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  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department is making on the procurement and appointment process for the construction of a new lorry park around junction 11 on the M20.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England have appointed Mott MacDonald Sweco JV as designers and awarded the contract for the potential construction of a lorry area on the M20 to Balfour Beatty.

    Following the recent consultation, the Secretary of State will make an announcement on the decision on the preferred site in the summer 2016.

    Awarding the construction contract early will ensure that Highways England is in the best position to enable the earliest possible start of construction, following the announcement on the decision on the preferred site by the Secretary of State.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking on steps to find a long-term solution for congestion in the South East.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government is committed to alleviating congestion in the South East and is providing £15.2 billion between 2015 and 2021 to invest in our strategic road network. This is the biggest upgrade to our motorways and A roads for a generation, and it is adding capacity and tackling congestion. Of this total, about £2.2 billion is being invested in the South East and includes tackling congestion on key parts of the network such as the M25.

    On local roads we have set up the £12 billion Local Growth Fund to 2021 which has enabled Local Authorities through the Local Enterprise Partnerships to identify and secure funding for projects to enable among other things, local road improvements and sustainable local transport projects. This is on top of over £6 billion through to 2021 to councils in England to help maintain their local roads and repair potholes. This funding includes more than £143 million for the South East in 2016/17, and over £777 million up to 2021.

    In addition, our investment in railways contributes to the Government’s overall transport vision by facilitating, amongst other things, congestion relief on our road network. As part of our Rail Investment Strategy, the Government is investing over £700 million on infrastructure in the most congested routes in London and the South East between 2014-2019, in addition to delivering the Crossrail and Thameslink Programmes to transform east-west and north-south travel across the region.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportional real terms change in the cost of travelling by (a) private car, (b) bus, (c) train and (d) aeroplane since (i) 1980, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport publishes statistics on travel costs, based on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the Transport Statistics Great Britain compendium, table 1308.

    Real terms change in cost of transport

    Motoring, including the purchase of a vehicle

    Bus and coach fares

    Rail fares

    (i) Between 1980 and 2015

    -19%

    +61%

    +65%

    (ii) Between 1997 and 2015

    -16%

    +30%

    +25%

    (iii) Between 2010 and 2015

    -10%

    +5%

    +7%

    (d) The costs of travelling by air are not available from ONS data. However estimates are available based on fare data from the Civil Aviation Authority passenger survey from 2000. The real cost of the average UK one-way air fare, including taxes and charges, covering domestic flights from 2010 to 2014 increased by 5%. Estimates for 2015 are not yet available.

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

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason several cameras are being installed on the A1 north of Colsterworth; how many accidents have occurred on the stretch of road being covered by those cameras in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England are installing average speed cameras on the A1 north of Colsterworth as part of a safety improvement scheme. This is in response to safety concerns in the Stoke Rochford area. Monitoring has identified this site as having a high cluster of collisions resulting in injuries where speed was a contributing factor.

    Validated accident data for this section of the A1 from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014 show a total of 62 personal injury collisions:

    Year

    Slight Injury

    Serious Injury

    Fatal

    2010

    8

    2

    0

    2011

    9

    3

    0

    2012

    13

    1

    1

    2013

    10

    0

    0

    2014

    13

    2

    0
  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest assessment is of the effectiveness of the foreign lorry user charge; whether he has been in discussion with any representatives of the EU concerning the compliance of that charge with EU law; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Since the levy started in April 2014, 4 million levies had been purchased for foreign-registered vehicles, raising £96.22 million in receipts, by the end of March 2016. Compliance rates continue to run at about 95 per cent in Great Britain. My Department has been engaged in discussions with the European Commission since the early stages of development of the levy. British drivers regularly pay when they use the roads in other countries, and the Government policy is that it is fair that foreign HGV drivers should do the same here.

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Govia Thameslink Railway on the closure of Govia Thameslink Railway ticket offices; and what the dates of those discussions were.

    Claire Perry

    Officials regularly meet with Govia Thameslink Railway, and their Ticket Office proposals have been discussed.

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Govia Thameslink Railway on the closure of Govia Thameslink Railway ticket offices; and what the outcome of those discussions was.

    Claire Perry

    Officials regularly meet with Govia Thameslink Railway, and their Ticket Office proposals have been discussed. In relation to their Ticket Office proposals, as long as the operator is not breaching the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement with regard to opening hours, employee terms and conditions and the management of any changes in these are a matter for the relevant employer and their employee(s) and/or employee representatives.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s press release, Rip-off pedicabs to be driven off the road under new proposals, published 26 May 2016, whether he plans to (a) amend secondary legislation or (b) bring forward legislative proposals to regulate pedicabs in London.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Primary legislation will be needed to enable the Mayor to introduce a licensing regime for pedicabs. The Government is looking at how to bring the legislation forward in the next year.

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what changes have recently been made to the franchise agreements and ancillary documents for Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd.

    Claire Perry

    The latest version of the Franchise Agreement, including all recent changes can be seen online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525766/tsgn-franchise-agreement.pdf

    “

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what sanctions can be applied in the event of a breach by Govia Thameslink Railway of its remedial plan.

    Claire Perry

    The “Enforcement Policy: Rail Franchise Agreements and Closures” sets out what actions can be taken; a copy of this is attached.