Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many scheduled trains with destinations in Cornwall were cancelled due to lack of crew in the last 12 months.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold cancellation data at this level of detail. However, we acknowledge that performance is not where it needs to be on Great Western Railway or Cross-Country services. This is due to a range of issues including infrastructure and fleet reliability, as well as traincrew availability. The Department is working closely with both operators to improve performance.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Camel Trail in North Cornwall to (a) Camelford and (b) beyond.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A feasibility study for this route has been funded through Shared Prosperity Funding, applied for by the local town council and Cornwall Council Community Area Partnership Lead. Sustrans, who manage the National Cycle Network, has put proposals to Active Travel England to undertake further development of the route in 2025, which will assess the potential merits of extending the Camel Trail to Camelford.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of 21 November 2024 by the then Secretary of State for Transport, Official Report column 369, when the road safety strategy will be implemented.
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: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing hon. Members to propose locations for funding from the Road Safety Strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has not made an assessment. 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.
Local authorities are responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government. It is for the local authority to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local areas.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a graded junction at the A30 Plusha junction.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is aware of the safety issues at the junction between the A30 and B3257 at Plusha. National Highways is investigating a number of possible early-delivery modest safety improvements for this stretch of the A30. This is part of its A30 Kennards House to Five Lanes Safety Study. A wholly new graded junction would need to be considered for delivery beyond 2030 as part of a future road investment strategy period.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the funds allocated to Cornwall through the Bus Service Improvement Plan will be accessed by the local authority.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The £10.5 million allocated to Cornwall Council in 25/26 to support and improve bus services will be paid directly to them by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's planned timetable is for making a decision on the proposed A39 Camelford Bypass plans.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s Budget in October delivers increased investment in local transport, supporting everyday journeys and addressing poor connectivity within our towns and cities across the country. The Department’s Major Road Network/ Large Local Majors programme, which includes the proposed A39 Camelford Bypass scheme, is now being reviewed in light of the Budget. Further details will be released in due course.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) Launceston, (b) North Cornwall and (c) other towns in rural areas without a railway station are served by inter-city coach services.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the importance of good transport links and it is the overall aim of this government to improve connections across towns and cities. We recognise the important role the coach sector can play in making these connections across the country for education, business and leisure travel. Coaches are a deregulated sector, so decisions such as where to run services are a matter for the operator concerned. We are, however, working with the sector to hear their concerns and address the challenges they face.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with representatives of National Express on the potential impact of the cancellation of its 503 service on people living in Launceston.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the importance of good transport links and it is the overall aim of this government to improve connections across towns and cities. We recognise the important role the coach sector can play in making these connections across the country for education, business and leisure travel. Coaches are a deregulated sector, so decisions such as where to run services are a matter for the operator concerned. We are, however, working with the sector to hear their concerns and address the challenges they face.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing compensation for loss of (a) income, (b) independence and (c) educational opportunities as a result of delayed or cancelled practical driving test appointments in (i) North Cornwall constituency and (ii) rural areas.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards.
As of 2 September 2024, there were 552,863 car practical driving tests booked, and 94,169 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.
The two driving test centres (DTC) within the North Cornwall constituency of Bodmin and Launceston are shown in the table below. The table shows the August 2024 average waiting time, number of booked car practical driving tests, and available tests as of 2 September 2024 at both DTCs.
DTC | Average car practical driving test waiting time Aug 24 | Booked tests | Tests available to book in 24 week booking window |
Launceston | 10 | 818 | 55 |
Bodmin | 18.3 | 1,974 | 422 |
National | 18.4 | 552,863 | 94,169 |
The DVSA understands how disappointing it is when driving tests are cancelled and therefore will only cancel appointments as an absolute last resort. Those affected by cancellations will automatically be offered a new appointment at the original test centre on the next earliest date available. If this is unsuitable, a candidate can check the booking service for alternative appointments.
Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers in DTCs, include the recruitment of driving examiners, conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners. The DVSA also continues to deploy examiners from areas with lower waiting times into those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to the DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest.
The table below shows the average waiting time for driving tests at each of the DTCs in Cornwall. Waiting time information per DTC is only available from April 2015 onwards. It is not possible to know the number of people who are waiting to take a test.
Financial year | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | Apr 24 - Aug 24 |
Bodmin | 8 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 9.8 | 15.4 |
Camborne | 4.5 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 9.5 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 12.7 | 15 |
Isles of Scilly* | 4 | 18 | 16.5 | Nil | 14.6 | Nil | 7.5 | 21.7 | 20.9 | 21.6 |
Launceston | 6.9 | 4.2 | 3 | 2.4 | 8.6 | 11.9 | 13.5 | 8.8 | 11 | 12 |
Penzance** | 7 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 4.9 | 15.8 | 21.7 | 20.4 | 23.9 |
*Isles of Scilly DTC is a remote DTC and operates a book-to-hold system. Examiners are deployed once candidates have booked to hold.
** Penzance DTC operates on a part time basis (2 days per week).