Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government under what legislation the siting of cycle lanes is arranged in UK cities and towns; and what steps are taken to ensure that legislation is properly applied.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 prescribe the traffic signs and road markings that can be used on the UK road network including those used for cycle lanes. Local authorities are responsible for the design and installation of cycle lanes and for ensuring that they are signed and marked in compliance with the legislation.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to reduce the noise level of motorcycles on public roads.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Technical standards for noise from new motorcycles are set at an International level by both the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). These provisions were updated in 2014 and took effect for new machines from 2016.
The European Commission is planning to introduce new legislation concerning emissions and noise from motorcycles. An independent research-based investigation is currently underway to establish the noise limits and these are expected to take effect in 2020. We anticipate these will be implemented through the UNECE where the UK will continue to play a key role beyond our withdrawal from the EU.
The motorcycle industry are represented at the UNECE discussions and Department for Transport officials also hold routine discussions with them outside this forum.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce noise nuisance resulting from the use of motorbikes.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Technical standards for noise from new motorcycles are set at an International level by both the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). These provisions were updated in 2014 and took effect for new machines from 2016.
The European Commission is planning to introduce new legislation concerning emissions and noise from motorcycles. An independent research-based investigation is currently underway to establish the noise limits and these are expected to take effect in 2020. The UK is actively engaged in these negotiations.
The motorcycle industry are represented at the UNECE discussions and Department for Transport officials also hold routine discussions with them outside of this forum.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 January (HL4622) concerning the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, what survey of incoming telephone calls was undertaken to determine that the average waiting time for calls to be answered is 32 seconds; who undertook the survey; over what period of time it was undertaken; and how many complaints the Agency has received in the average year since 2010 concerning (1) calls not answered, and (2) lengthy waits for calls to be answered.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Average waiting times for telephone calls to be answered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) contact centre are determined by its automated call monitoring system. The 32 seconds waiting time was the average between April 2016 and January 2017.
Since 2010, the DVLA’s contact centre advisers handle on average 10.6 million calls each year. Over this period, the DVLA has received 72 complaints in the average year about busy lines. A further breakdown to determine specifically those complaints about telephones calls that have not been answered or have been subject to lengthy waiting times is not available.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average waiting time to speak to an official of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by phone; and what steps they are taking to shorten the average waiting time.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
In 2015/16 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) contact centre advisers handled 12.9 million calls.
The current average waiting time for customers to speak to an official in the DVLA’s contact centre by telephone is 32 seconds.
The DVLA is always looking to improve customer service and has introduced system improvements to manage demand.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered making mandatory the wearing by under-19 year olds of high-visibility clothing while cycling or walking on the roads network after dark; and if so, with what result.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority and we recommend that pedestrians and cyclists wear clothing that makes them sufficiently visible to other road users, especially in poor light and at night. However, wearing high visibility clothing is a matter of individual choice. Imposing additional regulations could lead to people choosing not to walk or cycle and would be difficult to enforce.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to reduce noise on public highways, and if so, when they plan to implement those plans.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) set out plans to reduce noise from public highways in Noise Action Plans, which were published in January 2014. Road traffic noise is covered in the “Noise action plan for roads (including major roads)” and the “Noise action plan for agglomerations.”
These identify “noise important areas” and highway authorities are required to assess whether any mitigation is required at each noise important area. Highways England is in the process of mitigating at least 1,150 noise important areas by 2020, as part of the £300m Environment Fund in the Road Investment Strategy.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the control of drones flying in UK air space.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. We have also completed a series of public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options, and the potential for restrictions on purchase and use.
Education of drone users is vital. The DfT is working with the CAA on raising awareness of responsible drone use. This includes the CAA’s ‘Drone Code’ safety awareness campaign, the issuing of safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to reduce the noise level of motorbikes travelling on public highways.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
There are already a number of measures in place to control motorcycle noise with manufacturers required to meet strict noise limits which are then enforced by the police and through the annual MOTs. There are currently no plans for further measures.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of blue badges for disabled drivers held by people in England and Wales in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The estimated total number of Blue Badges held in England and Wales for 2013, 2014 and 2015 were:
2013: 2,776,000
2014: 2,663,000
2015: 2,597,000