Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds information on the percentage of truck stops on the Strategic Road Network which have free toilet facilities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department does not maintain records on the number of toilet facilities across its network. These facilities are operated commercially by private entities, who are responsible for ensuring they comply with legislative requirements and meet customer needs.
All Motorway Service Areas, Motorway Rest Areas, All-Purpose Trunk Road Service Areas, Motorway Truck Stops, Truck Stops on All-Purpose Trunk Roads and Truck Stops which benefit from signs from the strategic road network must provide free parking for a minimum of 2 hours for all vehicles permitted to use the facility and free-to-use toilets with hand washing facilities.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department's Roads Investment Committee has considered funding alterations to the London South Circular in the last year.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Over the last year the Department’s Roads and Local Investment Committee has considered a Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for Transport for London’s (TfL) Catford Town Centre road scheme, which would include the realignment of part of the A205 South Circular. The scheme is being progressed by TfL for possible funding as part of the Department’s Major Road Network/ Large Local Majors programme. The Department’s decision on whether to approve the SOC will be issued in due course.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 27 March 2023 to Question 169467 on Public Transport, when her Department plans to publish the final report on the Rural Mobility Fund.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Rural Mobility Fund evaluation consists of two elements – a first stage including monitoring data collection and a process evaluation and a second stage including impact and value for money evaluation.
An interim monitoring data collection and process evaluation report was published in September 2023 and a second concluding process evaluation report will be published later this year.
The impact and value for money evaluation will be published in 2026.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new approach to access charges to help incentivise rail freight operators to (a) fund greener assets and (b) use the network more efficiently.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in Getting Britain Moving, we will reform the existing access, charging and capacity allocation regime, to enable GBR to become the directing mind and decision maker on use of its infrastructure. Part of this will involve considering how the new system could enable non-GBR operators, such as freight, to be incentivised to invest in greener traction or make better use of the network.
However, before the Bill is introduced to Parliament, it is important to find out what industry stakeholders and the public think of these proposed reforms. Feedback from the eight-week public consultation, that we intend to launch in due course, will therefore help to inform the proposition on track access charging.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the proposed number of platforms for HS2 at Euston Station from 11 to 6 on the economic case for HS2.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The decision to reduce the number of platforms at Euston formed part of the overall changes to the HS2 programme made under the Network North announcement. The accounting officer assessment details the impacts of these changes on the value for money case for HS2. The accounting officer assessment is publicly available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-major-projects-portfolio-accounting-officer-assessments/continuing-investment-in-hs2-phase-1-accounting-officer-assessment-october-2023. Further clarification was provided to the Public Accounts Committee, which is publicly available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/42799/documents/212828/default/.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether plans for the development of Euston Station for HS2 include (a) provisions and (b) reserved space for potential expansion from six platforms.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is working with key partners to develop affordable plans for the Euston Station. This will include consideration of options to allow future expansion of the HS2 station. We will set out more details in due course.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the lack of clarity on the northern leg of HS2 on the the train manufacturing industry in the UK.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is developing a Rolling Stock Strategy. This will align with the wider objectives of the industry in ending the current variability in production rates and ensuring a stable pipeline of work for the rolling stock supply chain.
Once established, Great British Railways will take the strategy forward providing a long-term approach to future rolling stock needs and helping to secure better value from the private rolling stock market.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of removing VAT from small-vehicle public transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The VAT treatment of goods and services is a matter for His Majesty's Treasury.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase access to (a) demand-responsive public transport and (b) dial-a-ride services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. This includes introducing Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services where appropriate and desired, as part of the overall bus network.
The Department is supporting 16 pilot DRT projects in 16 innovative demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas across England through the £20m Rural Mobility Fund (RMF). Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process. This will provide a strong base of evidence and good practice for DRT and a better understanding of both the role it can play and the challenges associated with introducing it.
The Government’s funding includes £3.8 million for community transport operators, through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), supporting them to continue delivering inclusive and accessible transport across the country.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of extending the VAT exemption for adapted motor vehicles for disabled people to include taxis.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The VAT treatment of goods and services is a matter for His Majesty's Treasury. One of the requirements of the Plug-in Taxi Grant, which offers a discount of up to £6,000 to support the uptake of ULEV taxis, is that the vehicle should be wheelchair accessible.