Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to pilot the commencement of Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 in Swindon.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to civil enforcement of moving traffic offences enforcement powers. Other provisions relating to civil parking enforcement have already been commenced.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to pilot the commencement of Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 in Swindon.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to civil enforcement of moving traffic offences enforcement powers. Other provisions relating to civil parking enforcement have already been commenced.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commence Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to moving traffic enforcement powers. Other provisions relating to civil parking enforcement have already been commenced.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commence Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to moving traffic enforcement powers. Other provisions relating to civil parking enforcement have already been commenced.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to bus companies to modernise their fleets.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government has introduced a variety of measures to help operators in England modernise their fleets.
As part of a £3.5 billion commitment for air quality and cleaner transport, we awarded over £40 million in 2016 and 2017 to support the purchase of cleaner and less polluting buses under the Low Emission Bus Scheme. We will be launching a further round of this scheme later this year worth an additional £49 million. We have also committed £40 million for retrofitting older buses with pollution-reducing technology under the Clean Bus Technology Fund.
In terms of improvements on-board buses, the Bus Services Act (2017) includes provisions through the Accessible Information Regulations requiring all bus operators of local services across Great Britain to provide audible and visible route and next stop announcements on-board buses.
Whilst the regulations are intended to be technology neutral, the outcome should be a more modern, more accessible and overall better experience for bus passengers across England, Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that ticket machines at train stations always offer the lowest available fares.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We recognize that rail passengers should always be able to get the best deal. That is why the Department has worked closely with industry and other stakeholders on the Action Plan for Information on Rail Fares and Ticketing Information launched in December 2016 to make it easier for passengers to choose the right fares for them. Today, all ticket vending machines (TVMs) in the country will alert customers if they have selected a more expensive type of the same ticket. Many train companies have taken a step further to introduce a voluntary TVM price guarantee promising a refund of the additional ticket costs to passengers who find that they could have bought a cheaper ticket for the same journey.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that ticket machines at train stations sell tickets at peak time for off-peak journeys.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Ticket vending machines are designed to make it easier for passengers to buy tickets for immediate travel. This makes them quicker and easier to use and reduces the risk that a passenger buys a ticket that isn’t valid for immediate travel. However it can be frustrating for passengers if, by waiting a few minutes, they could have got a cheaper off-peak ticket. That is why, as part of the Action Plan for Information on Rail Fares and Ticketing Information, agreed with industry and launched in December 2016, , that train companies would upgrade vending machines so that they alert passengers when they will shortly sell off-peak tickets. Work on this action is underway and expected to complete by early 2018.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the number of ticket machines available at train stations.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department requires companies bidding for rail franchises to include proposals to ensure the availability of tickets to all passengers. This includes ensuring that passengers have a variety of accessible means by which to purchase their tickets, including via ticket vending machines. Should demand increase in the course of a franchise, the Department has established a framework for train companies to invest in infrastructure beyond the life of the franchise. The Department is also investing £80m to roll out smart ticketing across almost all of the rail network, aligned with the Rail Delivery Group’s mobile barcode programme, which will make it easier for passengers to buy their tickets by app or online.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the number of ticket machines available at train stations.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department requires companies bidding for rail franchises to include proposals to ensure the availability of tickets to all passengers. This includes ensuring that passengers have a variety of accessible means by which to purchase their tickets, including via ticket vending machines. Should demand increase in the course of a franchise, the Department has established a framework for train companies to invest in infrastructure beyond the life of the franchise. The Department is also investing £80m to roll out smart ticketing across almost all of the rail network, aligned with the Rail Delivery Group’s mobile barcode programme, which will make it easier for passengers to buy their tickets by app or online.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate has been made of the average journey time between Swindon and London Paddington upon completion of the electrification of the Great Western Main Line.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Once electrification of Great Western from Paddington to Cardiff is complete, the average journey times between London Paddington, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea are expected to reduce by around 15 minutes.
Precise journey times from London Paddington to Swindon will be confirmed as part of the industry’s timetable bidding process, later this year.