Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers local residents have to influence plans introduced under the Active Travel Scheme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department has set new conditions on local authorities receiving funding through the Active Travel Fund, requiring them to ensure schemes are properly consulted on and that the views of local residents and businesses have been taken into account. This includes requiring authorities to undertake appropriate surveys with local residents to inform the design and implementation of schemes. The updated Network Management Duty guidance published alongside the Tranche 2 allocations makes clear the importance of engaging with local communities to ensure schemes deliver for all. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reallocating-road-space-in-response-to-covid-19-statutory-guidance-for-local-authorities
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department plans to achieve under the Active Travel Scheme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department is making up to £225 million available to local authorities through the Active Travel Fund in 2020/21. The Fund supports the Prime Minister’s long term vision for cycling and walking, “Gear Change”, published in July. This funding will support the delivery of high quality infrastructure that will encourage more people to walk and cycle for shorter journeys. Increasing cycling and walking can help tackle some of the most challenging issues we face as a society – improving air quality, combatting climate change, improving health and wellbeing, addressing inequalities and tackling congestion on our roads.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure the DVLA prioritises driving licence applications for key workers during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
During the national lockdown, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) recognised the impact that the pandemic would have on the UK’s vital supply chains and emergency workers. To address this, the DVLA provided a service to prioritise applications from key workers. This included a dedicated postal address for driving licence applications and specific support through the DVLA’s contact centre.
The DVLA is now processing applications from all customers as normal but is able to prioritise applications from key workers as necessary.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the budget is of (a) Phase 2b east and (b) Phase 2b west of High Speed Two.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Full Business Case for Phase One sets out the central cost estimate for the whole of Phase 2b at £39bn (including contingency). The funding allocations for HS2 including phase 2b are being reviewed as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2020, which is due to conclude later this Autumn.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HS2 Ltd employees have been furloughed during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
HS2 Ltd has not furloughed any employees.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how residents of Congleton constituency can access the £225 million fund allocated by the Government to the improvement of cycling facilities.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Emergency Active Travel Fund is being released in two phases. The first tranche of £45 million will be released as soon as possible provided Local Authorities submit suitably ambitious plans to the Department. This is to enable work to begin at pace on emergency measures such as closing roads to through traffic, installing segregated cycle lanes and widening pavements. Cheshire East Unitary Authority has been indicatively allocated £155,000 for tranche one, and receipt of these funds is dependent on the completion of an application form outlining the authority’s plans. The application must be submitted by 5 June. The second tranche of £180m will be released later in the summer, again, subject to Local Authorities submitting plans that meet with the Department’s approval.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that increasing accessibility at Sandbach railway station is included in the Government's disability action plan.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
I am committed to improving access at all stations. Last year we published the Inclusive Transport Strategy which sets out what we are doing to improve access across all transport modes. As part of this, we extended our Access for All programme with an additional £300m of funding. This provides accessibility improvements over and above those required by the rail industry itself. Stations are nominated by the rail industry bodies who can work alongside local authorities and Members of Parliament. Stations are selected for funding through a prioritisation and assessment process. Sandbach was not nominated for this funding.
We will continue to seek further opportunities, and funding, to make more improvements.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations to Highways England on concerns raised by Cranage Parish Council and constituents of the hon. Member for Congleton in respect of inadequate work which has now been halted on constructing acoustic fencing along the M6 smart motorway enlarged lanes boundary.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Highways England encountered unexpected ground conditions whilst in the process of installing the environmental barrier adjacent to Oak Tree Lane, Cranage which made the proposed barrier foundation inappropriate. Highways England is in the process of redesigning the installation detail and will recommence construction of the foundations once the redesign has been completed and approved. Work is expected to recommence in this area during July.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve rail connectivity between (a) Congleton and Crewe, (b) Congleton and Macclesfield, (c) Congleton and Chester and (d) Congleton and Liverpool.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of planned improvements to Northern Rail services, there will be a more frequent, hourly Sunday stopping service from Stoke to Manchester via Macclesfield. In the meantime, the Department is happy to work with the local authority and the train operating companies to identify any opportunities to improve rail connectivity for the Congleton area.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to which legislation his Department has applied the Family Test, published in August 2014.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government has allocated more than £61bn in transport capital investment over the five years to 2020/21. This is record investment to make the network more reliable and better connected, in recognition of the fact that families and businesses rely on that network every day.
While we take forward a number of policies that play a role in strengthening family life, including our £1.2bn cycling and walking investment plan, extension of the young person’s railcard and introduction of more flexible rail season tickets, it is rare for specific transport legislation to have a significant impact at the level of the family. As such the Department is not aware of instances when the specific Family Test has been applied to transport legislation since 2014, over and above the usual impact assessment process which considers a wide range of impacts.