Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on job numbers of the introduction of driver-only operating on the Northern Rail and Transpennine Express franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
In developing the specification to be included in the Invitation to Tender for the Northern and Transpennine Express franchises the Department has to consider the possible effect of a number of difference scenarios and approaches in a wide range of specification areas. One of these is the possibility of drivers taking increased responsibilities, including for opening and closing the doors. This has already been the norm on parts of the railways for thirty years.
In considering whether to specify such an option we would not be requiring the removal of on-board staff. We recognise the importance that passenger place on the presence of on-train staff and want to make sure that where appropriate all of our operators provide these benefits through an effective staff presence that meets passengers’ needs.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what organisations responded to the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchise consultation; and whether those responses are publicly available.
Answered by Claire Perry
We received over 20,000 responses to the Northern and TransPennine Express consultation; this included responses from Local Authorities, Rail User Groups, Community Rail Partnerships, local businesses, trade unions and other organisations, as well as responses from individual members of the public. Of those 20,000 responses, 9,315 were identical postcards from RMT members that highlighted concerns about a variety of franchise-related areas. Summaries of the responses we received and a breakdown of response numbers will be provided in the Stakeholder Briefing Document that will be published alongside the Invitations to Tender in this quarter.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses have been received to the consultation on the future of the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
We received over 20,000 responses to the Northern and TransPennine Express consultation; this included responses from Local Authorities, Rail User Groups, Community Rail Partnerships, local businesses, trade unions and other organisations, as well as responses from individual members of the public. Of those 20,000 responses, 9,315 were identical postcards from RMT members that highlighted concerns about a variety of franchise-related areas. Summaries of the responses we received and a breakdown of response numbers will be provided in the Stakeholder Briefing Document that will be published alongside the Invitations to Tender in this quarter.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the invitations to tender will be issued for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Invitations to Tender for the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises will be published this quarter. The date will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses to the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchise consultation (a) supported and (b) opposed driver-only operation.
Answered by Claire Perry
We did not ask specific questions about Driver Only Operation (DOO) in the Northern and TransPennine Express consultation, so analysis of responses relating to DOO has not been carried out in this way. A range of views on DOO were expressed by those who responded to the consultation. We also received 9,315 identical postcards from RMT members that highlighted concerns about a variety of franchise-related areas, including DOO.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of changes to revenue protection and collection on the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises in the last five years.
Answered by Claire Perry
It is for operators to manage revenue protection as part of their day to day business.
We require reports from some of the train operators which contain information on the level of ticketless travel and their revenue protection activities. However this information is commercially confidential.
Northern Rail has increased the number of revenue protection staff at stations since April 2014 to further reduce ticketless travel. Ticket gates are being installed as part of the significant project to upgrade Manchester Victoria station.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of changes in levels of anti-social behaviour and crime on the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises in the last five years.
Answered by Claire Perry
British Transport Police publish crime statistics by postcode or station on their website at: http://crimemaps.btp.police.uk/
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on revenue protection and collection of the introduction of driver-only operation on the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department has undertaken a Ticketless Travel survey on both the Northern and the Transpenine Express franchises in order to prepare the specification for each competition which will be published in their respective Invitations to Tender in due course. These results have also been provided to the bidders.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on revenue protection and collection of station staffing proposals for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department has undertaken a Ticketless Travel survey on both the Northern and the Transpenine Express franchises in order to prepare the specification for each competition which will be published in their respective Invitations to Tender in due course. These results have also been provided to the bidders.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the causes of train delays on the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises that are caused as a result of (a) driver shortages and (b) guards not being present.
Answered by Claire Perry
There are different reporting obligations for each franchise as the cause of delay. Neither Northern nor Transpennine Express separate out this information to the level requested. But both provide information on the proportion of delay minutes that are attributed to Network Rail or a train operator.
Department officials meet with operators at regular intervals for performance review meetings and the items discussed will include reasons for train delays, which may include driver shortages or guards not being present, and the actions that the operators are taking to address any poor performance.