Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has carried out an impact assessment of ending the £2 bus fare cap.
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 government 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.
The Department also published an interim report in September 2023 setting out emerging trends in key outcomes from the first two months of the scheme. The report is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-2-bus-fare-cap/2-bus-fare-cap-evaluation-interim-report-february-2023.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to improve rail connections in Somerton and Langport in the context of the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway Fund.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is undertaking a capital spend portfolio review. The review will consider a number of projects under the former Restoring Your Railway programme.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for the funding of (a) the Bus Service Improvement Plan and (b) BSIP Phase 2 after the next financial year.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Improving bus services is a key part of this Government’s growth mission. We are determined to deliver better services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. The Government will empower local transport authorities and reform funding by giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding and allowing them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities. We will work closely with local authorities and mayors to understand what is needed to improve and grow their bus networks by learning from their experiences and building on their successes, and we will announce our future bus funding plans in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support he is providing for public transport in Somerset.
Answered by Anthony Browne
The Government recognises the importance of high quality, affordable public transport and is committed to working with local authorities to support and improve services for passengers. We have taken action to help improve public transport in Somerset, including providing over £13 million to help deliver better bus services, and as part of the MetroWest Programme and May ‘23 Timetable, increased rail services are now running to and from the area.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that rural communities can access DVLA services after the end of the DVLA contract with the Post Office on 31 March 2024.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Post Office Ltd currently provides a limited range of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) services, with the current contract recently being extended.
The vast majority of those licensing vehicles already do so online or via the DVLA’s automated telephone service, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's target timeframe is for applicants to the Restoring Your Railway Fund to receive a response on the outcome of their Strategic Outline Business Case.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The timeframe for providing responses to schemes that have submitted applications to the Restoring Your Railway fund will vary. However, my Department will do everything possible to ensure that sponsors and promoters are provided with clear and timely information.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Restoring Your Railway Fund in reopening lines and stations.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Restoring Your Railway (RYR) fund is levelling up the country by reconnecting people and communities. It has helped to deliver the Dartmoor line in November 2021, and Marsh Barton and Thanet Parkway stations in July 2023. It is also helping to deliver a number of schemes including the Northumberland line and the Metrowest 1b project which aims to connect Portishead to Bristol. The Network North announcement included commitments to progress a further 11 RYR bids, subject to successful business cases.