Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving tests took place in each of the last three years, broken down by category; what the current charge is to the user for each of those categories of test; and what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the taxpayer (i) of each test in each category and (ii) annually in total of delivering those tests.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The attached Table 1 shows the number of driving tests conducted, by test category:
The attached Table 2 shows the standard test fees for each of the following practical test types, and the cost to deliver those tests in the financial year 2021-22:
The fees charged for practical driving tests currently substantially cover the full cost of delivering those tests; however, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does incur a net cost from these activities. At Agency level, however, this net cost is currently offset by net income on other activities. The DVSA is looking at ways to rebalance its fees with costs.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the maximum MOT charges allowed for each type of vehicle were last reviewed; and how much his Department spent on all costs associated with carrying out MOT tests (a) in total and (b) per test carried out, in the last 12 months.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The maximum MOT fees were last reviewed in 2010 with the most recent increases in the maximum fee in April 2010. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency incurred costs totalling £32,438,000 in the financial year 2020/21 to administer MOT testing. 40,490,000 MOT tests were done in 2020/21 so the cost per test was 80 pence.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the condition of roads in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department for Transport is providing (a) Stoke-on-Trent with over £4.6 million, and (b) Staffordshire with over £28 million through highways maintenance funding, pothole fund, and integrated transport block funding in 21/22. It is for each Council to decide on how this funding, allocated through formula, is utilised based on their respective highway asset management strategy, needs, and priorities.
Recent additional investments include £5 million for Stoke-on-Trent Council’s ‘Keep Stoke Moving’ key corridor Challenge Fund bid won in February 2020, and £2.35 million for Staffordshire County Council to upgrade Chetwynd Bridge, a historic Grade II* structure.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Longport Railway Station will be eligible for Network Rail's Access for All scheme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
All of the funding currently available to Access for All has been allocated to projects. We are in the process of setting the funding envelopes for the next control period. When further funding is available, any station without an accessible route into the station and to all platforms will be a potential candidate.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support hauliers transporting goods internationally.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
A number of measures are in place to support hauliers transporting goods internationally. These include the haulier border readiness campaign, which advertises across digital, radio, trade press, online and outdoor areas, including billboards and advertising vans. This is supported by 46 Information and Advice Sites which provide training on use of the Check an HGV service. 35 of these sites are also providing drivers of HGVs and vans with free COVID-19 tests.
The haulier handbook is readily available on GOV.UK and translated into 13 languages to ensure EU hauliers are aware of requirements to cross the border. The government also delivered seminars at EU industry days and has had exhibition stands at physical and virtual events and conferences across the EU, targeting commercial drivers and haulage firms.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to bus services in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local bus journeys remain central to public transport choices. The Government provides an annual £43 million directly to local authorities through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to support local bus services.
Last year, Stoke-on-Trent City Council received £29,618 and Staffordshire County Council £699,869 from this grant. In addition to this, an extra £30 million was provided to local authorities in financial year 2020/21 to improve current bus services, or restore lost services where needed. Stoke-on-Trent City Council received £124,233 and Staffordshire County Council £583,372.
We have provided local authorities with the tools they need to improve local bus services through the Bus Services Act 2017 and we have committed to implement England’s first-ever long-term Bus Strategy.
Our Better Deal for Bus Users package will help begin to transform bus services across the country and additional investment of £5 billion announced by the Prime Minister last year, will overhaul bus and cycle links for regions outside London.
We have now delivered on innovative technological solutions, like our Bus Open Data Service which lays the foundation for app developers to provide passengers with the information they need to travel with confidence.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the On-Street Residential Scheme continues to be available; and whether (a) Stoke-on-Trent City Council and (b) Staffordshire County Council has (i) applied for and (ii) been allocated funding under that scheme.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) continues to be available to help Local Authorities with the up-front cost of installing chargepoints to encourage drivers without off-street parking to make the switch to zero emission vehicles. The Government doubled funding this year to £20 million, to ensure that more local authorities and residents can benefit from the scheme.
Neither Stoke-on-Trent City Council nor Staffordshire County Council have applied to the Scheme thus far. With funding still available for this financial year we would encourage all authorities to get in touch with the Scheme’s delivery partner, the Energy Saving Trust, at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to connect more towns to the railway network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As part of the levelling-up agenda, the Government announced the £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund in January to deliver its manifesto commitment and start reopening lines and stations, including connecting towns to the railway network. This year we have announced development funding for 25 proposals. This Restoring Your Railways expenditure is included as part of our continued significant investment in the rail network.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the condition of roads in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department for Transport is providing (a) Stoke-on-Trent with over £5.5 million and (b) Staffordshire with over £37 million through the Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund this financial year. It is for each Council to decide on how this funding is utilised based on their highway asset management strategy, needs, and priorities.
In addition, Stoke-on-Trent council were successful in their £5 million ‘Keep Stoke Moving’ key corridor Challenge Fund bid in February this year. Staffordshire County Council also successfully bid for £2.35 million to upgrade Chetwynd Bridge, a historic Grade II* structure.
The Department for Transport held two consultation exercises in 2014 to seek views from local highway authorities, organisations, and members of the public regarding how we allocate funding to local highway authorities. Following the consultation exercises, it was agreed that we would allocate funding to each highway authority in England, outside London, based on road lengths and highways assets such as bridges and lighting columns for which they are responsible. This is the most fair and proportionate way to distribute this funding.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to review the funding formula for road maintenance.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department for Transport is providing (a) Stoke-on-Trent with over £5.5 million and (b) Staffordshire with over £37 million through the Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund this financial year. It is for each Council to decide on how this funding is utilised based on their highway asset management strategy, needs, and priorities.
In addition, Stoke-on-Trent council were successful in their £5 million ‘Keep Stoke Moving’ key corridor Challenge Fund bid in February this year. Staffordshire County Council also successfully bid for £2.35 million to upgrade Chetwynd Bridge, a historic Grade II* structure.
The Department for Transport held two consultation exercises in 2014 to seek views from local highway authorities, organisations, and members of the public regarding how we allocate funding to local highway authorities. Following the consultation exercises, it was agreed that we would allocate funding to each highway authority in England, outside London, based on road lengths and highways assets such as bridges and lighting columns for which they are responsible. This is the most fair and proportionate way to distribute this funding.