Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the next trance of repair vouchers under the Fix Your Bike scheme will be released.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department plans to release a further batch of vouchers shortly. The release of vouchers is being staggered to prevent repairers from being overwhelmed and to ensure that people can get their bikes fixed without significant delay.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of Eurostar on the restoration of Eurostar services at (a) Ebbsfleet International and (b) Ashford International.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department has been engaging extensively with international rail operators, including Eurostar, on a regular basis since the beginning of the outbreak to monitor closely the impact of Covid-19 and to support the continuation of important international rail connections.
The Government recognises the unprecedented circumstances currently faced by the international travel industry including Eurostar as a result of Covid-19. Whilst the stopping of services is a commercial decision for the company in response to Covid-19, Eurostar services continue to provide important benefits and connections and the Government is keen to see the reinstatement of services once international travel recovers and it is commercially viable to do so.
The Department will continue to engage closely with Eurostar on this important matter.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential financial effect of the withdrawal of Eurostar services from (a) Ebbsfleet International and (b) Ashford International on the economy of Kent until 2022.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Eurostar has announced that it will no longer be stopping at Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations until 2022, due to the unprecedented impact of Covid-19. This was a commercial decision taken by Eurostar in response to the severe decline in passenger numbers.
As this is a commercial decision taken by Eurostar very recently, the Government has not undertaken an economic analysis of the impacts of these changes. Nevertheless, the Government is keen to see the reinstatement of services once international travel recovers and it is commercially viable to do so.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have (a) departed from and (b) arrived in the UK at (i) Ebbsfleet International and (ii) Ashford International in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department publishes annual data on international rail traffic via the Channel Tunnel, including passenger services via Eurostar and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. This data is available here (link). The Department, however, does not hold disaggregated data for passenger arrivals and departures by international rail station.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect of the ending of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on levels of job losses in the international rail transport sector.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government fully recognises the significant financial challenges facing international rail operators as a result of Covid-19 and the unprecedented circumstances currently faced by the international travel industry. The Department has therefore been working closely with international rail operators to access business support schemes, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), where appropriate, while operators have also been able to access equivalent schemes in other countries. Cabinet Ministers are in close contact over this issue.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will instruct the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to enable drivers who do not hold passports to apply for renewal of their driving licences online for the duration of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Drivers who do not have a valid passport are unable to complete their application using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online service. This is because the DVLA requires the passport number to obtain confirmation of identity and a photograph from the applicant’s passport. If the applicant does not have a valid passport they will need to send the relevant identity documents to the DVLA separately.
Drivers can also choose to apply either at a post office branch or by submitting a full paper application with the relevant identity documents and photograph, if required. However, paper applications will take longer to process in the current circumstances.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of instructing train operating companies to automatically refund season ticket holders to encourage social distancing during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department has no plans to automatically refund season tickets as key workers on the front line of the Covid-19 response continue to rely on their season tickets to get to work by train. Season ticket holders are entitled to claim a refund, if they no longer need their ticket and should contact their retailer for details.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a temporary moratorium on requirements for a valid MOT and Road Tax for car owners aged over 70 years old.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Considering the developing situation and the need to balance the risks to road safety with the needs of vulnerable groups and businesses, the legislative requirements relating to vehicle use and testing are under review.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure safe noise levels on public transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government is committed to reducing pollution from public transport, including noise pollution. Buses with zero exhaust emissions like those using electric powertrains (including hydrogen fuel cells) are much quieter on-board than their diesel equivalents. Government support includes £150 million invested since 2010 towards new cleaner buses, and a further announcement of £50 million for Britain’s first all-electric bus town. The Prime Minister has also announced funding for 4,000 new zero emission buses across England and Wales.
The Government provides significant funds to Network Rail, the rail infrastructure manager, to enable it to carry out upgrades and renewals, which includes noise mitigation work where appropriate. This includes a programme of rail grinding as part of the general maintenance of the track, which reduces the noise from trains. In addition, all new rail vehicles are required to meet strict noise limits (the Noise Technical Standard for Interoperability) before they are permitted to enter into service.
Noise on the London Underground is a matter for the Mayor.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which cycle routes are located on dismantled railway lines in England.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department does not hold this information centrally. Information on local cycle routes in their areas is held by local authorities. Sustrans (reception@sustrans.org.uk) and Railway Paths Limited (estateoffice@railwaypaths.org.uk) also hold information on cycle routes located on dismantled railway lines, some of which form part of the National Cycle Network.