Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the classifications of (a) mobility scooters and (b) powered wheelchairs on people with mobility aids outside those classifications.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is committed to delivering a transport network which puts passengers and their needs at its heart. We want to see disabled passengers able to make the journeys they want and need – doing this easily, confidently, with dignity and without extra cost.
We recognise the need for modern regulation that is designed with, and meets the needs of disabled people, and will continue to work closely with a range of stakeholders to help us develop this work.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with local authorities to ensure the reliability of bus services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to seeing better, more reliable bus services delivered right across England. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England. Bill measures aim to enable public access to a new database of information about local services. This will help ensure transparency in LTA and operator service delivery.
In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce improvements to services and infrastructure to help improve reliability. Wiltshire Council have been allocated over £6.7 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services across the area, including Melksham and Devizes.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to reduce the backlog of drivers waiting for a driving test.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.
Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on her Department's Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome, updated on 21 November 2024.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The consultation responses did not provide sufficient evidence to move away from a position of local authority choice to one in which allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes is the default.
The government response included a commitment to update Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24: Motorcyclists using bus lanes. No timetable has been set for publication. The Department will also consider how best to work with combined authorities and Transport for London, to encourage a more joined up approach to motorcycle access in these areas, through discussions around the Government’s devolution agenda.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent reduction in access to ticket offices on the Great Western Railway network.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Officials regularly discuss ticket offices with Great Western Railway, including those in Wiltshire, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Any changes to ticket offices in relation to regulated stations covered by Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement must be made following the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process and Secretary of State guidance.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve bus transport for people with hidden disabilities.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to improving bus services right across the country, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including people with hidden disabilities. On 1st October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide accessible audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026.
On 17th December, the government introduced a new Bus Services Bill that will give local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including for disabled people. The Bill includes measures to make the design of bus and coach stations and stops safer and more accessible, and sets requirements for training for staff on disability-assistance and disability awareness to ensure bus drivers and staff dealing directly with the travelling public are better informed of the rights and needs of disabled passengers.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with Network Rail on the potential merits of a Devizes Parkway railway station.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Future rail infrastructure investment will be considered as part of the current Spending Review, which will conclude in June 2025.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the reliability of train services (a) in Wiltshire and (b) from Melksham station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are working closely with all operators to improve performance as it is the key focus for the Secretary of State. The Department is also working with Great Western Railway to provide a more robust service for Wiltshire and Melksham through improved rolling stock reliability and train crew availability. Performance in the last couple of periods has improved since carrying out significant improvement works around Westbury and driver related cancellations on Sundays have also reduced.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost of the proposed local Thames Crossing funded as a private finance initiative.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Officials and National Highways are exploring all funding options for the Lower Thames Crossing, including private finance. As with all capital projects, spending decisions will be subject to the upcoming spending review. The assured cost estimate in line with the 2023 baseline for publicly funding the project is £8.95bn, but it is important to recognise that there is a normal level of uncertainty at this early stage of the development of a project of the size and complexity of the Lower Thames Crossing.