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Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the criteria are for authorising an average speed limit stretch of highway; what measures are in place to prevent an artificially low average speed limit being implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

Average speed limits do not exist but Highways England uses variable speed limits on smart motorways to smooth traffic flow, reduce congestion and enhance safety. The variable limits are set locally in response to traffic flow levels or to help manage incidents.

The Department issued revised guidance in January 2013 aimed mainly at local traffic authorities who are responsible for setting speed limits on local roads. It includes guidance on the use of variable 20 mph speed limits with electronic signs. It has been designed to help explain to everyone why and how local speed limits are determined. This guidance was revised following full public consultation in Summer 2012 and is available online on GOV.UK

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of road crossings in England are (a) puffin and (b) pedex crossings.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport does not hold information on numbers or types of pedestrian crossings installed by local authorities.

Provision of pedestrian crossings is the responsibility of local traffic authorities, who are not required to inform the Department when installing crossings. This includes decisions on location and type of crossing, which will take into account local factors such as road layout, traffic speed and volume, and pedestrian flow.

The Department gives advice on assessing and designing pedestrian crossings in two Local Transport Notes (LTNs), LTN 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings and LTN 2/95: The Design of Pedestrian Crossings. These are available to download from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-notes.

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01/01/2023
Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the reduction in car tax for people in receipt of personal independence payments is awarded from the date of application to DVLA rather than the date of award of such payments; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

Individuals who receive the standard rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment are entitled to a 50% reduction in the rate of vehicle excise duty applicable to their vehicle, following a qualifying application being received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. This application can only be made after a statement of entitlement to the qualifying benefit has been issued by the Department of Work and Pensions.

01/01/2023

Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trains on the (a) Brighton and (b) East Grinstead line have been cancelled due to a lack of driver in each of the last six months.

Claire Perry

The operator is not required to supply this information to the Department. We have such figures at the franchise level, but not to the level of disaggregation required. Therefore we can provide the following:

	Cancellation Due to:-
15/16	GTR – Driver	GTR – Rolling stock	GTR – Other	Network Rail responsible	Other TOC responsible	Trains Planned
Period 1 ending 2 May*	941	468	337	2385	305	91581
Period 2 ending 30 May	725	462	333	1615	122	90926
Period 3 ending 27 Jun	1118	582	254	1574	93	91445
Period 4 ending 25 Jul	1291	775	375	1826	79	91867
Period 5 ending 22 Aug	1551	787	402	1582	76	92103
Period 6 ending 19 Sep	1741	535	489	1098	75	91303
Period 7 ending 17 Oct	1139	944	394	1537	74	91338

* The figure for period 1 was ‘normalised’ to a 28-day period as it was actually four days longer than usual to take into account the start of the financial year

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01/01/2023

Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurances he has received from Govia Thameslink Railway on the recruitment, training and in-service dates of train drivers.

Claire Perry

The Department is in regular dialogue with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and each railway period they provide a report relating to drivers which details headcount, new driver recruitment and number of drivers expected to complete their training in the future. Since the start of the year over 120 drivers have completed their training across the GTR franchise and there are currently over 200 drivers in training.

01/01/2023

Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train services on the (a) Brighton and (b) East Grinstead line have been cancelled due to train reliability issues in each of the last six months.

Claire Perry

	Cancellation due to:-
15/16	GTR – Driver	GTR – Rolling stock	GTR – Other	Network Rail responsible	Other TOC responsible	Trains Planned
Period 1 ending 2 May*	941	468	337	2385	305	91581
Period 2 ending 30 May	725	462	333	1615	122	90926
Period 3 ending 27 Jun	1118	582	254	1574	93	91445
Period 4 ending 25 Jul	1291	775	375	1826	79	91867
Period 5 ending 22 Aug	1551	787	402	1582	76	92103
Period 6 ending 19 Sep	1741	535	489	1098	75	91303
Period 7 ending 17 Oct	1139	944	394	1537	74	91338

* The figure for period 1 was ‘normalised’ to a 28-day period as it was actually four days longer than usual to take into account the start of the financial year

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01/01/2023

Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many buses in England outside London are fitted with audio-visual announcement systems (AV); and what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of AV on bus patronage.

Andrew Jones

We do not publish statistics on the number of buses in England which are fitted with audio visual systems. Analysis of data from the Nottingham City area did not suggest that AV equipment had a statistically significant impact on patronage.

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations to make audio-visual announcement systems a requirement on all new buses.

Andrew Jones

I understand the benefits that audio visual systems on buses can bring to passengers. There are a number of different potential solutions for achieving better audio visual information, not all of which will necessarily require on-bus equipment. Making on-board systems a requirement on all new buses would be a significant cost to the industry and I have no current plans to mandate such systems through Regulation.

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on achieving the target of 55 per cent of primary school children walking to school by 2025.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is developing new ambitions for walking as part of its legal obligation, as set out in the Infrastructure Act 2015, to have in place a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). The target for walking set out in the Cycling Delivery Plan, to increase the percentage of primary school children walking to school to 55 per cent by 2025, will be considered as part of that process.

My Department intends to publish the first CWIS in summer 2016 and will be announcing a series of supporting documents leading up to this, including an Ambition document.

01/01/2023
Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements for wifi delivery his Department plans to put in future rail franchises; and how his Department plans to assess the quality of wifi service provided pursuant to those franchises.

Claire Perry

On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. All train operators bidding for new franchises and direct award agreements will have to present a phased implementation plan for free Wi-Fi, which will deliver Wi-Fi on the majority of all franchised train fleets by end of 2018.

Train operators will be required to monitor and report on performance, availability and usage of the service.

01/01/2023