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 train service between both Cheltenham and Gloucester and London; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
In 2019 an improved level of service will be introduced onto the London to Gloucester and Cheltenham route. The current two-hourly service of through trains with a shuttle from Swindon every other hour will be replaced by a through service to London every hour operated by the new Intercity Express Trains currently being introduced onto the Great Western network.
Before this timetable change, the phased introduction of Intercity Express Trains and withdrawal of the older High Speed Trains should see the first of these new trains introduced on the London to Cheltenham via Gloucester route this summer.
The Department is currently consulting on priorities for the Great Western franchise after the current franchise expires in 2020 and will carefully consider the responses to that consultation.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has issued guidance on the potential merits of people purchasing new (a) diesel and (b) petrol cars.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced an end to the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance on the potential merits of purchasing either a new diesel or petrol car.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what medical evidence motorists are required to provide to the DVLA regarding fitness on reaching the age of 70; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
When renewing their driving entitlement at the age of 70, licence holders must declare that they can continue to meet the relevant medical standards, including as regards their eyesight. The law requires all driving licence holders, regardless of age, to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of any medical condition that could affect their fitness to drive. Failure to do so is an offence.
If a driver of any age notifies the DVLA of a medical condition, an investigation will be carried out. This can involve requesting additional information from the applicant’s doctors, or they may be asked to attend a medical examination with a DVLA-appointed doctor.
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.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to promote increased awareness among cyclists of other road users and pedestrians; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department recognises that everyone who uses the highway has a responsibility to behave safely and with consideration for others. If a person rides a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, he is guilty of the offence of careless cycling as set out in Section 29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
We promote increased awareness of other road users and pedestrians through our Bikeability programme which has £50m funding to cover cycle training from 2016 - 2020. Bikeability not only provides trainees with riding skills suited to the road, but also explains the importance of obeying the Highway Code, the correct use of safety equipment, and sharing the road with other people.