Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help support rail passengers who do not have access to digital ticketing, in the context of proposals to close ticket offices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held recent discussions with rail unions on the potential impact of ticket office closures on employment within the rail sector.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of closing train ticket offices on (a) elderly and (b) disabled passengers.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's publication entitled DfT: spending over £500, December 2023, published on 25 April 2024, which Minister used Network Executive Ltd on 14 December 2023; and what the (a) location and (b) purpose of the visit was.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 1st December 2023, Minister Opperman travelled to Barrow-in-Furness, the Grizebeck bypass, opened the A595 improvements and had further ministerial meetings in and around Carlisle. The invoice for this visit was paid on 14th December 2023.
The Government Car Service is used wherever possible. On occasions, external companies are used for ministerial visits.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues on best practice in tackling potholes.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To prevent potholes and other defects from forming in the first place, well-planned maintenance is vital, which is why the Department advocates a risk-based, whole life-cycle asset management approach to all aspects of the local highway network. There are various key bits of guidance that the Department recommends to local highway authorities, including a 2016 Code of Practice on Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, produced by the UK Roads Leadership Group and available via the website of the Chartered Institute for Highways and Transportation.
Other guidance includes the 2019 “Potholes: a repair guide” on which the Department worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), and which is on the ADEPT website. This recommends that local highway authorities should wherever possible make permanent rather than temporary repairs, with temporary repairs only appropriate in emergency circumstances or where safety cannot be managed using alternative approaches.
To help local highway authorities to understand the impacts of the changing climate on local highway networks, the Department has published on gov.uk an independent report on the lessons learned from extreme weather-related emergencies over the period 2015 to 2020.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2024 to Question 21943 on Official Cars, which organisation holds the information for the total miles driven by vehicles in the Government Car Service fleet from the start of financial year 2022-23 onwards; and by what means hon. Members can seek to obtain that information.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The information for 2022/23 was provided in response to Question 21943 (838,113.00). As a result of changes to legacy IT systems, the information for 2023/24 would only be available at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the number of crashes identified as to have been caused by automatism in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This information is not held by the Department.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the number of commercial long haul (a) routes and (b) flights operating from airports in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Through their work to negotiate, update and enforce the UK’s extensive portfolio of bilateral and multilateral “Air Services Agreements” my officials seek to: maximise business opportunities and ensure a level playing field for our airlines and airports; minimise administrative and cost burdens for industry; and remove barriers to operational and commercial flexibility.
This approach helps to deliver international connectivity, choice and value for money, benefitting businesses and consumers. The rights secured by my officials enable services to and from airports throughout the UK, but whether to exercise those rights is, of course, a commercial decision for airlines.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that most zero-emission buses for use in the UK are built in the UK.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
UK bus manufacturing is an area of strength for the UK, with 80% of buses operating in urban areas produced in the UK.
As part of the application process for the ZEBRA programmes, bidders were asked to highlight any community benefits from their proposals. This included local economic development in the area, the creation and/or retention of jobs and apprenticeships related to the maintenance of zero emission vehicles, including batteries and fuel cells, and supporting infrastructure.
The UK Government has no role in the procurement of buses, this is the responsibility of the LTA and the bus operator. During the procurement process for ZEBs, LTAs and bus operators tend to consider criteria such as value for money and route suitability, rather than geographical origins. Their priority is to procure the right vehicle, for the right location, based on quality and value for money.
Asked by: Jane Hunt (Conservative - Loughborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the eligibility criteria are for projects to receive funding under the Local Transport Fund; and whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on how they should consult hon. Members throughout the process.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department will very shortly publish advice for local transport authorities on the scope, process and accountability framework for the Local Transport Fund. It is my intention that locally elected representatives, working with their local MPs, decide how to spend this money to invest in the transport priorities that matter most to their area.