Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people used Swindon station in each year since 2000.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Station usage statistics are collected and published by the Office of Rail and Road. The usage of Swindon station shown in those statistics is:
2000-01: 2,064,669
2001-02: 2,011,159
2002-03: 2,117,084
2003-04: -*
2004-05: 2,257,719
2005-06: 2,340,952
2006-07: 2,515,492
2007-08: 2,758,891
2008-09: 2,905,266
2009-10: 2,835,364
2010-11: 3,039,228
2011-12: 3,232,578
2012-13: 3,220,180
2013-14: 3,350,444
2014-15: 3,503,982
2015-16: 3,580,540
* The statistics consistently omit the 2003-04 year due to a change in the statistical series.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of Swindon station.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State has made no recent assessment of the capacity of Swindon station.
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 reduce the number of roadworks sites which are unmanned overnight and at weekends.
Answered by John Hayes
Highways England recognises the appearance of general inactivity on roadworks is a concern for road users and is making improvements in informing its customers what works are happening, why and what benefits are expected.
In addition, they are also looking at more efficient ways of working to make best use of lane closures to increase productivity and minimise the duration and impact of roadworks on their customers.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the effect on the motorsport industry of the European Court of Justice ruling of September 2014, Damijan Vnuk v Zavarovalnica Triglav C-162/13, that introduced the requirement for all motorised vehicles used off-road to be insured.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department is currently holding a public consultation on the implications of the Vnuk judgment. The Consultation impact assessment assesses the likely costs and benefits arising from the policy options.
The consultation also asks whether stakeholders agree with that assessment and requests further information about the potential cost and benefits that will be used to assess the overall economic impacts of the policy options.
We oppose any measures which impose an unreasonable burden on the public. We will use the consultation responses to get the best result for the country.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring private hire vehicles to install CCTV cameras for the purpose of enhancing driver and passenger safety.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The legislation that provides for licensing of taxi and private hire vehicle services is enabling in its nature, giving local licensing authorities the discretion to set standards that they deem to be appropriate for their area. Local licensing authorities can already require the installation of CCTV in all taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) and a number already do so.
The Government’s position on recommending the installation of CCTV in taxis and PHVs is being reviewed as part of the drafting of Statutory Guidance to safeguard children and vulnerable adults when using these vehicles. The Government will consult on this early next year.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) economic merits and (b) benefits to passengers of a western rail link to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Network Rail’s own data details that a Western Rail Link to Heathrow will involve over £800 million of UK economic activity, including additional economic benefits for the region.
Passengers will benefit from new journey opportunities, improving access to Heathrow from the South Coast, South West, South Wales and West Midlands via a simple change of train at Reading. This will spare passengers the frustration of passing Heathrow on the way to Paddington, before having to turn around and do the last part of the journey in reverse – significantly reducing rail journey times between Reading and Heathrow.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic effect of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on Swindon.
Answered by John Hayes
The department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of a new runway at Heathrow on Swindon. The economic assessment has primarily been taken at the national level, taking account of all UK regions. As with other regions, people in the South West can expect to take advantage of new destinations, extra seats and increased frequency of service created by increased capacity at Heathrow.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses his Department received during the public consultation on advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies.
Answered by John Hayes
The consultation “Pathway to driverless cars: proposals to support advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies” ran between 11 July and 9 September. It is currently being analysed, and a response will be issued in due course.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to upgrade the (a) rail and (b) underground connectivity to (i) Heathrow and (ii) Gatwick Airport.
Answered by John Hayes
Current investment plans include a number of improvements to rail and underground services to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.
The Elizabeth line will significantly improve links between Heathrow and a number of central London destinations. From May 2018, four trains an hour will run between Paddington and Heathrow Airport replacing the existing 2 train per hour Heathrow Connect service. From December 2019, Elizabeth line trains will run from the airport directly to central London destinations including Bond Street, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf.
London Underground is planning new trains and signalling for the Piccadilly line, which serves Heathrow. Work on signalling will begin as early as 2019 and the first new trains will be in service from the early 2020s. The new trains will provide 60% more capacity (the equivalent of up to 21,000 customers per hour).
Network Rail is developing a rail link from the Great Western Main Line to London Heathrow Terminal 5. This proposed Western Rail Link to Heathrow will allow passengers to travel directly to the airport from Reading and Slough. Network Rail is expected to seek planning powers for this scheme in 2017.
Gatwick airport is benefiting from the investment that is underway through the Thameslink programme which is delivering more frequent services and state of the art new trains on the line between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London, the first of which entered service earlier this year. By 2018, these trains will start operating on two new direct services connecting Gatwick to Peterborough and Cambridge.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many airside incursions by protestors there have been since 2015; at which airports those incursions occurred; and what the average delay to flights in minutes was in each such instances.
Answered by John Hayes
There have been two airside incursions by protesters since 2015. One at Heathrow and one at London City. The Department does not hold any information on the delay to flights.