Tag: Frank Field

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help blind and partially sighted passengers travel on buses.

Stephen Hammond

The Department for Transport is committed to ensuring that all disabled people have the same access to transport services and opportunities to travel as other members of society. The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) outline specific requirements for the bus industry to ensure that buses are as accessible as possible for disabled passengers. Latest statistics (September 2013) show that 78% of buses in England now meet PSVAR accessibility requirements, while 92% operate with a low floor facility and these figures continue to grow steadily.

The Department also recognises that blind and partially sighted passengers find audio and visual announcements particularly useful when travelling on buses. We will therefore continue to encourage bus operators and local authorities to invest in audio/visual announcement systems for their buses where possible. However, we also understand that this technology comes at a considerable cost.

With this in mind, my noble colleague, Baroness Kramer wrote to bus operators on 4^th February 2014 to encourage the development of simpler, more affordable audio/visual announcement systems for buses that can provide benefits to as many passengers as possible. Alongside this, the Department for Transport is also looking into the possibility of establishing a research initiative involving small businesses and academic institutions through the ‘Transport Systems Catapult’to encourage further innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for personal independence payments have been made by claimants whose disability living allowance payments have been terminated; and what interim financial support his Department makes available to such claimants.

Mike Penning

There is no data available on claims to personal independence payment (PIP) by claimants in receipt of, or previously in receipt of, disability living allowance (DLA).

Exisiting recipients of DLA claiming PIP do not have their DLA terminated at the point of claim but continue to recieve their DLA while the PIP claim is being assessed.