Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 150416 on Bicycles and Electric Vehicles: Safety, whether he plans for those regulations to include provision for the use of electric bikes operated with a hand throttle for people who are unable to use peddles due to disability.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published in 2022, reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to making walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choice for millions more journeys. Equal access for disabled people is at the heart of this and the Department is keeping the prospect of changes to regulations on electric bikes operated with a hand throttle (known as “twist and go”) under review.
In the meantime, it may be helpful to clarify that twist and go e-cycles are legal to use on the roads provided that they have been through a “type approval” process to ensure that they comply with various technical standards.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the £2 bus fare cap beyond June 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government is providing up to £135 million to help bus operators cap single fares at £2 on services in England outside London from 1 January until 30 June. The fare cap is designed to be a short-term intervention and will conclude at the end of June.
We are monitoring its impacts and outcomes of the cap so that we will be in position to understand the changes it has brought on passenger savings, satisfaction, any effect on patronage and bus use. We will be using these results to inform future approaches, policies and interventions to support the bus sector.
The Government is also providing over £1 billion to support the delivery of local Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP), which will include measures to introduce lower bus fares, including local £2 fare caps in places including Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to set National Highways key performance indicators for cleaning up litter.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator. National Highways is committed to reporting the percentage of the Strategic Road Network on which National Highways hold litter clearance responsibility, that had no litter, refuse or detritus, or was predominately free of litter, refuse or detritus apart from some small items in line with the Code of practice on litter and refuse published by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
We are developing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) and continue to explore potential metrics for inclusion in RIS3 performance specification, as well as possible improvements to existing metrics such as litter. We are working to ensure that the targeted metrics in RIS3 – the Key Performance Indicators focus on the things that are most important to road users and contribute to wider government priorities. This process will involve considering the responses to the forthcoming public consultation on National Highways’ Strategic Road Network Initial Report.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Great British Railways: Williams-Shapps plan for rail, published on 20 May 2021, whether the new fare structure will address the disparity in pricing for annual season tickets available from St Albans City, and stations just two stops closer to London, as a consequence of preferential Oyster fares set by Transport for London being unavailable beyond Elstree and Borehamwood.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We were clear in the Plan for Rail we want to simplify the current mass of complicated fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets. We are working closely with industry to deliver this, and have committed to expanding Pay as You Go Ticketing across the South East. We delivered contactless ticketing to St Albans City back in 2019. Oyster zonal fare caps they are managed by Transport in London and the responsibility of the Mayor of London. The Department has no specific plans to review the fares offered in the oyster area.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received representations from Hertfordshire County Council requesting advice on whether it has a legal obligation to sell land to developers for the purpose of developing a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange at Park Street in St Albans on the site of the former Radlett Aerodrome.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Neither me, nor my Department have received any representations from Hertfordshire County Council requesting advice relating to a strategic rail freight interchange at the former Radlett Aerodrome.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received (a) representations and (b) other correspondence from Members representing Hertfordshire constituencies on the proposed sale of public land by Hertfordshire County Council for a strategic rail freight Interchange.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I can confirm that letters have been received regarding a strategic rail freight interchange at Radlett from Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP in June 2020 and from Anne Main MP in July 2020. There have been no recent direct discussions with, or correspondence received from, Hertfordshire County Council in relation to changes to rail freight capacity requirements.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has (a) had discussions with and (b) received correspondence from Hertfordshire County Council on changes to rail freight capacity requirements in Hertfordshire since 2014 in the last (a) 12 and (b) 36 months.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I can confirm that letters have been received regarding a strategic rail freight interchange at Radlett from Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP in June 2020 and from Anne Main MP in July 2020. There have been no recent direct discussions with, or correspondence received from, Hertfordshire County Council in relation to changes to rail freight capacity requirements.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2021 to Question 34069 on Bus Services: Disability Aids, what progress the Government has made on the commitment to introduce regulations requiring bus companies to provide audible and visual announcements onboard their services in Great Britain, which had been planned to be laid before the House by Summer 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
We committed in the 2021 National Bus Strategy to introduce the Accessible Information Regulations, subject to final analysis.
We are now in the final stages of preparation to publish the response to the 2018 Accessible Information consultation, and introduce the Accessible Information Regulations.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish a response to the consultation entitled Taxi and private hire vehicle best practice guidance, published on 28 March 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The consultation on updated Best Practice Guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England closed in June 2022. The Department is considering the responses carefully and will issue its response in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the status of East of England regional capital projects in the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Ministers are rightly taking the proper time to review the rail enhancements portfolio and ensure that the schemes within it reflect the priorities of the government. Ministers are reviewing the RNEP update which will be published shortly.