Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish (a) a detailed breakdown of the stakeholder responses to the South Western Railway and Network Rail stakeholder consultation and (b) the full responses to that consultation.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
South Western Railway (SWR), Network Rail (NR) and the Department are currently analysing the feedback from the consultation with the aim of NR and SWR publishing a report together with details on next steps by the end of the calendar year.
I recently spoke about the estimated cost savings as a result of the proposed timetable changes on SWR at an adjournment debate and followed this with a letter which is available in the Libraires of the House.
The Department has already published correspondence between the Department and senior SWR representatives which is available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/dft-foi-disclosure-log-2021.
The Department has not carried out any assessments into the carbon impact of SWR running a reduced timetable compared to pre-pandemic service levels, and there are no proposed reductions in headcount as a result of the December 2022 timetable proposals.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the timeframe for the (a) publication of the results of the South Western Railway and Network Rail stakeholder consultation and (b) implementation of proposed December 2022 timetable changes on South Western Railway.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
South Western Railway (SWR), Network Rail (NR) and the Department are currently analysing the feedback from the consultation with the aim of NR and SWR publishing a report together with details on next steps by the end of the calendar year.
I recently spoke about the estimated cost savings as a result of the proposed timetable changes on SWR at an adjournment debate and followed this with a letter which is available in the Libraires of the House.
The Department has already published correspondence between the Department and senior SWR representatives which is available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/dft-foi-disclosure-log-2021.
The Department has not carried out any assessments into the carbon impact of SWR running a reduced timetable compared to pre-pandemic service levels, and there are no proposed reductions in headcount as a result of the December 2022 timetable proposals.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the evidential basis is for his Department's decision to assign countries to the red, amber or green travel list for covid-19.
Answered by Robert Courts
The traffic light system categorises countries based on risk to protect public health and the vaccine rollout from variants of COVID-19. The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) produces risk assessments of countries and territories. Decisions on Red, Amber or Green List assignment and associated border measures take into account the JBC risk assessments, alongside wider public health factors. Key factors in the JBC risk assessment of each country include:
A summary of the JBC methodology, alongside key data that supports decisions on the traffic light system is published on gov.uk.
The data for all countries be kept under regular review and the Government will not hesitate to take action where a country’s epidemiological picture changes.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that passengers arriving at airports from countries on the covid-19 green list do not mix with passengers arriving from amber and red list countries.
Answered by Robert Courts
Since June, direct red list arrivals on direct flights have been required to enter dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham. These have helped to keep passengers separate, focussing processing capacity and easing the passengers of both red and non-red passengers through the airport.
The Government has worked closely with UK airports on social distancing guidance and maintained a consistent approach with international counterparts to protect public confidence when travelling. Airports have also retained preventative measures such as face coverings, hygiene stations and signage, which have been determined through each individual airport’s risk assessment process.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Board's Report 01/2021 Eden Park published on 19 February 2021 on additional risks posed to blind and partially sighted people, what steps he is taking in response to the finding that half of mainline railway stations do not have tactile paving.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
This was a tragic incident and we fully accept the recommendations in the report. Whenever industry installs, replaces or renews platform infrastructure they are required to install tactiles. I have asked Network Rail to work up a costed plan for a wider roll out of tactiles for stations where tactiles are not being delivered as part of an existing enhancements or renewal project.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch's report into a fatality at Eden Park station in 2020, what funding he plans to provide to accelerate the installation of tactile paving at mainline rail stations.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
This was a tragic incident and we fully accept the recommendations in the report. Whenever industry installs, replaces or renews platform infrastructure they are required to install tactiles. I have asked Network Rail to work up a costed plan for a wider roll out of tactiles for stations where tactiles are not being delivered as part of an existing enhancements or renewal project.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the effect of e-scooters on the safety of blind and partially sighted people.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Department continues to work closely with all local authorities and e-scooter operators in areas where e-scooters are being trialed. We know there are concerns about e-scooter use, particularly for blind and visually impaired people.
Local authorities must engage with local groups that represent the interests of disabled people before submitting a proposal to hold a trial. This is to allow concerns to be raised and, where possible, mitigated before trials commence. We have rejected proposals where this engagement has not taken place. Local authorities must also ensure that plans are in place to continue with this engagement during the trials.
and officials have engaged with a range of key stakeholders, including representatives from: Guide Dogs, the RNIB, and the National Federation of the Blind of the UK.
We have sought to limit any potentially negative impacts of e-scooters on blind and partially sighted people by requiring local authorities, working with e-scooter operators, to design trials in a way that takes account of their needs.
In all trial areas there needs to be sufficient parking provision. If a dockless operating model is being used, local authorities should ensure that e-scooters do not become an obstruction to other road users and pedestrians, particularly disabled people.
Following our consultation last year, and feedback from subsequent stakeholder activities, we have required all e-scooters used in trials to have a horn or bell so that users can make others aware of their presence.
We have also asked operators to develop more robust geo-fencing to tackle pavement riding and other anti-social behaviour. We have also asked local authorities and operators to ensure that trials are launched in a controlled way, with a small number of e-scooters and that trials are scaled up gradually as demand increases.
We will continue to take account of the needs of blind and partially sighted people as the trials progress.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic effect of not extending CBT certificates for motorcyclists and moped drivers who rely on driving for their work; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that all drivers have access to the vehicles and certification that they need for work.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The two-year validity period of a CBT certificate is set out in legislation. It is in place to ensure learner moped and motorcycle riders can ride safely on their own, with L-plates, while they practise for a full moped or motorcycle test. That includes critical workers. Mobile emergency workers who hold a valid CBT certificate are able to take a motorcycle test during the current restrictions if put forward by their employer.
The DVSA has measures in place to increase testing availability for all drivers, including offering overtime to examiners and buying back annual leave, asking around 240 warrant card holders who are qualified to conduct tests but do not do so as part of their current day job to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays). It also launched a national recruitment campaign on Wednesday 10 February for around 300 new driving examiners to increase the overall number of examiners available for testing. The agency will continue to assess further options for increasing testing capacity and reducing the backlog as quickly as possible. Ensuring a COVID-secure service is maintained for employees, trainers and candidates remains a top priority.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to extend the grace period for non-GB driving licence holders so they can continue to drive in the UK while driving tests have been suspended.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
There are no plans to extend the 12-month period for which holders of foreign driving licences can drive in Great Britain using that licence. To continue driving after the 12-month period the driver must either exchange their licence, if it was issued by a country which has been designated for licence exchange purposes, or apply for a provisional driving licence and pass both a theory and practical driving test.
In line with the government’s recent roadmap announcement, practical and theory driving tests will resume no earlier than 12 April. Driving test candidates affected by the suspension in testing are automatically being booked onto the next available test at their chosen centre. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will increase the number of driving tests available through extended operating hours and prioritising practical driving tests. A recruitment campaign is also underway to increase the number of driving examiners.
The DVSA is currently offering a very limited testing service for mobile emergency workers who are required to drive in their role.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department’s authorisation was required for South Western Railway to terminate its on-board catering contract with Elior.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Under the terms of the Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement, South Western Railway was required to seek the approval of the Secretary of State to terminate the Elior catering contract.
It had became clear to South Western Railway and Elior that in the current circumstances the terms of the contract were not financially viable.