Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of closing train station ticket offices in Liverpool Riverside constituency on the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of passenger rail travel in the (a) Liverpool City Region and (b) North West.
Answered by Huw Merriman
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the devolution of power for the Liverpool City Region to run the Merseyrail network in the public sector.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail commits Great British Railways to agreeing partnerships with local government in England, to give local leaders a greater say in how transport services are delivered in their area.
The devolved Merseyrail arrangements with the private sector operator contracted to Liverpool City Region Combined authority have delivered a high performing railway for many years. We are working with the Combined Authority to explore a range of options for increased local influence over the Merseyrail network, to build on this and further improve outcomes for passengers and the local economy. We will provide a further update in due course.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether under the terms of the emergency recover management agreement between First-Trenitalia West Coast and his Department the franchise operator continues to be paid in the event that cleaning is disrupted by industrial action.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the terms of the franchise, as amended by the Emergency Measures Recovery Agreement, the operator is paid a fixed fee during its term. Operators can also receive a performance-based fee when performance levels are adequately met or exceeded which is independently evaluated.
The Department requires the operator, where possible, to mitigate the impact of industrial action on passengers. In the event of industrial action operators will develop additional plans in support so it is able to deliver the best possible service for passenger despite any disruption.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish reports from First Trenitalia West Coast, including tables, charts and other data, showing delivery of Station and Train cleans against planned programmes for each Performance Based Fee Assessment Period since September 2020.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department does not publish this information. The score for each Performance Based Fee Assessment Period is published on the Gov.uk website.
Customer complaints data is available on the Office of Rail and Road website, these include complaints relating to the cleanliness of stations and trains. Transport Focus also conduct regular passenger satisfaction surveys. The results are available on Transport Focus website.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the terms of the contract between his Department and First-Trenitalia West Coast indemnify Atalian Servest from any financial penalty caused by industrial action.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no contractual relationship between Atalian Servet and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail and therefore the terms of the contract between the Department and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail do not indemnify Atalian Servest from any financial penalty caused by industrial action.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the planned programmes of Station and Train cleans required from First-Trenitalia West Coast as a condition of its Emergency Recovery Management Agreement for each Performance Based Fee Assessment Period since September 2020.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department requires that all operators put in place plans and processes to deliver effective cleaning on trains and at stations. The Department does not publish their plans, but the delivery of these plans is regularly monitored and independently evaluated.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish correspondence between his Department and the directors of First Trenitalia West Coast, Alstom Transport Ltd or Atalian Servest in respect of the current industrial dispute over cleaners’ pay.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In line with requirements within the Franchise, the Department is made aware of all the ongoing industrial disputes. These disputes are for the operator and as such the Department has not been involved in any correspondence on this dispute with the Directors of these companies or the Directors at First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Ltd.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether under the terms of the emergency recovery management agreement between his Department and First Trenitalia West Coast, he has given a mandate in relation to Atalian Servest’s current pay arrangements at Alstom’s Traincare depots.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no contractual relationship between First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Ltd, the Departments contractual partner, and Atalian Servest. The pay arrangements of Atalian Servest is a matter for Atalian Servest.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether First Trenitalia West Coast, Alstom Transport or Atalian Servest are permitted to improve pay arrangements for cleaners employed in Alstom’s traincare depots.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no contractual relationship between Atalian Servest and either First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Ltd or the Department. Alalian Servest is responsible for its own employees and will make its own determinations on the pay of its employees.