Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of risk of damage to public highways from subsidence caused by global warming; what is the current budget for repairs following subsidence; and what grants are available to private landowners for such repairs.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Chapter 4 of the Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Technical Report assesses the climate-related risks and opportunities to infrastructure in the UK. Part 4.8 of that document considers the risks to subterranean and surface infrastructure from subsidence.
National Highways is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the Strategic Road Network, funded by the Government in 5-year roads periods with objectives set out in Road Investment Strategies. The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-2025) includes action to enhance all-weather resilience of the strategic road network, to minimise the risk of incidents and their impact for road users. National Highways also reports under the adaptation reporting power of the Climate Change Act 2008 on what it is doing to check climate resilience against the latest Met Office Climate Projections and undertake actions to improve resilience across its network. The next round of adaptation reporting closes at the end of 2024.
In respect of local roads, the Department is providing over £5.5 billion of highways maintenance funding between 2020/21 – 2024/25 for eligible highway authorities outside London and those receiving City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS). This funding is not ring-fenced, and authorities may choose to use it to maintain their network, including repairs to the highway following subsidence and actions to make networks more resilient to changing weather patterns. The Government has also announced that it will provide an additional £8.3 billion of reallocated HS2 funds over this year and the next decade to help authorities to transform their highway networks.
The Department for Transport does not provide grants to private landowners for repairing subsidence damage.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether (1) they, (2) the airlines, or (3) any authorities responsible for standards on passenger aircraft, have set a minimum amount of leg room to accommodate economy class passengers of 1.95m in height; and whether this standard has ever been (a) reviewed, or (b) amended.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We want air travel to be safe, comfortable, and practical for all passengers.
There is no numerical figure set as a requirement for leg room, meaning it may vary between aircraft and airlines. A given seat configuration can be certified from an airworthiness point of view if there is enough space between seats to allow passengers safe egress, such as during an emergency evacuation.
There are currently no plans to implement height-dependent requirements for leg room on aircraft.
We would recommend passengers contact their airlines for information about seating options on their flight.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether to introduce, or revise, legislation governing the permitted extent of leg room between rows of airline seats; and what consideration has been given over the last eight years to the needs of outsize or very tall people.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certify the maximum seating capacity of aircraft types to ensure that safety requirements and seat standards (e.g. fire resistance, strength) are met. The government does not have plans to introduce new regulations regarding the leg room available between rows of seats on different aircraft.
Seat size and pitch is a commercial matter for airlines, provided that they meet the certification requirements around safety. Many airlines choose to make seats with more legroom available at extra cost.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any minimum leg room dimensions have been set to accommodate tall people seated in buses, underground and railway trains and United Kingdom operated aeroplanes; under what regulations; and whether those regulations have changed in the last 25 years.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The Government does not regulate the minimum leg room to accommodate tall people seated on buses, underground and railway trains and United Kingdom operated aeroplanes.
Accessibility legislation for buses, underground and railway trains does require extra, defined amounts of clearance at certain percentages of seats in order to enable persons of reduced mobility to use those seats comfortably. Taller passengers might wish to make use of this additional space, although they would need to vacate those seats when needed by someone who has priority – such as pregnant women or people with mobility difficulties.
The only regulations on aircraft seating relate to the spacing needed to ensure that passengers can evacuate the aircraft quickly in an emergency.