Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Law Commission’s report on Taxi and Private Hire Services, May 2014, if the Government will implement recommendation 21.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Since the Law Commission’s comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales the sector has undergone profound and rapid change. At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies, including the Commission’s recommendations.
I am grateful to my honourable friend for the time she has dedicated as a member of this group and look forward to considering the recommendations contained in the group’s report.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents involving pedicabs have been reported in each of the last three years; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce accidents involving those vehicles.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department for Transport does not separately identify pedicabs in road casualty data. However, following discussions with Transport for London and other stakeholders, we have concluded that there is a need to regulate pedicabs and are investigating a suitable legislative slot to do this.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many taxi and private hire vehicle drivers have been reported for offences against passengers in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have been reported for offences against passengers.
I am glad that my honourable Friend has agreed to be a member of my Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licensing, which is considering cross-border working, enforcement and passenger safety as key areas for discussion. I have tasked the group with providing focused recommendations for action, which I look forward to receiving for consideration in the New Year.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many taxi and private hire drivers have been reported for offences against passengers whilst working outside their own licensing authority area in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have been reported for offences against passengers.
I am glad that my honourable Friend has agreed to be a member of my Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licensing, which is considering cross-border working, enforcement and passenger safety as key areas for discussion. I have tasked the group with providing focused recommendations for action, which I look forward to receiving for consideration in the New Year.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to cap private hire licensing by Transport for London to reduce cross border-hiring.
Answered by John Hayes
The Mayor of London has recently written to the Secretary of State for Transport requesting a reform of the law to give Transport for London the power to cap the number of private hire vehicle driver licences. The Mayor requested this reform as part of a wider package of measures which the Secretary of State has asked him to provide details of, sharing how the proposal would work in practice.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received seeking reductions in levels of noise pollution from people living under Luton Airport's flight path.
Answered by John Hayes
The Secretary of State has received several representations from both members of the public and MPs about aircraft noise from Luton Airport. The government has also recently consulted on UK Airspace Policy and there were numerous consultation responses from individuals concerning Luton Airport. The government is considering these responses and will announce final policy decisions in due course.
The Civil Aviation Authority is also due to launch a post-implementation review of recent flight path changes at Luton in September.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rail freight interchanges there are in the UK; and what the utilisation rate is on the freight network.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK has 16 intermodal rail freight interchanges. These are:
o Birmingham International Railfreight Terminal
o Daventry International Railfreight Terminal
o Hams Hall
o Widnes
o Wentloog
o Selby
o Doncaster Railport
o Grangemouth
o Trafford Park Euroterminal
o Trafford Park
o Lawley Street
o Leeds – Freightliner
o Mossend Euroterminal
o Wakefield Euroterminal
o Willesden Euroterminal
In addition to these interchanges, there are a large number of port-located rail terminals and small independent facilities nationwide.
The usage and available capacity of these terminals varies by facility and time of year. However, overall changes in the rail freight market means there has been an increase, in recent years, in imports and exports of containerised goods through the major ports (intermodal freight), increasing utilisation at these sites.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many strategic rail freight interchanges have been granted planning permission since 2000; and of those granted permission how many have been built.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since 2000, development consent has been given for ten Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges across Great Britain. The Department for Transport does not monitor progress in constructing these sites. However we understand that not all of these interchanges have yet been constructed.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on infraction proceedings in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Matthew Hancock) today to UIN 36288.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who were charged to appeal against a parking ticket in each of the last three years.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Parking is a devolved matter and policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the respective Government.
Information on parking penalties in England is not held centrally. Records of the number of penalty charge notices issued are contained in annual reports from the traffic adjudicators – London Tribunals covers London Councils and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal reports on authorities outside London.