Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with car insurance providers on the impact of their policies on writing-off cars on trends in the level of car insurance policies.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport officials regularly liaise with representatives of the motor insurance industry on a variety of issues. These include the cost of insurance, and factors that can impact on this.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held discussions with the West Midlands Mayor on increasing the level of devolved powers for local bus services.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In March 2023, HMG announced the agreement of the trailblazer devolution deal with the West Midlands Combined Authority, marking further progress in delivering our 2030 levelling up mission on local leadership and to enhancing transport connectivity across the country. The deal was the result of close working and frequent meetings between the West Midlands and the Department for Transport. This commits to the transfer of more control and influence to the WMCA including for local bus services – for example in relation to the Bus Service Operators Grant.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance: Addendum Guidance 2023/24, updated 2 June 2023, if he will take steps to encourage the management of National Highways to award the fixed non-consolidated payment of £1,500 to its employees.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways operates under different terms to the Civil Service, with its staff made up of Public rather than Civil Servants. A decision on whether to make a cost-of-living payment to staff is one for National Highways. However, last year National Highways awarded a 5% pay award with larger increases weighted towards lower paid staff. This was more than double the 2% (3% max) the Civil Service received.
Given the pay award National Highways provided last year, along with the offer that has been put forward for the 2023/24 pay deal, National Highways made the decision it was unaffordable to offer the £1500 in addition to its annual pay award.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of train ticket office closures on elderly passengers.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Together with the industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of pay as you go ticketing on levels of accessibility for disabled users who cannot use the internet or mobile phones.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Ministers have been engaging closely with the rail industry as it develops staffing and retailing reforms and have been working with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and other passenger advocacy groups to ensure any impact on passengers is considered.
As modern ticketing and payment methods are rolled out more widely, we will continue to ensure that all passengers who need to use cash, or do not have access to a smartphone or the internet, can buy a ticket.
We want to ensure the railway is as accessible as possible for all passengers.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has held consultations with disability charities on potential changes to train ticketing.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Ministers have been engaging closely with the rail industry as it develops staffing and retailing reforms and have been working with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and other passenger advocacy groups to ensure any impact on passengers is considered.
As modern ticketing and payment methods are rolled out more widely, we will continue to ensure that all passengers who need to use cash, or do not have access to a smartphone or the internet, can buy a ticket.
We want to ensure the railway is as accessible as possible for all passengers.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reduced levels of train station staffing on people with disabilities.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Plan for Rail sets out the industry’s ambition to move staff from behind the ticket office screens to help passengers wherever they are at the station and so to provide a better service. Moving staff from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around stations can help passengers more, which is crucial for those who need additional support. The industry recognises station staff are beneficial for passengers’ safety, and no currently staffed stations will become unstaffed as a result of this reform.
Ministers have been engaging closely with the rail industry as it develops staffing and retailing reforms and have been working with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and other passenger advocacy groups to ensure any impact on passengers is considered. Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which must be approved by the Office of Rail and Road, the independent regulator. An ATP sets out, among other things, the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its services and to facilitate such use.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's guidance is on the threshold for a road to be considered for traffic calming measures.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Responsibility for highway management, including decisions about the provision of traffic calming measures, rests with local traffic authorities. Using their local knowledge of traffic conditions and the road network in their area, local authorities decide on appropriate traffic management policies that balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local businesses, and those who work in and visit the area.
The Department has provided guidance to highway authorities on traffic calming measures in the form of Local Transport Note 1/07 Traffic Calming.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to provide support to Birmingham City Council to increase road safety in Birmingham.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Responsibility for making decisions about the roads under its care including measures to protect the safety of road users, based on its knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and considerations, rests with the Traffic Authority.
The Department for Transport provides guidance to traffic authorities on various traffic management measures.
Local councillors are responsible for ensuring that local decisions about the roads take account of the needs and opinions of local people.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to help ensure return train fares and tickets are maintained for commuters.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As part of the Plan for Rail, we committed to simplifying fares and modernising ticketing. We recently announced that Pay As You Go would be rolled out to 52 more stations in the south east and that we would extend simplified, single leg pricing to the rest of the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) network. Commuters using Pay As You Go in the south east will be able to tap in and out to make their return journey, and those travelling on LNER will be able to easily mix and match ticket types to get the best tickets for their return journey.