Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to fine utility companies for inconvenience caused when their roadworks overrun.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Utility companies are already incentivised to complete works on time with charges of up to £10,000 per day for works that overrun. We have announced that these charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays. We are also doubling fixed penalty notices for companies that breach permit conditions. These conditions can include setting days and times when works can take place.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to incentivise utility companies to not overrun on roadworks.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Utility companies are already incentivised to complete works on time with charges of up to £10,000 per day for works that overrun. We have announced that these charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays. We are also doubling fixed penalty notices for companies that breach permit conditions. These conditions can include setting days and times when works can take place.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Southeastern on new rolling stock.
Answered by Huw Merriman
In late 2022, Southeastern went to the market for expressions of interest to replace its ageing Networker fleet at the end of its lease. This could be through refurbishing or cascading existing rolling stock, new build, or a combination of both. An invitation to pre-qualify will be issued to interested suppliers shortly.
Any replacement rolling stock will be subject to a successful business case required to support the investment decision and ensure value for money.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department received an equality impact assessment on the changes to the timetable implemented by Southeastern on 11 December 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Department received a draft copy of the Southeastern's Equality Impact Assessment on the 23 November 2022.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he made an assessment of the potential impact of the guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission entitled Technical Guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty: England, updated in February 2021, on his decision to grant a derogation to Southeastern to cut trains on the (a) Bexleyheath and (b) Sidcup Line in the timetable implemented on 11 December 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Southeastern undertook an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) ahead of the changes it made to its timetable on 11 December 2022 including those affecting services on the Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines. The Department granted Southeastern a derogation against the requirement to consult on the timetable changes on 5 August 2022.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2022 to Question 59411 on Southeastern Trains: Railway Stations and Timetables, how much extra capacity will be created by removing first class seats from London-bound trains that stop between 7.00am and 9.30am at (a) Eltham and (b) New Eltham station.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Currently on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham has nine direct services to London Charing Cross, six direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria.
From the 11 December on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham will have five direct services to London Charing Cross, seven direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria. All train times have been uploaded to National Rail Journey Planner and can be found here: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search
First Class is not available on services calling at Eltham or New Eltham. First Class is being removed from Southeastern’s mainline services to create a modern, inclusive railway with more seats available to mainline customers. Removing First Class will provide access to an average of 60 more seats on a 12-car train.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2022 to Question 59411 on Southeastern Trains: Railway Stations and Timetables, how many first class seats are available on London-bound trains that stop between 7.00am and 9.30am at (a) Eltham and (b) New Eltham station.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Currently on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham has nine direct services to London Charing Cross, six direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria.
From the 11 December on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham will have five direct services to London Charing Cross, seven direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria. All train times have been uploaded to National Rail Journey Planner and can be found here: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search
First Class is not available on services calling at Eltham or New Eltham. First Class is being removed from Southeastern’s mainline services to create a modern, inclusive railway with more seats available to mainline customers. Removing First Class will provide access to an average of 60 more seats on a 12-car train.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2022 to Question 59411 on Southeastern Trains: Railway Stations and Timetables, how many trains on the Bexleyheath line stop at Eltham station between 7.00am and 9.30am; and how many trains destined for (a) Charing Cross, (b) Cannon Street and (c) London Victoria will stop at Eltham station between those times after 11 December 2022.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Currently on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham has nine direct services to London Charing Cross, six direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria.
From the 11 December on a typical weekday between 07:00 and 09:30 Eltham will have five direct services to London Charing Cross, seven direct services to London Cannon Street and five direct services to London Victoria. All train times have been uploaded to National Rail Journey Planner and can be found here: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search
First Class is not available on services calling at Eltham or New Eltham. First Class is being removed from Southeastern’s mainline services to create a modern, inclusive railway with more seats available to mainline customers. Removing First Class will provide access to an average of 60 more seats on a 12-car train.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Southeastern Rail sought her Department's permission to reduce train services on the Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines prior to publishing its proposed new timetable.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The new timetable has a very similar number of train services to today on both of these routes.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date Southeastern Rail informed her Department of its proposals to reduce trains from the Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines and remove destinations to London terminals from some of its services.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Discussions on the proposed timetable have been ongoing as passenger demand has evolved. The number of train services in the new timetable is broadly very similar to the current timetable on both of these routes.