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Written Question
Public Transport: Hitchin and Harpenden
Friday 16th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a Demand Response Travel project for areas of North Hertfordshire and St Albans District in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Whilst it is for Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to determine and prioritise investment in local transport, the Government’s National Bus Strategy asked all LTAs outside London to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) covering the full area, including parts with differing needs, such as rural elements. The Strategy encourages new forms of bus provision in areas which are not adequately served by conventional timetabled buses. DRT can play a part in delivering this.

Hertfordshire County Council submitted a high-quality BSIP. On 8 August 2022, the Department wrote to the Council’s Transport Director, confirming their funding allocation of up to £29,732,100 (of which £13,190,400 is capital and £16,541,700 is revenue) to support delivery of the BSIP.


Written Question
Bus Services: Hitchin and Harpenden
Thursday 15th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to improve rural bus services in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Whilst it is for Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to determine and prioritise investment in local transport, the Government’s National Bus Strategy asked all LTAs to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) covering the full area, including parts with differing needs, such as rural elements. Hertfordshire County Council submitted a high-quality BSIP. On 8 August 2022, the Department wrote to the Council’s Transport Director, confirming their funding allocation of up to £29,732,100 (of which £13,190,400 is capital and £16,541,700 is revenue) to support delivery of the BSIP.

We have also announced a further six-month extension to the Bus Recovery Grant to provide up to £130m to continue supporting bus services in England outside London from October until March 2023.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicles: Hitchin
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to bring in measures to help alleviate problems with HGVs using unsuitable residential roads in Hitchin.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government believes local authorities are best able to manage traffic on local roads and consider the needs of local residents. Powers given to local authorities under Sections 1 & 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 allow for the restriction or prohibition of the use of HGVs on any road, for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons. These measures can be implemented by making Traffic Regulation Orders without reference to the Department for Transport.

The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 provide various signs for authorities to consider if they choose to do this, including signs informing motorists that certain roads are unsuitable for HGVs or if a weight limit is in place. The restrictions are then enforceable by the police.


Written Question
Bus Services: Hertfordshire
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the initial performance of the Demand Response Travel project funded in 2021 in the rural North East of Hertfordshire.

Answered by Karl McCartney

Our £20m Rural Mobility Fund is supporting 17 innovative, demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas including in North East Hertfordshire. These pilots are exploring whether Demand Responsive Travel can serve these communities more effectively than traditional public transport solutions alone. While it is too early to assess the full impact of the pilots, early indications show Hertfordshire County Council have exceeded the journey target they had set for the first year after launch.


Written Question
Luton Airport: Noise
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help enforce noise restrictions in place at London Luton Airport.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. In the case of Heathrow Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority produces summer noise exposure contours. These inform Government of the areas most significantly affected by aircraft movements from Heathrow, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes which should be prioritised by policy interventions.

At other airports, such as London Luton, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.

As major airports with more than 50,000 movements per year, both Heathrow and London Luton Airports are also obliged under the Environmental Noise Regulations 2006, as amended, to produce noise maps and Noise Action Plans. Current Noise Action Plans cover the period 2019-2023, while the next round of planning will cover the period 2024-2028


Written Question
Heathrow Airport: Noise
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential levels of noise pollution caused by operations at Heathrow Airport on communities in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. In the case of Heathrow Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority produces summer noise exposure contours. These inform Government of the areas most significantly affected by aircraft movements from Heathrow, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes which should be prioritised by policy interventions.

At other airports, such as London Luton, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.

As major airports with more than 50,000 movements per year, both Heathrow and London Luton Airports are also obliged under the Environmental Noise Regulations 2006, as amended, to produce noise maps and Noise Action Plans. Current Noise Action Plans cover the period 2019-2023, while the next round of planning will cover the period 2024-2028


Written Question
Luton Airport: Noise
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the levels of noise pollution caused by operations at London Luton Airport in communities in Hertfordshire.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. In the case of Heathrow Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority produces summer noise exposure contours. These inform Government of the areas most significantly affected by aircraft movements from Heathrow, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes which should be prioritised by policy interventions.

At other airports, such as London Luton, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.

As major airports with more than 50,000 movements per year, both Heathrow and London Luton Airports are also obliged under the Environmental Noise Regulations 2006, as amended, to produce noise maps and Noise Action Plans. Current Noise Action Plans cover the period 2019-2023, while the next round of planning will cover the period 2024-2028


Written Question
Hitchin Station
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will provide funding to facilitate the opening up of eastern pedestrian and cycling access to Hitchin Train Station.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Government is committed to increasing walking and cycling, with £2 billion of funding available for active travel up to 2024/25. Local authorities will shortly be invited to bid for the next round of active travel capital funding, which will be administered by Active Travel England on behalf of the Department. Deciding which measures to put forward in their bids is a matter for individual authorities.


Written Question
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Standards
Thursday 31st March 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to tackle all (a) backlogs and (b) delays at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The quickest and easiest way to transact with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The Government understands the impact that delays in processing paper applications can have on the daily lives of individuals and the DVLA is working hard to reduce waiting times. The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has opened new customer service centres in Swansea and Birmingham to reduce backlogs and provide future resilience. These measures are having a positive impact and customers should continue to see an improving picture in terms of waiting times for paper applications.

The DVLA also prioritised vocational licence applications to support the Government’s response to the driver shortage, and there have been no delays in straightforward applications for vocational licences, including renewals, since November 2021. The applications are being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days.

There may be additional delays in processing more complex transactions, for example if medical investigations are needed but the large majority of applicants will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found here.


Written Question
Bus Services: Rural Areas
Monday 13th September 2021

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is being provided to local authorities to help with the funding and provision of rural bus services.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Government recognises the importance of transport for rural areas and is committed to improving access to services that provide vital connectivity.

To support local bus services in England outside London, £200 million of Bus Services Operator’s Grant (BSOG) has been paid by the Department directly to operators so far during the pandemic. £43 million of BSOG is committed directly to local transport authorities (LTAs) so that they can subsidise socially necessary bus services, of which Hertfordshire County Council received £1,211,630 in the 2020-21 funding period.

On top of this, to improve current bus services, or restore lost services where needed, the Government has paid an extra £30 million to LTAs in 2020/21. Hertfordshire County Council met the funding requirements and received an allocation of £401,174.

Additionally, in March 2021 we awarded funding to 17 pilot projects through the £20 million Rural Mobility Fund scheme to trial innovative, demand-responsive solutions to transport challenges that rural and suburban areas often face.