Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason disabled people in receipt of a free bus pass are not permitted to use that pass before 9.30am between Monday to Friday; and what assessment he has made of the effect of that provision on the ability of disabled people to access employment.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The original intention of the statutory minimum bus travel concession scheme was to provide access to essential local services and to help prevent social isolation. The scheme was introduced as an off-peak concession only, when there is likely to be unused capacity on buses.
However, the Government recognises the importance of accessible transport for disabled people, and the Department continues to work with the Department for Work and Pensions and other Government Departments on this issue, as well as with local authorities and the transport sector.
Local authorities have the powers of their own to offer concessions over and above the statutory minimum, including peak hour travel.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on preventing pavement parking since the withdrawal of the Pavement Parking (Protection of Vulnerable Pedestrians) Bill 2015-16.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport convened a roundtable meeting with external stakeholders, including some local authorities, in March 2016 following the withdrawal of my Hon Friend, the Hon member for North Dorset’s (Simon Hoare) Private Member’s Bill, which sought to ban pavement parking nationally. A possible pavement parking ban in the rest of England outside London was discussed. However, it was identified at the roundtable that the major concerns affecting the ability to introduce and enforce a pavement parking prohibition were issues relating to the processing of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs). We plan to launch a survey in Summer 2017 in order to gather evidence about the current situation, the costs and timescales for processing TROs, and information about options for change.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing within the Highway Code a universal duty to give way when turning at junctions.
Answered by Andrew Jones
We have not yet made any assessment of the merits of this change but are consulting with relevant colleagues and stakeholders, particularly those involved with pedestrian safety and disability groups, about the impacts of such a change. We would need to be convinced that safety and accessibility would be maintained or enhanced if a universal duty to give way when turning at junctions were introduced.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the public purse contributes to the cost of private parking firms receiving drivers' details from the DVLA; and if he will make it his policy that such firms pay the full cost to receive such details.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper information to those who can demonstrate a reasonable cause to receive it.
The DVLA’s charges for releasing data are intended to recover the full cost (including overheads) of providing the information so that the DVLA neither profits at the expense of customers nor makes a loss for taxpayers to subsidise. Over time, the costs of individual DVLA services can slightly increase or decrease, depending in part on the volume of requests, leading to a small surplus or deficit in the short term. However, the DVLA keeps fees and charges under review so that the public purse does not, over time, contribute to the cost of private parking firms receiving vehicle keepers’ details from the DVLA.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that assistance dog owners are able to access taxis and minicabs.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Drivers of taxis and PHVs must by law carry assistance dogs and cannot charge extra for doing so. It is therefore unacceptable that some drivers continue to discriminate in this way.
We aim to consult later this year on revised best practice for licensing authorities which will include strengthened recommendations relating to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to (a) reduce variation in car insurance premiums between different parts of the UK and (b) ensure that people are not being charged a higher premium for living in a poorer area.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The pricing of insurance products is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their assessment of the level of risk posed by a given applicant and the Government does not seek to intervene. The Department for Transport has held a number of meetings with the motor insurance industry, for example, to discuss technological measures which have the potential to bear down on the cost of insurance.
The Government has brought forward measures to reduce the excessive costs arising from unnecessary whiplash claims, and expects average savings of £40 to £50 per motor insurance policy. The motor insurance market is intensively competitive and the Government therefore expects that the insurance industry will pass on savings to consumers.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received a copy of the report by IPPR North, entitled Gateways to the northern powerhouse: A northern ports strategy, published in June 2016.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department has received a copy of the report, and was also involved in an earlier IPPR North stakeholder consultation workshop. The report is a potentially useful contribution to the evidence base for the Northern Powerhouse, as well as the Government’s and Transport for the North’s joint Northern Transport Strategy.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will include a requirement in the Bus Services Bill for all new buses to be talking buses.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Accessible on-board information helps a range of passengers to feel confident when using buses, safe in the knowledge that they will know when to alight.
Traditionally systems providing next stop announcements have been expensive to fit and maintain, meaning that mandating their use would have placed a significant burden on bus operators.
Related technology continues to evolve however, and we are keeping these developments under review.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the benefits to passengers with sight problems of requiring all new buses to have audio-visual next stop and final destination announcements.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Accessible on-board information has the potential to give a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired, greater confidence in using bus services. Traditionally audio/visual systems have been expensive to fit and maintain, however innovative and low cost solutions are making the technology more affordable. I encourage bus operators to consider the benefits to all of their customers of providing it on their vehicles and progress continues to be made. For example recently several operators across the country have invested in new buses with audio-visual announcements on their major bus routes. The Department is also aware that at least five local authorities are increasing the number of buses with audio-visual announcements funded through the Department’s £70 million ‘Better Bus Area’ fund.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ring-fence funding for walking and cycling.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is committed to the principle of devolution and decisions being made at the appropriate level. Local Authorities are responsible for local roads and are best placed to determine the need for cycling and walking infrastructure in their own areas. By not ring-fencing funding for cycling and walking, local authorities have the freedom and flexibility to choose how they spend their transport funding, including on cycling and walking, if they choose to do so. However, for spending for which the Government is responsible, in the five years 2011/12 to 2015/16 the Department has increased its spend on cycling in England from £1 per head to £3 per head, and more in the eight Cycle Ambition Cities.