Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring future housing developments provide electronic vehicle charging facilities for residents.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Since June 2022, Part S of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 requires new residential properties with associated parking to have access to electric vehicle chargepoints.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will ensure that any future review of the bus fare cap will take account of (a) young people and (b) low paid workers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On Monday 28 October, the Prime Minister confirmed the government will introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares from 1 January 2025 until the end of 2025. Moving forward, the government will also explore more targeted options that deliver value for money to the taxpayer, to ensure affordable bus travel is always available for the groups who need it the most - such as young people.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions officials in her Department have had with the (a) States of Jersey, (b) States of Guernsey, (c) ferry operators and (d) trade unions on the long term provision of ferry services from (i) Poole and (ii) Portsmouth to the Channel Islands.
Answered by Mike Kane
Maritime officials within the Department have had no discussions on the long-term provision of ferry services from (i) Poole and (ii) Portsmouth to the Channel Islands.
Ferry services are predominantly run on a commercial basis without UK government intervention. However, where services are pertinent to local and regional objectives, relevant bodies can become involved in the specification of service provision. In this case, we understand that the governments of the States of Guernsey and Jersey have undertaken a procurement process to meet the Islands’ ferry service needs. This is a matter for those States, and therefore this Department has not had discussions with Islands, ferry providers, or unions, in this instance.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the new cap on bus fares will include services that are solely for the transport of pupils to and from their place of education.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The new fare cap will be designed to be as equitable as possible in terms of its support for passengers across England. One of the key principles of the scheme will be to include ‘open’ services which allow any member of public to board. ‘Closed’ school services, defined as a service which would not allow a member of the general public to board, and school services which operate in term-time only will not be eligible for inclusion. This is in keeping with the approach of the previous fare cap scheme, which did not allow for the inclusion of closed school services.
Services from participating operators that serve schools, are open to members of the public and run all year round will be eligible for inclusion in the scheme.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with South Western Railway on the use of Arterio Class 701 trains.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department officials have regular discussions with South-Western Railway on the introduction of the Arterio Class 701 fleet. The first trains have entered passenger service, with a gradual roll out expected over the next two years.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing South Western Railway's Arterio Class 701 trains back into service.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department officials have regular discussions with South-Western Railway on the introduction of the Arterio Class 701 fleet. The first trains have entered passenger service, with a gradual roll out expected over the next two years.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make a comparative assessment of the (a) effectiveness and (b) safety of operating train doors by (i) Driver Control Operation and (ii) the driver opening doors and the guard closing them.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We look to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent safety regulator for Britain’s railways, to ensure operators have the right procedures in place for both driver and guard operated doors to safeguard passengers when embarking and disembarking trains.
The ORR has concluded that passengers can be dispatched safely and effectively with driver control operated doors, provided suitable equipment, procedures and competent staff are in place. These should be consistent with the principles for driver-controlled operation that the ORR has developed in consultation with train operators and trade unions. The ORR will, nonetheless, continue to keep dispatch arrangements under review to ensure any risks are mitigated effectively.