argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Local Roads — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am well aware of my hon. Friend’s interest in technology and the potential ways in which it can improve productivity. He is absolutely right, and I encourage all councils to use technology better as far as possible for residents to report road-related problems. As he will be aware, they do so in Hampshire, where the county council uses an online reporting tool, but the Department has also done work to support this, not least through assistance to Cycling UK to revamp its pothole reporting website.
Local Roads — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Huw William Merriman (Conservative, Centre-right): It is not so much the condition of local roads but the amount of obstructions on them, from double parking to kerbside parking to parking in bus and cycle lanes. Rather than waiting for traffic management orders, which can be quite binary, to come into place, would it not be better for the Department to issue guidance on the definition of "obstruction", so that more local authorities can deal with it in a flexible way that means that motorists are not being penalised in an unreasonable manner?
Local Roads — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): Gosh, I am going to resist the temptation to bring in the casuists to discuss the question of how obstruction is to be defined, but I direct my hon. Friend, without giving too much of a sneak preview, to the work that we have done—announced today in a written ministerial statement—on the cycling and walking safety report, which includes enforcement against parking in mandatory cycle lanes for precisely the reasons that he indicates.
Local Roads — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am not sure where to begin with that. If the hon. Gentleman looks carefully at the work of the RAC Foundation, he will discover that, in relative terms, the number of potholes on our roads spiked between the years 2005 and 2010 and has been coming down slowly but steadily, more or less, ever since.
Local Roads — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman might want to look at a wider range of sources than just the Asphalt Industry Alliance for his information about the use of asphalt in filling potholes, but the issue is a serious one. He will know that I have made clear my interest not merely in an in-year road settlement of £420 million for potholes, which the Government have just passed and which is highly welcome, but in a more strategic approach to local roads funding over the next five years.
Engineering: Girls and People from Ethnic Backgrounds — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Education
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): My Department launched the Year of Engineering to increase the number and diversity of engineers across the UK and to address the engineering skills gap. I am indebted to my hon. Friend for his tireless work as he criss-crossed the country, working with 1,400 partners to help us to deliver 1 million experiences to young people in his role as ambassador, or envoy, for the Year of Engineering, focusing particularly on girls and people from ethnic-minority backgrounds.
Engineering: Girls and People from Ethnic Backgrounds — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Education
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. We are building on the legacy of this year, working with organisations ranging from Siemens, FIFA and Apple to the Science Museum, and we are committed to building on that work so that even more young people understand and appreciate the success of a career in engineering.
Engineering: Girls and People from Ethnic Backgrounds — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Education
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): The Year of Engineering has been a collaborative project involving more than 1,400 firms and partners. One of their objectives was to reach out to communities that may not have had experience of engineering. We have had some successes: young people in primary schools are thinking about engineering as a career, as are older students. We will work with our partners and see what more we can do, building on the work that we have done this year.
Engineering: Girls and People from Ethnic Backgrounds — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Education
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. We fully appreciate that girls in particular can close their minds to engineering at quite an early stage, at primary school. We want to work with young students throughout their school lives to ensure that they realise that it is a good career, and one that is open to them.
Southeastern — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): The franchise agreement between the Department and train operators includes key performance benchmarks. The Department monitors each train operator against those levels, and that includes regular meetings with their senior management team at which performance figures are scrutinised and challenged. A range of enforcement mechanisms are available to the Department in the event of non-compliance.
Southeastern — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I would just highlight to the hon. Gentleman that the railways are carrying significantly more passengers. On his privatisation point, privatisation has turned around our railways: after decades of decline under British Rail, we have seen passenger numbers grow from 750 million to 1.7 billion. We have one of the most intensively used, fastest growing and safest railways in Europe. Privatisation is the answer.
East Coast Main Line Route Study — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department is investing up to £780 million to upgrade the east coast main line from 2019. The works are to be completed in the early 2020s and will enable faster, more frequent journeys with more seats. Building upon those works, the east coast main line route study has identified a broad range of investment choices. We are working closely with Transport for the North, Network Rail and High Speed 2 Ltd to assess which enhancements should be taken forward.
East Coast Main Line Route Study — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): The key point to make is that we are carrying significantly more passengers on the east coast main line, and this investment will enable it to deliver faster and more frequent journeys with more seats between London and Edinburgh.
East Coast Main Line Route Study — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Martin John Vickers (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Minister back to the Dispatch Box. He will know from his previous time in the Department of my campaign for better train services into northern Lincolnshire, particularly a direct service from King’s Cross. May I invite him to visit northern Lincolnshire and to travel by train—a wonderful experience—and meet the major businesses in the area who have joined my campaign?
Cycling and Walking — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department will today publish a response to its recent call for evidence on improving cycling and walking safety. This will set out a vision and a two-year plan of action, with some 50 actions. It will also include a summary of the many steps the Government have taken to encourage cycling and walking and the significant additional funding that has been made available under the cycling and walking investment strategy.
Cycling and Walking — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Robert William Henry Seely (Conservative, Centre-right): When will there potentially be a new round of funding to support new and upgraded cycle routes such as the planned cycle route in West Wight between Newport, Yarmouth and Freshwater, which will significantly improve our cycling offer on the island?
Cycling and Walking — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have made available £1.2 billion under the cycling and walking investment strategy, and that has been supplemented by a range of other funds since then, including the local growth fund. Further funding is to be made available through the highways infrastructure fund and the future high-street funding programme just announced in the Budget. Further funding from 2020-21 onwards will be a matter for the spending review.
Cycling and Walking — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): We are addressing these issues with the utmost seriousness. Today, we are publishing a cycling and walking safety review, with 50 actions designed to pull together a whole suite of Government policies and set in motion further work specifically designed to improve not merely cycling and walking safety, but also air quality and the fight on issues of health and obesity, and to improve access to high streets and economic productivity, all of which go to many of the general points the hon. Lady raises.
Cycling and Walking — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Fiona Claire Bruce (Conservative, Centre-right): Following the success of the Tour of Britain in 2016, the Cheshire East Council leader called Congleton "The heart of cycling in Cheshire East", and town councillor Suzie Akers Smith, who is mayor of Congleton this year, in our 700th year of having a mayor, made cycling her flagship project. Yet despite leading the development of a cycling masterplan for Congleton in 2016, more than two years later, after a number of funding applications and more than 400 meetings, Councillor Akers Smith has been unable to make any progress to obtain material substantive support for her project. Will the Minister meet me and the mayor to discuss this?
Air Travel: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government recognise and are addressing the needs of disabled passengers who choose to travel by air. This forms an important part of the new aviation strategy, which we are developing, and the inclusive transport strategy, which I published in July. The Government are considering what more can be done to ensure that disabled passengers have equal access to air travel and the confidence to travel independently. We will consult on options in a Green Paper, due to be published by the end of the year.
Air Travel: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Government’s work. Tomorrow, my private Member’s Bill is due for its Second Reading. It sets out steps to improve the experience for disabled passengers, from car parking to getting on and off planes and, crucially, reducing damage to wheelchairs. Do I have the Government’s support for my Bill and my efforts overall to ensure that air travel is more accessible for everyone?
Air Travel: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend’s Bill raises vital issues. I commend her for all her campaigning work and thank her for the opportunity to meet her and her constituents to discuss the matter. It is crucial that disabled air passengers are able to travel in comfort and with dignity, and independently if they wish. That is why we will continue to work with the Civil Aviation Authority to secure improvements throughout the industry.
Air Travel: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): The aviation strategy is due to be published, but the hon. Gentleman will have had sight of the inclusive transport strategy, which covers many elements of work to be done by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that accessibility, dignity and independent travel are delivered for passengers with disability as they are for passengers without disability.
Air Travel: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Kirstene Janette Hair (Conservative, Centre-right): Disabled access is equally important in our rail stations across the United Kingdom, which is why the Access for All scheme that my hon. Friend has commissioned is fantastic. I know that Montrose station in my constituency has already benefited. When will the next round of funding be released for the bids sent in?
Bus Journeys — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): Local bus passenger journeys account for about 59% of all journeys made on public transport. The number of local bus passenger journeys in England fell by 1.5% to just over 4 billion in the year ending March 2017. The Bus Services Act 2017 introduced new powers for authorities and operators to work together to improve local bus services and grow passenger numbers.
Bus Journeys — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman seems confused. When you wait for a bus, three come along at once: over £13 million of bus service operators grant has been made available to Manchester; the transforming cities fund has given the mayoral authority £312 million to drive up intercity connectivity; and, moreover, the Mayor has the authority to ask for franchising, but he has not—I suggest that the hon. Gentleman and his Mayor just jump on the bus and ask for it.
Bus Journeys — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): I have been following the Select Committee inquiry very closely. It is interesting that the hon. Gentleman mentions Bristol, because bus passenger numbers have gone up by 42%. He raises a valid point, because punctuality, the timing of bus arrivals and departures, and journey times are key to increasing bus patronage, which is why we are increasing funding to make sure that information is available.
Bus Journeys — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): I would rather stick to the facts. We make over £1 billion of funding available for concessionary bus passes every year, and we continue to be committed to that. Some £250 million is paid to support bus services up and down the country. There is no denying that there are challenges in some parts of the country. However, the hon. Gentleman forgets to note that bus patronage is up by 42% in Bristol, up by 38% in South Gloucestershire and up by 31% in Central Bedfordshire. There are services that are working right, and local authorities are working with bus providers to make sure that up-to-date information is available.
Bus Journeys — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): I am afraid that Labour Front Benchers have run out of anything positive to say about any part of our transport infrastructure, even to support buses across the country. As I said, there is £1 billion of funding for concessionary bus travel. We are making franchising available to those mayoral authorities that wish to take it up, but they refuse to do so. [Interruption.] I do not know whether this is just going to go back and forth, but the fact is that we are putting funding into bus services, making sure they are greener, making sure that more information is available and making sure that more people can catch a bus.
TOCs: Derogations from Franchise Obligations — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Government Operations
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): A derogation is a deferral of a contracted obligation. Requests for derogations are assessed by considering the operator’s reasoning on why delivering as contracted is not possible and the impact of the proposed deferral. Derogations will not be agreed if requested retrospectively.
TOCs: Derogations from Franchise Obligations — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the rail Minister, who will know that, in its 2017 franchise award, CrossCountry’s intercity service was required to make two additional stops a day in the city of Gloucester, once the Network Rail works at Filton Bank are completed at the end of this year. Will the Minister celebrate his return to the Department for Transport by saying when this derogation will come to an end and when the operator will deliver those two additional services a day?
A19: Safety Improvements — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): Since 2011, Highways England has delivered safety improvements at many locations on the A19, and more are planned or are under way. For example, works to improve safety at Sheraton have commenced and are expected to complete by spring 2019. A safety review was undertaken along the A19 from Dishforth to the Tyne tunnel in summer 2018, in order to inform further interventions.
A19: Safety Improvements — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful for the question. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the study of the A19’s safety has already been completed and is being analysed at the moment. The £75 million to which he refers was not underspent; the whole fund was used for the 50 schemes that were applied for and was fully discharged for that.
Free Ports — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Foreign Trade
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have been clear that they are open to ideas that deliver economic advantages in the UK. Section 100A of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 provides the legal basis for the designation of free zones by the Treasury and will continue to do so following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Applying for designation as a free zone will be a commercial decision to be taken by private port operators.
Strategic Road Network — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Christopher Stephen Grayling (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have a massive investment programme taking place in our strategic road network, where we have just announced £25.3 billion for Highways England for the next road investment period. We are also committed to a substantial investment in the major road network, the next tier down of roads, and indeed in large local major roads, where some important connecting projects are needed around the country.
Strategic Road Network — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Neil John O'Brien (Conservative, Centre-right): The A6 in Kibworth in my constituency has a major problem with air quality and congestion every morning. Will the Secretary of State look closely, as part of plans for the major route network, at proposals from Leicestershire to solve that serious problem?
Strategic Road Network — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Christopher Stephen Grayling (Conservative, Centre-right): I hope the major road network fund will enable us to deal with problems such as the one my hon. Friend has identified. The A6 is one of the roads I expect to be eligible for that funding. I am pleased that we are moving ahead with that and particularly pleased with the first schemes we announced. We are doing what the Labour party never did, which is looking after Barrow-in-Furness and finally get rid of the Grizebeck bottleneck on the A595. That is the kind of thing Conservatives do for the north and Labour never did.
Leaving the EU: Aviation Sector — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The UK Government and European Commission have agreed in principle that the two sides should negotiate a comprehensive air transport agreement, and the Department is working closely with the aviation sector to ensure its requirements are factored into the negotiations.
Leaving the EU: Aviation Sector — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is a keen student of Adam Smith and he will therefore know that free trade is constantly something that both sides will benefit from and will seek to derive gain. The conversations that he mentions continue and both sides have a strong interest in reaching a deal. That should be no cause for surprise, because the President of the European Council said on 7 March: "I am determined to avoid that particularly absurd consequence of Brexit that is the disruption of flights between the UK and the EU", and he was right.
Leaving the EU: Aviation Sector — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I can do no better than to remind the hon. Gentleman of the notice that was published on 13 November which said specifically that there would be reciprocity in operations between the UK and the EU in the air transport sector, that aviation safety certificates would remain valid for a period of time, and that passengers and cabin luggage from the UK would not need to be rescreened. This all points to the likelihood of a perfectly good, sensible and comprehensive agreement.
Leaving the EU: Aviation Sector — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Lady knows, we expect there to be a deal and there is every reason for there to be a deal. Contingency arrangements are already in place, and I would direct her to the technical notices that have been published on this topic.
Crossrail: Mayor of London — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Michael Alex Burghart (Conservative, Centre-right): There have been reports in the media that Transport for London’s finances are in trouble. Crossrail reaches out into my constituency, with stations at Brentwood and Shenfield. Is the Minister concerned by these reports, and will this affect the delivery of Crossrail?
Crossrail: Mayor of London — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Hanson Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): TfL’s finances are a matter for the Mayor of London, and Crossrail is a 100%-owned subsidiary of TfL. It is becoming clearer how the Mayor’s policies are causing long-term problems with TfL’s finances, but the Government will continue to work with TfL as joint sponsors to oversee Crossrail’s delivery of the new railway as soon as possible.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2018-11-22
Topic: Transportation
Christopher Stephen Grayling (Conservative, Centre-right): I shall start with some good news for the south-west. A couple of months ago, I announced that we would be extending the current public service obligation on flights from Newquay to Gatwick. I also spoke at the Dispatch Box about the potential benefits for Newquay airport and the south-west of a direct link to Heathrow, once Heathrow expands. I am pleased to say that that link is going to happen sooner, and that it will be starting in the spring of next year, supported by the Government. I think that it will provide a really good boost to business in the south-west, providing it with connections to important destinations around the world.