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57631

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Roads: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to research the use of non-slip surfaces for man-holes in order to reduce the number of accidents involving motor cycles.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	198631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p>There are various types of manhole covers on the market that have enhanced skid resistance. In addition, the Institute of Highways Engineers has produced guidance on locating manhole covers to reduce the risk to they pose to motorcyclists. As such, the Department currently has no plans to commission research on these issues.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/06/2014 14:22:56 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

57677

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Tests: Warrington
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of applicants from the Borough of Warrington passed their driving test in each year since 2007.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	David Mowat
uin	198615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The information requested is in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Candidates</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Passed</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>% Passed</strong></p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>15,799</p></td><td><p>7,734</p></td><td><p>49%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>15,530</p></td><td><p>7,727</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>13,359</p></td><td><p>6,675</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>13,340</p></td><td><p>6,584</p></td><td><p>49%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>13,130</p></td><td><p>6,533</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>12,125</p></td><td><p>6,332</p></td><td><p>52%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>12,200</p></td><td><p>6,433</p></td><td><p>53%</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency systems do not hold specific data for the <em>Borough of Warrington</em>. The data in the table above reflects the number of practical test candidates who registered a WA postcode at the time of booking the test.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 12/06/2014 11:03:41 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4080 label Biography information for David Mowat

57678

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Instruction: Warrington
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many approved driving instructors were registered in the Borough of Warrington in each year since 2007.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	David Mowat
uin	198608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>There are currently 362 approved driving instructors (ADI) with a WA postcode. Please note Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) systems do not hold specific data for the <em>Borough of Warrington</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>DVSA's training and registration system is a live database and does not hold historical data; therefore it can provide only the current number of ADIs with a WA postcode.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 12/06/2014 10:55:36 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4080 label Biography information for David Mowat

57707

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Roads: East of England
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has allocated to each local authority in the East of England for road improvement in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Bury St Edmunds
tabling member printed	Mr David Ruffley
uin	198593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Transport provides funding to local highway authorities through a number of funding programmes. This funding includes grant through both the Highways Maintenance and Integrated Transport Block grants. This funding can be used to improve local roads that the authorities are responsible for if they so wish.</p><p> </p><p>The following tables provide the funding we have allocated to those authorities that fall within the East of England since 2010/11:</p><p><strong><br> </strong></p><p><strong>Local Highways Maintenance Capital Block Grant</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Transport Plan Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedfordshire (Plan)</p></td><td><p>7.031</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cambridgeshire</p></td><td><p>12.809</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>23.075</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>17.456</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Luton and Dunstable (Joint Plan)</p></td><td><p>1.284</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>23.948</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough</p></td><td><p>8.663</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southend-on-Sea</p></td><td><p>2.019</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk</p></td><td><p>18.094</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thurrock</p></td><td><p>1.484</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Highway Authority</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-15</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedford</p></td><td><p>3.198</p></td><td><p>2.800</p></td><td><p>3.288</p></td><td><p>3.264</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cambridgeshire</p></td><td><p>13.394</p></td><td><p>10.695</p></td><td><p>12.750</p></td><td><p>11.662</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Central Bedfordshire</p></td><td><p>4.645</p></td><td><p>3.920</p></td><td><p>4.728</p></td><td><p>5.469</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>26.029</p></td><td><p>19.838</p></td><td><p>22.482</p></td><td><p>22.573</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>23.611</p></td><td><p>18.585</p></td><td><p>20.962</p></td><td><p>22.019</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Luton</p></td><td><p>1.404</p></td><td><p>1.070</p></td><td><p>1.193</p></td><td><p>1.255</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>29.354</p></td><td><p>21.403</p></td><td><p>24.230</p></td><td><p>24.963</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough</p></td><td><p>3.899</p></td><td><p>3.029</p></td><td><p>3.472</p></td><td><p>3.578</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southend-on-Sea</p></td><td><p>2.219</p></td><td><p>1.720</p></td><td><p>1.795</p></td><td><p>1.948</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk</p></td><td><p>22.683</p></td><td><p>17.668</p></td><td><p>20.145</p></td><td><p>20.666</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thurrock</p></td><td><p>2.194</p></td><td><p>2.132</p></td><td><p>2.023</p></td><td><p>1.990</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Integrated Transport Capital Block Grant </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Transport Plan Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedfordshire (Plan)</p></td><td><p>2.539</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cambridgeshire</p></td><td><p>6.104</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>10.455</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>8.755</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Luton and Dunstable (Joint Plan)</p></td><td><p>2.014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>8.224</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough</p></td><td><p>1.818</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southend-on-Sea</p></td><td><p>1.660</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk</p></td><td><p>5.061</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thurrock</p></td><td><p>1.366</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Authority</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-15 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedford</p></td><td><p>1.101</p></td><td><p>1.006</p></td><td><p>1.006</p></td><td><p>1.415</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cambridgeshire</p></td><td><p>4.439</p></td><td><p>4.059</p></td><td><p>4.059</p></td><td><p>5.707</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Central Bedfordshire</p></td><td><p>1.464</p></td><td><p>1.338</p></td><td><p>1.338</p></td><td><p>1.882</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>9.150</p></td><td><p>8.366</p></td><td><p>8.366</p></td><td><p>11.764</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>6.804</p></td><td><p>6.221</p></td><td><p>6.221</p></td><td><p>8.748</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Luton</p></td><td><p>1.470</p></td><td><p>1.344</p></td><td><p>1.344</p></td><td><p>1.890</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>5.824</p></td><td><p>5.324</p></td><td><p>5.324</p></td><td><p>7.487</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough</p></td><td><p>1.640</p></td><td><p>1.500</p></td><td><p>1.500</p></td><td><p>2.109</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southend-on-Sea</p></td><td><p>1.245</p></td><td><p>1.138</p></td><td><p>1.138</p></td><td><p>1.600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk</p></td><td><p>4.508</p></td><td><p>4.122</p></td><td><p>4.122</p></td><td><p>5.796</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thurrock</p></td><td><p>0.960</p></td><td><p>0.878</p></td><td><p>0.878</p></td><td><p>1.235</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Local authorities are also able to use revenue funding, allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant, for maintaining their local highways.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has also provided funding to highway authorities for local major road schemes as set out below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Highway Authority</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td><td><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>26.4</p></td><td><p>26.0</p></td><td><p>6.2</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Herts</p></td><td><p>0.3</p></td><td><p>0.2</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Luton</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>2.5</p></td><td><p>11.3</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>0.0</p></td><td><p>19.0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Note</strong> - Figures for 10/11 to 13/14 are actual spend figures. 14/15 figures are allocations.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has also agreed to provide funding to authorities through the Local Pinch Point Fund. The Fund is aimed at removing bottlenecks on the local highway network and supporting growth-enhancing development. The Fund has been allocated to the following authorities in the last five years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Authority</strong></p></td><td><p>Scheme</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p><p>£m</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p><p>£m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedford Borough Council</p></td><td><p>Bedford Western Bypass Northern Section</p></td><td><p>4.500</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Central Bedfordshire Council</p></td><td><p>Woodside Link Houghton Regis (A5-M1)</p></td><td><p>2.350</p></td><td><p>2.650</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex County Council</p></td><td><p>A176 Nether Mayne, Basildon</p></td><td><p>0.763</p></td><td><p>1.583</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex County Council</p></td><td><p>A414/A1025 (Clock Tower) Junction, Harlow</p></td><td><p>0.809</p></td><td><p>2.104</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex County Council</p></td><td><p>Army and Navy Improvements: A1060 Parkway Widening</p></td><td><p>0.441</p></td><td><p>0.675</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex County Council</p></td><td><p>Army and Navy slip road</p></td><td><p>0.260</p></td><td><p>1.191</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk County Council</p></td><td><p>Great Yarmouth A12-A143 Link Road</p></td><td><p>0.835</p></td><td><p>3.910</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough City Council</p></td><td><p>Junction 17 A1(M) - Junction 2 Fletton Parkway Widening Scheme</p></td><td><p>3.385</p></td><td><p>1.115</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southend on Sea Council</p></td><td><p>A127 B1013 Tesco Junction</p></td><td><p>0.320</p></td><td><p>2.943</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk County Council</p></td><td><p>Completion of Lowestoft Northern Spine Road (phase 5)</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4.635</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Note:</strong> Pinch Point Funding is available in Financial Years 2013-14 and 2014-15 only.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/06/2014 11:44:01 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	133 label Biography information for Mr David Ruffley

57728

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Speed Limits: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of changing the national urban default speed limit to 20 mph on (a) air pollution and (b) other environmental conditions; what similar studies in other developed nations his Department has assessed; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	198586
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not have any current plans to introduce a default 20mph speed limit. Local authorities are best placed to determine the speed limits for their areas, based on local knowledge and the views of the community, and have the powers to do so. We are aware of studies carried out for local authorities, including for the City of London, which showed no overall negative effects on air quality in 20mph speed restrictions.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Department is about to commission comprehensive research into the effects of 20mph limits. This will cover many aspects including effects on speed, collisions, casualties and modal shift. The research will also consider air quality, best practice, road users' perceptions and effects on the quality of the environment, as well as relevant research from other countries.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/06/2014 14:25:08 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

57740

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Official Cars
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles built by Nissan are in the Government car pool.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	198961
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>There are 84 vehicles operated by the Government Car Service for ministerial use. None of these are currently built by Nissan. The Government Car Service trialled the use of a Nissan Leaf in 2012 and it operated the Nissan Primera within the ministerial fleet until 2005. The ministerial fleet is scheduled for review later this year.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 18/06/2014 14:05:11 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

57790

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what use his Department has made of the National Wellbeing Index introduced by the Office for National Statistics in formulating policy since the introduction of that Index in 2011; and what policies his Department has introduced to improve national wellbeing as defined in that Index since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	198872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is measuring National Wellbeing, not as an index but through a framework of 41 indicators which capture social progress around important aspects of life for individuals, communities and the nation. The statistics are experimental and we would not expect to have examples of major policies that have been heavily influenced by the wellbeing data at this stage.</p><p> </p><p>Evidence provided to the Environmental Audit Committee for its Inquiry into Wellbeing can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/well-being/" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/well-being/</a></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 12/06/2014 14:29:38 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

57831

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Aviation: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Scottish airports will benefit from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Cathy Jamieson
uin	198920
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government announced on 6 June that a Public Service Obligation will be established on the air route between Dundee Airport and London Stansted Airport from 1 July 2014 for a two-year period, with support from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund announced in last year's Spending Round.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Scottish devolved administration or regional body may apply for access to this fund to maintain an air link from other Scottish airports to London, where there is a risk that an existing link may be lost, and where the case for a Public Service Obligation has been made.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Chancellor announced in this year's Budget that the funding would be doubled to £20 million per year, and also extended to allow for the support for start-up aid for new air routes from UK regional airports. European Union aviation State aid guidelines allow for provision of start-up aid to facilitate start-up of new routes from airports which handle fewer than five million passengers per annum. This will therefore cover all Scotland's airports apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport is working with the Treasury to develop guidance that will clarify how the Government will ordinarily expect to interpret the European Union guidelines, and explain how the funding process will work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/06/2014 10:46:33 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4011 label Biography information for Cathy Jamieson

57837

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Roads: Repairs and Maintence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of administering the Potholes Challenge Fund.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Cathy Jamieson
uin	198925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the 2014 Budget, the Government announced a £200 million pothole fund for the financial year 2014-15. Some £168 million is being made available to councils in England, including up to £10 million for London. This is enough to fix over 3 million potholes on the local road network.</p><p> </p><p>The administering of the Fund falls under the current operating costs of the Department for Transport and so no additional costs have been incurred.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/06/2014 14:19:50 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4011 label Biography information for Cathy Jamieson

57879

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Visual Impairment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help blind and partially sighted passengers travel on buses.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
uin	199038
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>With this in mind, my noble colleague, Baroness Kramer wrote to bus operators on 4<sup>th</sup> 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 <em>‘Transport Systems Catapult'</em>to encourage further innovation.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 12/06/2014 10:42:09 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead