Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Heaton-Harris Excerpts

Thursday 24th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

If he will take steps to install full tactile paving installation across the entire rail network.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

Yes.

[Sarah Olney]

Network Rail is still working to a timetable of installing tactile paving at all train platforms by 2029, some eight years away. Given that 35% of platforms are seriously dangerous for blind and partially sighted people, will the Minister commit to ensuring that every station has the basic safety measure of tactile paving in place by 2025?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I very much hope so. I have asked Network Rail to develop a programme to install platform edge tactile strips on every platform in Great Britain as soon as possible; I have yet to receive that programme. I will make a further announcement in the very short term.

[Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to improve cross-UK transport links.

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[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

What steps he is taking to ensure that all active travel pilots are fully accessible to disabled people.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring active travel schemes are accessible to all. Government guidance, which includes the “Cycle Infrastructure Design” publication, reflects best practice in safety and inclusivity for disabled pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair and Motability scooter users.

[Rachael Maskell]

The Government are rolling out a number of pilots for e-scooters and also supporting with funding a number of schemes to expand active travel, yet those schemes do not need to have accessible formats of travel for disabled people and older people, further excluding them from the benefits of active travel and moving around in car-free environments. Will the Minister ensure that every pilot scheme is expanded so that it is fully accessible? Will he also challenge the sector to provide Motability scooters and other forms of e-travel that are fully accessible for everyone in our communities?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

It is very important that local authorities consider the impacts of e-scooters on people with disabilities and allow them to access the trials as well. E-scooters have the potential to offer additional means of transport, and we allowed seated e-scooters within the scope of the trials to enable people with certain mobility issues to use them. Our guidance told local authorities to encourage groups representing the interests of disabled people in their areas to advise people with accessibility issues on how they can best use the schemes.

[Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con)]

What steps the Government plan to take to increase the number of rail passengers.

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[Richard Fuller (North East Bedfordshire) (Con)]

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the 2019 East West Rail route consultation.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

The East West Railway Company will consider the 2021 consultation responses. The 2019 consultation met open and fair consultation standards.

[Mohammad Yasin [V]]

The 2019 East West Rail consultation and the 2020 route announcement made no mention that six tracks would be needed at Bedford Midland station or of the consequential demolition in the Poets area of my constituency. I urge the Minister to please consider the many representations on this matter from members of the public, rail groups and local councillors, and Bedford Borough Council’s SLC Rail report showing a credible four-track option that would avoid the loss of homes.

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I assure the hon. Gentleman that this is a non-statutory consultation. It is a consultation where we really do want to listen to the opinions of people affected across the route of East West Rail, and we will most certainly take into account his representations here today.

[Richard Fuller]

Many of my constituents are appalled at the environmental damage that the East West Rail route will cause across Bedfordshire, and baffled that this 21st-century project will use a 19th-century fuel. Will my hon. Friend please look again at the environmental considerations that East West Rail has undertaken and bring them up to scratch?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I thank my hon. Friend for the pragmatic and dedicated campaign that he is running on behalf of his constituents and others on this issue. I know that he has encouraged his constituents to have their say in the recent consultation, and I thank him for that too. We are committed to decarbonising our railways, and East West Rail will continue to assess the potential environmental effects as part of the route alignment development work. An environmental impact assessment will be undertaken and an environmental statement submitted when the development consent order application is made to the Planning Inspectorate.

[Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)]

What recent steps his Department has taken to help facilitate transport decarbonisation in line with the Government’s commitments (a) to the Paris agreement and (b) for COP26.

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[Matthew Pennycook (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)]

What recent progress he has made on plans for the devolution of suburban rail services in London.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

Transport for London submitted a strategic outline business case for the devolution of these services in late 2019, and the Department considered the potential benefits and risks associated with the proposal to be finely balanced. We were doing further work with TfL when the pandemic struck. I have to admit that not much work has been going on since that time.

[Matthew Pennycook]

I thank the Minister for that answer. He knows that I am firmly of the view that the transfer of Southeastern services to TfL is the best long-term means of guaranteeing passengers in my constituency the fast, frequent and high-quality metro-style rail services that they desire. As we emerge from the coronavirus crisis, what plans does his Department have to pick up and take forward the conversations that took place with TfL about the matter early last year? Will he meet me in due course to discuss the future of the Southeastern franchise in more detail?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and I know his passion in this area. As I say, since the pandemic struck, the Department has had to be very much focused on keeping services running while developing our passenger-focused reform. As the Secretary of State just said, Great British Railways will be organised around regional divisions so that decisions are made closer to the places that the railways serve. The White Paper also includes a commitment for strategic partnership with TfL and other local authorities to ensure that the rail sector is working best for passengers in London. I would be delighted to meet him to discuss these matters further.

[Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the strength of industrial relations at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.