Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 15346 on Driving under Influence: Drugs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to include an option for an evidential roadside saliva sample.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since the general election, the Department has begun work on a new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade. The Department will share more details in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the increased bus fare cap on public transport use in Lancashire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the Budget on 30 October, the government confirmed it will invest over £150 million to introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025. Under the plans of the previous administration, the current £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain the cap beyond this point.
The published interim evaluation of the £2 fare cap showed that patronage continued to recover following the COVID 19 pandemic. The final evaluation of the £2 fare cap will be published in due course.
Considering all its impacts, the fare cap is not financially sustainable for taxpayers and bus operators at £2. Capping fares at £3 will keep bus travel affordable while ensuring the cap is fair to taxpayers, helping millions of people access better opportunities, travel for less and protect vital bus routes, in Lancashire and right across England.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will include the South Fylde Passing Loop Project in new rail infrastructure spending.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the closure of the Restoring Your Railway (RYR) programme, the Department is now reviewing its portfolio, including proposals for the South Fylde line.
There is currently no DfT funding allocated to develop this project any further, but we encourage local authorities to lead the development of transport schemes that have a strong business case and clear benefits to their communities.