Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department intends to convene a meeting of stakeholders involved in preparing for the commencement of East-West Rail passenger services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first East-West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Winslow. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, future staffing arrangements to be put in place, and driver training will need to have been completed. A start date for the first East West Rail services will be announced as soon as it is possible to do so and engagement with stakeholders will proceed once appropriate.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why the Appraisal of Sustainability of the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement only modelled one set of indicative flight paths that seek to minimise the number of newly impacted people.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The analysis has used an indicative flight path design produced for the Airports Commission, which was considered the most relevant and reasonable by Department for Transport policy officials given information available at this time, in discussion with the CAA, NATS and Heathrow Airport Limited (as current airport operator). Work is currently underway to design modernised airspace for the whole London region in line with the CAA’s airspace change processes.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether when new rolling stock is introduced to a railway line she requires accessibility accessories such as Harrington Humps to be relocated to ensure compatibility.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not require accessibility features such as Harrington Humps to be relocated solely because new rolling stock is introduced. However, when new trains are introduced, operators and infrastructure managers are expected to ensure that stations and rolling stock remain compatible and meet applicable accessibility requirements, and this may include assessing whether platform modifications or the repositioning of accessibility features are necessary at specific locations.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons East-West Rail passenger services have not yet commenced.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first East-West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Winslow. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, future staffing arrangements be put in place and driver training will need to have been completed.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates her Department has made of the monetised costs of aircraft noise pollution for communities under Heathrow flight paths exposed to noise above 43 decibels, with reference to the recent Aviation Night Noise Effects and Aviation Noise Attitudes Survey noise studies.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not routinely monetise the costs of noise from existing noise sources and has not made an estimate of such costs for communities under Heathrow flight paths exposed to noise above 43dB.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in preparing the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report, what consideration her Department gave to modelling the potential monetised costs of noise pollution from expansion.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report estimates monetised disbenefits of noise to be approximately -£1.6 billion (2024 prices) over a 60-year appraisal period. This reflects the estimated increased noise exposure causing health, annoyance and sleep disturbance impacts.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in preparing the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report, what consideration her Department gave to modelling the potential monetised costs of noise pollution from expansion.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report estimates monetised disbenefits of noise to be approximately -£1.6 billion (2024 prices) over a 60-year appraisal period. This reflects the estimated increased noise exposure causing health, annoyance and sleep disturbance impacts.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the maintenance backlog requirements are for the rolling stock fleet of each train operating company.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport does not hold information relating to any backlog of maintenance for the rolling stock fleet of each train operating company. Responsibility for identifying, managing, and undertaking rolling stock maintenance requirements rests with train operators, rolling stock leasing companies and maintenance providers through their contractual asset management arrangements.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates her Department has made of the monetised costs of aircraft noise pollution for communities under Heathrow flight paths exposed to noise above 43dB.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not routinely monetise the costs of noise from existing noise sources and has not made an estimate of such costs for communities under Heathrow flight paths exposed to noise above 43dB.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what review her Department has undertaken of representations from automotive manufacturers on the costs associated with discounting electric vehicles to meet Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate targets; and what estimate her Department has made of the net cost to manufacturers of compliance with the mandate in each year since its introduction.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has a long-standing commitment to publish a review of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate to ensure we are taking a pragmatic and balanced approach to the ZEV transition. We intend to conclude the review, which will include a public consultation, in the next six months. We will provide a further update on any potential costs to manufacturers, for example associated with discounting vehicles, and complying with the ZEV Mandate as part of the consultation.
Further information on 2024 manufacturer compliance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-emissions-trading-schemes-vets-final-compliance-information-2024