transport – Page 28 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Lazarowicz backs rail Bill

Mark Lazarowicz MP backs Bill to allow public sector train operators

Local MP Mark Lazarowicz was today among MPs to support a Motion by Labour MP Andy Sawford for a Bill to be introduced to permit public sector railway operators.

The Motion was passed by 197 votes to 38 and even if the Bill does not reach the statute book the vote shows the strength of feeling amongst Labour MPs about the franchise system and the service that passengers are receiving.

The new franchise for the East Coast Line is due to start in March 2015 but the UK Government has repeatedly refused to allow Directly Operated Railways (DOR), the public sector company currently running the East Coast Main Line, to bid for it.

The North & Leith Mp said: “I strongly welcome this Bill which would permit a public sector company to bid for a franchise as I have been urging the Government to allow the current public sector operator of the East Coast Line to be allowed to do given the successful way it is running it.

“Given the franchise fiasco of the West Coast Line last year and East Coast’s private sector operator reneging on the terms of that contract in 2009 surely it’s time a public sector operator is given a chance at last to bid for a franchise or is the Government afraid of a public sector bid coming out on top.”

The railway network was privatised in 1993 by the then Conservative Government of John Major. The East Coast Line is currently the only franchise run by a UK public sector rail operator and it has consistently been amongst the top train operators for value for money for the taxpayer.

The latest results for Directly Operated Railways showed that in the last financial year before it is reprivatised, to March 2014, it paid £225m to the government after it’s pre-tax profits for the year rose 40%. Over the five years the company has run the East Coast Line since 2009 it has paid more than £1bn in premium payments to the Government.

Driving licence fees ‘slashed’ from next week

Driving licence fees to be cut by up to a third

Drivers will save up to £150 million over the next ten years as the cost of getting a driving licence is slashed, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and Transport Minister Claire Perry announced today.

The changes, which follow a recent public consultation, come into force from 31 October 2014. Drivers applying online will see the fee for a provisional driving licence fall from £50 to £34 and online renewals after ten years fall from £20 to £14. The fee for driver tachograph cards – used by businesses to record how far their staff are driving – will fall from £38 to £32.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander said: “Giving savings back to the taxpayer is a key element in this government’s drive for a stronger economy and a fairer society. That’s why we’re slashing the cost of getting a driving licence and giving it straight back to young people and businesses, saving £150 million over ten years.”

Transport Minister Claire Perry said: “The cost of driving, especially for young drivers, can be significant and we are committed to cutting costs where we can. Thanks to DVLA making large scale savings to their running costs, we have been able to cut the cost of the driving licence which will save drivers and businesses £150 million over the next ten years.”

DVLA is reviewing all fees and the reduction in driving licence fees is a result of the first part of this ongoing review. Other fees being considered in the review include vehicle first registrations and duplicate registration certificates.

A million ‘first licence’ applications are processed every year and the fees drop will save new drivers £82.2 million over ten years. Over 77% of these applications are made by 17-24 year olds. In addition 2.1 million photocard licences are renewed every year and the changes will save motorists £61.3 million over a decade.

Businesses make another 85,500 renewals a year and will save £2.44 million over ten years while the cost savings to tachographs will save another £3.58 million over the decade.

Type of licence	Current fee	New fee online	New fee postal application
Provisional licence	£50	£34	£43
Renew Photocard licence	£20	£14	£17
Driver and Company Tachograph cards	£38	Postal service only	£32

Inverleith Community Conference: still time to book your place

Inverleith’s annual community conference takes place on Thursday 30 October from 6 – 9pm in Broughton High School. The theme of this year’s event is ‘increasing walking and cycling in Inverleith‘ – and there’s still time to book your place …

Come join us on Thursday 30th October from 6-9pm at Broughton High School to find out about tips, advice and support available to help you get started, to share your thoughts on how we can get people in Inverleith walking and cycling more, and what the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership can do to make this happen!

The evening will include marketplace where organisations and businesses will be on hand to showcase their work and services and offer tips and advice to take up or increase your walking and cycling. Then we will have a chance to share views, discuss issues and consider solutions to increasing physical activity in Inverleith. Teas, coffees and biscuits will be provided.

Email Anne Brown to book your place here

or book quickly and easily here through eventbrite

Email Elaine Lennon for more information.

Time to get ready for Winter

‘No complacency’ message after two mild winters

Two consecutive relatively mild winters appear to have made people in Scotland less worried about severe weather incidents, according to new research.

The research, commissioned by the Scottish Government and the British Red Cross, has found that 40 per cent of Scots surveyed said that they were concerned about emergencies caused by treacherous weather conditions, down from almost half of those questioned a year ago.

The survey also found:

• almost nine out of ten car owners believe they are prepared for an emergency, largely because three-quarters carry an ice-scraper and de-icer.

• seven per cent had experienced an extreme weather emergency in the past year, with higher levels in rural areas. Of these, two-fifths claimed they got together with neighbours to help them cope.

Launching this year’s ‘Ready for Winter?’ campaign yesterday, Scottish Government Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “If there is anything recent winters have shown us it is that Scottish weather is unpredictable.

“In the last five years, most parts of Scotland have been affected by severe weather ranging from snow and freezing temperatures to high winds and flooding, and we also saw the terrible impact of flooding in south-west England last winter. While extreme weather can happen at any time of year, winter remains the time of greatest risk.

“The unpredictability of weather patterns means we cannot simply hope that we will miss the worst of it. While we can’t stop the weather causing disruption, we can be well prepared to cope with it.

“Our annual winter preparedness campaign reminds us of this and the simple actions we can all take to get ready: in the home, before a journey, at our place of work and in our communities. This will serve us well not just throughout the winter months, but all year round and in a range of emergency situations.

“I’m delighted the campaign is again being run in partnership with the British Red Cross and will be supported by a variety of other partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors in Scotland.”

David Miller, Director of the British Red Cross in Scotland, said: “Making sure you are prepared now for winter can make a huge difference when extreme weather hits.

“At the Red Cross we know that severe weather, including snow and floods, can have serious consequences. However, with a few simple steps you can make yourself and others ready for the disruption it can bring.

“You can prepare an emergency kit for your home and car, jot down your emergency phone numbers and check on any neighbours, family or friends to see if they need any help. You can also make sure you know what the plan at your workplace is.

“Each year the Red Cross helps people across Scotland cope with the effects of severe weather and this winter, as always, we’ll be prepared and ready.”

COSLA President Councillor, David O’Neill added: “COSLA is delighted to once again be working in partnership with the Scottish Government and British Red Cross to launch the ‘Ready for Winter?’ campaign. COSLA would urge people to be aware of the simple measures they can take to make sure they are prepared should severe weather affect Scotland.

“COSLA is involved in reaching out to local councils throughout Scotland to ensure they have appropriate contingency plans in place to minimise the impact on public services should Scotland experience any form of severe weather this winter.”

Inverleith Community Conference

INP CONFERENCE

The theme for this year is ‘increasing walking and cycling in Inverleith’ and we’d like to invite everyone living, working or travelling in Inverleith to have a say on how we can make walking and cycling easier, safer and more welcoming for all

Please come along and share your thoughts on how we can get people in Inverleith walking and cycling more, to pick up tips, advice and support and also to help us identify what the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership can do to make it happen.

Come join us on Thursday 30 October

from 6-9pm at Broughton High School

We’d also welcome local organisations to come along and display information on how you can help us achieve this!

Contact elaine.lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk for more info. or to book your place, email anne.brown@ea.edin.sch.uk

Don’t make Scotrail decision before new powers devolved: Lararowicz

Loal MP Mark Lazarowicz has backed a call by Scottish Labour MPs, MSPs and the RMT rail union for the retendering of the ScotRail and Caledonian sleeper franchises to be postponed in the light of the timetable for the devolution of new powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed that the new devolved powers should include further devolution of powers over rail transport.

The Government is to publish the proposals of each of the three main Westminster parties by 30 October and the Scottish people, civil society in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament will then be consulted on them, but a decision on the company to operate the Scotrail franchise is due to be announced this month with the franchise to start in April 2015 and to run for the next 10 years.

The North and Leith MP said: “The proposals for further devolution include new powers covering rail transport and in the light of that I am calling on the Scottish Government to postpone the retendering of the ScotRail and Caledonian sleeper franchises.

“That would mean that once the powers are devolved the Scottish Government will be free to decide whether it wishes to run rail services in the public sector rather than continuing with privatisation.

“The new powers should enable the Scottish people to make a real choice about the kind of society we are and, on rail as on other issues, the Scottish Government should not make that decision for us before we are able to.”

The timetable for the transfer of further powers to the Scottish Parliament can be found in the text of a Parliamentary Motion at

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmagenda/fb141013.htm

[Section B, no. 28]

The jam in Edinburgh’s planning sandwich?

Trinity Community Council has commented on Edinburgh’s latest Local Development Plan:

The City of Edinburgh Council’s latest Local Development Plan shows more than 17,000 new houses to be built on either side of the Trinity area. Trinity comprises about 4,000 houses currently so that is a very significant increase in nearby housing stock. There will also be two new Primary Schools, additional shopping at Granton and Leith and major industrial development at Leith docks.

Despite this, the plan contains no corresponding transport proposals. Will Trinity be the jam in the sandwich between developments at Leith and Granton? The previous plan depended on the tram to Newhaven taking the strain but the scrapping of that extension has not been replaced by any alternative.

Unless the plan recognises the need, transport will only be reviewed piecemeal as developments are built – with all that implies for impatient motorists taking shortcuts through residential areas.

There is also concern about possible impact on parking – already causing a number of problems and made worse by apparent lack of enforcement. One suggestion is to introduce Priority Parking but this would cost residents for their permit. More info at

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20083/parking_permits/451/priority_parking

We will push for a review of roads, transport (including bus services) and parking in north Edinburgh as part of the Plan rather than as an afterthought.

Trinity Community Council

NOTE:

Comments on Edinburgh’s Local Development Plan must be received by this Friday – 3 October

Be aware: Dundas Street resurfacing starts tomorrow

Road resurfacing works will get under way at the foot of Dundas Street tomorrow (Monday 15 September) and are scheduled to last three weeks.

The work, part of the Council’s 2014/15 Capital Maintenance Programme, will see the carriageway resurfaced on Dundas Street between Fettes Row and the junction with Henderson Row.

One traffic lane will be maintained in each direction under contraflow traffic management and the permanent traffic lights at Henderson Row junction will continue to operate as normal.

However, right turns from Dundas Street into Eyre Place will be prohibited for the duration of the contract.

The hours of work will generally be 7.30am – 5pm Monday to Friday, although on occasion work may take place up to 10pm. No work will take place on Saturdays or Sundays and every effort will be made to keep noise and disruption to a minimum.

The parking and taxi rank will be suspended to allow the works to take place, while temporary bus stops will be provided when the bus stops are out of commission. In addition, Fettes Row both to the east and west of Dundas Street will need to be closed for certain periods.

Access to the western side of Fettes Row will be maintained for residents and local businesses as this is a cul-de-sac with no alternative means of access. A local diversion will be in place for access to the eastern side of Fettes Row.

You’ve been warned!

Lazarowicz: keep rail on right track

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz has welcomed the latest figures from publicly-owned rail operator East Coast. He stressed again the case for the line to stay in the public sector and said the issue that has been kept alive by Labour MPs in constituencies along the route – especially those in Edinburgh.

East Coast paid £225m to the government in the year to March 2014, making a total of more than £1bn since the last Labour Government took it back into the public sector. The rail operator also came top for customer satisfaction amongst long distance franchises.

The Labour MP said: “It’s a real achievement for this public sector company to pay back £225m to the taxpayer whilst also coming top amongst long distance operators for customer satisfaction – I want to see the line stay in public hands.

“The Government is determined to reprivatise East Coast and the fight for its future has been led by Labour MPs along the route – in Yorkshire, the North-East and in Scotland.

“Issues like this don’t just stop at Berwick and only Labour is committed to giving it the chance to continue running the line – separation won’t stop privatisation, only a Labour Government will ensure passengers are put first.”

“Labour Shadow Secretary of Transport Mary Creagh has made a commitment to a complete overhaul of the franchise system where operators make unrealistic bids which can only be achieved if corners are cut on services or ticket prices are hiked. East Coast’s results show there is another way.”

Ta-ta, tax disc

From 1 October, the paper tax disc will no longer need to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen. If you have a tax disc with any months left to run after this date, then it can be removed from the vehicle windscreen and destroyed. This includes customers with a Northern Ireland address, however they will still need to display their MoT disc.

You can apply online to tax or SORN your vehicle using your 16 digit reference number from your vehicle tax renewal reminder (V11) or 11 digit reference number from your log book (V5C)

What this means to you

To drive or keep a vehicle on the road you will still need to get vehicle tax and DVLA will still send you a renewal reminder when your vehicle tax is due to expire. This applies to all types of vehicles including those that are exempt from payment of vehicle tax.

Buying a vehicle

From 1 October, when you buy a vehicle, the vehicle tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle. You will need to get new vehicle tax before you can use the vehicle.

You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online or by using our automated phone service – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Alternatively, you may wish to visit a Post Office® branch.

Selling a vehicle

If you sell a vehicle after 1 October and you have notified DVLA, you will automatically get a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax.

Vehicle tax refunds

You will no longer need to make a separate application for a refund of vehicle tax. DVLA will automatically issue a refund when a notification is received from the person named on DVLA vehicle register that the:

vehicle has been sold or transferred
vehicle has been scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility
vehicle has been exported
vehicle has been removed from the road and the person on the vehicle register has made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
person on the vehicle register has changed the tax class on the vehicle to an exempt duty tax class.

Paying vehicle tax by Direct Debit

From 1 October 2014 (5 October if setting up at a Post Office®), Direct Debit will be offered as an additional way to pay for vehicle tax. This will be available for customers who need to tax their vehicle from 1 November 2014:

annually
6 monthly
monthly (12 months tax paid for on a monthly basis)

Provided an MOT remains valid, the payments will continue automatically until you tell DVLA to stop taking them or you cancel the Direct Debit with your bank. Valid insurance should also be in place for vehicles registered in Northern Ireland.

The Direct Debit will be cancelled and payments automatically stopped when you tell DVLA that you no longer have the vehicle, or the vehicle has been taken off the road and a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) has been made.

When the Direct Debit scheme can’t be used

Paying by Direct Debit will not be available to:

first registration vehicles
fleet schemes
HGVs that pay the Road User Levy (all other HGVs can pay by Direct Debit)

Checking the tax status of a vehicle

You can check the tax status of any vehicle online. This can also be used for rental vehicles.

DVLA