Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department is having with (a) coach operators and (b) the Department for Education on ensuring that there is sufficient capacity within the commercial transport sector to transport children to and from school at the start of the next academic year as a result of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on those providers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Ministers and officials from my Department have regular meetings with representatives from the coach industry and other government departments on this topic. We continue to work closely with the coach sector to understand what the ongoing risks and issues are, and how these could be addressed.
The Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Baroness Vere of Norbiton have met with ministers and officials from the Department of Education to discuss home to school transport. On 8 August, the Department for Transport announced a further funding package for bus operators with rolling funding at up to £27.3 million per week until a time when the funding is no longer needed. Also on 8 August the Department for Education announced a new £40 million funding package for local authorities to support home to school transport, including the provision of additional coach services.
In addition, the Department for Transport has provided support and grants totalling £7.25 million to local authorities to develop a Travel Demand Management Plan to understand school and work travel patterns and ensure there is safe and sufficient transport for schools.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether trainee driving instructors who are practising for their test will continue to be permitted to instruct learner drivers on a no fee basis; when he plans that DVSA instructor ability tests will resume; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been the safety of its staff and the wider public. That remains its priority as it restarts its services.
A trainee licence allows someone preparing for their instructional ability test to consolidate their training by teaching learner drivers. A trainee licence allows trainees to charge those pupils and cover their costs. It is not necessary to hold a trainee licence to prepare for the instructional ability test. A potential instructor could teach learners for practice so long as the pupil does not pay for the lesson or contribute to any costs, such as fuel or insurance.
As different approaches to easing lockdown are currently being adopted across England, Scotland and Wales, the DVSA is following published guidance in each of those countries as it restarts its services safely for its customers and its staff. It will continue to observe the guidance and scale up its services when it is permissible and lawful to do so.
Approved driving instructor part 3 tests (instructional ability) resumed in:
England on 22 July 2020
Wales on 17 August 2020
Scotland – date to be confirmed
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2020 to Question 59192 on Taxis: Coronavirus, which part of that guidance applies to the licensed taxi trade; whether black cabs are allowed to pick up passengers from international airports serving London; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Coronavirus (COVID-19): how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK guidance instructs those arriving in the UK and required to self-isolate to only use public transport (which includes taxis and private hire vehicles) if they have no other option.
Passengers are advised in the Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers that a face covering should be worn when using a taxi or private hire vehicle and that they may be refused carriage if they do not wear one. Face coverings should also be worn in other enclosed spaces where it is difficult to maintain social distancing, for example, at stations, interchanges and ports.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that licensed black cabs can continue to drive people arriving in the UK from international airports to (a) London and (b) surrounding areas after the introduction of the fourteen day quarantine period; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK advises how those arriving in the UK can reduce the chance of a second wave of coronavirus in the UK and help prevent family, friends and the community from contracting coronavirus, as well as helping to protect the NHS. This includes using public transport only if no other option is available.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of s165 of the Equality Act 2010 in ensuring that wheelchair users are able to hire taxis.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Wheelchair users should be able to travel by taxi and private hire vehicle free from the fear of discrimination, which is why we commenced the remaining provisions of s.165 and s.167 of the Equality Act 2010 last year. An increasing number of licensing authorities are applying the requirements to drivers within their jurisdiction and we encourage the remainder to do likewise. Producing the list of wheelchair accessible vehicles provides greater protection and also increases awareness among drivers and vehicle owners of the duties and responsibilities this places on them.
We meet regularly with our statutory advisors, the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee, regarding this and other issues affecting the travelling experience of disabled passengers, and we will continue to monitor the efficacy of the policy.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking in conjunction with the Mayor of London to safeguard the licensed taxi trade; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government supports choice for consumers, and wants to see both taxis and private hire vehicles prosper.
The Mayor, Transport for London (TfL), the police and local authorities have a range of tools available to them to seek to address any concerns they may have over the safety or performance of taxi and/or private hire vehicle services. Effective use of these tools allow both licensed taxi and private hire vehicles to operate lawfully and meet the demands of London’s travelling public.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what priority the Government attaches to passenger safeguarding in the licensed taxi and private hire vehicle trade; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government attaches a high priority to passenger safety in the licenced taxi and private hire vehicle trade. The legislation that provides for the licensing of private hire vehicle services aims to safeguard passengers by ensuring that drivers and vehicles that are fit for purpose. This legislation allows local licensing authorities the discretion to set standards they deem appropriate for their area. To help with this, the Department has issued best practice guidance.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department's agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department for Transport’s current assessment is that none of its senior civil servants, including those in its agencies or other public bodies, will fall under the provisions of the fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23012, which options the Government is discussing with the Mayor; and what information his Department holds on the potential effect of other ways of influencing the private hire vehicle market that do not require new legislation.
Answered by Andrew Jones
On 20 January 2016 the Mayor of London announced his plans for modernising and enhancing London’s private hire vehicle industry. In these plans the Mayor recognised the need to investigate ways to address the congestion and air quality impacts of the increasing number of private hire vehicles in London without capping numbers. The Government will discuss with the Mayor any options that are proposed.
The Government supports competition and growth in the taxi and private hire sector although we are aware of a range of factors that could affect the private hire market in London, including raising standards and removing exemptions from the Congestion Charge. The Department’s Best Practice Guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing advises licensing authorities that licensing requirements which are unduly stringent will tend unreasonably to restrict the supply of taxi and private hire vehicle services.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has conducted research on the average hourly pay after business expenses of private hire vehicle drivers in London.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport has not undertaken any research on the income of private hire vehicle drivers in London or elsewhere.