Rachel Gilmour MP: written questions

Written questions

• Railways: SomersetDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48762More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the Strategic Outline Business Case by West Somerset Railway for linking Bishops Lydeard and Taunton.

  Answer: The Government believes that local authorities are best placed to decide on, and take forward, transport schemes that will most benefit their local areas. The Department does not currently have any plans to take forward development of Bishops Lydeard and...

  Answered 8 May 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Bus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39367More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the merits of introducing free bus passes for people aged 60 and over.

  Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statuto...

  Answered 21 Mar 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Railways: South WestDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17411More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will meet the hon. member for Tiverton and Minehead and the Peninsula Rail Task Force.

  Answer: I’m pleased to advise that the Rail Minister Lord Hendy has accepted an invitation to meet with the Chair of the Peninsula Rail Task Force, Cllr Andrea Davis, and officials are currently making the necessary arrangements.

  Answered 10 Dec 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Roads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17404More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, if she will allocate funding to rebuild the B3191 between Watchet and Blue Anchor.

  Answer: At the Budget on 30 October, the Chancellor announced £1.6 billion of capital funding for English local highway authorities for highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of £500 million or nearly 50% compared to the current financial...

  Answered 5 Dec 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Great Western Railway: OvercrowdingDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3569More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the levels of overcrowding on Great Western Railway trains from Tiverton Parkway; and whether she plans to take steps to reduce overcrowding on those trains.

  Answer: Officials continually monitor the performance of Great Western Railway services, including instances of overcrowding, and actively hold operators to account through their contracts when they run less capacity than agreed. The Rail Minister additionally me...

  Answered 9 Sept 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Bus Services: Tiverton and MineheadDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2208More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding community shuttle bus services in Tiverton and MInehead constituency.

  Answer: Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right ac...

  Answered 2 Sept 2024

  Original Parliament record