Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the Strategic Framework for Road Safety.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport is developing the new Road Safety Strategic Framework (RSSF) and it is our intention, subject to wider consultation and agreement, to publish in due course.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the likelihood of meeting his target to increase annual cycling stages to 1.6 billion by 2025.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government’s most recent assessment of progress towards meeting its active travel goals was set out in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy report to Parliament in July 2022, a copy of which is available in the House Libraries. On this particular target, the report noted that although there had been a significant increase of around 45% in the number of stages cycled between 2013 and 2020, further increases were required. The Department will provide an updated assessment in its next report to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 31 May 2023 to Questions 186522 and 186525 on Roads: Active Travel, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that National Highways has the resources to (a) deliver and (b) monitor the delivery of the Government's (i) ambition and (ii) objectives for walking and cycling as set out in the second cycling and walking investment strategy.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways is committed to support all road users including walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. The £24bn funding for the current road period (2020-2025) includes Designated Funds which is one of the key funding vehicles for active travel investment. Through this fund, National Highways is providing new infrastructure for these users and enhancing existing facilities though targeted local investment. This investment supports the government’s cycling and walking strategy.
National Highways is working closely with Active Travel England to establish a platform for effective co-operation and understanding. National Highways recognises the importance of their shared interest in supporting active travel for their customers, the development of active travel networks, and the need to collaboratively develop the relationship to maximise the benefits for their customers, communities and the environment.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ask National Highways to carry out an assessment of the adequacy of its role in the improvement of cycling and walking infrastructure as part of the development of its third Roads Investment Strategy.
Answered by Jesse Norman
National Highways is committed to support all road users, including walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. Its research and feedback, combined with insight from others such as Transport Focus, informs its understanding of how its services and roads may need to evolve to meet their needs.
National Highways is already proposing to conduct an assessment of active travel integration along its network in order to identify major or complex severance issues, as well as opportunities to connect with wider active travel provision, such as national cycle networks.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2023 to Question 185411 on Roads: Active Travel, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of National Highways delivering the Government's policy on cycling and walking.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Designated Funds is one of the key funding vehicles for active travel investment. National Highways is due to invest £105 million in walking and cycling schemes during this five-year RIS2 period. There are, however, other National Highways programmes which will deliver active travel policies, including major enhancement schemes and maintenance and renewal projects but it is not possible to disaggregate the costs of the active travel components of these.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to help support train operators to update the wifi network on trains in England.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Previous assessments were made by the DfT of the benefits of providing free passenger Wi-Fi and discussions have been held with DfT-franchised train operators on options for the ongoing provision of on-train wifi for operational and passenger use.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer given on 10 May 2023 to Questions 184394 to 184396, if he will ask National Highways to undertake an assessment of the adequacy of provision for walking, cycling and horse-riding along and across the corridors of the strategic road network.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways already undertakes periodic research to explore customer views on its walking, cycling and horse-riding provision on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The Route Strategies undertaken during each Road Period gather views from all stakeholders on any needs and requirements for walking cycling and horse-riding provision that interacts with the SRN.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105392 on Motorcycles: Noise, whether his Department plans to publish its research into whether noise enforcement can be made more effective using acoustic camera technology; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The results of the Department’s initial research into the use of a prototype noise camera for the detection of excessively noisy vehicles was published in August 2021. This research showed that the technology demonstrated some potential but required further development to be suitable for enforcement.
Further trials were commissioned in 2022, which included the assessment of the latest noise camera technology on a test track and at the roadside. Roadside trials were undertaken at four sites between October 2022 and February 2023. The Department is currently reviewing the outcomes of the trial before considering any next steps and will publish the final research report in due course.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment National Highways has made of the adequacy of provision to cross the Strategic Road Network on foot, by cycle or on horseback at (a) junctions and (b) other crossing points.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways (NH) has not undertaken such an assessment.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether National Highways has made a recent assessment of the proportion of the Strategic Road Network that has walking, cycling or horse-riding (a) provision alongside it and (b) nearby alignment.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways (NH) has not undertaken such an assessment.