Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding he has allocated to bus companies operating local routes in Suffolk to ensure that key routes are not closed as a result of limits on passenger numbers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
During this period of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty, the bus industry has played a critical role in keeping Britain moving. On 23 May, the Transport Secretary announced a further £283 million in funding – of this, £254 million was for buses and £29 million for light rail – as part of the Government’s efforts to help protect and increase bus and light rail services. This is in addition to a funding package totalling £397 million announced in April.
Suffolk County Council to date have received funding totalling £416,712 from the Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG).
The Department is working with the Department for Education as a matter of urgency to explore options to increase capacity to ensure students can get to school or college in September, and manage the expected increased demand for public transport that this will bring. This includes seeking to provide travel demand management support to local authorities in England outside London. However, it is clear that solutions must be locally led between transport authorities and operators.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department plans to allocate to Suffolk County Council to ensure that local bus routes provide an adequate service to (a) people commuting to work and (b) children travelling to school during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
During this period of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty, the bus industry has played a critical role in keeping Britain moving. On 23 May, the Transport Secretary announced a further £283 million in funding – of this, £254 million was for buses and £29 million for light rail – as part of the Government’s efforts to help protect and increase bus and light rail services. This is in addition to a funding package totalling £397 million announced in April.
Suffolk County Council to date have received funding totalling £416,712 from the Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG).
The Department is working with the Department for Education as a matter of urgency to explore options to increase capacity to ensure students can get to school or college in September, and manage the expected increased demand for public transport that this will bring. This includes seeking to provide travel demand management support to local authorities in England outside London. However, it is clear that solutions must be locally led between transport authorities and operators.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to upgrade the A14 in Suffolk to enhance the route for transport between the port of Felixstowe and the areas incorporating the midlands engine and northern powerhouse schemes.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government recognises the importance of the A14 as a key artery and has invested £1.5 billion in the recently-opened improvements between Cambridge and Huntingdon. The second Road Investment Strategy, published with the Budget in March, confirmed funding for the development of a scheme to enhance the Copdock Interchange in Suffolk to enable smoother journeys for goods vehicles to and from the Port of Felixstowe.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide additional funding to upgrade the A14 in Suffolk.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government recognises the importance of the A14 as a key artery and has invested £1.5 billion in the recently-opened improvements between Cambridge and Huntingdon. The second Road Investment Strategy, published with the Budget in March, confirmed funding for the development of a scheme to enhance the Copdock Interchange in Suffolk to enable smoother journeys for goods vehicles to and from the Port of Felixstowe.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department plans to make available to local rail providers to improve infrastructure and rail connections (a) through the re-instatement of the direct Lowestoft to London Liverpool Street line and (b) from other rural areas to major cities.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to unlocking the potential of rail to connect rural communities such as Lowestoft to the capital and to other regional towns and cities. We have committed £48bn to operate, maintain, renew and enhance the England and Wales network between 2019 and 2024 and work is already underway to develop proposals for infrastructure improvements along the Great Eastern Main Line.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to introduce a compulsory 2 week quarantine period for air passengers arriving in the UK.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government continues to follow Public Health England guidance in relation to public health measures for passengers arriving to the UK. As this is a fast-evolving situation, the Government is currently working through a large number of potential measures specific to the aviation sector.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to introduce restrictions on international air travel to the UK as a result of covid-19.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
It is very important that flights are still able to land in the UK in order to allow Britons who have been stranded abroad as a result of the pandemic to return home, and to allow vital supplies to keep moving into and around the UK.
The Government is currently focused on returning British nationals and residents home. Government will focus on British people and their families who normally live in the UK and are trying to return home. This includes short-term British travellers and direct family members but does not include British overseas residents.
In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government is working to a scientifically-led, step-by-step action plan, focusing on taking the right measures at the right time. Airlines and airports have already implemented additional measures in response to COVID-19 in line with advice from PHE, SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Airports are displaying posters and digital signage relaying Government information about COVID-19. Passengers arriving into UK airports are being given a leaflet with information about the measures in place in the UK, and announcements are made on aircraft an hour before landing.
Government will keep this process under review as the pandemic develops. This may mean that measures and procedures change as we control the spread of, and understand more about, the virus. Any changes to our approach will be led by advice from SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Protecting the health of the UK public will always come first.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to deliver road improvements on the A14 between Cambridge and Felixstowe.
Answered by George Freeman
Development work for improvements to the A14/A12 Copdock Interchange is being supported with funding from the Port Infrastructure Fund, as announced in September 2019. The Department is considering proposals for other enhancements on this stretch of the A14 as part of the second Road Investment Strategy, which is expected to be announced shortly.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to improve wind shielding on the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
Highways England has no current plans to improve wind shielding on the Orwell Bridge. Any introduction of new features would have loading implications for the structure, which is 1287 meters long.
Highways England is aware of the impact any closure of the Orwell Bridge has during high winds. Any decision to close it is not taken lightly and is made on safety grounds alone.
Highways England commissioned a study in October 2018 which will help determine whether the current closure threshold is appropriate. It has meetings planned with business partners and stakeholders later this month to present and discuss its findings and next steps. The study will then be published on Highways England’s website.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the environment of an Ipswich Northern Bypass; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The Department requested Sub-national Transport Bodies (STBs) and regional groupings to provide advice by the end of July on their local road investment priorities for the Major Road Network (MRN) and Large Local Major (LLM) programmes. Transport East, who are the relevant regional body for the area, included the proposed Ipswich Northern Routes scheme in their advice.
The Department will now carefully consider the evidence of the impact and potential benefits of the proposed scheme. We expect local authorities to demonstrate, among other things, the scheme’s value for money, deliverability and its impact and benefits to local residents and the environment.
MRN investments should endeavor to help secure positive environmental enhancements in line with the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan (A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment published January 2018). Where negative impacts cannot be avoided, we expect scheme promoters to minimise and mitigate these impacts in line with existing requirements.
Announcements on successful schemes will be made in due course.