Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Transport for London and (b) train operating companies on decreasing rail fares for Spelthorne residents travelling to and from London.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As part of the Plan for Rail we will invest to radically reform and improve passengers’ experience of fares, ticketing and retailing on the railways. We have committed to extending contactless pay as you go to 53 more stations, including those in Spelthorne, by the end of this year. To support this, we are simplifying fares to ensure that pay as you go offers best value and has greater flexibility for passengers.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has happened to “the Great British Railways” app that was announced in 2021 which was to be issued by the Rail Delivery Group with the objective of making online purchases of tickets easier.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
As set out in the Plan for Rail, we recognise that the current multitude of train company websites with different standards of service is confusing to passengers. We are continuing to review the best way to address this and are working closely with the rail sector to do this.
We want to see a more competitive retail market and will break down the systems and structural barriers to entry so it is easier to enter the market to sell rail tickets.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of WiFi on passenger trains.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department previously commissioned Transport Focus' 'Keeping connected: passengers’ experience of internet connectivity on Great Britain’s railways' report, published on 24 July 2020, assessing on-train wifi and mobile operator connectivity.
Today the on-train wifi equipment, and hence the passenger experience, depends on the availability of adequate mobile signals.
We are working with Network Rail, to repeat the measurements of mobile operator signals across the rail network, previously published by Ofcom in 2019.The Department aims to publish this data in late 2024.
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology in their Wireless Infrastructure Strategy has also asked Ofcom to increase their reporting of coverage on the rail network with an objective of reporting this annually and presenting this "in a way that provides meaningful information to consumers."
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a reduction in the provision of on-train WiFi on passengers using that service for (a) leisure and (b) business.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Our railways are currently not financially sustainable, and the Department has asked rail operators to provide the commercial case for retaining passenger facing Wi-Fi. A decision will be taken on a case by case basis once the responses have been analysed by the Department. This assessment will also review the potential impact on passengers using train services for leisure, commuting and business.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with South Western Railway on taking steps to support (a) elderly and (b) disabled passengers after the closure of ticket offices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has regular meetings with South Western Railways, as it does with all train operating companies, to discuss a wide range of topics, including how best to operate stations and serve passenger needs in the most efficient and effective way.
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions South Western Railway on the potential impact of ticket office closures on (a) elderly and (b) disabled passengers.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has regular meetings with South Western Railways, as it does with all train operating companies, to discuss a wide range of topics, including how best to operate stations and serve passenger needs in the most efficient and effective way.
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with South Western Railways on the potential impact of ticket office closures on rail staff deployed in ticket offices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has regular meetings with South Western Railways, as it does with all train operating companies, to discuss a wide range of topics, including how best to operate stations and serve passenger needs in the most efficient and effective way.
Together with industry we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience and moving staff out from behind the glass of ticket offices and into more visible and accessible roles around stations is a central part of this. Multiskilled staff will be on hand at all currently staffed stations, assisting those who need additional support or who cannot or do not want to use contactless or digital tickets, and helping passengers with their onward journey.
Train operating companies will discuss employment matters with trade unions as part of their own collective bargaining processes.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 27 June (HL8446), what plans they have to discuss with South Western Railways that company's failure to provide water for passengers during hot weather, unlike the other operators cited.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ensuring the welfare of passengers and rail staff is a top priority for train operating companies, including during particularly hot weather. The advice remains for passengers to carry a bottle of water on all train journeys in hot weather, so that they can keep hydrated. Most modern trains also have air conditioning installed to maintain cool temperatures, but, where air conditioning is not available, operators ventilate trains as best as they can by opening windows throughout journeys and train doors at stations, where possible.
For hot weather, an ill passenger or an air conditioning failure, South Western Railways stocks water on most trains, and will provide to passengers in those circumstances. South Western Railway also maintains water supplies at key stations so that they can be added to trains during periods of extreme hot weather, particularly at key stations on their longer distance lines.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is his Department taking to ensure that the current level of passenger assistance for disabled people will be maintained following the closure of railway ticket offices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of passengers who are disabled, and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in their consultation.
Together with the industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Station staff will still provide face-to-face services on the railways, which assists those who need additional support, and cannot or do not want to use contactless or mobile tickets. All staff in customer facing roles or with management responsibilities are already required to undertake enhanced disability awareness training.
The Department recently hosted roundtable discussions with industry and accessibility and transport groups to discuss this matter and ensure their views are understood. We have been engaging with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee throughout the process.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to release tender documents for the Great British Railways app.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Plan for Rail, we recognise that the current multitude of train company websites with different standards of service is confusing to passengers. We are continuing to review the best way to address this and are working closely with the rail sector to do this.
We want to see a more competitive retail market and will break down the systems and structural barriers to entry so it is easier to enter the market to sell rail tickets.