Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the new trains due to be introduced during the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line will equipped with accommodation for a train guard.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The procurement of new trains is being carried out by NXET Trains Limited under European Union Procurement Regulations and has not yet begun. Decisions about this procurement are a commercial matter for the operator.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new (a) automatic ticket gates and (b) ticket vending machines will be introduced at stations on the Essex Thameside route under the terms of the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for rail passenger services.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new Franchise Agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the Agreement has been signed. There is already a gate at every station on the franchise and all stations have Ticket Vending Machines (with the exception of West Ham, which is managed by Transport for London). Additional ticket validation will be provided at Dagenham Dock to support step free access at that station.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what safeguards there are in the new franchise agreement on the Essex Thameside line with NXET Trains Ltd against unsafe reductions in staff over the life of the agreement.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Staffing on the franchise is a matter for the operator. The operator must act within the regulatory environment of the railway, which includes safety obligations under their license to operate (granted by the Office of Rail Regulation).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with NXET Trains Ltd about minimum levels of (a) on-train, (b) station and (c) ticket office staffing levels in each year of the new franchise agreement for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line; and what current staffing levels are in each such category on the line.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Staffing is a matter for the operator; as such no discussions have been held between the Secretary of State for Transport and NXET Trains Limited and minimum levels of staffing have not been specified.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with NXET Trains Ltd over plans to make staff more visible at stations on the Essex Thameside line during the term of the new franchise agreement for rail passenger services.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new Franchise Agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the Agreement has been signed.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is given to driving examiners who test students in laden lorries.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Potential large goods vehicle (LGV) examiners are required to hold the relevant driving licence entitlement for the category of vehicle they will be testing. In the case of laden lorries that is either category C or category CE.
Initial training courses last five weeks with a ratio of two trainees to each trainer. Courses emphasise health and safety issues connected with working practices, test centres and vehicles. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducts regular progress checks which culminate in a final test and end-of-course evaluation.
Since early 2010 some of the vehicles used to train examiners to conduct category C and CE practical driving tests have been loaded with independent bulk containers to simulate a lorry carrying a commercial load. Consequently during training all potential LGV examinersare trained and examined using loaded vehicles. Before 2010, some category CE training made use of concrete blocks on the trailer to simulate a load.
DVSA also delivers refresher courses for examiners who have not conducted LGV testing for six months or more which readdress the most important elements of the initial training course.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken into (a) the safety effectiveness of voice warnings on freight vehicles reversing, (b) the extent of noise pollution arising from such warnings and (c) the potential benefits of introducing visually triggered automatic systems for giving warnings.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department has undertaken no recent research on voice warnings on reversing freight vehicles or on the benefits of visually triggered automatic systems.