Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Table 9.2 of her Department's report entitled Updated Appraisal Report: Airport Capacity in the South East, published in October 2017, whether it remains her Department's estimate that the net present value of a Heathrow northwest runway has a high of £3.3billion and a low of minus £2.2billion.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest published information on the net present value of a Heathrow Northwest runway is contained in the “Addendum to the Updated Appraisal Report” published June 2018 which updated the Department’s estimate to a net present value of £2.9bn to minus £2.5bn in 2014 prices[1]. Economic benefits as reported in the Updated Appraisal Report also fed into the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS).
The Department has committed to reviewing and updating the ANPS, and has invited proposals for a third runway to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals are received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airport-expansion-updated-cost-and-benefits-appraisal.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the UK Climate Change Committee's report entitled the Sixth Carbon budget, published in December 2020.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, transport has an important role in the UK economy meeting the Sixth Carbon Budget.
Transport emissions reduced by 10% between 2019 and 2023, but must fall faster to achieve our legal targets. The Government is committed to achieving this through turbocharging the rollout of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, overhauling public transport services to make sustainable choices more convenient for more users, making the UK a world-leader in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels, and delivering our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.
The Government will produce an updated delivery plan for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year, with policy detail for all sectors provided up to the end of the Sixth Carbon Budget.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with Heathrow Airport on flights being held in a holding pattern over residents' houses between 5:30 and 6:00am.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
NATS is responsible for providing air traffic services at Heathrow Airport. There are defined flight routes and procedures for aircraft landing at Heathrow but for operational and safety reasons aircraft may be held in a holding pattern prior to landing. These reasons can include the need to ensure safe separation between aircraft as well as weather conditions.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in the bus fare cap on (a) small businesses and (b) workers in rural areas.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government recognises the importance of affordable public transport in keeping people connected and ensuring they can access their local towns.
On 1 January, the government introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London until 31 December 2025. As part of the Spending Review, the government announced further funding to extend the £3 cap to March 2027. This will ensure millions of people, including those in rural areas, can continue to access affordable bus fares and better opportunities all over the country.
If the government had not taken action, the bus fare cap would have ended and fares would have jumped back up to their previous levels on 1 January which could have meant fares soaring above £10 on the most expensive routes.
The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap was published on 12 February. An evaluation of the £3 fare cap is due to be commissioned shortly.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of night flights on the health of people living underneath airport flight paths.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department seeks to minimise the impact of aviation on people’s health, in the context of other government priorities. My officials are in regular contact on this issue with other government departments and their agencies, including the Department of Health and Social Care sponsored UK Health Security Agency.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on the fatigue life of components of Hammersmith Bridge.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My officials are in regular contact with their counterparts at both the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London regarding the condition of Hammersmith Bridge and options for repair.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle the delay in TfL issuing Public Carriage Office licences to people (a) with health conditions who are ineligible for the temporary license and (b) who have faced personal costs of (i) loss of earnings, (ii) loss of assets to cover bills, (iii) homelessness, (iv) health impacts, (v) loss of customers and (vi) small business failures.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities. We work closely with TfL on a range of issues but the operation of private hire driver licensing is a matter solely for them.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport will meet the hon. Member for Richmond Park to discuss the future of Hammersmith Bridge.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My officials are working with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London to progress viable options for the future of Hammersmith Bridge. I would be pleased to discuss these with the hon. Member for Richmond Park in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include an updated assessment of the potential impact of noise from a third runway at Heathrow on public health in a future version of the guidance entitled Transport analysis guidance, published on 29 October 2013.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government supports airport expansion and has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. It expects any proposals to be brought forward by the summer and is clear that any scheme must be delivered in line with the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations.
TAG, or Transport Analysis Guidance, provides information on the role of transport modelling and appraisal. It is a set of guidance for senior responsible owners, project managers and technical practitioners and focuses on guidance for all modes and any scheme, rather than a specific scheme such as Heathrow Expansion.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions has she had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of living under a flight path on people's (a) health and (b) wellbeing.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department seeks to minimise the impact of aviation on people’s health and wellbeing, in the context of other government priorities. My officials are in regular contact on this issue with other government departments and their agencies, including the Department of Health and Social Care sponsored UK Health Security Agency.