Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will issue guidance on whether driving examiners should wear face coverings.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is reviewing and updating the guidance for driving examiners about carrying out driving tests. This includes things like the PPE they need to wear, greeting candidates and cleaning equipment such as sat navs and tablets. Further guidance will be issued as soon as possible.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received on ensuring that the DVSA has effective procedures in place so that driving instructors are able to match refunds to pupils.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has closed its driving test booking system as all tests are currently suspended other than for emergency tests for critical workers. The DVSA is developing plans to resume its testing services and will adopt a phased return to testing.
The DVSA will email approved driving instructors (ADI) and candidates when the Government is confident that it is safe to restart driving tests. ADIs and candidates will be asked to go online and choose their preferred test date and time. Candidates who wish to cancel their practical test can email the DVSA and request a full refund.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the insurance sector on covering driving instructors for claims made in relation to accidents when the instructor was (a) wearing PPE and (b) had (i) installed a protective screen between themselves and their pupils and (ii) made other health protection modifications.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Driving instructors must ensure they are able to fulfil their responsibilities as an instructor, and accompanying driver, safely whilst wearing appropriate PPE. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) would encourage all driving instructors to keep up to date with the driving instructors’ National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) website for advice and guidance: http://www.n-a-s-p.co.uk/
In line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Public Health England (PHE), the DVSA does not recommend unapproved protective screens are fitted in vehicles. The driver, and for a learner driver the accompanying driver, has a responsibility to ensure the vehicle and its driver are able to comply with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended. Any modifications made to a vehicle must not prevent compliance with these regulations, for example, ensuring that the driver still has a clear view to the front.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities have applied to the all electric bus town scheme; and what the names of those authorities are.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
A total of eighteen local authorities have submitted their applications to be considered for the All-Electric Bus Town scheme, with 19 bids received overall.
These local authorities are: Blackpool Council, City of York Council, Cumbria County Council, Devon County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Kent County Council, Luton Borough Council, Medway Council, Milton Keynes Council, Norfolk County Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Shropshire Council, Surrey County Council, Swindon Borough Council, Warrington Borough Council, West Midland Combined Authority and Worcestershire County Council.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing an all-hydrogen bus town scheme.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
In February, the Prime Minister announced a £5 billion package for buses and cycling, which includes support for the purchase of at least 4,000 new zero emission buses, making greener travel the convenient option and driving forward the UK’s progress on its net zero ambitions.
The details of these programmes will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) battery and (b) hydrogen powered electric vehicles he has (i) driven and (ii) been a passenger in.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
While we do not know precisely how many battery and hydrogen fuel cell electric cars the Secretary of State for Transport has driven or been a passenger in, he does personally own a battery electric vehicle and is regularly a passenger in a Government Car Service electric car. More importantly, the government is investing?around?£2.5bn?,?with grants available for ultra-low emission vehicles and funding?to support chargepoint infrastructure at homes,?workplaces,?on residential streets?and across the wider roads network.
In addition, we are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. By talking to stakeholders about the best way to achieve that ambition, the Government will more easily be able to identify what measures would be needed to support the transition to zero-emission and electric motoring.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will provide face masks to bus passengers.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
There is no requirement for operators to distribute face coverings and it is a matter for operators to decide whether they want to distribute face coverings on their networks. In some cases, it will be difficult to do so, particularly at unstaffed stations and bus stops.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what steps the DVLA has taken to process licence applications by key workers who hold a driving licence issued in another EU country.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is providing a dedicated service to prioritise driving licence applications from key workers. This includes a dedicated postal address for driving licence applications and support through the DVLA’s contact centre. This service is available to all key workers, including those who wish to exchange EU driving licences.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he had with the East-West Rail Company prior to their tender for diesel units; and what assessment he has made of the merits of that line being an electrified railway.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department is investing in transport infrastructure that meets the needs of people and businesses, and is driving forward the development of policy on the decarbonisation and sustainability of rail. The East West Rail Company is currently seeking to procure rolling stock on an interim basis to enable services to be delivered as soon as possible whilst ongoing discussions about the case and options for the electrification of the railway in the long term are concluded.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 4 November 2019 Question 7159, what steps he is taking to ensure that Highways England adopts performance indicators which incentivise an increase in the (a) number of journeys and (b) safety of (i) cyclists and (ii) pedestrians throughout the Strategic Road Network.
Answered by George Freeman
The second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2), which we expect to publish shortly, will specify the objectives to be achieved by Highways England in the second road period 2 (2020-21 to 2024-25). It will have legal force under the Infrastructure Act 2015 Chapter 7, Part 1 Section 3. Compliance with the performance specification, including the meeting of Key Performance Indicator targets and the reporting of wider performance measures, is overseen by the Department as client, and monitored and where necessary enforced by the Office of Rail and Road as Highways Monitor.
The development of the Performance Specification for RIS2 entailed comprehensive, structured engagement with external stakeholders including representatives from cycling, walking and equestrian groups, and the performance measures reflect this input. These groups will continue to be involved once RIS2 is in place through the work of Transport Focus as watchdog and Highways England stakeholder activities.