Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals for the mandatory 30-day retention of CCTV footage from train and bus services.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department for Transport refers transport operators to the Information Commissioner’s Office code of practice on matters of CCTV surveillance. This code includes guidance on data retention. It does not prescribe any specific minimum or maximum retention period, but rather states that retention should reflect the organisation’s purposes for recording the information and how long it is needed to achieve this purpose. The guidance also notes that the data should not be kept for longer than is necessary, and should be the shortest period necessary to the organisation’s purpose.
The Rail Delivery Group guidance to industry on CCTV recommends that data should be retained for 31 days, as requested by British Transport Police. DfT’s bus and coach security guidance also recommends a 31 day retention period.
The Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s office is responsible for providing advice on the effective, appropriate, proportionate and transparent use of surveillance camera systems.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the deaths of two children and a coach driver on 11 September 2012 as a result of the failure of a tyre which was over 19 years old fitted to the coach and of the resulting Traffic Commissioner's Public Inquiry and the inquest into the deaths, whether they have any proposals to introduce legislative requirements relating to the use of tyres of more than 10 years old on public service vehicles.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has no proposals to introduce legislation restricting the use of tyres on the basis of their age.
Expert advice suggests that tyre ageing is a complex issue where use and maintenance are significant factors rather than simply chronological age.
However, applying the precautionary principle, in 2013 the Department distributed guidance to bus and coach operators on how to establish the age of a tyre and advised that tyres over 10-years of age should only be fitted as part of a twin-wheel arrangement on a rear axle. Enforcement staff of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency continue to advise operators if a non-compliance is identified.
The Department consulted with experts from the tyre industry in both the UK and Europe and the free “Guide to Tyre Management on Heavy Vehicles” was produced with the support of the tyre industry and Senior Traffic Commissioner Bell. In October 2016, copies of this guide were sent to every registered bus and coach operator in the country ensuring that, no matter the size of fleet and irrespective of affiliation to a trade association, these important messages reached as wide an audience as possible.
The Department for Transport has gone to the market twice to commission scientific research regarding the effect of chronological age on tyre integrity. These approaches have not been successful in establishing a robust programme of research and the Department is considering how to proceed. Scientific evidence will inform any future policy decisions and the Department will publish the outcome of the research once completed.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will publish research which was planned in December 2013 into ageing tyres on buses and coaches.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In 2013 the Department distributed information to bus and coach operators that provided guidance on how to establish the age of a tyre and gave precautionary advice that tyres over 10-years of age should only be fitted as part of a twin-wheel arrangement on a rear axle. This advice is reinforced by enforcement staff of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who have been tasked with advising operators WHERE non-compliance is identified.
The Department has sought information concerning tyre ageing from both the UK and European trade associations of the tyre manufacturing and distribution industry. ItS STAFF haVE also attended manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland and France, and remanufacturing facilities in the UK, to UNDERSTAND THE BEST ADVISED VIEW of tyre ageing within the industry. Expert advice suggests that tyre ageing is related to use and maintenance rather than simply chronological age.
These discussions HAVE influenced the production of the “Guide to Tyre Management on Heavy Vehicles” a free GUIDE produced with the support of the tyre industry, Senior Traffic Commissioner Bell and the Department. It sets out industry-recognised best practice regarding tyre maintenance and provides advice to operators about tyre choice, maintenance and safety. In October 2016, copies of the guide were sent to every registered bus and coach operator in the country.
The Department has gone to the market twice to commission research to establish scientific evidence in this field. These approaches have not been successful in establishing a robust programme of research, and the Department is reviewing these outcomes to establish how to proceed. The Department will publish the outcome of the research once completed.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department has had with representatives from the tyre industry on ageing tyres on public service vehicles since September 2012.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In 2013 the Department distributed information to bus and coach operators that provided guidance on how to establish the age of a tyre and gave precautionary advice that tyres over 10-years of age should only be fitted as part of a twin-wheel arrangement on a rear axle. This advice is reinforced by enforcement staff of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who have been tasked with advising operators WHERE non-compliance is identified.
The Department has sought information concerning tyre ageing from both the UK and European trade associations of the tyre manufacturing and distribution industry. ItS STAFF haVE also attended manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland and France, and remanufacturing facilities in the UK, to UNDERSTAND THE BEST ADVISED VIEW of tyre ageing within the industry. Expert advice suggests that tyre ageing is related to use and maintenance rather than simply chronological age.
These discussions HAVE influenced the production of the “Guide to Tyre Management on Heavy Vehicles” a free GUIDE produced with the support of the tyre industry, Senior Traffic Commissioner Bell and the Department. It sets out industry-recognised best practice regarding tyre maintenance and provides advice to operators about tyre choice, maintenance and safety. In October 2016, copies of the guide were sent to every registered bus and coach operator in the country.
The Department has gone to the market twice to commission research to establish scientific evidence in this field. These approaches have not been successful in establishing a robust programme of research, and the Department is reviewing these outcomes to establish how to proceed. The Department will publish the outcome of the research once completed.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to commission research into tyre ageing on public service vehicles.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In 2013 the Department distributed information to bus and coach operators that provided guidance on how to establish the age of a tyre and gave precautionary advice that tyres over 10-years of age should only be fitted as part of a twin-wheel arrangement on a rear axle. This advice is reinforced by enforcement staff of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who have been tasked with advising operators WHERE non-compliance is identified.
The Department has sought information concerning tyre ageing from both the UK and European trade associations of the tyre manufacturing and distribution industry. ItS STAFF haVE also attended manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland and France, and remanufacturing facilities in the UK, to UNDERSTAND THE BEST ADVISED VIEW of tyre ageing within the industry. Expert advice suggests that tyre ageing is related to use and maintenance rather than simply chronological age.
These discussions HAVE influenced the production of the “Guide to Tyre Management on Heavy Vehicles” a free GUIDE produced with the support of the tyre industry, Senior Traffic Commissioner Bell and the Department. It sets out industry-recognised best practice regarding tyre maintenance and provides advice to operators about tyre choice, maintenance and safety. In October 2016, copies of the guide were sent to every registered bus and coach operator in the country.
The Department has gone to the market twice to commission research to establish scientific evidence in this field. These approaches have not been successful in establishing a robust programme of research, and the Department is reviewing these outcomes to establish how to proceed. The Department will publish the outcome of the research once completed.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that tyres used for public service vehicles do not exceed 10-years of age.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In 2013 the Department distributed information to bus and coach operators that provided guidance on how to establish the age of a tyre and gave precautionary advice that tyres over 10-years of age should only be fitted as part of a twin-wheel arrangement on a rear axle. This advice is reinforced by enforcement staff of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who have been tasked with advising operators WHERE non-compliance is identified.
The Department has sought information concerning tyre ageing from both the UK and European trade associations of the tyre manufacturing and distribution industry. ItS STAFF haVE also attended manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland and France, and remanufacturing facilities in the UK, to UNDERSTAND THE BEST ADVISED VIEW of tyre ageing within the industry. Expert advice suggests that tyre ageing is related to use and maintenance rather than simply chronological age.
These discussions HAVE influenced the production of the “Guide to Tyre Management on Heavy Vehicles” a free GUIDE produced with the support of the tyre industry, Senior Traffic Commissioner Bell and the Department. It sets out industry-recognised best practice regarding tyre maintenance and provides advice to operators about tyre choice, maintenance and safety. In October 2016, copies of the guide were sent to every registered bus and coach operator in the country.
The Department has gone to the market twice to commission research to establish scientific evidence in this field. These approaches have not been successful in establishing a robust programme of research, and the Department is reviewing these outcomes to establish how to proceed. The Department will publish the outcome of the research once completed.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have given the rail industry an exemption that allows that industry a year longer than the aviation industry to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in respect of compensation for delays or cancellations to services; and whether they plan to extend that exemption to providers of bus and coach services.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has decided that the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) should apply in full to all transport services, including mainline passenger rail services, from 1 October 2016.
The 12 month exemption from one of the compensation provisions in the Consumer Rights Act was originally proposed to allow time for train operators to move to a consistent compensation scheme. However, the Government is now of the view that rail customers should not be denied any consumer rights or protections even for a temporary period while the rail industry works to put in place more consistent compensation arrangements between train operators. The Government has therefore withdrawn the draft statutory instrument which was to have been debated by Parliament and which, if approved, would have put this exemption in place.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport of 11 June 2015, Official Report, column 1310, what the evidential basis is for the statement that almost 100 per cent of bus drivers have received some form of disability awareness training.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Disability awareness training is vital for equipping bus drivers with the knowledge and skills to provide all passengers with the assistance they need, and I am grateful to the industry for ensuring that the majority of drivers can now benefit from it.
Evidence from the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), published in “Summary of responses to the Department for Transport's review of the mandatory disability awareness training exemption applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus and coach passenger rights)” (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bus-and-coach-drivers-summary-of-disability-awareness-training-review ) in January 2015 estimates that between 2008 and 2013 153,357 drivers undertook disability awareness training as part of their Certificate of Professional Competence, compared to the 130,000 drivers understood to be active in the industry. It is to this that I believe my Hon Friend was referring in her response of the 11th June 2015.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money the EU provided, in the most recent year for which figures are available, for research, capital expenditure and revenue support for (1) the bus and coach industry, (2) railway passenger and freight-services, (3) the air industry, including runways, aircraft or equipment, (4) the shipping and ports industry, and (5) road schemes and the development of vehicle technology.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The EU budget has a number of programmes aimed at supporting the development of transport which can be at a regional, national or trans-national level.
Given the complexity of the different mechanisms for delivering such funding the UK government does not maintain a central record of the total amount of money that the EU provides for research, capital expenditure and revenue support for transport.
The main source of funding for transport infrastructure comes from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) which promotes the development of the different Trans- European Networks for Transport, Energy and Communications. Transport is the major element of the CEF budget with nearly €1.5 billion in commitments allocated to fund EU transport projects in 2016. The EU transport funding priorities are defined in the TEN-T regulation (EU 2013/1315) and focus on improving cross-border connections and developing sustainable and efficient transport infrastructure. Funding is awarded to projects through a competitive bidding process with projects having to meet specific criteria and demonstrate high EU added value. The attached tables have details of projects involving UK participation that have been awarded funding.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 3.22 of English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision, how many apprentices with special educational needs or disabilities have not completed their transport-related apprenticeship placements.
Answered by Nick Boles
The table below shows this information for apprenticeship frameworks that are related to the transport Industry.
Table 1: Apprenticeship success rates for learners with a learning difficulty or disability on frameworks related to the transport industry (2013/14)
Frameworks | Overall Success Rate |
Aviation Operations on the Ground | 85.7% |
Driving Goods Vehicles | 70.7% |
Rail Transport Engineering | 81.0% |
Road Passenger Transport - Bus and Coach | 81.0% |
Transport Engineering and Maintenance | 96.2% |
Vehicle Body and Paint Operations | 58.3% |
Vehicle Fitting | 68.8% |
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair | 67.0% |
Vehicle Parts Operations | 72.2% |
Notes
1) Frameworks with fewer than 20 leavers are excluded.
2) Figures for learning difficulties or disabilities are based on self-declaration by the learner
The Department does not collect the information required to estimate 5 per cent club or NHS apprenticeship success rates.