Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of home and flexible working to reducing congestion on (a) rail and (b) road networks.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department considers all aspects that may affect the rail and road network when assessing the changes of demand for the future.
The Department updated its rail forecasting guidance in 2016 to take into account different trip rates for people in different age groups and occupations. This was based on analysis of the National Travel Survey. The Department continues to review its forecasts, including analysing the impact of flexible working. The Departments’ guidance feeds into business cases for rail investments and franchise analysis. The guidance is called ‘WebTAG’ and is published on the Department’s website
The ‘Latest Evidence on Factors Impacting Road Traffic Growth’ review published by the Department in May 2018 included reviews of tele-commuting and the impact of e-commerce and social media on travel. The findings from this research informed the development of the Draft ‘Road Investment Strategy 2’.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide public funding to (a) fully compensate and (b) reskill UK passenger boat operators whose businesses are forced to close following the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s review and proposals on the future of older UK passenger boats.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Neither the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) nor the Department can offer any financial assistance to operators whose vessels may be affected by these increased safety measures. It is not normal practice for the Government to compensate individuals or companies for changes brought about by enhancements in safety legislation. To do so would set a challenging precedent.
I have asked that the MCA look to achieve a fair balance between proportionality for operators and public safety. However, public safety will always take precedence over all other considerations.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring together the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London to establish how to reopen Hammersmith bridge as quickly as possible.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Maintenance of Hammersmith Bridge is a matter for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The reopening of the bridge is not a decision for DfT Ministers.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received information on the structural state of Hammersmith bridge from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department for Transport has not received information from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on the structural state of Hammersmith Bridge.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that all older passenger boat operators in the UK who will be directly affected by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) proposals for older UK passenger boats will be informed about the forthcoming MCA consultation on that matter.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The forthcoming consultation on older UK domestic passenger vessels will be published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on GOV.UK. Anyone who subscribes to notifications of MCA consultations via the “Policy Papers and Consultations” page of GOV.UK will be notified of this and other consultations issued by the MCA, by email alert or RSS feed depending on their selection.
Additionally, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will promulgate the consultation through the main industry safety groups, and other interested parties whose details are held on a notification list for domestic passenger vessels subject matter. This is not exhaustive, but any person or organisation may request that their details be added to the list to receive notifications.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met with representatives of the UK’s older passenger boat sector; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Policy officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) meet regularly with representatives and operators from the domestic passenger vessels sector. This includes operators of older and newer vessels.
The last occasion was on 4 April 2019 at a London Operators meeting. The MCA also held a Workshop on 26 March 2019 to discuss proposed changes to safety legislation affecting this sector which included representative bodies and individual operators in the sector.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats on (a) choice for passengers and (b) competition among operators on the River Thames; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The assessment of impact for these proposals is ongoing, and as a result of feedback received, policy officials in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will be consulting with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to explore whether the proposals are of interest to them.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met with the (a) Mayor of London and (b) Minister for London to discuss the (i) Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older Thames passenger boats and (ii) effect of those proposals on (A) London tourism, (B) people employed in skilled jobs related to those older passenger boats, (C) London's night economy and (D) people employed in wider River Thames tourism related jobs including in boatyards.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor of London and the Minister for London to discuss a range of matters.
In respect of domestic passenger vessels, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has consulted widely, with industry and relevant authorities, including those in London, on the latest proposals for bringing safety standards on older vessels as far as possible into line with those on newer vessels. A second public consultation on this will be launched later this year.
Policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss the proposals with any interested parties and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment. Transport for London was notified of the first consultation on this matter and will be notified when the second consultation is issued.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the interim recommendations of the Crossrail 2 Independent Affordability Review; and what his timeframe is for publishing the final recommendations of that review.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Crossrail 2 Independent Affordability Review, chaired by Mike Gerrard, provided interim recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport and Mayor of London this summer. This included recommendations for further work to ensure the scheme taken forward is affordable. This further work is currently being taken forward to inform the next steps for the project and complete the Review.
We intend to publish the Review’s findings in due course when we have fully completed the further work.