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Written Question
Avanti West Coast
Friday 25th November 2022

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the service provided by Avanti.

Answered by Huw Merriman

Avanti West Coast has started to increase its service levels, targeting additional trains every day where they are most needed and train crew resources allow, but the current service remains insufficient. The issues experienced on Avanti West Coast are exactly why we need to modernise the railways, to ensure passengers get a reliable timetable no matter when they travel and are not relying on drivers working overtime in order to run a full service.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 25 Oct 2022
Avanti West Coast Contract Renewal

"Why does this Minister insist on defending the indefensible? Avanti failing is nothing new. It has failed virtually since day one when it took over the contract from Virgin. The Minister says that it has daily meetings and his officials have meetings frequently with Avanti. Has he pushed Avanti on …..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: Avanti West Coast Contract Renewal
Written Question
Driving Licences: Spain
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the number of UK expats in Spain who are no longer able to drive legally in that country with a UK license and who were not able to swap to a Spanish license prior to the deadline of the 1 January 2021; and if she will have discussions with his Spanish counterpart on that matter.

Answered by Kevin Foster

We assess the majority of UK licence holders in Spain registered their intent to exchange, as they were advised to, before 31 December 2020. They are therefore unaffected.

UK licences holders resident in Spain and currently unable to drive primarily fall in three groups:

  • UK licence holders who are long-term residents in Spain and did not exchange or register their intent to exchange, as advised, before the end of the transition period (31 December 2020).
  • UK licence holders who did register their intent to exchange before the end of the transition period, but did not complete the exchange process by 30 April 2022
  • UK licence holders who have arrived as residents in Spain after 31 December 2020 and have been residents in Spain for longer than 6 months.

Negotiations with the Spanish Government are ongoing.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 07 Sep 2022
Avanti West Coast

"The Minister must understand that the problems at Avanti did not begin with the change to the timetable. Avanti has been a disaster for the communities on the west coast main line. It is not acceptable that we have just one train an hour from Greater Manchester to London; that …..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: Avanti West Coast
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"Will the Minister give way?..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"I support what the Minister is saying about bringing HS2 in on budget and keeping a tight control on costs, but we also have to get best value for the taxpayer. On the point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Withington (Jeff Smith), the Piccadilly proposals are …..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"It won’t...."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"Does she?..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Tatton (Esther McVey). Although I disagree with her analysis of HS2, she is absolutely right to raise her constituents’ concerns here on the Floor of the House of Commons. I hope that Ministers will listen to some of her …..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Jun 2022
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

"Oh, it absolutely would. We are in a Second Reading debate on HS2 and I appreciate that we can veer away from the subject, so it is very tempting to go into a rant about the lack of capacity through Deansgate, Oxford Road and into the current Piccadilly station. That …..."
Andrew Gwynne - View Speech

View all Andrew Gwynne (Ind - Gorton and Denton) contributions to the debate on: High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill