Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for publishing his Department's review of the effectiveness of red lights for roadside recovery operators; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government confirmed its intention to review available evidence on whether a more flexible approach might be appropriate to allowing the use of red flashing lamps by road recovery operators.
The Government is committed to improving road safety, and the Department is currently tendering this independent review through a competitive process. It is expected that the contract will be awarded in approximately three months and, subject to the tenders received, the results could be available four months later. The report will be published following completion.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a list of preferred alternative routes to smart motorways for drivers driving long distance who wish to avoid all-lane running smart motorways; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
We want our roads to be as safe as possible. That is why the Secretary of State asked the Department to carry out an evidence stocktake to gather the facts about the safety of smart motorways and make recommendations. The Department will present the findings of the stocktake shortly.
While we would not want to pre-judge the results of that work, we will continue to prioritise improving safety – making conditions safer for everyone on our roads. The Roads Minister will write to you as soon as the stocktake is completed to answer your specific question.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of breakdowns along the length of the M42 active traffic management pilot took place (a) in a live lane and (b) not in a live lane in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
We want our roads to be as safe as possible. That is why the Secretary of State asked the Department to carry out an evidence stocktake to gather the facts about the safety of smart motorways and make recommendations. The Department will present the findings of the stocktake shortly.
While I would not want to pre-judge the results of that work, what I can say is that we will continue to prioritise improving safety – making conditions safer for everyone on our roads. The Roads Minister will write to you as soon as the stocktake is completed to answer your specific question.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of sleeper train services between London St Pancras and European cities.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
International passenger rail services provide a number of benefits for passengers, businesses and the wider economy, including environmental benefits. The Government is committed to supporting the future growth and success of international traffic, including potential sleeper services.
Department for Transport officials have engaged with UK and European partners to encourage the future growth and success of international passenger services, providing connectivity between major European cities. The Department also stands ready to engage with any potential operators of new international services, including sleeper services.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost was of retrofitting Stopped Vehicle Detection systems to existing stretches of All Lane Running motorways in 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
In 2019 Highways England’s expenditure cost for retrofitting Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) was £289,000.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost was of retrofitting new emergency refuge areas to existing stretches of all lane running motorways in 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
In 2019 Highways England’s expenditure cost for retrofitting emergency areas was £1.8 million.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of breakdowns on motorways that do not use (a) all lane running and (b) dynamic hard shoulder take place (a) in a live lane and (ii) not in a live lane; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The table below includes all breakdown cases where the location has been categorised as being in a live lane or not in a live lane.
Breakdown - live lane | Breakdown - not in live lane | |||
Calendar Year | Frequency | % | Frequency | % |
2016 | 27,004 | 20.3% | 106,134 | 79.7% |
2017 | 26,060 | 21.0% | 98,317 | 79.0% |
2018 | 29,987 | 19.7% | 122,076 | 80.3% |
2019 | 27,410 | 21.0% | 103,061 | 79.0% |
Data which has not conformed to these two location descriptions is not included within the table.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the potential safety benefits to roadside rescue and recovery operators of being permitted to use red lights; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The previous Government announced its intention to review available evidence to see if a more flexible approach might be appropriate regarding amending regulations to permit the use of red flashing lights by road recovery operators.
The Government is committed to improving road safety. The Department is commissioning this study, which will involve an assessment of the potential risks and benefits. A decision to review the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 will be taken once the study has reported.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many extra emergency refuge areas have been added to existing stretches of all lane running motorways.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Reviews of the first two schemes to be designed to the all lane running standard, both on the M25, shows they are performing well and in line with expectations; successfully increasing capacity and improving journeys for motorists. These reviews found that the M25 schemes delivered an overall 27% safety improvement.
Nevertheless, to help drivers feel more confident they can find a place to stop in an emergency, Highways England have committed to reducing the maximum spacing of emergency areas which is currently about every mile and a half (about 90 seconds at 60mph), to around every mile (about every minute at 60mph). This will take place on new schemes being constructed from 2020 onwards.
Currently the average spacing on all lane running sections is just over a mile.
In addition, in the next twelve months construction work will commence to install 10 additional emergency refuge areas on the M25.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional emergency refuge areas he plans to add to existing stretches of all lane running motorways in the next twelve months.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In the next twelve months construction work will commence to install 10 additional emergency refuge areas on the M25.
In addition, Highways England are also enhancing the visibility of emergency areas on all new and existing smart motorways by installing orange surfacing and improved, more frequent signs. These changes are designed to help drivers feel more confident that they can find a safe place to stop in an emergency.