Asked by: Lord Colgrain (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing funding under a private finance initiative or similar model for the Lower Thames Crossing.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is providing £590m of capital funding to progress work on the Lower Thames Crossing. The Government is looking to bring private sector finance and expertise into this project, and further work will now be undertaken with the private sector to design a long-term funding model which delivers value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lord Colgrain (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the criteria necessary for the (1) erection, and (2) display, of brown road signs to denote locations of cultural and historical significance; and whether local councils are required to provide assistance during that process.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The criteria necessary for a location of cultural and historical significance to potentially warrant a brown traffic sign are provided in Schedule 1 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, 2016 (TSRGD). TSRGD defines the term ‘tourist destination’ with the following meaning:
(a) a Tourist Information Centre or Point;
(b) a permanently established attraction or facility (other than a leisure facility) which—
(i) attracts or is used by visitors to an area;
(ii) is open to the public without prior booking during its normal opening hours; and
(iii) is recognised as a tourist attraction or facility by the appropriate national promoter of tourism;
(c) a village, town or city that is of particular interest to tourists;
(d) a route that is of particular interest to tourists
VisitBritian is the national promoter for England and they have criteria for minimum number of visitors, car parking, toilets etc.
Decisions on whether to erect and display brown signs for any qualifying attraction is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. However, local councils are not required to provide assistance to attractions during the process of meeting the criteria.