Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of changes in passenger numbers on c2c rail services in each of the next ten years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has not made or published a ten-year estimate of passenger numbers specifically for c2c rail services. Future passenger demand forecasts are developed as part of business planning, investment appraisals, and rail industry forecasting processes, but projections are subject to significant uncertainty and are not routinely published on an operator-by-operator basis for the next ten years.
However, over the next ten years we would expect c2c to continue to grow passenger numbers. Long-term planning strategic advice, such as the Essex Thameside Strategic Advice, is published on Network Rail's website.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what performance targets she has set for c2c rail services since nationalisation.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since being transferred into public ownership, c2c has continued to be monitored against the rail industry’s established performance measures, including punctuality & reliability, cancellations and passenger satisfaction, and remains subject to the same performance oversight arrangements as other publicly owned operators. All train operators are required to publish performance against targets on their website.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the payments her Department will receive from c2c rail services in each of the next five years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport (DfT) has not made a published estimate of the subsidy/premium for each operator in each of the next five years. Exact costs and income levels are agreed during the rolling business planning process. Information on subsidy/premium for each operator will be published next year in DfT's annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made a estimate of levels of congestion on the A13/A130 junction at Sadler’s Farm (a) now and (b) in each of the next 20 years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Whilst traffic management on the local road network is the responsibility of the local highway authority, the Department recognises that congestion affects daily journeys and economic growth. That is why Essex County Council is eligible for over £230 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years.
More widely, the Department for Transport continues to legislate for new lane rental schemes to reduce congestion from roadworks and are devolving powers to mayors to establish future schemes, allowing local leaders to address congestion on their network.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the breakdown of the National Highways operational fleet is by vehicle (a) make and (b) model; and what proportion are manufactured by British manufacturers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The information requested is provided in the table below.
Vehicle make | Vehicle model | Number |
BYD | Atto 3 | 13 |
Toyota | BZ4X | 89 |
Toyota | Corolla Commercial | 103 |
Peugeot | e-5008 GT 73kWh 210 | 5 |
Maxus | Edeliver 9 van | 5 |
KIA | E-Niro | 11 |
Renault | e-Scenic | 3 |
KIA | EV3 | 3 |
KIA | EV6 | 39 |
KIA | EV9 | 4 |
Volvo | EX90 Plus | 1 |
Ford | Explorer | 54 |
BMW | 225XE | 3 |
Vauxhall | Grandland | 2 |
BMW | I01 i3 120Ah AC EV | 1 |
Hyundai | Ioniq 9 | 4 |
Hyundai | Kona EV | 31 |
Ford | Kuga ST-Line PHEV | 21 |
Tesla | Model Y | 31 |
KIA | Niro PHEV | 8 |
Peugeot | e-Partner Van | 1 |
Toyota | Proace | 20 |
BYD | Sealion | 6 |
KIA | Sportage PHEV | 4 |
Farizon | SV | 1 |
Maxus | T90 | 5 |
BMW | X5 Xdrive | 65 |
Volvo | XC40 Inscription | 1 |
Volvo | XC90 T8 Momentum Auto | 267 |
KIA | Xceed PHEV | 22 |
Volvo | C+26 | 17 |
Volvo | L26 | 3 |
Other | Moveable Barrier Machine | 2 |
Mercedes-Benz | Unimog | 12 |
Volvo | P18 | 1 |
Volvo | P26 | 444 |
Volvo | P32 | 4 |
Rolba | Snowblower | 4 |
Total | 1310 | |
Approximately 7.9% of National Highways operational fleet were manufactured in Britain. The Toyota Corolla Commercial is assembled in Burnaston, Derbyshire, and the hybrid engine is built at the Deeside plant in North Wales. The Peugeot e-Partner Van is built at Stellantis Ellesmere port in Cheshire.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to encourage the take-up of liquid petroleum gas conversions by taxis and vans.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport (DfT), working with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, have evaluated a range of options for tackling poor air quality; this formed the basis of the Government’s draft air quality plans that recently went to public consultation. Switching to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) can provide air quality benefits but may not be easily deployed in all vehicle types.
As part of DfT’s 2014 Clean Vehicle Technology Fund (CVTF) grant scheme, Birmingham City Council were awarded £500,000 to enable the conversion of 80 older black cabs from diesel to LPG which will help improve air quality on some of the most polluted roads.
There may be the opportunity to support further conversions if government launches further retrofit programmes in future years.
Asked by: Rebecca Harris (Conservative - Castle Point)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to introduce compulsory testing to ensure that drivers' eyesight meets minimum legal standards.
Answered by Claire Perry
There are no plans to introduce compulsory eyesight tests for drivers.
All drivers are required by law to ensure that they are able to read a number plate from 20 metres and have a visual acuity of at least 6/12 (decimal 0.5), as measured on the Snellen chart. Corrective lenses can be worn if needed.
The Department makes the eyesight standards for driving clear in its leaflets, forms and on GOV.UK. The Department also supports the NHS’ recommendation that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. The advice was also promoted through a communication campaign in 2013, supported by the British Medical Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Brake.