Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeline is for the publication of the aviation recovery plan.
Answered by Robert Courts
The uncertainty created by COVID has meant that the government’s priority for aviation at this time is to ensure that people will be able to travel again as soon as is safely possible. That is why the government, through the Global Travel Taskforce, continues to work at pace to introduce test to release, as well as considering other measures to support the travel sector – including developing a global framework to make travelling easier, and boosting consumer confidence in air travel. Once complete, the government will then put forward its strategic framework for the medium and long-term recovery of the aviation sector.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to prevent job losses in the travel industry.
Answered by Robert Courts
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. On 5 November the Chancellor announced that workers across the United Kingdom will benefit from increased support with a five-month extension of the furlough scheme into Spring 2021. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will now run until the end of March with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the safety of visually impaired individuals from e-scooters.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Following our consultation earlier in the year, and feedback from subsequent stakeholder activities, we have required all e-scooters used in trials to have a horn or bell so that users can make others aware of their presence. Additionally, we have instructed all local authorities participating in trials to engage throughout the trial period with disability groups in their areas to ensure their concerns are being heard. We have also made additional commitments such as allowing vulnerable road user groups to take part in the evaluation process.
The trials have created a platform for innovation, and we are seeing very encouraging use of – for example – sound emitting devices on e-scooters in York. This is precisely the sort of initiative we want to monitor and evaluate and to help inform future policy.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to provide additional funding to local transport authorities to reduce the cost of travel for young people in (a) London and (b) the rest of England.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Transport in London, including fares policy, is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London. There are no current national plans to reduce the cost of travel for young people in the rest of England. However, concessionary travel legislation gives local authorities the flexibility to offer local travel concessions, such as free or discounted travel to young people, if they choose to do so.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has issued to (a) local authorities and (b) businesses on the access needs of disabled people when making changes to roads, pavements and parking spaces as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department published statutory guidance to local authorities under the Traffic Management Act 2004, providing advice on the changes that Government expects them to make to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians. This includes a reminder that local authorities need to be mindful of the requirements of equalities legislation, ensuring, for example, that in redesigning and reallocating road space they take careful account of the impacts this may have on disabled people. The guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/reallocating-road-space-in-response-to-covid-19-statutory-guidance-for-local-authorities.
It is for local authorities to decide what measures are appropriate on their roads and what they are able to achieve with the resources they have.
The Department for Transport has not provided guidance to businesses on this matter.