Railway Stations: Ticket Office Closures

Lord Laming Excerpts

Wednesday 20th September 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)]

That is the whole point: they will be more than happy to do so. We want to have multi-skilled individuals working for the railways such that they can help all sorts of passengers with a varying range of needs.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, I will share with the Minister the experience at my local station, where there is only ever one member of staff on duty. In the morning, that member of staff opens up the station, the toilets and waiting rooms, and helps people get their tickets, sold either directly or with these complicated machines. They are, in effect, the station manager; this one person is essential to the operation of the station.

[Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)]

I hope the noble Lord has fed that back into the consultation, where it will be taken into account by the independent passenger bodies.

Rail Franchise Agreements

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 4th December 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, all train operators have a disabled people’s protection policy in place, and they must comply with that as a condition of their licence. The ORR is currently consulting on how we can strengthen that document to set out what train operators are required to do. It looks at key areas such as reliability of the assistance service, staff training, the notice period recommended before booking assistance and passenger information for seeking redress. The ORR has powers to take enforcement action where there are breaches of licence conditions. It has not yet used these powers, but we would absolutely encourage it to do so where there are breaches.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that some rail companies appear to have removed the word “cancellation” from their vocabulary? You arrive at the station for a train, look at the board and discover that the train is no more; it never existed; it is not there. Could she help these companies to recover the full use of their vocabulary?

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, train cancellation has certainly not been removed from my vocabulary. We need to make sure that information is properly provided to customers. We are working closely with GTR and all the train operating companies on this. We need, of course, to ensure that passengers are aware which services they will be able to travel on, and that is something we are working to improve.

Railways: Train Timetables

Lord Laming Excerpts

Wednesday 11th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, the rail industry has collectively failed to deliver for its customers. It is right that it apologise, and the Department for Transport has apologised too. As I have said, we are prioritising the reliability of the service, but I take the noble Lord’s point. That is why we have set up an independent inquiry —to understand what went wrong. We are eagerly awaiting its recommendations because we must learn these lessons, and we will.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, I know that the Minister is sympathetic to those of us who have to rely upon Thameslink to get us here. It is not only that the company ignores its own timetable; it fails to inform its own staff and to keep its own website up to date. Everything at the present time is just a myth. Can the Minister do whatever she can to help Thameslink get just some of the fundamentals in place?

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, I entirely agree that the information on what services are available is absolutely key, so that passengers can plan their journeys and buy their tickets. There have obviously been failures—big failures—in this but, with the introduction of the interim timetable on Sunday, we expect there to be more reliable services so that people can plan their journeys effectively.

Govia Thameslink

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, I certainly would not call that a great success. I am pleased that it started the restoration of the service yesterday, albeit a lesser service, helped by replacement buses. Trans-Pennine is our biggest planned investment project on the existing railway and is due to start next spring. It will be a rolling programme of enhancements, including both major civil engineering and electrification. On the Lakes Line in particular, we want to deliver additional direct services between Windermere and Manchester. These will first be delivered using a bi-mode train, adapted from a former electric-only train. Subject to the business case, there will also be brand new trains on the route with more seats and better on-board facilities. I know that Northern is exploring the possibility of introducing an alternatively fuelled train on the route.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, the House will appreciate the concern that the Minister has for those of us who travel on Govia Thameslink Railway. It introduced a novel piece of advice for those of us trying to get to London this morning: that we should get on a train going north, in the hope that we stood a better chance of getting on a train going south further up the line. At the weekend, we were excited at the news that Govia might lose the franchise. Will the Minister assure the House that that is a serious possibility? Seven weeks later, the trains are still in a dreadful mess and there is no communication with passengers, and there seems to be no concern from the management.

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, I have heard the terrible first-hand experiences of family and friends, and many Members of this House. I entirely agree that GTR needs to get much better in the provision of information, so that passengers could at least attempt to plan their commute. On the hard review, announced by the Secretary of State, the department has begun an external audit of GTR by professionals with decades of experience in the rail industry. This will be a thorough examination of the performance and management of the franchise. The initial audit will take a number of weeks and will provide the department with evidence on which to base our next steps. Once complete, the audit could lead to the introduction of a remedial plan, a significant fine for GTR or, as a last resort—and if it best serves the interests of the passengers—the removal of the franchise from the operator.

Transport: Disabled Parking in London

Lord Laming Excerpts

Thursday 27th April 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

I agree with the noble Lord, who raises a vital point. That is why looking at how we work across the board and sharing good practice will address some of the issues. Again, I stress the point that part of this is about education, information and dissemination, but those involved in traffic enforcement should know what the specific rules are in order to ensure that effective enforcement can be carried out.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, could I invite the Minister to extend his comments to another aspect that affects people with disabilities of all kinds, which is parking on or obstructing pavements? This has become an increasing problem for people with mobility problems of one kind or another. When looking at this problem, could the Minister also bear in mind the need to keep pavements clear for people?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

Again, the noble Lord raises an important point. Outside London, and indeed in certain boroughs of London, pavement parking is permitted. It causes a big issue in terms of access—and not just, dare I say it, for the disabled. I still have reasonably young children, one still in a pushchair, and this is a problem for young families attempting to get through. The noble Lord makes a very valid suggestion and we will certainly ensure that it is part of the discussion.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 6th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the Government will publish the national planning policy framework by the end of this month, and shortly we will announce our conclusions resulting from all the consultations we have held related to Travellers.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the Gypsy way of life is extremely hard and that the best hope for them and, indeed, for society as a whole is the provision of sufficient official pitches so that the children—the next generation—can receive a proper education and thereby have an alternative lifestyle available to them?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I agree entirely with the noble Lord’s point.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord Laming Excerpts

Thursday 16th February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the noble Baroness’s description of the current definition is right. Some of the responses to our consultation on our draft new planning policy for Travellers’ sites suggested that there should be a separate consultation on the definition. The Government are considering all the responses to the consultation. We shall have to wait to see what emerges from that.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, does the noble Earl accept that one of the greatest challenges in respect of those who live a nomadic life is to secure continuous and proper education for the next generation—the children—so that they can have not only a choice in their lifestyle in the future and settle into society but fulfil their potential as human beings?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right, which is why I saw a separate briefing from officials at the Department for Education.

Postal Services Bill

Lord Laming Excerpts

Wednesday 6th April 2011 Lords Chamber

In conclusion, the Bill rightly enhances the parliamentary approval required for any changes to the universal service. Several of the amendments in the group would go further and make sure that Parliament and the public are given a proper say before any reduction can be made—or at least secure the current levels for a number of years. Ministers say that they want to retain the universal service for six days a week and at “one price goes anywhere”. This is a real test of the Government’s commitment to the current requirements of a universal postal service. If the Government really mean what they say about protecting the current universal service, I hope that they will look favourably on these amendments.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, perhaps I may speak very briefly in support of Amendments 24J, 24K and 24N, in the name of my noble friend Lord Low of Dalston, that were so ably introduced by my noble friend Lord Tenby.

The Minister helpfully assured the House that the Government intend that the changes introduced by this important Bill will be open and transparent. These amendments have the virtue of combining simplicity with clarity. Amendment 24J leaves absolutely no doubt or ambiguity about the responsibilities of Ofcom in enforcing the minimum standards that together make up a universal postal service that we all value so highly. Amendment 24K seeks to reinforce the importance of the universal postal service obligation that is central to this. Amendment 24N seeks to ensure that no significant changes can be made without adequate consultation with the postal service user groups.

These amendments are not controversial. They are aimed at strengthening the Bill and making sure that, together as a community, we continue to enjoy a reliable, efficient and enduring universal postal service. I hope that the Minister will feel able to accept the amendments.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Wilcox)]

My Lords, the primary purpose of the Bill is to protect the universal service. The Bill requires Ofcom to secure the provision of the universal service and to ensure that it is meeting the reasonable needs of users. Indeed, that latter point is a requirement not just of this Bill but of the European postal services directive.

The noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, suggested that Ofcom’s duty to secure the future of the universal service was in some way on a par with its duty to have regard to the financial sustainability and efficiency of the universal service. I am happy to reassure noble Lords that this is not the case. Ofcom’s overriding duty in relation to postal services is to secure the provision of a universal service. In doing so, Ofcom must have regard to the need for financial sustainability and efficiency, but these considerations cannot outweigh the need to secure a universal service.

Clause 29 requires Ofcom to assess the needs of users and to set the universal postal service order at a level that meets those needs. The provision is a necessary tool to ensure that the postal market remains flexible and responsive to user needs. I know that there has been some confusion and concern about the relationship between the universal postal service order and the minimum requirements in Clause 30. The order will set out the particular products and services that Royal Mail must provide, over and above the minimum requirements and the standards that the company must meet. These products are currently set out in Royal Mail’s licence. As we are abolishing the licensing regime, they will need to be set by order in the future.

Amendment 24HZA, tabled by my noble friend Lord Eccles, seeks to constrain the scope of the universal postal service order. Clause 29(2) provides that the universal postal service order must include “as a minimum” each of the services set out in Clause 30. The subsection allows Ofcom to include more services or higher requirements—for example, it can specify the percentage of first-class letters that must be delivered the next day. Given that the universal service must evolve in line with user needs, this is appropriate. I understand where my noble friend is coming from and it is important that we hear the arguments he has made so well. However, I should say to him that to be compliant with the directive, we must allow Ofcom the flexibility to ensure that user needs are met. It is right that Ofcom, as the expert regulator with all the market information, is the body that makes the judgment. Given that explanation, I hope that my noble friend will withdraw his amendment.

People Trafficking

Lord Laming Excerpts

Monday 7th March 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the noble Baroness is experiencing exactly the same difficulties as I did when researching this. There is the convention and there is the directive. We are confident that the UK is compliant with the Council of Europe trafficking convention, an issue that is already in place. The noble Baroness is referring to the EU trafficking directive. We are looking closely at that directive’s text and considering its merits. If we conclude that opting in to the directive would benefit the UK, we can apply to do so. The UK has a strong record in the fight against trafficking and already complies in both legislation and practice with most of what the draft directive requires.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, the Government have been looking at that directive for some considerable time. Can the noble Earl assure the House that a decision will be made shortly, rather than allowing this situation to drift on indefinitely?

[Earl Attlee]

The noble Lord makes an important point. The issue is coming to fruition and when we see the final text we will determine whether we will opt in.