Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what correspondence he has received from London TravelWatch on reviewing the criteria for ticket office opening hours; and if he will place a copy of that correspondence in the Library.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Secretary of State for Transport has not received any correspondence from London TravelWatch on reviewing the criteria for ticket office opening hours.
With regard to London Overground ticket office opening hours, the Secretary of State has received correspondence from London Overground. No correspondence has been received from London TravelWatch or the Mayor of London on this matter.
We do not routinely publish correspondence between Ministers and third parties.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what correspondence he has received on London Overground ticket office opening hours from (a) London Overground, (b) the Mayor of London, (c) London TravelWatch; and if he will place copies of that correspondence in the Library.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Secretary of State for Transport has not received any correspondence from London TravelWatch on reviewing the criteria for ticket office opening hours.
With regard to London Overground ticket office opening hours, the Secretary of State has received correspondence from London Overground. No correspondence has been received from London TravelWatch or the Mayor of London on this matter.
We do not routinely publish correspondence between Ministers and third parties.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department included in the invitation to tender for the Southeastern franchise notice that the operator will be permitted to serve Clapham High Street station during peak hourse.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The South Eastern franchise invitation to tender provides instructions to bidders on how to exceed the minimum specification including calls at Clapham High Street.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken modelling of the effect on train services to and from London Victoria station that pass through Clapham High Street station of stopping at that station to determine whether or not to make changes to those services.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department did not complete modelling of stops at Clapham High Street but the Department estimates that each stop would add 3-4 minutes journey time. The Department also determined that the length of platforms at Clapham High Street would be too short for existing South Eastern services to stop at.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the of the potential effect on the journey time of train services between Victoria and Dartford of those services stopping Clapham High Street station.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department estimates that each additional stop at Clapham High Street would typically add 3-4 mins journey time to services between Victoria and Dartford.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department took to avoid conflicts of interest in the preparation of the Invitation to Tender for the Southeastern franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
DfT Passenger Services has in place well established Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality (CoIC) Guidance and procedures which are designed to prevent conflicts of interests arising during all franchise competitions, including the Southeastern franchise. Both civil servants and the Department’s external advisors are obliged to comply with the procedures set out in the guidance. The Passenger Services CoIC procedures include a requirement for all individuals, before being party to any aspect of the competition, (including developing the ITT specification) to sign a conflicts of interest and confidentiality declaration confirming that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to that competition.
Both civil servants and the Department’s external advisors have an ongoing obligation to declare any conflict of interests that may arise during the franchise letting processes.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's response to the recommendations of the report of the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Task and Finish Group, what the timeframe is for the implementation of those recommendations; and whether primary legislation will be required to enact those recommendations.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government’s response to the report of the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Task and Finish Group sets out which of the recommendations the Department proposes to take forward. Many of the short-term recommendations made by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group in his report are for licensing authorities to make full use of their extensive existing powers and these are a matter for licensing authorities to consider.
Work has already started to take forward some of the recommendations, for example the Department launched, on 12 February, its consultation on draft statutory guidance to be issued to licensing authorities on the use of their powers to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm which will run until 22 April. Those reforms that require legislative change, for example national minimum standards, will be made through primary legislation when time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the merits of revising the Highway Code to include advice by the British Horse Society's dead slow campaign on how to pass horses safely while driving.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Several sections of the Highway Code already cover horse riders. The Government announced on 18 October 2018 that, as part of the Cycling
and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Safety Review, the Highway Code would be reviewed to help keep cyclists and pedestrians safe on the roads.
The full scope of the review has yet to be determined but in accordance with normal practice it will be conducted in consultation with all of our stakeholders, including those representing equestrians such as the British Horse Society.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 May 2003 to Question 113237 on rail strikes, whether South Western Railway has made an application in the last twelve months for reimbursement for revenues lost as a result of official industrial action.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Any such request would be a commercial matter between South Western Railway and the Secretary of State. However, no payments have been made under the relevant Franchise Agreement provisions.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 May 2003 to Question 113237 on rail strikes, whether (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had discussions with South Western railway in the last twelve months on reimbursing that company for revenue lost as a result of official industrial action.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Any such discussions would be a commercial matter between South Western Railway and the Secretary of State and his Officials.