Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve rail services in (a) Nottinghamshire, (b) the East Midlands, and (c) England.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
East Midlands Railway will introduce additional trains in 2021 to bring more carriages on regional routes and a fully refurbished fleet is planned. The £1.5 billion investment to deliver the Midland Mail Line Upgrade will enable at least a 70 per cent increase in seats and quicker peak journeys to London for the Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands.
In England as a whole, we are currently delivering a significant programme of investment to upgrade both the infrastructure and the trains on our railway. The Government is committed to invest around £48 billion in maintaining and upgrading the rail network in the period from 2019 to 2024, focused on increasing reliability and punctuality for passengers.
Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with DVSA on (a) providing access to refunds to those people whose driving theory test certificate has expired during the covid-19 outbreak and (b) resitting the driving theory test for free.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The two-year validity period of the theory test certificate is set in legislation. This is so the candidate’s theoretical knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards remains current. To extend the validity period would require legislative change.
There is no provision in legislation for refunds of test fees in the situation where the theory test certificate has expired, or resitting the theory test free of charge.
Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the DVSA to ensure that guidance is provided to approved driving instructors to ensure they can resume providing their services safely following the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends that, currently, approved driving instructors (ADI) should only provide lessons to candidates who have an essential need.
When providing driving lessons, all ADIs should put in place appropriate measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It is the responsibility of the ADI and the pupil to consider the risks to their health and to decide if the driving lesson is essential.
Using the latest Government guidance, the DVSA is working closely with the Approved Driving Instructors National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) to develop appropriate plans and control measures that will enable the resumption of non-essential driving lessons.
The DVSA is working closely with the Department for Transport to prepare for a safe return to driver testing. Before practical driving tests are reintroduced, the DVSA will inform the driver training industry, which will help candidates to prepare and reach the standard of driving needed to pass their test.
The DVSA will provide further updates on providing non-essential driving lessons as soon as it can.