Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Afzal Khan Excerpts
Thursday 19th October 2017

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lloyd Russell-Moyle Portrait Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) (Lab/Co-op)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

7. What steps he is taking to reduce harmful emissions from road transport.

Afzal Khan Portrait Afzal Khan (Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

15. What steps he is taking to reduce harmful emissions from road transport.

Jesse Norman Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jesse Norman)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Government’s plan for tackling nitrogen dioxide concentrations, which was published in July, sets out a number of steps backed with £3 billion of investment in air quality and cleaner transport. These include the tough new real-world emissions tests for new models of diesel and petrol cars.

Jesse Norman Portrait Jesse Norman
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have published the clean air plan and we are working very closely with local authorities regarding clean air zones. There is also a wider duty on local authorities that are not specifically part of the zones themselves to bear air quality in mind, and we also support them through the Department.

Afzal Khan Portrait Afzal Khan
- Hansard - -

Encouraging the use of public transport is key to tackling air pollution. Does the Minister accept that the increase in rail fares at twice the rate of wages since 2010, and the decreased use of buses while the Conservatives have been in office, have made air quality worse?

Jesse Norman Portrait Jesse Norman
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The hon. Gentleman is correct about the importance of buses. Only yesterday, I met the chief executive of Go-Ahead buses, which is very active around the country, and we specifically discussed that matter. I have held such discussions with other operators and will continue to do so in the coming months. We also considered retrofitting and improving passenger numbers.