Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultations with charities and other providers of community transport his Department had prior to introducing new guidance on that matter.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government consultation on the use of section 19 and section 22 permits for road passenger transport in Great Britain closed on 4 May 2018. The consultation focused on proposals to ensure domestic legislation and guidance are aligned with EU Regulation 1071/2009 on road transport operators. A number of workshops were also held during the consultation period. Charities and other transport providers submitted responses and participated in the workshops.
An initial impact assessment looking at the impact on community transport providers, including charities, was published alongside the consultation. To help build a stronger evidence base in relation to the potential impacts of the proposals, the consultation requested information from those providing community transport services as to how they operate.
In general, the Department believes that, with the exception of a small number of large operators who may in effect be genuinely competing on commercial terms with commercial bus operators, community transport operators should not be affected by future clarifications of law.
The Department remains committed to supporting the community transport sector. To that end it has made available £250,000 to help community transport providers who find they are no longer able to operate under the section 19 and 22 permit system, to meet relevant EU requirements.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the consultation document, Consultation on the use of section 19 and section 22 permits for road passenger transport in Great Britain, published in February 2018, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the new guidelines on community transport on the number of older people who will experience loneliness.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government consultation on the use of section 19 and section 22 permits for road passenger transport in Great Britain closed on 4 May 2018. The consultation focused on proposals to ensure domestic legislation and guidance are aligned with EU Regulation 1071/2009 on road transport operators. A number of workshops were also held during the consultation period. Charities and other transport providers submitted responses and participated in the workshops.
An initial impact assessment looking at the impact on community transport providers, including charities, was published alongside the consultation. To help build a stronger evidence base in relation to the potential impacts of the proposals, the consultation requested information from those providing community transport services as to how they operate.
In general, the Department believes that, with the exception of a small number of large operators who may in effect be genuinely competing on commercial terms with commercial bus operators, community transport operators should not be affected by future clarifications of law.
The Department remains committed to supporting the community transport sector. To that end it has made available £250,000 to help community transport providers who find they are no longer able to operate under the section 19 and 22 permit system, to meet relevant EU requirements.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his oral contribution of 4 June 2018, Official Report, column 69, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of Trans-Pennine Express on accessibility for disabled passengers on trains since that date.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
TransPennine Express (TPE) will not now introduce any Mark 3 trains into passenger service. The first of TPE’s brand new Nova trains are on track to enter service from autumn 2018.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing drink-driving limits in England and Wales in line with those in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has no current plans to lower the drink drive limit and considers rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers to be effective deterrents.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to allow owners to horses make a claim against drivers when that horse is injured or killed by a vehicle.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
A horse owner whose horse has been injured or killed by a vehicle following a road traffic collision is already able to claim against the responsible driver and the driver’s insurer.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to reduce its use of single-use plastics.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Department for Transport has reviewed all the single use plastics it uses across its estates and is currently introducing measures in line with those set out in the Government’s 25 Year Environment plan which includes a commitment to removing all consumer single use plastics from the central government estate offices.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to invest in strategic transport infrastructure in the Colne Valley constituency.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department is spending over £13bn from 2015 up to 2020 to transform transport across the North. Investments that benefit the Colne Valley constituency include the planned upgrade of the M62 to Smart Motorway between Junction 20 (Rochdale) and Junction 25 (Brighouse), which is due to start construction before 2019/20.
On rail, we are spending £2.6m to lengthen the platforms at Slaithwaite and Marsden, so they can accommodate the longer 5-car Northern services that are due to enter service after the May 2018 timetable change. Between 2019 and 2024, the Department will invest £3 billion to upgrade the Transpennine Route and it is working with Network Rail and Rail North to determine how this can deliver significant benefits for passengers. A phased introduction of improvements is planned from 2022.