Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has provided to Bolton Council to support low traffic neighbourhood initiatives in the last three years.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 the Department provided £2,459,000 to Bolton Council through the Integrated Transport Block for small scale transport schemes, including road safety and traffic management measures. The Integrated Transport Block is not ring-fenced, allowing authorities to spend their allocations according to their own priorities.
To help local authorities make safe provision for cyclists and pedestrians during Covid-19, the Department launched a new £225 million Active Travel Fund (ATF). Bolton Council is a constituent member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which received £3,174,000 in Tranche 1 and £15,871,250 in Tranche 2 of the ATF. LTNs were one of the measures included in the additional Network Management Duty guidance for local authorities, which accompanied the ATF.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to progress the feasibility study for the Bolton-Bury tramline.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Through the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund, the Department has announced funding of up to £50,000 to develop plans to extend the Metrolink to Bolton and Bury. The Department and Network Rail are providing support to Transport for Greater Manchester to conduct a feasibility study.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking to encourage local authorities to expand low traffic zones in their neighbourhoods.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local authorities are responsible for managing traffic on their roads, including implementation of measures such as low-traffic neighbourhoods. In July 2020 the Government announced ambitious plans for cycling and walking, and committed £2 billion of funding for active travel over the next 5 years. The details are set out in the Prime Minister’s Gear Change plan and can be viewed at www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-plan-for-england.
The Plan sets out a comprehensive, long term vision to increase active travel and embed the benefits of walking and cycling into how we live, work and move around. This includes the creation of new low-traffic neighbourhoods, to stop rat-running and make it easier to walk and cycle.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to help prevent job losses in the aviation sector.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department for Transport is actively monitoring the impact on jobs in the aviation sector from Covid-19 at the national and regional level, with support from other government Departments.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been available to businesses affected by COVID-19 to pay wages. The Job Support Scheme will replace the scheme from 1 November, where businesses can also take advantage of the Job Retention Bonus.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to support coach (a) operators and (b) manufacturers experiencing reduced demand as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We have announced several measures available to UK businesses, including coach operators and manufacturers, and this includes further measures announced by the Chancellor on 24 September as part of the Winter Economy Plan and support for businesses in local lockdown areas.
In addition, we are supporting coaches to be used for school transport and public transport, where appropriate. The Department for Education has provided over £70 million to local transport authorities to provide additional dedicated school and college capacity in our transport system, including coaches.
We continue to work closely with representatives from the coach sector including the Confederation of Passenger Transport, and with other Government Departments, to understand the ongoing risks and issues, including demand considerations and how these could be addressed.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research the Government has commissioned on covid-19 transmission on public transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department for Transport has worked with a Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) sub-group to develop the Transport Risk Assessment for COVID Knowledge (TRACK) project. TRACK is an 18-month, £1.7 million UKRI-funded project to understand and model the transmission of COVID-19 on public transport. The Department has also commissioned the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to do work on the transmission risk for aviation.
Further information can be found in a press release from the University of Leeds from the 21st October entitled "Research to understand COVID-19 spread on public transport”.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to transition the self-powered train fleet from diesel to hydrogen.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government supports the use of hydrogen trains on the railway where appropriate to deliver our legally binding target to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the UK by 2050.
Network Rail is developing a Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy which will examine which parts of the network are best suited to use of hydrogen trains, as well as battery and electrification. This will inform Government decisions in 2020.
Our innovation programmes have supported the development of hydrogen technology, such as the ‘Hydroflex’ train, and continue to provide funding opportunities for innovative environmental projects. The Government is also funding work on safety and wider issues that will have to be considered to allow the smooth entry into service on the network of hydrogen trains.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the Castleford Corridor enhancement project in central Manchester.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government recognises the performance and capacity problems in Manchester and therefore commissioned Richard George and Network Rail to recommend service and infrastructure options. Officials have now received the first recommendations, which they are currently considering and expect more of over the course of the next few months.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many railway (a) lines and (b) stations closed under Beeching the Government plans to bring back into service.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
To help communities across the country, we have pledged £500m to start reopening lines closed following the Beeching report, reconnecting smaller towns, regenerating local economies and improving accessibility to jobs, homes and education.
Further details will be announced in due course.