Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the criteria used to decide the proportion of funding allocated under the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The business case applications were assessed against criteria published by the Department - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-zero-emission-bus-funding
Funding was awarded to successful areas upon the basis of this assessment.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the (a) Home Office and (b) Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the potential merits of establishing cross-border relocation services to the UK.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Secretary of State is in regular contact with Ministers across government on a variety of issues.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of increased fuel prices on the viability of taxi businesses.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Private hire vehicle operators are able to set their own fares so fuel price increases can be considered. Licensing authorities are responsible for setting taxi fare tariffs, these should pay regard to the needs of the travelling public and what it is reasonable to expect people to pay, but also to the need to give taxi drivers the ability to earn a sufficient income and so incentivise them to provide a service when it is needed.
My Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced a temporary 12 month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre, representing a saving worth around £100 for the average car driver, £200 for the average van driver, and £1500 for the average haulier.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for sectors most affected by increased fuel prices.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
I regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues and DfT is working closely with HMT to monitor and assess the impact of fuel prices on the transport sector.
My Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced a temporary 12 month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre, representing a saving worth around £100 for the average car driver, £200 for the average van driver, and £1500 for the average haulier.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the Integrated Rail Plan on connectivity between Sheffield (a) Leeds and (b) Manchester.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
In developing the Integrated Rail Pan, Ministers considered the economic impacts of the proposed schemes as well as cost and affordability on the North and Midlands, including Sheffield. By improving regional connectivity, the Integrated Rail Plan will unify labour markets, so that people can access a much wider range of jobs; bring businesses closer together; and improve access to key international gateways and markets so they become even more attractive locations for business investment.
The IRP sets out that planned upgrades are being completed on the Hope Valley Line between Manchester and Sheffield, and connections between Sheffield and Leeds will be further considered as part of the work looking at how best to take HS2 trains to Leeds.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact on Sheffield of his proposals for connectivity to that city as part of the Integrated Rail Plan.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
By improving regional connectivity, the Integrated Rail Plan will unify labour markets, so that people can access a much wider range of jobs; bring businesses closer together; and improve access to key international gateways and markets so they become even more attractive locations for business investment. Electrification of the Midland Mainline along with HS2 East will deliver the same journey time improvements between Sheffield and London as the previously planned HS2 Eastern leg and will cut the journey from Sheffield to Birmingham by 13 minutes. In addition, completing upgrades to the Hope Valley Line could bring improved provision for rail freight in the longer term.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding is available to deliver (a) the bus service improvement plan in England and (b) the bus service improvement plan in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority area.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
At the Budget, we announced £1.2 billion of new dedicated funding for bus transformation deals, which will support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plans in England. Further details on how this money will be allocated will be announced in due course.