Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing speed limits on road safety for all users.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits in November 2018.
The report found that while 20mph limits were supported by the majority of residents and drivers, there was insufficient evidence to conclude that that the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas had led to a significant change in collisions and casualties.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of trains that were supposed to stop at Plumpton but did not do so between 1 January and May 1 2018.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department for Transport does not keep information on the details of number of ‘station skipping’ incidents on the Southern network.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what long-term investment plans the Government has to improve the Brighton Main Line.
Answered by Paul Maynard
Network Rail is currently developing proposals for potential upgrades of the Brighton Main Line, following the conclusions of the Sussex Route Study, and the London South Coast Rail Corridor Study, both of which highlighted significant capacity and performance constraints. Government will fund Network Rail to develop proposals as necessary.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times Southern Trains has cancelled a scheduled stop at Plumpton Station in East Sussex in the last 12 months for which information is available.
Answered by Claire Perry
We do not hold information to this level of detail. Govia Thameslink Railways, that operates Southern Trains, might hold this data.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from business groups in Sussex on increasing the range of destinations available from Gatwick Airport (a) in North America and (b) in the rest of the world; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
My Ministerial colleagues and I regularly receive representations from a range of stakeholders about aviation connectivity.
To ensure our long term connectivity needs can be met, the previous Government established the independent Airports Commission to identify and recommend to Government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation. Three options for expansion were shortlisted by the Commission for further examination including one for a new runway at Gatwick airport.
The Commission’s final report, published on 01 July 2015, took account of responses to its consultation on the three options which closed in February this year. The Government is now considering the Airports Commissions recommendations and intends to take decisions by the end of the year.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the rate of growth of air traffic at Gatwick Airport in the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The last Department for Transport forecasts for Gatwick and the other main UK airports were published in January 2013. These showed that air passengers at Gatwick would grow by 11% in the period 2015 to 2025. This is a 1% annual rate of growth.
The independent Airports Commission published their own forecasts for air traffic, including at Gatwick, as part of their Final Report on 1 July 2015. The Government will not be commenting on any of the Airports Commission’s recommendations until it has had time to examine all of the evidence.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that transport connections to Gatwick Airport remain fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
This Government recognises the importance of good transport connections to the success of airports and we are committed to further investment to improve such connections.
For Gatwick Airport, our Road Investment Strategy includes committed investment to deliver a major smart motorway project on the M23 between junctions 8 and 10, as well as improvements to the M25, and major enhancements to the A27 at Chichester, Arundel and Worthing.
Investment of on our rail network will see improvements to connectivity to Gatwick through the completion of the Thameslink Programme, improvements to Gatwick Airport Station and enhancement to the Brighton Mainline.
In addition, from December 2015, new rolling stock will be introduced on the Gatwick Express. The new stock will be designed specifically with the needs of airport users in mind.