Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues to (a) NATS, (b) the CAA and (c) individual airports on aircraft approaching from the south and east of an airport joining the interception landing system closer to the runway during periods of lower traffic.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department has issued notices under Section 78(1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports. These notices set out the noise mitigation requirements for departing and arriving aircraft at these airports, including details on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) joining point arrangements.
The Department does not collect data on where aircraft join the airport’s ILS, but we expect London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports to do so and we encourage other large airports to do the same.
The Department has not provided any specific guidance to NATS, the Civil Aviation Authority or individual airports relating to aircraft arrival operations during an extended period of low air traffic movements. However, we expect that all airports will seek to ensure their arrival operations are efficient, provide safe and stabilised approaches, and minimise their overall environmental impact.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of trial schemes have been withdrawn by local authorities since the allocation of tranche one of the emergency active travel funding.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Active Travel Fund will deliver over 400 cycling schemes. Whilst the majority of local authorities are reporting a positive impact in local communities, ten local authorities have notified the Department that they have removed schemes funded in tranche one of the emergency active travel fund. We are aware that many other authorities have modified schemes or reprioritised funding in response to feedback from local communities. This is to be expected given that many schemes were introduced on a trial basis, and the pace of delivery as part of the initial phase of the Covid emergency response.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether, as part of Emergency Measures Agreements with Train Operating Companies, his Department will review the use and function of Network Rail goods yards to create more off-street parking options at rural stations.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Emergency Measures Agreements between the Department and Train Operators were designed to bring stability and certainty to the rail industry. Following the expiry of the EMAs in September, the department agreed Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements with the rail industry. These agreements are between the Department and Train Operators, they do not stipulate Network Rail Land utilisation.
At present, Network Rail do not currently have any plans to review the use and function of goods yards to create more off-street parking options at rural stations. The Network Rail property team are however, assessing parking at Network Rail managed stations, this is focusing on opportunities regarding capacity and the potential introduction of electric vehicle charging stations.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities have (a) offered structural payment plans and (b) provided three month delays to payments for annual taxi licence renewals since March 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department for Transport has encouraged all licensing authorities to consider ways in which they can support the trade to continue to operate and provide essential travel. Any measures that authorities elect to introduce are a matter for them. The Department does not hold any data on payment plans or payment deferrals offered by licensing authorities.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the compliance of the decision by Southeastern to curtail the majority of services on the Medway Valley Line at Paddock Wood instead of Tonbridge with Appendix 4 to Schedule 1, Schedule 1.1, Part 2, Paragraphs 11, 11.1 b i and ii of the Southeastern Emergency Measures Agreement with his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As part of COVID related timetable changes, to protect performance across the network during the pandemic and ensure key workers can continue to move across the network, some Medway Valley services now turn at Paddock Wood, to avoid interactions with Main line services and to reduce the need for unplanned skip-stopping on the Main line.
The services that were removed had an average loading of 5 passengers at Tonbridge; the change has resulted in approximately 12 minutes additional travel time for these passengers. However, the current service delivers an overall significant performance improvement for a much larger number of passengers across the network.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to implement the Airspace Modernisation strategy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Airspace modernisation is vital to the future of aviation, to delivering net zero and create opportunities for airports to manage the noise impact on local communities. It is a critical infrastructure programme of national importance that will support the aviation sector’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, in light of the pandemic, we recognise that the timescales in which airspace modernisation will take place will change. We are working with the CAA to review the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to consider the recommendations from ACOG’s recent report ‘Remobilising the Airspace Change Programme’, and will advise stakeholders of our preferred approach later in the Autumn.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to ensure that there are sufficient buses requiring an MOT between March 2021 and June 2021, following the suspension of tests earlier this year and increased demand for bus MOTs during summer 2020.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) took the difficult decision to suspend most MOTs for buses to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Since then it has been working hard to safely reintroduce vehicle testing. It has worked closely with the bus industry to ensure operators are clear about test dates and exemptions, and it will increase testing capacity to minimise the operational impact on businesses.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the additional Bus MOT testers required by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to test all vehicles due an MOT since March 2020.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) took the difficult decision to suspend most MOTs for lorries, buses and trailers to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Since then it has been working hard to keep people safe, whilst still providing a critical worker testing service to support the national emergency response.
The DVSA is managing the reintroduction of vehicle testing and demand for MOTs by:
using existing testing resource efficiently through an overtime scheme and redeployment of duties; and
implementing a phased return to testing by:
giving 2 three-month MOT exemptions to those vehicles whose MOTs were originally due in March and April, and;
giving 1 three-month MOT exemption initially, to those vehicles whose MOTs were originally due from June – initially this will be done for those MOTs due in June, July and August.
giving vehicles due an MOT in May an exemption until August.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of registered buses due an MOT before 30 November 2020.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has carried out a detailed assessment of the number of registered buses due an MOT before 30 November 2020. Based on exemptions currently issued, the volume of tests due from July 2020 to November 2020 for all public service vehicles, which includes buses and coaches, is 52,500.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support is available for tenants operating businesses from stations managed by Train Operating Companies subject to Emergency Measures Agreements with his Department.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The government has taken steps to support commercial businesses, including those located within railway stations. These measures include amending the Coronavirus Act to extend the time period for suspension of the forfeiture of evictions from 30 June to 30 September and landlords will also be prevented from using Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery unless they are owed 189 days of unpaid rent. In addition, the temporary ban on the use of statutory demands and winding-up petitions, where a company cannot pay its bills due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been extended to 30 September. The government has also ensured that businesses and workers have access to unprecedented packages of support, including £330 billion of government-backed and guaranteed loans.