Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of theory driving test availability in the Liverpool City Region; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure additional test facilities.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The average waiting time for a driving theory test in the Liverpool City Region is 5 weeks.
The theory test centre estate and service for England, Scotland and Wales, which is currently delivered by a sole supplier, is changing. From 6 September 2021, the contract for running theory test centres is to be split into three regions and the number of theory test centres in Great Britain will increase from 180 to 202.
As part of its service recovery, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has extended theory test centre opening hours in England, where conditions allow, creating 300,000 extra theory test appointments. It has also opened 10 temporary theory test super centres in England, which will create a minimum of 120,000 extra appointments each month.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a cities fund to capitalise on the opportunities of cities and improve their local economies.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is committed to levelling up opportunities across the UK. As set out in the Plan for Growth this includes renewing our commitment to the UK’s cities and backing them with funding including the £400m Brownfield Fund for Mayoral Combined Authorities, which will remediate land in city regions to deliver 26,000 homes. It also includes new intra-city transport settlements, which will invest £4.2bn from 22-23 for five year consolidated funding settlements for eight city regions. These London-style settlements will allow regions to invest in local transport projects that best serve the needs of the local area, enabling investment in local transport networks - including public and sustainable transport schemes.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State of 17 March 2021, Official Report, column 446, what transport infrastructure has been considered for (a) Tyne and Wear and (b) Durham.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As I stated in my oral contribution on 17 March 2021, Official Report, column 446, delivering high-quality, world-class transport infrastructure in northern England and following through on our commitments to level up remain a top priority for the Government. This is certainly the case for Tyne and Wear and Durham.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department has endeavoured to provide the necessary support to local transport operators in Tyne and Wear and Durham, with the Bus Services Operators Grant paid at pre-Covid levels to maintain essential services. Furthermore, Tyne and Wear Metro have received over £33 million from light rail support packages throughout the pandemic.
In keeping with our ambition to build back better, Nexus will receive £20 million of capital funding to deliver infrastructure renewals for the Metro in 2021/22. Furthermore, early last year the Department announced the £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund, to start reopening lines and stations, reconnecting people and communities. We received a bid for development funding for the Leamside Line in round 3 of the Ideas Fund, which closed on 5 March 2021. The Department is currently assessing the bid and we expect to announce outcomes in the summer.
Further to the above, Transport North East was the recipient of £198.4 million in tranche 2 of the Transforming City Fund, which will support transformational projects like Metroflow and the regeneration of Durham Bus Station. As well as this, £13.5 million from the Active Travel Fund was made available to the North East, along with a share of the £4.7 million Rural Mobility Fund delivered to local authorities across the North to help connect isolated communities.
The Department recognises that existing highways infrastructure needs constant improvement, hence £82.9 million was allocated to the North East to support highways maintenance, pothole repairs and local transport measures in 2021/22. This planned investment follows the delivery already well underway, for example on the transformational improvements to the A19 at Downhill Lane and Testo’s roundabout, which will vastly improve traffic flow through this vital corridor when completed later this year.
Finally, subject to the creation of appropriate governance arrangements to agree and deliver funding, the North East will have access to a share of the £4.2 billion intracity transport fund over the next five years from 2022/23. This is in addition to the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund that areas across the country can bid into, demonstrating our commitment to all regions of the UK including Tyne and Wear and Durham.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the £4.2 billion for intra-city transport settlements referred to in Build Back Better: our plan for growth will be invested in the existing rail network.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.
This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.
It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.
The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the £4.2 billion for intra-city transport settlements referred to in Build Back Better: our plan for growth published by the Treasury in March 2021 will be allocated to extending step-free access to existing stations on the rail network.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.
This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.
It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.
The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what transport infrastructure projects his Department is planning in the (a) north of England and (b) Midlands to help deliver the Government's levelling up agenda.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government is delivering major investment in transport infrastructure in the North and Midlands to help unite and level up the UK.
Last year’s Spending Review and National Infrastructure Strategy underlined the government’s ambition to deliver on key transport infrastructure projects and programmes in the North and Midlands. We are committed to increasing the share of investment in the North and Midlands, and enhancing critical rail and road networks in those regions. Investments we have set out have included:
Boosting towns and cities in these regions – building on the Transforming Cities Fund which has committed over £500 million investment in public and sustainable transport in some of the Midlands’ largest city regions, with additional funding for five-year intra-city transport settlements for eight English city regions, of which six are in the North. We have also announced a £4 billion Levelling Up fund which will invest in local infrastructure including transport – e.g. bypasses and other local road schemes, bus lanes, and railway station upgrades.
The National Bus Strategy, published this month, also sets out a bold vision for bus services in England outside London. Backed by £3 billion, the strategy will deliver better bus services for passengers, strengthening communities and sustaining town centres across the country.
Delivering on major rail and road projects – this spring the Government intends to publish the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the North and Midlands, setting out how we will deliver HS2 Phase 2b, Northern Powerhouse Rail, Midlands Rail Hub and other major rail programmes in the North and Midlands. We are also working on restoring lines and stations closed during the Beeching cuts.
Alongside this, a number of strategic roads projects in the North and Midlands will benefit from the £27 billion Roads Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) funding package, while significant investment will contribute to local roads improvements.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral contribution on 24 February 2021, Official Report, col 911, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of his policies and the funding letter from the Department for Transport, sent to Transport for the North, dated 4 January 2021.
Answered by Boris Johnson
A reply will be sent in due course. Transport for the North’s overall funding means they will have access to over £70 million this coming financial year alone. We are building on the £29 billion we have invested in transport in the north since 2010 with: the Integrated Rail Plan bringing together HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and our multi-billion-pound rail investment programme; our £5 billion investment into local bus and cycle links, including in the North; our £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund which will benefit communities across the region; and our £4.2 billion intra-city transport fund, benefitting bus, train, and tram services across our 8 largest city regions. And at Budget, we reaffirmed our commitment to northern infrastructure, with:
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral contribution on 24 February 2021, Official Report, col 911, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North dated 25 February 2021 on changes in the level of funding for Transport for the North.
Answered by Boris Johnson
A reply will be sent in due course. Transport for the North’s overall funding means they will have access to over £70 million this coming financial year alone. We are building on the £29 billion we have invested in transport in the north since 2010 with: the Integrated Rail Plan bringing together HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and our multi-billion-pound rail investment programme; our £5 billion investment into local bus and cycle links, including in the North; our £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund which will benefit communities across the region; and our £4.2 billion intra-city transport fund, benefitting bus, train, and tram services across our 8 largest city regions. And at Budget, we reaffirmed our commitment to northern infrastructure, with:
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding opportunities he plans to make available for investment in rail and light rail improvements.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As part of the Spending Round in 2020 over £2 billion of funding has been confirmed in 2021-22 for rail services, which builds on the estimated £12.8 billion of support for transport services that the government has already committed to provide in 2020-21.
As part of the levelling-up agenda, the Government announced in January 2020 that it has pledged £500 million for the Restoring Your Railway Programme to start reopening lines and stations, regenerating local economies and improving access to jobs, homes and education.
Between 2019 and 2024, approximately £38 billion has been allocated for investment in operations, maintenance and renewals of the rail network, of which around £20 billion is for Network Rail’s renewals programme.
To date, the Government has announced over £150 million of emergency grant funding to support the Light Rail sector. This funding has ensured that light rail services continue to run throughout the pandemic, enabling essential journeys such as those made by NHS staff and other key workers.
As announced in the 2020 Budget and confirmed in the Spending Review, the government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022, including Greater Manchester. These intra-city transport settlements will be based on plans put forward by city regions and could be used to fund light rail improvements.
In addition, the Transforming Cities Fund is a £2.5 billion fund focused on public and sustainable transport infrastructure. It is currently providing funding for light rail improvements in some cities, including Greater Manchester.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to (a) provide long term funding support to and (b) extend the powers of city region transport authorities after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has committed up to £27.3 million per week to support the bus sector in England, through the Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG) Restart scheme. This funding - some of which is allocated to Local Transport Authorities, for tendered services - has no pre-agreed end date. The Government will work with bus operators and local authorities to review when it is appropriate to end the funding. We are also providing up to £67.8 million of funding for light rail services in Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Sheffield, West Midlands, Nottingham and Blackpool for the period from 27 October to the end of the 20/21 financial year.
The Government is also investing in city regions for the longer term. As announced at Budget and confirmed in the Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 22/23. This funding will be delivered through multi-year, consolidated transport settlements agreed with central government and based on plans put forward by city regions. The Government is currently engaging with the eligible city regions to understand their ambitions for this fund.
The Government wants to devolve and decentralise to give more power to local communities, providing an opportunity for all places to level up. That is why we intend to bring forward the Devolution and Local Recovery White Paper in due course. This will cover how the UK Government will partner with places across the UK to build a sustainable economic recovery and set out our plans for future devolution arrangements.