Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Transport in Newcastle

Thursday 22 October 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department is in regular contact with Nexus and Transport North East and has a number of schemes in place to support transport operators at this difficult time.
  • We are putting huge resources into supporting the bus sector at this time.
  • On 8 August, we announced additional funding of 27.3 million per week to support the bus sector.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the effect of the pandemic on public transportation in her constituency.

Question

What assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on transport in Newcastle; and what support he is providing to public transport operators in that city.

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The Department is in regular contact with Nexus and Transport North East and has a number of schemes in place to support transport operators at this difficult time.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific assessment or details about the support schemes for Newcastle's transport sector.

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Q2 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Transport
Context

The MP highlights that constituents, especially those on low or insecure pay, are still facing high bus fares despite the ongoing pandemic.

Question

Many of my constituents, particularly those on low and insecure pay, cannot work from home and are still taking the bus to work, so are still paying significantly more to go a few bus stops across Newcastle than it would to cross the whole of London. The Government talk about levelling up. When is he going to level down bus fares?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

We are putting huge resources into supporting the bus sector at this time. On 8 August, we announced additional funding of £27.3 million per week to support the bus sector. We are developing a bus strategy and I am sure that fares and the fairness of fares across the country will be part of that strategy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to when or how high bus fares in Newcastle would be addressed specifically.

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