Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will extend the Great British Rail sale over the school summer holidays.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has announced the Great British Rail Sale, with passengers being offered Advance tickets at up to a 50% discount. Tickets went on sale on 19 April, for journeys commencing on 25 April through to the 27 May.
In developing the Great British Rail Sale, the industry identified routes and times where there is spare capacity to support additional passenger demand and avoid overcrowding already busy services.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of school buses are hybrid or electric.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport Annual Bus Statistics include information on what proportion of buses used by local operators in England are electric or diesel-hybrid. These figures cover all operators who run local bus services, including those who also do non-local work (e.g. private hire, school contracts). Operators who do solely non-local work are excluded. Local bus services include school services that are accessible to the general public, school services where the service cannot be used by fare-paying members of the public at bus stops are not included.
The Annual bus statistics: year ending March 2020 show as at March 2020, two per cent of buses used by local operators in England were electric and 14 per cent were diesel-hybrid. The Annual bus statistics: year ending March 2021 are due to be published on 3rd November 2021.
As set out in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 £355 million of new funding has been made available for zero emission buses. The Department will provide further details on how the £355 million of new funding will be used in due course.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2021 to Question 23276, whether he has plans to introduce a national fixed discount level for flexible season tickets compared to annual season tickets on the same routes.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The flexible season ticket is a new option for commuters travelling 2-3 days a week. Previously, most flexible commuters have had no option but to use daily tickets or traditional season tickets, which work out as more expensive in the vast majority of cases.
Fares vary widely across the network and this means that there is no fixed discount level that will work for everyone. Instead, we have chosen to price flexible season tickets relative to the options passengers already have on their route.
That means the new flexible season tickets provide better value and convenience for most commuters travelling two to three days a week, compared to existing daily tickets or traditional season tickets.
There are currently no plans to introduce a national fixed discount level.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2021 to Question 21298, Railways: Season Tickets, what comparative assessment he has made of the cost-per-day savings offered to two and three days a week commuters travelling from Hove to London and back in a day using (a) a flexible season ticket and (b) annual season ticket.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The flexible season ticket is a national product, priced to provide better value and convenience for commuters travelling two to three days a week.
For most 2 and 3 day a week commuters, the flexible season ticket will offer savings against buying daily tickets or traditional seasons, provided that they are following this commuting pattern.
For those with different commuting patterns, existing tickets such as traditional seasons or dailies may be the best choice.
Commuters should always consider which product best suits their journey and travel pattern. This is easier than ever with the updated season ticket calculator.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates he has made of the potential uptake of flexible season tickets in the first year they are in use (a) between Hove and London Terminals and (b) across the networks.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government has introduced new flexible season tickets across England, tickets are on sale now and will become available for travel from 28 June 2021.
Passenger demand has fallen significantly since March 2020 due to restrictions put in place in response to COVID-19. Due to this, the uptake of flexible season tickets is uncertain. However, we do expect the savings offered to encourage and support flexible working patterns.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2020 to Question 46749, on Public Transport: Coronavirus, what progress he has made on introducing flexible season tickets; and when passengers will be able to access those tickets.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government recognises the change in travel patterns, the impact of COVID-19 and therefore the need to accommodate a more flexible style of working and travelling.
The Department is actively working with train operators to develop a solution that offers better value and convenience for those who commute flexibly, and we will provide further details in line with the Government’s four-step roadmap out of lockdown.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to give local authorities outside London the civil enforcement powers set out in part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to enable them to enforce effectively a School Streets Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The moving traffic enforcement powers under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 require a set of statutory instruments to be made covering enforcement, level of penalties, financial provisions, approved devices, adjudication and representations and appeals. This will take several months to bring into force, after which those local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers can apply for a designation order for moving traffic enforcement. Statutory guidance is being developed for local authorities on how to use the powers, including publicising their introduction in advance, to ensure that enforcement is carried out fairly.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the introduction of flexible season tickets as part of his Department's covid-19 recovery plan for passengers.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental change in working patterns and that this could have long-term effects on commuter behaviour. As we move from lockdown to recovery, it is important that we get the balance right in the short and medium term between managing demand and ensuring that we provide better value for money for passengers going forward. The Department is working with industry to explore flexible options already available for commuters, such as carnets, and what steps could be taken quickly to make these as useful and convenient for passengers as possible.