To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Active Travel England
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department has provided to Active Travel England in each of the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the impact of their projects on traffic congestion.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Active Travel England (ATE) was formally established in August 2022 and therefore has only received funding since this date. In its first full financial year of operation (2023/24) the Department provided ATE with a total of just over £112 million, made up of £54 million of capital and £58 million of revenue funding. The details of this are set out in ATE’s Corporate Plan for 2023-2025, which is available on gov.uk. ATE also works closely with local authorities to help them deliver active travel schemes funded by other wider funding streams, such as the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements. All funding is subject to monitoring and evaluation, and the outputs and outcomes of funded programmes will be reported in future years.


Written Question
Driving: Young People
Monday 22nd January 2024

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) publish the results of the Driver2020 research project and (b) bring forward policy proposals based on that project.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We plan to publish the results of the Driver 2020 project soon; this is an evaluation of interventions to improve the safety of young novice drivers, in partnership with the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). This project commenced in January 2019 and over 28,000 learner and novice drivers were recruited. This project, the progress of which has been delayed by Covid, includes a telematics trial. It aims to make young drivers safer, more confident, and more skilful in their first year of driving through non legislative, technical or educational measures with potential to lower their risk of collisions.

We are awaiting publication of outcomes before considering further measures we can take to improve road safety for young drivers.


Written Question
A1 (M): Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 22nd January 2024

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Highways England on (a) potholes and (b) defects on the southbound carriageway north of junction 7 of the A1 (M); and when this stretch of carriageway will be repaired and resurfaced.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Departmental officials have regular dialogue with National Highways about maintenance on the Strategic Road Network. In the last 3 months, National Highways (NH) has carried out repairs and addressed defects on the A1(M) southbound approach to junction 7.

National Highways has a comprehensive road inspection and maintenance programme to maintain safe roads and to reduce the potential for potholes and other surface defects.

Further work will be done between 12 and 16 February. Subsequently, NH has plans to carry out further permanent road surface patch repairs within a 2km stretch of the A1(M) southbound approach to junction 7.


Written Question
M62: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 27th November 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the roadworks on the M62 at the Ouse bridge, what estimate his Department has made of when (a) those roadworks will be completed, (b) the temporary speed limits will be removed and (c) all lanes will be open to traffic; and what steps his Department is taking to expedite the completion of those works.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The initial scope of the project included the replacement of two half joints on the eastbound carriageway however, following further inspections, National Highways determined that it was necessary to replace all eight joints. Whilst this means works will be ongoing longer than anticipated, it will minimise future disruption to road users and mitigate the risk of any future emergency failures that could lead to the full closure of the bridge.

The programme of works on the M62 Ouse bridge is scheduled to complete by the end of August 2024, at which point the temporary speed limits and lane closures will be removed.


Written Question
Motorcycles: Protective Clothing
Friday 20th October 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of motorcycle air vests in reducing injuries to motorcyclists; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Research on ‘Inflatable Protective Clothing for Motorcyclists’ was commissioned in December 2016. As the draft findings were inconclusive, the Department decided not to put any further resource into this research and the draft report was not finalised for publication. The Department does advise riders to wear protective clothing. Rule 84 in The Highway Code states: “Strong boots, gloves and suitable clothing may help to protect you if you are involved in a collision”.


Written Question
A46: East Midlands
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the western carriageway of the A46 between Lincoln and Newark was last examined for defects; and when that stretch of carriageway is scheduled to be resurfaced.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The last inspection on the westbound A46 between Lincoln and Newark was conducted on 7 September 2023. National Highways did not identify any safety critical defects during their last inspection.

NH currently has a resurfacing scheme ongoing:

  • A46 Northbound and Southbound - Winthorpe Roundabout to Brough Lane.
  • Immediately following these resurfacing works NH will be completing some road surface repair work on the Southbound carriageway between the Hykeham and Halfway House roundabouts.

These works are due to be completed in October 2023.

National Highways are also currently in the process of scheduling some short-term road surface repairs between Brough and Hykeham. They currently anticipate these will be completed by the end of 2023.


Written Question
Roads: East Yorkshire
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on fixing potholes in East Yorkshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Local highway authorities, including the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highway network in their area. Local highway authorities do not have a requirement to routinely inform the Department of their spend on pothole repairs.

During the past five financial years the Department has provided over £73 million to East Riding of Yorkshire Council for local highway maintenance, including the repairs of road defects such as potholes.

Year

Highways Maintenance Block £m

Pothole Action Fund £m

Pothole Fund £m

Total £m

2019/20

10.741

0.623

11.364

2020/21

10.741

0.609

7.306

18.656

2021/22

7.663

6.130

13.793

2022/23

7.663

6.130

13.793

2023/24

7.663

8.582[1]

16.245

Total

44.471

1.232

28.148

73.851

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities also provides revenue funding to all local authorities, including the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, via the annual Revenue Support Grant. This is unringfenced and local authorities can use it for local highways maintenance.

[1] Includes East Riding’s share of the extra £200 million for the year 2023/24 announced in the Budget 2023:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocations/additional-budget-2023-highways-maintenance-and-pothole-repair-funding-2023-to-2024


Written Question
Speed Limits
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the extent to which local authorities adhere to his Department's guidance on setting local speed limits.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

No assessment has been made of the extent to which local authorities adhere to the Department for Transport’s guidance on setting local speed limits.

The Department for Transport’s guidance Setting Local Speed Limits is non-mandatory guidance designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances, but the final decision is for the authority, working with the police who would carry out any enforcement.


Written Question
Railway Stations: Doncaster
Monday 26th June 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects tactile edging to be introduced to platforms at Doncaster railway station; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

We remain fully committed to fitting tactile paving at all remaining mainline railway stations in Britain by the end of 2025 at the latest. At Doncaster Network Rail have completed preparatory tarmac work on three platforms and will complete works on those platforms in July. All remaining platforms at Doncaster will have their tactiles installed before the end of this calendar year. In the meantime, safety announcements are being made to advice blind and partially sighted passengers of the current lack of tactiles at platform edges.


Written Question
A1: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 5th June 2023

Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's timeline is for the southbound carriageway of the A1 motorway (a) north and (b) south of the Hatfield Tunnel to be (i) repaired and (ii) existing defects and potholes in the road surface remedied.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The surfacing on the A1 motorways (M) near the Hatfield tunnel is currently under review by National Highways to ensure that the road remains safe and serviceable for all road users.

The A1(M) is inspected on a weekly basis, currently on Tuesdays. During NH’s inspections it categorises all defects identified according to their severity. The most severe defects, which are a potential risk to road users, are made safe within 24 hours and permanently repaired within 28 days. Less severe defects are monitored during the weekly inspections and repaired if they deteriorate or within six months, normally alongside other planned works. This arrangement enables us to keep the roads safe whilst minimizing the disruption to road users from roadworks.

All of the defects on the A1(M) in the most severe category have been repaired.