Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress her Department has made on increasing driving examiner recruitment in Fife.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
The driving test centres that serve candidates in Fife are Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. From a recent recruitment campaign a potential new driving examiner (DE) has been offered a position in Dunfermline. Following successful completion of training and pre-employment checks, it is hopeful the candidate will be in post by autumn. A further potential DE who had been offered a post in Kirkcaldy, has since withdrawn from the process.
DVSA will be undertaking another recruitment campaign shortly and will again advertise for posts in this area.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects Network Rail to have completed a feasibility study on making Burntisland railway station accessible.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This did not include Burntisland railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for driving tests in Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.
Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.
A recruitment campaign has recently closed, and from this DVSA hope to recruit examiners for test centres that serve the Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy constituency.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her planned timetable is for allocating the next round of Access for All funding.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Improving the accessibility is an important element of our plan to fix Britain’s broken rail system. The Department is carefully considering the best approach to station accessibility and recognises the huge social and economic benefits it brings to communities. MPs and stakeholders will be updated in due course.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to agree a reciprocal arrangement for (a) pilot and (b) engineer licenses with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is committed to resetting the relationship and seeking to deepen ties with our European friends, neighbours and allies. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) allows for potential cooperation on aviation safety in a number of areas, including on personnel licencing. The UK will continue to seek expansions in the aviation safety chapter of the TCA where appropriate.