Results 1-20 of 5,908 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Geoff Hoon

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: The Government have allocated some £15 billion to the railways over the next five years. This is part of a total of £26.7 billion that Network Rail has to manage and improve the network over that period. We do not allocate funding specifically for track renewals. It is for Network Rail to decide the level of expenditure on track renewals given its overall funding, which is...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: My hon. Friend has consistently and conscientiously raised the position of his constituents, and I well understand why he does so. I appreciate the arguments that he puts forward, and I was grateful to him for coming to see me and raising these matters directly. I emphasise that Network Rail's total output will remain as previously planned. One reason for rephasing the work is to allow what...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this issue, which I have taken seriously in the time that I have been in this position. I recognise the anxiety of those most directly affected by the terrible tragedy that took place, and it is important that we resolve that as soon as possible by an appropriate form of inquiry.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I have regular meetings with Network Rail and I can assure my hon. Friend that that is something that we regularly discuss. Network Rail is in no doubt of the importance of achieving greater efficiency in the work that it does and it recognises the problems that the kinds of stoppages she describes cause to an increasing number of passengers at weekends, when our railway is increasingly busy,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am not specifically aware of the particular piece of track, but I will write to the hon. Gentleman once an appropriate answer is available. What I can say to him is that I recognise that there are capacity questions right across our network, which is entirely the result of the remarkable success of our railways in recent years. We now carry more passengers than at any time since 1946, which...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: On every occasion that I do Transport questions, I need to say that I come from a railway family. Since both my parents and my grandfather worked for the railway and were involved in British Rail, I have a natural predisposition to what my hon. Friend suggests. Unfortunately, however, the evidence is against him, and I suspect that if he examined the costs of British Rail he would not find...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Track Renewals (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am sure that British Rail regretted the loss of the hon. Gentleman's service, and I hope that he can make a contribution to the future of the railways in his current position. I accept that it is important that we move towards a seven-day railway, and that, as I said in answering the previous question, we find ways to co-operate with Network Rail on weekend journeys, because so many more...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Cyclist Safety (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: While local highway authorities are directly responsible for assessing the effectiveness of cycle safety measures, the Department for Transport is strongly involved in promoting the safety of cyclists. The Department has commissioned a cycle safety research project that will assess the effectiveness of various measures, including road user safety and cycling data, cycling infrastructure,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Cyclist Safety (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am sorry that 12 years on, the hon. Gentleman still feels such personal resentment about the operation of democracy in the House, but it is a clear testament to his commitment to cycling. I hope that every day when he thinks about that terrible injustice, he will nevertheless reflect on the great success of the all-party cycling group in promoting cycling. No doubt, he will continue to play...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Cyclist Safety (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: My hon. Friend makes some important points. We welcome the findings of the NAO report and will carefully consider its contents. Concern has been expressed about the apparent recent increase in the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured, but over the trend period, the reduction is clear: cycling is becoming safer. The reasons for the very recent increase are not entirely clear to us,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Cyclist Safety (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: The hon. Gentleman makes some good points and I will certainly take them into account when the report is published. I would like to spend a little more time studying the success of cycling in the Netherlands. Safety is clearly important, and I believe that we should campaign to encourage people to wear cycle helmets, which can help in especially serious conflicts between cyclists and motor...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Cyclist Safety (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am grateful for that suggestion from the multi-talented Front Bencher. I shall certainly carefully consider the proposal, although there are some concerns about the safety implications of such a relaxation. As one who has lived and worked in the United States, where turning on red lights is routine for motor vehicles, I know that the idea has been considered for motor vehicles generally in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: On 16 April, together with my noble and right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, I announced the Government's plans to promote ultra low-carbon vehicles. That will include financial help for those who wish to purchase low-carbon cars. During the Easter parliamentary recess, my noble Friend the Minister of State, who has responsibility for rail,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: This is a concern for the Government and we are addressing it. I anticipate that there will be some modest funds available to improve access for the disabled. It is important that we ensure that all our citizens, able-bodied and disabled alike, have access to the railway network.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I have to say that I am not entirely sure, but we will seriously investigate the matter.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: The hon. Gentleman is right. I have recently looked at Spain's high-speed network proposals, and part of its avowed intention in allowing people to travel at high speed across the whole of Spain is to pull the country together. It seems to me important that the ambition for this country should be to achieve the same.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: There has been much over-writing about the modest changes that are likely to occur as a result of extra security in our stations. We would all welcome that extra security, and it is important that people should be free to go about their legitimate enjoyment of their private time. I know how keen some hon. Members, particularly on the Liberal Democrat Benches, are on train-spotting. I would...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: I am quite confident that the programmes to which the Government have committed of improving our highways, railways and capacity across our transport network can be delivered within the profile of spending that has been allowed by this Government. I am much less confident that that would be the case if the Conservative party were elected and imposed serious cuts on our transport network,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions (14 May 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: There will be no renegotiation of franchises.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Rail Fares (10 Mar 2009) has video

Geoff Hoon: We continue to regulate rail fares to balance the protection for passengers and taxpayers while allowing significant investment in rail. We have made it clear that the average cap—usually the retail prices index plus 1 per cent.—will be applied next year even if RPI is negative, leading to lower regulated fares in January 2010. From January 2010, the cap will also apply generally...