Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will take steps to ensure that households that do not have driveways can access (a) on-street and (b) domestic EV charging infrastructure.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is dedicated to ensuring EV drivers can charge across the country, wherever they live. Through the Local EV Infrastructure Fund, local authorities in England are being supported to install tens of thousands of chargepoints.
For those without off-street parking, the Government also offers the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. Eligible applicants can get up to £350 off the cost of installing a domestic chargepoint, when paired with a cross-pavement solution.
Going forward, the Government confirmed in the October 2024 Budget that it will be investing over £200 million in 2025-26 to accelerate EV chargepoint rollout, including funding to support local authorities to install on-street chargepoints across England.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to take steps to regulate driving instructors to help ensure the safety of young women.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) takes the safety of learner drivers extremely seriously and investigates thoroughly any complaints about approved driving instructors (ADI), involving the police if necessary. DVSA encourages pupils to report any incidents of inappropriate ADI conduct, and its complaints procedure is open for anyone to use.
DVSA requires every prospective ADI to apply for an enhanced disclosure and barring check before beginning the ADI qualification process, to find out whether an individual has been convicted of a criminal offence or barred from working with children. The role of an ADI is classed as regulated activity, which means that if someone has been barred from working with children, they would be committing an offence by applying for the role. An ADI is required to repeat the disclosure process every four years when they renew their ADI registration.
The ADI Registrar has the power to remove an ADI who falls below the standard of fit and proper person, and to suspend an ADI if they have been charged or convicted of a sexual or violent offence. These safeguards protect not just women, but everyone using the services of an ADI.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that transport infrastructure in the M5 corridor north of Bristol is developed in a way that allows housing targets in the Stroud district council local plan to be achieved.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the need to ensure that housing growth is appropriately supported by transport infrastructure provision. I am unable to comment on specific proposals, it is for the local authority in consultation with infrastructure providers to determine the infrastructure requirements to support proposed growth in local plans. National Highways has worked collaboratively with the local council throughout the Local Plan process and continues to work constructively with them.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1876 on Bus Services: Gloucestershire, if she will take steps to provide additional funding to South Gloucestershire Council for the maintenance of the local bus route from Woton-under-Edge.
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. We have set out our plan to achieve this, centred around supporting local transport authorities to take back control of local bus services.
We will work closely with local authorities to understand what is needed to improve and grow their bus networks by learning from their experiences and building on their successes.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of local bus services across local authority borders in Gloucestershire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, and the government is committed to working at pace with local transport authorities, bus operators and passengers to ensure that our vital bus services truly reflect the needs of the local communities.
As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in Gloucestershire.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with representatives of South Gloucestershire Council on the adequacy of local bus services in Gloucestershire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, and the government is committed to working at pace with local transport authorities, bus operators and passengers to ensure that our vital bus services truly reflect the needs of the local communities.
As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in Gloucestershire.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she supports development of the proposed Stroudwater Railway station in Stroud.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the General Election and the State Opening of Parliament, the Government is now formulating its plans. The Department will announce its policy intentions in due course and aims to provide an update on next steps for the proposed Stonehouse (Bristol Road)/Stroudwater station project soon.