Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to continue to fund the universal bus pass for those of pension age.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The government recognises the importance of the scheme, which supports local bus travel, assists with access to essential local services and helps those who use it to stay active and avoid isolation. The government has absolutely no plans to withdraw the concessionary bus pass scheme.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to extend the £2 bus fare cap beyond 31 December 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Delivering reliable and affordable public transport services for passengers is one of the government’s top priorities as we know how important this is for passengers and for local growth. The Department for Transport is looking at the future of the £2 fare cap as a matter of urgency and is considering the most appropriate and affordable approach for the future of the scheme.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much she plans to provide East Riding of Yorkshire Council from the Local Transport Fund.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The previous government made a number of funding commitments in the Network North Command Paper and these will be examined closely by the government in the coming months.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will support the introduction of high-bioethanol blends into petrol to maintain future jobs in the bioethanol industry.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The revised industry fuel standard for petrol (EN228), agreed and published by the British Standards Institution in 2013, allows up to ten per cent bioethanol content (known as ‘E10’). However, E10 is not yet on general sale in the UK and whether to supply it is a commercial decision for suppliers.
We have been working with industry and others on proposals to increase the supply of sustainable biofuels under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme in line with our UK carbon budget targets, and plan to consult on proposed changes to the RTFO later this year.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to make the East Coast Main Line more resilient to power line failures.
Answered by Claire Perry
Network Rail has recently completed work to renew various overhead line components on the East Coast Main Line. Particular focus has been between King's Cross and Hitchin where contact and catenary wire and droppers were replaced. This has resulted in improved performance. Network Rail are also delivering a £250 million project to enhance power supply on the southern part of the route. This will allow the new Intercity Express and Thameslink trains to operate an enhanced service.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times there have been power line failures on the East Coast Main Line in each of the last three years.
Answered by Claire Perry
We do not hold information regarding power line failures to that level of disaggregation. Network Rail may have this information, and my Hon Friend may wish to contact them directly through Mark Carne, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many journeys have been affected by power line failures on the East Coast Main Line in the last 12 months.
Answered by Claire Perry
We do not hold information regarding power line failures to that level of disaggregation. Network Rail may have this information, and my Hon Friend may wish to contact them directly through Mark Carne, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with particular reference to autism, what information his Department holds on the changes to Blue Badge criteria in Scotland and Wales; and whether he plans to bring forward proposals for similar changes in England.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Blue Badge criteria are devolved matters so the Department for Transport does not hold specific information on Scotland and Wales. I am aware of the schemes in those countries but have no plans to change eligibility in England. The regulations already provide that a local authority may issue a badge in respect of any permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of bus services that have closed in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the effects of changes to the concessionary travel scheme on the viability of local bus services.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
There have been 3,385 existing bus registration cancellations in 2013/14 to date (with 5 days of the reporting period remaining). This is a reduction on the previous two years. There were also 3,303 new bus service registrations processed by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner across the same 12 month period.
Concessionary travel should have no impact on the viability of local bus services as reimbursement to bus operators is not a means to support services which are not viable on a commercial basis. Legislation requires Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs) to ensure that bus operators are left "no better off and no worse off" as a consequence of taking part in the mandatory travel concession. In general, TCAs set their Schemes each year and they have discretion to decide whether or not to offer more than the mandatory concession in their own Scheme areas.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the level of cross-subsidy between fare paying passengers and those using the Concessionary Travel Scheme (a) generally and (b) in rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Concessionary travel schemes are considered to be public service obligations.
Legislation requires bus operators to accept statutory concessionary bus pass holders for free travel on off-peak journeys within England, and are reimbursed for doing so. Bus operators may not solicit or accept payment for such journeys.
Reimbursement is provided on the basis that operators are “no better and no worse off” for carrying concessionary pass holders, and we therefore do not believe this to constitute a subsidy.
The Department publishes guidance to help authorities calculate appropriate reimbursement rates. We are unaware of any cross-subsidy between fare paying and concessionary pass holding passengers occurring in rural areas or elsewhere.