Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to mandate the removal of temporarily imposed restrictions on road space for traffic introduced under emergency provisions during the covid-19 outbreak in the event that it is shown that those restrictions are causing deaths that would have been avoided without their imposition; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department has made no assessment of how the emergency services have been affected by the introduction of new road layouts. It is for local authorities to ensure that any changes they propose to make to road layouts are delivered in line with relevant legislation, and consultation and noticing requirements.
Where road closures require a Traffic Regulation Order, the emergency services must be consulted as part of the order-making process, to ensure any concerns are addressed and that access is maintained. Emergency services have been generally supportive of road layout changes, such as low-traffic neighbourhoods and, in some cases, their access has improved because narrow, unsuitable roads are no longer full of traffic.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the average increase in journey times of emergency service vehicles that have been caused as a result of road closures to facilitate social distancing during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department has made no assessment of how the emergency services have been affected by the introduction of new road layouts. It is for local authorities to ensure that any changes they propose to make to road layouts are delivered in line with relevant legislation, and consultation and noticing requirements.
Where road closures require a Traffic Regulation Order, the emergency services must be consulted as part of the order-making process, to ensure any concerns are addressed and that access is maintained. Emergency services have been generally supportive of road layout changes, such as low-traffic neighbourhoods and, in some cases, their access has improved because narrow, unsuitable roads are no longer full of traffic.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the Taxi and Private Hire Bill.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government will continue to engage with the sector on our plans for reforming the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles, including options to introduce new legislation. The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through the recently issued Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards. The Department will consult on updated best practice guidance on other matters later this year.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will allocate additional resources to Transport for London to exempt school staff from the congestion charge in London.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and delivered by Transport for London. The administration of the Congestion Charge, including any exemptions, is a matter for Transport for London.
The government recently agreed a £1.6 billion funding and financing package for Transport for London to protect key services, helping people to stay safe during the pandemic and supporting the capital’s gradual recovery from COVID-19.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train stations will (a) become step-free and (b) acquire an accessible toilet changing place through Access for All funding.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
So far, more than 200 stations have been made step free through the programme, with a further 1500 receiving smaller scale access improvements. By 2024 more than 100 additional stations will receive a step free route, and 11 will acquire an accessible toilet, 2 of which will be changing places toilets.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effect of improving the accessibility of rail infrastructure on employment opportunities for disabled people.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Departments are working together through the Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office which has been established in recognition of the barriers faced by disabled people in their lives.
The National Strategy for Disabled People due to be published later this year will focus on the issues that most affect disabled people: housing, education, transport and jobs. As part of this, Departments across Whitehall are considering how they can make the greatest contribution to the lives of disabled people in our nation.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the Government's policy to support a third runway at Heathrow airport; and what assessment he has made of the potential cost of that programme.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Airports National Policy Statement was designated as government policy in June 2018 following a vote in the House of Commons. It sets out that there is a need to increase airport capacity in the South East of England by 2030 by constructing one new runway and that this need is best met by the Northwest runway scheme at Heathrow Airport.
Expansion is a private sector project, therefore the cost of the scheme is a matter for Heathrow, who are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. It is for Heathrow to demonstrate that the project can be financed and built and that the business case is realistic. The Northwest runway scheme will receive no public money.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2019 to Question 252472 on taxis: licensing, if he will reconsider introducing statutory definitions of plying for hire and pre-booked; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the judgment on 14 January 2019 in which a private hire driver was prosecuted for illegally plying for hire in Reading.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government response to the Task and Finish Group report published on 12 February 2019 advised that the recommendation in respect of providing a statutory definition of plying for hire would not be taken forward as it would not provide a practical improvement on the current position.
The Law Commission came to this view in accordance with the advice received from a panel of distinguished licensing lawyers convened specifically for the purpose of discussing reform of plying for hire. The main reason for this conclusion was that whether a driver is plying for hire in particular circumstances is a matter of fact and degree that a court must consider. The Department regularly monitors cases but does not consider that any recent cases necessitate a change in approach.
Private hire vehicles are already only permitted to carry passengers when a booking has been made through a licensed operator.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it remains his Department's policy to deliver the High Speed 2 rail line.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Prime Minister has appointed Douglas Oakervee to chair an independent review of HS2 to consider whether and how we proceed with the project. The review will consider all existing evidence on the project and consider a number of aspects of the programme, including its benefits and impacts; affordability and efficiency; deliverability; and scope and phasing, including its relationship with Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Review’s full terms of reference are available on gov.uk.
A final report will be sent to the Department in the autumn to inform the Government’s decision on the next steps for the project. We will publish this Review and take decisions on the HS2 project once we have considered the findings.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is Government policy to support the construction of a third runway at Heathrow airport.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Airports National Policy Statement was designated as government policy in June 2018 following a vote in the House of Commons.
It sets out that there is a need to increase airport capacity in the South East of England by 2030 by constructing one new runway and that this need is best met by the Northwest runway scheme at Heathrow airport.
The government is clear that expansion cannot come at any cost, and must be in the interest of the consumer. The Airports National Policy Statement includes strict environmental requirements which an applicant for development consent must demonstrate it can meet.
The Court of Appeal has granted permission to hear from appellants in October this year. This follows the High Court’s decision to dismiss all 26 grounds raised in the judicial review of the previous Secretary of State’s decision to designate the Airports National Policy Statement.