Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which body is responsible for enforcing the wearing of face masks on buses; and what powers of enforcement that body has.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We have worked with the police, operators, and trade unions to agree a six-stage approach to ensuring compliance. Operators will be responsible for the first five stages (Engage, Explain, Encourage, Enable use, and Entry/Exit restrictions). Enforcement by the police or TfL authorised personnel will be the last resort if a passenger fails to comply at other stages.
Our initial approach to enforcement has been to focus on communications to encourage compliance. Operators (and the police) have new powers to deny access to a service, to direct someone to wear a face covering, or direct someone to leave a service if they are not wearing a face covering. Operators have discretion over whether they choose to use these powers; they do not have an obligation to do so.
If passengers fail to comply, as a last resort the Police and TfL authorised personnel have a power to issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 under the PHA Regulations, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. The police also have the power to remove passengers from vehicles and use reasonable for if necessary to do so, as well as the power to direct an individual who has responsibility for a child aged 11 or over to ensure that the child complies with the regulations.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to issue badges or passes to people who have received a letter from the NHS exempting them from wearing a face mask on public transport.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
We do not plan to issue badges or passes to show that people are exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering on public transport in England.
Several operators have badge or lanyard schemes in place that can help people communicate that they are exempt. These are intended to be tools to give people more confidence when engaging with transport staff. However, badges or similar are not obligatory and it is sufficient for people to communicate with transport operator staff that they are exempt. We have been working closely with operators to make sure they are communicating this approach to their passengers and staff (Guidance can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-transport-guidance-for-operators/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-transport-guidance-for-operators#face-coverings).
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with regard to the November 2015 Report from Sir Peter Hendy on the replanning of Network Rail's Investment Programme; how many of the (a) 79 projects to be delivered in CP5 and (b) eight sub-projects of the Great Western Electrification programme (i) were completed in CP5, (ii) have been completed so far in CP6, (iii) are planned to be completed by the end of CP6 (a) are not expected to be completed by the end of CP6.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department is just over one year into the CP6 period and continues to progress its plans. To date five projects have been completed in CP6.
Network Rail publish on a quarterly basis all schemes in delivery. The latest published report can be found at:
The DfT also published an update in October which set out all schemes in development stages in the pipeline. The latest publication can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/840709/rail-network-enhancements-pipeline.pdf
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report by Sir Peter Hendy on the replanning of Network Rail's Investment Programme, published in November 2015; how many of the 16 projects with significant delivery in CP5 and completion in CP6 (a) have been completed so far in CP6, (b) are planned to be completed by the end of CP6 and (c) are not expected to be completed by the end of CP6.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department is just over one year into the CP6 period and continues to progress its plans. To date five projects have been completed in CP6.
Network Rail publish on a quarterly basis all schemes in delivery. The latest published report can be found at:
The DfT also published an update in October which set out all schemes in development stages in the pipeline. The latest publication can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/840709/rail-network-enhancements-pipeline.pdf
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement on Transport Infrastructure and oral contribution of 11 February 2020, Official Report, column 723, whether High Speed Two will include the establishment of Sheffield rail links; and if Northern Powerhouse Rail improvements will include the establishment of rail links from Manchester to (a) Sheffield and (b) Leeds.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The government has made clear its commitment to delivering HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail. We will develop an integrated rail plan to ensure that HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Engine Rail bring benefits to the North and Midlands as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Department for Transport will continue to work with Transport for the North and local leaders, to develop NPR plans for the Leeds to Manchester corridor alongside options for lines serving Sheffield, Liverpool, Tees Valley, Hull and Newcastle.