Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Transport Costs

Thursday 19 May 2022 · 5 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 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department monitors the impact of rising transport costs on the cost of living and investigates ways to reduce them.
  • The Chancellor announced a temporary 12-month cut of 5p a litre in duty on petrol and diesel at the spring statement.
  • The government is committed to restoring rail services following the pandemic and continues to invest record amounts through schemes like restoring your railway.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joanna Cherry SNP
Economy Transport
Context

No specific incident mentioned, but the question stems from an awareness of high petrol and diesel prices.

Question

What recent assessment has he made of the impact of rising transport costs on the cost of living?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The Department consistently monitors how transport costs impact the cost of living and is investigating ways to reduce them further.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details or figures regarding the assessment are not provided.

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Q2 Joanna Cherry SNP
Energy
Context

Petrol and diesel prices have reached record highs, and the RAC has suggested VAT reduction or rebate schemes.

Question

The Minister mentioned that petrol and diesel prices are at record highs. The Chancellor announced a 5p duty cut but many constituents are still struggling. What discussions has he had with the Chancellor about employing similar fuel relief measures?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

At the spring statement, the Chancellor announced a temporary 12-month cut of 5p a litre in duty on petrol and diesel. Treasury Ministers continue to keep the matter under review and Transport Ministers have regular conversations with Treasury Ministers about ensuring motoring remains affordable.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific discussions or concrete plans for VAT reduction or rebate schemes are not provided.

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Q3 Martin Vickers Con Brigg and Immingham
Transport
Context

Ticket inspections on trains are not consistently conducted, leading to taxpayer concerns.

Question

The cost of rail travel could be reduced by maximising the income of the rail companies. Given that there were no ticket inspections and barriers were non-operational on three out of four journeys last week, what will the Minister do to ensure that London North Eastern Railway, TransPennine and Grand Central maximise their income?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

Revenue protection is incredibly important for all train operating companies. Taxpayers have put more than £16 billion into our railways during the pandemic, so we need to continue ensuring that operators do everything they can to maximise their revenues. The Minister and I are committed to ensuring that such incidents do not continue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific measures or timeline for action is provided.

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Q4 Barry Sheerman Lab
Transport
Context

The service between Wakefield and Huddersfield was axed two years ago, resulting in increased costs for commuters.

Question

Is the Minister aware that due to the closure of a small regular train service between Wakefield and Huddersfield, people have had to use more expensive options like taxis? How will they restore this service?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

We are working to restore rail services following the pandemic. Through schemes like restoring your railway, we continue investing record amounts. I am particularly interested in ensuring local services right throughout the north of England. The Minister is willing to discuss points raised with the Rail Minister.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific plans or timeline for restoring rail service between Wakefield and Huddersfield are provided.

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Q5 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Economy Transport Climate
Context

The Elizabeth line is set to open, contrasting the government's decision to cut services and infrastructure projects.

Question

With the opening of the Elizabeth line on Tuesday, which was made possible by a Labour Government in 2005 through the Crossrail Bill, how will huge cuts and fare hikes help people return to trains while tackling climate and cost of living crises?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The integrated rail plan in the midlands and north is at £96 billion, five times Crossrail's size. We are proud of investing in London, but also the midlands and the north.

Not addressed: No specific measures or commitments to address fare hikes and service cuts are provided; shifts focus to scale of investment elsewhere.

How: Deflecting

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