Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - 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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 (Independent - 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
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 (Independent - 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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 (Independent - 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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 (Independent - 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
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.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the railcard for veterans will be valid for use on (a) peak and (b) off-peak services.
Answered by Grant Shapps
On 22 January, we announced that our new Veterans Railcard would be available from 11 November this year. Passengers will be fully appraised of the railcard’s validity before it goes live, and this will include how to apply and the detailed terms and conditions.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the roll-out of buses with audio visual (a) next stop IIand (b) final destination announcements in (i) Kent and (b) Canterbury.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
In summer 2018 the Government consulted publicly on plans to use powers in the Bus Services Act 2017 to make Regulations requiring the provision of audible and visible information onboard local bus services across Great Britain.
We continue to analyse responses to the consultation and expect to announce our next steps regarding the making of Regulations and publication of guidance later in the year.