Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 4 September 2023 to Question 195612 on Railways: Fares, when he plans that contactless pay as you go ticketing will be operational at all rail stations in Spelthorne.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department is working closely with Rail Delivery Group, Transport for London and train operators to ensure the launch of contactless PAYG to all stations in Spelthorne in Spring 2024.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Transport for London and (b) train operating companies on decreasing rail fares for Spelthorne residents travelling to and from London.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As part of the Plan for Rail we will invest to radically reform and improve passengers’ experience of fares, ticketing and retailing on the railways. We have committed to extending contactless pay as you go to 53 more stations, including those in Spelthorne, by the end of this year. To support this, we are simplifying fares to ensure that pay as you go offers best value and has greater flexibility for passengers.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations to Transport for London to require rail franchisees to respond in a timely manner to passenger requests.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Department is responsible for letting and managing rail franchises and we engage in regular dialogue with our franchisees to ensure that they are acting in the passenger’s best interests.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to designate stations outside the current Greater London boundary as Greater London Stations for the purposes of possible inclusion in the services devolved to Transport for London.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State has no such plans.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether routine checks are made on the non-UK driving licences of foreign nationals driving on UK roads when they are stopped or otherwise required to show their licence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Any checks on driving licences, whether domestic or foreign, by the police at the roadside, are only conducted if considered necessary. This is an operational matter for the police who will decide what action to take in response to the given situation.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to expand London's transport zones to include (a) Spelthorne constituency and (b) other new areas inside the M25 orbital that do not use the oyster system.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Travelcard map, showing the zone in which each station falls, is set out as part of the Travelcard Agreement between the Train Operating Companies and Transport for London (TfL). Any changes to station zones must be proposed by a signatory to the Agreement and then agreed by the remaining signatories. The government is not a signatory to the Agreement and therefore has no role in proposing such changes to station zones.
Once a change is proposed by TfL and the Train Operating Companies, the Department for Transport can approve or reject the change proposals. This decision is made by the Secretary of State for Transport, on the basis of a business case and other wider policy and initiatives that may be considered at the time. If the proposal does not represent good value for money, it would be unlikely to get approval. It would be inappropriate for the Government to promote or back any proposals outside of this established process.
In the current rail franchising contracts there are commitments for train operators to bring forward proposals to extend Oyster and Contactless to Swanley, Epsom, Hertford North, Luton Airport Parkway and Welwyn Garden City. The Secretary of State will consider these proposals on their individual merits when they have been developed and submitted in accordance with the process set out above.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on aircraft not adhering to the Compton easterly departure route from Heathrow; and what plans he plans to address (a) that issue and (b) noise pollution arising from such non-adherence.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department receives regular correspondence from the public on Heathrow noise matters and this has included occasional representations on questions about the Compton routes.
The Government are aware that some aircraft are unable to follow accurately the long established easterly Compton Noise Preferential Route at Heathrow. It is expected that as part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Future Airspace Strategy, existing departure routes at Heathrow will need to be reviewed and updated so that aircraft can use more accurate satellite-based navigation. Any such proposal will be subject to the CAA’s airspace change process which includes consultation requirements.