy periods.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in how many cases his Department has made reductions to the amount it had first planned to spend on a road scheme in Devon and Cornwall in the past three months; and in each case, by how much that amount was reduced.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
There are no reductions to amounts intended to be spent on road schemes in Devon and Cornwall in the past three months. Nor are any reductions planned.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department last met representatives of the bus sector in (a) Plymouth and (b) the South West to discuss (i) the Bus Recovery Grant and (ii) support for that sector from April 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport regularly engages with Local Transport Authorities and bus operators. Officials contacted local government representatives, including Devon County Council, on Friday 17 February to discuss the Government’s extension to the Bus Recovery Grant and the £2 Bus Fare Cap. We will continue to engage with the sector as we deliver the ambitions set out in the National Bus Strategy.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2023 to Question 141621 on Bus Services: Finance, whether he plans to support the bus sector in (a) Plymouth and (b) the South West after Bus Recovery Grant funding ends on 31 March 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
On Friday 17 February, the Government announced that we will provide up to £80 million to extend the Bus Recovery Grant for a further three months until 30 June 2023. Bus operators and local transport authorities in Plymouth and the South West will benefit from this funding.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the end of the bus recovery grant in March 2023 on bus services in (a) Plymouth and (b) Devon.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
On Friday 17 February, the Government announced that we will provide up to £80 million to extend the Bus Recovery Grant for a further three months until 30 June 2023. Bus operators and local transport authorities in Plymouth and the South West will benefit from this funding.