Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to seek a derogation from Regulation (EC) 561/2006 for lorries carrying livestock; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
There are already two national derogations in Regulation (EC) 561/2006 relating to drivers’ hours rules, which may apply to lorries carrying livestock. One applies to lorries carrying livestock (or other goods) as part of an agricultural business’s own entrepreneurial activity within a 100km radius. A second applies to lorries carrying live animals between a farm and a market or from a market to a slaughterhouse within a 100km radius. Both of these derogations have been taken up in full in domestic UK legislation, and there are no plans to seek a further derogation.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on developing a scheme to improve safety and traffic flow on the on the A417 missing link in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Highways England is developing the A417 Air Balloon Roundabout improvement, announced in the £15 billion Road Investment Strategy in December 2014, to be delivered in the second Road Investment Period (2020 – 2025). Development work is underway, and Highways England intends to launch a public consultation on viable options before the end of 2017.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to improve the co-ordination of the work of telephone, electricity, gas and broadband companies on required road and pavement works in the same location.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 already requires local authorities to co-ordinate all utility works on the highway and for utility companies to co-operate with that role. The Traffic Management Act 2004 allows authorities to introduce street works permit schemes which give them greater powers to proactively co-ordinate all works, including their own, to minimise disruption for road users. The Government supports the use of permit schemes, which currently operate or are being developed in over half of authorities, and would welcome their introduction across the remaining authorities.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what date he expects the electrification of the rail line between London and Bristol to be completed.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Network Rail is delivering the Great Western Electrification Programme to the dates set out in the latest publication of their Enhancement Delivery plan. This includes completing electrification of the Great Western Mainline between London and Bristol Parkway by December 2018.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the longer semi-trailer trial on residents in small villages.
Answered by John Hayes
The evidence from the trial indicates that longer semi-trailers are principally being used on major motorway and trunk routes between depots and warehouses. There is a general evaluation of the trial, involving the collection of extensive data on safety, environmental impact and economics of longer semi-trailers. The results, published on the Department for Transport website, include a significant reduction in the number of journeys required compared to the use of standard length semi-trailers.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Highways England on its policy of contraflow and reducing lane size during maintenance or other work on motorways; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
I have asked Highways England to look at shortening the length of roadworks to reduce the impact on road users. Following my discussions with them, Highways England are working towards utilising shorter lengths and looking at whether they can safely increase speed limits through roadworks, which will improve the overall customer experience and minimise disruption.
Contraflows (utilising the opposite carriageway) and reducing lane size can be used to allow for more lanes to be opened during maintenance and other works on a motorway and the UK guidance on roadworks layouts is contained within the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8.
Highways England are currently testing running traffic through roadworks at 60mph whilst they undertake technology commissioning on a future smart motorway scheme on M1 J34-35a near Sheffield in South Yorkshire.