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Written Question
Driving
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the Plan for Drivers published on 2 October 2023.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Work is underway for each of the 30 measures in “The Plan for Drivers”, with many expected to be completed by summer 2024.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicle Drivers
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the number of (a) vacancies for HGV drivers, (b) HGV drivers undergoing training and (c) HGV drivers expected to retire from the industry in the next five years.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

It is not possible to estimate the total number of HGV drivers currently undergoing training. This is because some haulage companies have in-house training programmes and private sector training companies also train new drivers. The Government has also invested in training for new drivers for example, £34m to train up to 11,000 HGV drivers through Skills Bootcamps and the LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeships which receive funding of up to £8,000 and £5,000 respectively. In the financial year FY21-22 there were 4,740 learner starts in HGV Skills Bootcamps and 3,247 LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeship starts.

The Office for National Statistics Annual Population Survey estimated in the year April 2022 to March 2023 34% of HGV drivers were aged 56 or older. However, it is not possible to estimate how many drivers will retire in the next 5 years as HGV drivers that continue to meet the licensing requirements, including the driver medicals, can continue to drive beyond the state pension age.


Written Question
Elizabeth Line: Railway Signals
Wednesday 6th September 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the reliability of the signalling system on the Elizabeth Line.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, the operation and management of the Elizabeth Line is a matter solely for them.


Written Question
East Coast Main Line and West Coast Main Line: Passengers
Tuesday 28th February 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers travelled on the (a) East and (b) West Coast Main Lines in (i) first and (ii) standard class in (A) 2019 and (B) 2022.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Office for Road and Rail (ORR) are responsible for collecting and publishing national statistics on rail passenger journeys. The ORR do not disaggregate between first and standard class for this dataset.


Written Question
Railways: Commuters
Thursday 19th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of changing work patterns since the covid-19 outbreak on long-term demand for inter-city business rail travel.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department is developing a number of scenarios for future rail demand as a new normal emerges post-covid-19. The Department is building a robust evidence base to support industry in designing rail timetables that are demand-led and built with flexibility in mind.


Written Question
Buses: Exhaust Emissions
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new net zero emission buses were funded by his Department in the last five years; what the power source was for those buses; and how many and what proportion of those buses were manufactured in the UK.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

We have committed to funding 4,000 zero emission buses (ZEBs) this Parliament. Across the UK an estimated 3,250 ZEBs have been funded so far.

Between financial years 2018-19 to 2022-23 the Department for Transport has provided funding for 2,594 zero emission buses. The number of buses ordered and delivered may change following the outcome of procurement processes undertaken by local transport authorities or bus operators.

Table 1 below presents the number of zero emission buses funded between financial years 2018-19 to 2022-23.

Number of Zero Emission Buses

Number of Battery Electric Buses

Number of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses

2018-19

76

33

43

2019-20

27

27

0

2020-21

556

556

0

2021-22

1298

1154

144

2022-23

100

100

0

TCF 2018-19 to 2022-23*

46

46

0

London 2020-21 to 2022-23**

491

491

0

Total

2594

2417

177

*46 zero emission busses were funded through the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) between financial years 2018-19 to 2022-23.

**491 zero emission buses were introduced in London in financial years 2020-21 to 2022-23 as a result of Department for Transport funding to Transport for London.

Table 2 provides information, where available, on the bus manufacturer of these zero emission buses.

Bus Manufacturer

Number of Zero Emission Buses

Percentage of Zero Emission Buses

Alexander Dennis Ltd

436

17%

Wrightbus

188

7%

Switch Mobility

26

1%

Volvo

6

0%

Supplied by Pelican Bus & Coach UK and manufactured by Yutong

221

9%

Supplied by Harris Group and manufactured by Higer

3

0%

Information not held by the Department

491

19%

Bus manufacturer subject to outcome of procurement process by local transport authority or bus operator

1223

47%

Total

2594


Written Question
Jet Zero Council
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Jet Zero Council includes representatives of trades unions.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The British Airline Pilots Association receives regular updates and engagement as a result of its associate membership of the Jet Zero Council. If other trade unions are interested in associate membership, the Department encourages them to contact the Jet Zero Council secretariat via JetZeroCouncilSecretariat@dft.gov.uk.


Written Question
Parking: Private Sector
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for vehicle details by private car parking companies were received by the DVLA in 2022.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency received 36,252,255 applications for registered keeper details in 2022, of which, 10,605,732 were from private parking companies.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Facilities
Friday 13th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate toilet and washing facilities for HGV drivers.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

On 24 November Transport Minister launched the HGV parking and driver welfare grant-scheme.

The Department will be investing £32.5 million match-funding to assist operators to improve HGV parking and facilities. This is in addition to the previously announced £20m National Highways match-funding.

These funding schemes are going towards supporting lorry parking operators to make improvements such as enhancing security, showers, toilets and eating facilities as well as possibly increasing spaces for lorry drivers.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Friday 13th January 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse from the abolition of paper vehicle tax discs since their removal in 2014.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In the first full financial year 2015-16 the actual saving to the public purse from the abolition of the paper vehicle licence was £8.9 million. In the financial year 2016-17 the actual saving was £8.5 million. This saving was anticipated to be a recurring annual figure.