Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) backlog and (b) processing time is to renew lorry and bus licences that have expired since 31 December 2020.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The number of applications awaiting processing fluctuates on a daily basis as driving licences are issued and new applications received. All driving licence applications are currently being processed within published target times.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a six month extension of the policy of automatically extending lorry or bus driving licences or entitlement to drive in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
All applications to renew lorry and bus (Group 2) driving licences are being prioritised by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. There are no plans to further extend driving licence validity periods. Group 2 drivers who have previously benefited from an extension to their driving licence must obtain the necessary medical report in the interests of road safety.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps DVSA is taking to prioritise renewal of lorry and bus licences which have expired since 31 December 2020.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
All applications to renew lorry and bus (Group 2) driving licences are being prioritised by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. There are no plans to further extend driving licence validity periods. Group 2 drivers who have previously benefited from an extension to their driving licence must obtain the necessary medical report in the interests of road safety.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 131307 on Driving Tests: Employment, what steps the DVSA is taking to prioritise applicants for whom a driving licence is a requirement for maintaining or taking up employment.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
During the lockdown period, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. The DVSA has contacted eligible organisations, such as NHS Trusts, to explain how to nominate candidates; candidates cannot apply themselves.
Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions determined by the Scottish Government.
The DVSA has no current plans to expand this priority service.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the £4.2 billion for intra-city transport settlements referred to in Build Back Better: our plan for growth will be invested in the existing rail network.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.
This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.
It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.
The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the £4.2 billion for intra-city transport settlements referred to in Build Back Better: our plan for growth published by the Treasury in March 2021 will be allocated to extending step-free access to existing stations on the rail network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.
This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.
It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.
The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the timescale for delivering step-free access to all stations on the rail network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
We will shortly be commissioning accessibility audits of all mainline stations that will allow us to prioritise future investment in station accessibility.
Further measures to improve rail accessibility will be included in the forthcoming rail reform White Paper.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made in assessing the need for investment to extend step-free access to all stations on the rail network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
We will shortly be commissioning accessibility audits of all mainline stations that will allow us to prioritise future investment in station accessibility.
Further measures to improve rail accessibility will be included in the forthcoming rail reform White Paper.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many practical driving tests have been conducted since 14 September 2020; and what proportion of the additional 375,000 tests have been conducted as set out by the DVSA in a 9 September 2020 letter to the hon. Member for East Renfrewshire since 14 September 2020.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
295,373 practical car driving tests were conducted between 14 September 2020 and 21 January 2021.
The practical driving test booking system does not identify how many of those test conducted were part of the additional 375,000 test slots allocated.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to provide early access post-lockdown to (a) driving theory tests and (b) practical driving tests for (i) key workers including those who work in health or social care, (ii) essential workers including those in waste management, distribution and infrastructure, (iii) other workers for whom a driving licence is an essential requirement and (iv) people with disabilities and their carers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is in discussions with Transport Scotland to provide driving theory tests and practical driving tests for frontline mobile emergency workers. Transport Scotland is working to ensure it has the relevant legislation is in place before offering the service.
The DVSA is working with its theory test contract provider, Pearson VUE, to respond to requests for theory tests in England and Wales from organisations such as Ambulance Authorities on behalf of frontline mobile emergency workers who require a driving licence to carry out duties in their employment role. The DVSA will also respond to requests for practical driving tests in England and Wales from organisations on behalf of frontline mobile emergency workers, who require a driving licence to carry out duties in their employment role.
This is a limited service subject to examiner resource and is restricted to candidates working in health and social care, and other public bodies involved in work responding to ‘threats to life’ such as the Environment Agency’s flood rescue staff, or local authority gritter truck drivers. The DVSA is contacting NHS Trusts to explain how to nominate candidates; candidates cannot apply themselves. Applications from other organisations will be considered if the mobile emergency worker criteria is met.
The DVSA is in the process of planning for the resumption of services and increasing test capacity when it is safe to do so. Arrangements will be announced in due course.