Author: admin

  • Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the Government has made of the cost to the public purse of constructing a third runway at Heathrow Airport over the course of the construction period.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work and nor would it be appropriate to outline specific pieces of evidence before a decision is announced on its preference. Any work to inform an announcement will be set out in subsequent publications and associated consultation.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training taxi and private hire drivers are required to complete to support blind and partially sighted passengers.

    Andrew Jones

    Whilst no national mandatory requirements exist to provide training, we strongly encourage licensing authorities to consider requiring their taxi and private hire drivers to undergo training, ensuring that every passenger can be provided with a first class service.

    Well-designed disability awareness training, provided by the local authority, can help drivers to understand their legal duties and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to assist a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether taxi and private hire vehicles require additional licences while working outside their primary licensing authority area.

    Andrew Jones

    Licenced taxi drivers can only work as a taxi (e.g. ply for hire) in the area they are licenced in. They can work as a private hire vehicle (PHV) outside their primary licencing authority. As a PHV though, they can only accept journeys that have been pre-booked.

    Licenced PHV drivers do not need additional licences to pick up a booking elsewhere in the UK, however a PHV operator can only invite and accept bookings within the area the operator is licenced.

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the contribution to the UK economy of airline passengers who have transferred through Heathrow Airport in each of the last three years.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Department has no plans to undertake such analysis of the specific contribution.

    However, transfer passengers benefit the UK economy primarily through increased connectivity – their demand has helped to make more flights and routes viable, generating connectivity benefits to UK residents. In addition, they have directly contributed to revenue and employment for UK airlines and Heathrow airport.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the level of potential savings to NHS budgets were the targets set out in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to be met.

    Andrew Jones

    We have published a report commissioned on the health benefits of active travel “Claiming the Health Dividend: A summary and discussion of value for money estimates from studies of investment in walking and cycling” https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/371096/claiming_the_health_dividend.pdf.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on the electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York railway line.

    Paul Maynard

    Later this year the rail industry will present its initial advice to Government on investment needs for the national network in the next Control Period (2019-2024), drawing on the outputs of Network Rail’s long term planning process, including its review of the national electrification strategy. Taking account of this advice and other inputs – including from Transport for the North – the Government intends to articulate its emerging priorities for improvement to the national network during 2017.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what change there has been in passenger numbers on trains in West Yorkshire since 2010.

    Paul Maynard

    Information on the number of journeys made by rail is shown below.

    Year

    Number of journeys in West Yorkshire

    2014/15

    44,419,978

    2013/14

    42,584,787

    2012/13

    40,775,454

    2011/12

    39,676,018

    2010/11

    38,552,743

    2009/10

    34,779,614

    Source: The Office of Rail and Road

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his officials last updated the Blue Badge Scheme local authority guidance; whether he plans to update that guidance; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The extent to which a specific condition affects people will vary. If we were to provide automatic eligibility without further assessment by virtue of having dementia it may not reflect genuine need.

    However, the ‘subject to further assessment’ criteria do not preclude the issue of badges to people with mental/cognitive disabilities. Any permanent and substantial disability may qualify for a badge if it causes “very considerable difficulty in walking”. It is for the local authority to assess the degree of challenge on a case-by-case basis.

    The guidance was last updated in October 2014. There are no plans to update it at this time.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to include having dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease as criteria for (a) eligibility without further assessment or (b) eligibility subject to further assessment for the Blue Badge Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The extent to which a specific condition affects people will vary. If we were to provide automatic eligibility without further assessment by virtue of having dementia it may not reflect genuine need.

    However, the ‘subject to further assessment’ criteria do not preclude the issue of badges to people with mental/cognitive disabilities. Any permanent and substantial disability may qualify for a badge if it causes “very considerable difficulty in walking”. It is for the local authority to assess the degree of challenge on a case-by-case basis.

    The guidance was last updated in October 2014. There are no plans to update it at this time.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the number of people using railway stations in West Yorkshire since 2010.

    Paul Maynard

    The Office of Rail and Road publish estimates of passenger demand for all railway stations in West Yorkshire since 2010. These figures can be found in their ‘Estimates of Station Usage’ publication, which can be found at the following link: http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates.

    “