Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure additional support for the coach industry during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
On 8 August, the Government announced a funding package of over £40 million for Local Transport Authorities to procure additional, dedicated home to education transport services, including the provision of additional coach services.
This funding will help children and young people get to school and college, whilst social distancing reduces the capacity of existing public transport.
Coach operators could contact local authorities to discuss their home to school transportation plans.
The Government has also announced several measures available to UK businesses, including the coach sector, to support them through this time, including: a further exemption to the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations until July 2021; Government recognition of refund credits under the Bonded Coach Holiday Scheme to allow customers to book a future holiday or request a refund when trading resumes; and access to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan Scheme, and Time to Pay.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of trailer registration charges on the operations of the haulage sector.
Answered by Jesse Norman
An impact assessment was carried out on the effect of introducing a trailer registration requirement and was published alongside the Trailer Registration Regulations 2018.
The cost to business and private users of large non-commercial trailers was assessed as follows:-
Familiarisation costs estimated at a one-off cost at £7 per trailer
Trailer registration fee expected to be no more than £28 (one-off cost) per trailer and since confirmed at £26
Registration plate at an average cost of £16 from private suppliers
Trailer users will benefit from avoiding enforcement costs that may otherwise be incurred during international travel. Overall the benefits of the scheme are expected to be much greater than the costs and this scheme has been broadly welcomed by industry.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of traffic lights on the A2500 on (a) traffic flows and (b) the economy and quality of life on the Isle of Sheppey; and if he will take steps to expedite the building of a new roundabout at the junction with Barton Hill Drive.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The design, installation and maintenance of traffic management measures including traffic lights and roundabouts are the responsibility of the local traffic authority, in this case Kent County Council. It is for them to determine which solution is appropriate for a particular road or junction, taking into account local circumstances. I am grateful to my Honourable Friend for raising this issue and have written to Kent County Council to ask them to respond to him directly on it.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to monitor the security of the SS Richard Montgomery and prevent terror attacks on it.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Medway Port Authority, which guards the wreck under contract to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, provides: 24 hour surveillance of the wreck, both visually and by radar; patrols of the area around the wreck; and an initial response to any potential incursions into the prohibited area. Incursions, and incidents likely to result in an incursion, are reported immediately to the Police and to HM Coastguard so that appropriate specialist support can be provided.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to monitor the condition and safety of the SS Richard Montgomery; and when he plans to publicise the results of such monitoring.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) carries out regular surveys of the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery. These are generally multibeam sonar surveys and, in recent years, they have also included laser scanning of those parts of the wreck’s structure which are visible above the waterline. Survey reports, and background information about the wreck, are published at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ss-richard-montgomery-information-and-survey-reports
In addition, Medway Port Authority guards the wreck under contract to the MCA. The Authority provides: 24 hour surveillance of the wreck, both visually and by radar; patrols of the area around the wreck; and an initial response to any potential incursions.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that public transport operators reduce fares to pass onto passengers the benefit of falling petrol and diesel prices.
Answered by John Hayes
I am aware that my Rt Hon Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury recently wrote to the five largest UK bus operators seeking their assurance that they are doing all they can to ensure passengers benefit from the fall in oil prices.
The bus market outside London is deregulated, with the vast majority of services provided on a commercial basis by private sector bus operators. Decisions on the level of fares are a commercial matter for individual bus operators.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the consequence for his policies of the decision in the Appeal Court in the case of Doug Paulley v First Bus Group.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government believes that disabled people should have the same access to transport services and opportunities to travel as other members of society. I have noted the Court of Appeal’s recent judgment in respect of Mr Doug Paulley and First Bus Group and will continue to follow this ongoing legal action closely.
There are currently no plans to amend domestic legislation or to alter the current arrangements relating to the accessibility of buses on local or scheduled services.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to improve rail infrastructure between Sittingbourne and London stations.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The new Network Rail Control Period includes investment to improve stations on the route between Sittingbourne and London including, in some cases, longer platforms to accommodate longer trains.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to improve the rail infrastructure on the North Kent rail line.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Government is working with Network Rail, train operators and Kent County Council to progress the case for journey time reductions between Ashford and Ramsgate by 2019 through infrastructure improvements. Funding is available for this, subject to a satisfactory business case.