Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the powers available to local authorities to tackle taxi and private hire taxi and private hire drivers and operators that undertake cross-border hiring and operating in a local authority area under a licence issued by a different local authority.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering a range of matters such as cross-border hiring, licensing standards and the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are able to work across licensing areas to carry pre-booked fares regardless of where a journey starts or ends. PHVs are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’ requirement i.e. the driver, vehicle and operator fulfilling the booking must all be licensed by the same authority.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce (a) a definition of cross border hiring and (b) national minimum licensing standards for taxi and private hire drivers and operators.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering a range of matters such as cross-border hiring, licensing standards and the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are able to work across licensing areas to carry pre-booked fares regardless of where a journey starts or ends. PHVs are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’ requirement i.e. the driver, vehicle and operator fulfilling the booking must all be licensed by the same authority.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of railways, buses, coaches and trams for small children.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government is committed to making the transport system accessible to all users, including small children. The draft Accessibility Action Plan, published for consultation last year, set out a number of steps we will be taking across transport modes.
The Equality Act 2010 makes provision for operators of public transport services to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate passengers who share protected characteristics, which include age and pregnancy & maternity.
Mainline trains must comply with standards for vehicle design to make them more accessible to persons of reduced mobility, which includes babies and children. Currently 78% of the mainline rail fleet meet these standards, and work is underway to improve this. In addition, 75% of rail journeys are covered by step-free stations, while stations are also covered by design standards that take into account persons of reduced mobility.
Buses, taxis and private hire vehicles provide an invaluable service for many people, and it is essential that they meet the needs of those wishing to use them. Some bus operators have invested in vehicles with additional space for buggies and prams, beyond the minimum accessibility requirements, and we encourage taxi licensing authorities to ensure that vehicle fleets work for a range of passengers.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to take urgent steps in primary legislation to create a statutory definition of cross border hiring whereby a journey must begin or end in the licensing authority area for which the vehicle, driver and operator are licensed; and if he will support this by the introduction of statutory England-wide guidance setting out minimum licensing standards; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies. The group’s remit includes considering issues such as those on national standards and whether to provide a statutory definition of plying for hire. The proposal to restrict the locations that taxis and private hire vehicles can carry passenger from or to will also be considered as part of its deliberation.
The group has decided that more time was needed to fully consider the issues but will submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals for a definition of plying for hire.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies. The group’s remit includes considering issues such as those on national standards and whether to provide a statutory definition of plying for hire. The proposal to restrict the locations that taxis and private hire vehicles can carry passenger from or to will also be considered as part of its deliberation.
The group has decided that more time was needed to fully consider the issues but will submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2018 to Question 108783 on Taxis, on what date in the New Year the working group plans to report.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies. The group’s remit includes considering issues such as those on national standards and whether to provide a statutory definition of plying for hire. The proposal to restrict the locations that taxis and private hire vehicles can carry passenger from or to will also be considered as part of its deliberation.
The group has decided that more time was needed to fully consider the issues but will submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 21 November (HL2990), whether the Clean Air Zone Framework published in May instructs local authorities to take account of the greater passenger capacity afforded by buses when compared to cars, in order that buses are not unreasonably targeted when setting up Clean Air Zones.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Clean Air Zone Framework sets out a range of measures which local authorities can take to reduce pollution in their areas, including encouraging the use of buses and public transport. In general, vehicles such as lorries and buses, or high frequency users such as taxis and private hire vehicles, emit higher levels of pollution on a per vehicle basis. The framework therefore sets out an approach under which, where charging zones are being introduced, Local Authorities are required to address these vehicles first, ahead of cars.
The Framework is clear that local authorities should work with bus operators to reduce emissions from buses, for example through developing quality partnership schemes to support cleaner vehicles and the use of vehicles with higher vehicle emission standards. To support improvements in the bus fleet, the Government in 2016 allocated £100m to 2020/21 for new low emission buses and the retrofitting of existing buses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of taxi and private hire vehicles which are working cross-border despite having their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.
Answered by John Hayes
I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing. That group is considering both cross-border working and enforcement and passenger safety as two of key areas for discussion and will report its findings to me in the new year.
The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have had their licences revoked. The Department has not made any estimate of the number of taxis and PHV drivers working cross-border who have had their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.
The Government attaches the utmost priority to passenger safety in the licenced taxi and PHV trade. The Department for Transport will consult on revised best practice guidance and for the first time statutory guidance enabled under the Policing and Crime Act 2017. This guidance will contain robust standards that we expect all licensing authorities to adopt; these will ensure all passengers, particularly children and vulnerable adults, are protected when using taxi and PHV services.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to put in place additional measures to empower local licensing authorities to ensure public safety in taxi and private hire vehicles.
Answered by John Hayes
I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing. That group is considering both cross-border working and enforcement and passenger safety as two of key areas for discussion and will report its findings to me in the new year.
The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have had their licences revoked. The Department has not made any estimate of the number of taxis and PHV drivers working cross-border who have had their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.
The Government attaches the utmost priority to passenger safety in the licenced taxi and PHV trade. The Department for Transport will consult on revised best practice guidance and for the first time statutory guidance enabled under the Policing and Crime Act 2017. This guidance will contain robust standards that we expect all licensing authorities to adopt; these will ensure all passengers, particularly children and vulnerable adults, are protected when using taxi and PHV services.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of pollution produced by public service vehicles, including diesel trains; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce such vehicle emissions.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The draft national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sets out in section 3, information on the level of nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from buses and coaches nationally, at the roadside and by vehicle type. Information on annual NOx emission from other transport such as rail is also included. More detailed information on emissions of NOx, NO2 and other pollutants from a range of vehicle sources is available from the national atmospheric emissions inventory.
The draft air quality plan sets a range of measures we are taking to reduce emissions from the transport sector. For example, a further £150 million was provided at Autumn Statement 2016 in support of low emission buses and taxis, while recent train operating franchises that the Department for Transport has negotiated include commitments to replace older diesel units with new units compliant with latest emission standards.
The draft air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide is available on the GOV.UK web pages.
We are currently considering the responses to the recent consultation and will publish a final plan by 31 July.