Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 27 November 2023 to Question HL240, whether he has made an assessment of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s proposal to merge the motorcycle module 1 and module 2 tests since that date.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This is an issue in the primary control of Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The DVSA and Department for Transport officials met with representatives of the motorcycle sector at a Stakeholder Roundtable Meeting on 4 December 2023 to discuss motorcycle safety and licensing reform. Further discussions are ongoing.
There is a proposed round table with the Motorcycle Industry Association, and other key stakeholders, scheduled for May 2024.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2024 to Question 11316 on Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions, what engagement his Department plans to undertake with the L-Category industry on the development of EV charging infrastructure in the next six months.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has engaged extensively with the L-Category sector since the publication of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan in July 2021 and will continue to do so to support its transition to zero emission vehicles whenever appropriate.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2023 to Question 5 on Motorcycles: Training, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s proposals to reform compulsory basic training on (a) road safety, (b) the quality of rider training and (c) rider skill levels.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In 2017 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) published its response to the Improving Motorcycle Training consultation, and committed to exploring:
updating the qualification process for motorcycle instructors
updating the content and structure of the compulsory basic training (CBT) syllabus
strengthening the quality assurance scheme for motorcycle instructors
Officials met with key representatives of the motorcycle organisations on 4 December 2023 to discuss motorcycle safety. The next round table meeting, which is scheduled for 8 May 2024, will consider and explore:
taking forward reforms to motorcycle CBT and testing
the Motorcycle Industry Association's request for a wider review of licensing for L category vehicles as set out in the ‘A Net License to Zero’ proposals and action plan
licence reforms
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that Ukrainian driving licences remain valid 12 months after entry to the UK; whether they will be required to take a test to exchange the licence for a GB equivalent; and what support is being given to help with the process of exchanging to a GB equivalent.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Ukrainian driving licences are already valid for 12 months in Great Britain for driving most cars and motorcycles, and can be exchanged without test for a UK licence. Work is ongoing in respect of Ukrainian bus and lorry licences. Following this question, I have asked officials to consider whether there are further measures we might take in this regard.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to advocate a unilateral approach to airport staff screening at the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2019 as opposed to the mutual recognition approach discussed at the Transatlantic Aviation Security Industry Roundtable in 2018.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK Government has consistently advocated, in the International Civil Aviation Organization and in other forums, a global approach to tackling insider threat at airports based on 100% screening of staff, randomness and unpredictability as part of that screening, and background checks of staff working in secure areas or with access to sensitive security information.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the performance of London Midland commuter trains.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
We do not monitor train operator performances by service type (i.e. commuter trains only) under the Franchise Agreement; we monitor each operator's performance across their whole network against benchmarks under the Franchise Agreement.
The Department monitors each train operator's overall performance against these benchmarks and there are clear actions set out in the Franchise Agreement should performance drop below what is expected. This regular monitoring includes monthly meetings with their senior management where performance figures are scrutinised and challenged.
At present London Midland are assessed as being within their contracted performance benchmarks as set out in the Franchise Agreement.
In 2002 when Network Rail took control of Britain's Rail infrastructure, train performance was languishing at record low levels (78.6% of trains arriving on time nationally). Since then, it has risen to averaging around 90%. Network Rail has been tasked with ensuring that 92.5% of trains arrive on time nationally by 2019.
We are determined that improvements in infrastructure across the network, as evidenced by the £38 billion investment agreed with Network Rail for the next 5 years, will further improve the performance of all train operators.