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Written Question
Electric Scooters
Tuesday 8th October 2019

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the publication of the Future of Mobility regulatory review.

Answered by George Freeman

The Future of Mobility regulatory review is a once in a generation opportunity to ensure our regulatory framework supports transport innovation.

The first key milestone will be a call for evidence which we plan to launch in autumn this year. We will use the responses to identify where reform is needed now to address areas with a pressing need for change. The responses will also help the Government clarify where further work is necessary ahead of more substantial changes to legislation over the next few years.


Written Question
Electric Scooters
Thursday 27th June 2019

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the increase in use of electric scooters on roads.

Answered by Andrew Jones

In the UK, powered transporters, also known as micromobility devices, are treated like any other motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act. This includes e-scooters, and means they are subject to laws requiring them to be built and used safely, including requirements for users to have insurance, driving licences, number plates, and helmets.

It is therefore, illegal to use a powered transporter on a public road without it complying with these legal requirements. At present, it will be difficult for electric scooters to meet these requirements. It is also illegal to use a powered transporter in spaces which are set aside for use by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-riders. This includes on the pavement and in cycle lanes.

We are currently exploring how new technologies, such as e-scooters, could help the UK benefit from changes in how people, goods and services move around and possible barriers to securing those benefits.

The Future of Mobility Urban Strategy, published on 19 March 2019 includes a Regulatory Review to address the challenges of ensuring our transport infrastructure and regulation are fit for the future.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Thursday 1st November 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (b) Marine Management Organisation and (c) Maritime and Coastguard Agency on assessing and mitigating the risks that scrubber technology poses to UK waters and coastlines.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), or ’scrubbers’ as they are commonly known, are an internationally recognised technology which ships can use to comply with sulphur limits, providing an alternative to using low sulphur marine fuel. The systems are subject to controls at an international level through the adopted International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines, which are mandatory.

The Guidelines ensure sulphur dioxide emissions from scrubbers are equivalent or better than would be obtained from using compliant fuel. They also address water quality and environmental impacts, in order to mitigate risks to the marine environment.

The Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, played an active role in the development of the Guidelines at both European and international level with input from the Marine Management Organisation, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, system manufacturers, as well as approval organisations and industry stakeholders.

Ships’ installed scrubbers must be approved in accordance with the Guidelines before operating in UK waters.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the use of scrubber technology and marine sulphur dumping on UK coastlines.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have any significant effect on marine environment.

All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.

Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made on the potential effects of the use of scrubber technology and marine sulphur dumping on the English channel.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have any significant effect on marine environment.

All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.

Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the use of scrubber technology and marine sulphur dumping on marine life and biodiversity in UK waters.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have any significant effect on marine environment.

All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.

Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the use of scrubber technology and marine nitrate dumping on algae build up on UK coastlines.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have any significant effect on marine environment.

All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.

Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.


Written Question
Seas and Oceans: Sulphur
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the International Maritime Organisation on the matter of marine sulphur pollution.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The UK is a strong supporter of taking global action to reduce pollutant emissions from shipping and has played a leading role at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to drive global regulation in this area.

There will be a new global 0.5 per cent sulphur cap on marine fuels coming into force in 2020, which was reviewed and approved by the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in October 2016. The UK is actively involved with other States and industry at the IMO, to ensure the transition to the global cap for ships and fuel suppliers is as smooth as possible. This work has been progressing well, and further headway was made at the seventy third session of MEPC which met this October. The meeting considered a range of measures to support implementation including ‘ship operator implementation plans’ with further work planned at an IMO sub-committee in February 2019 to address cases of non-compliant fuel. MEPC also confirmed in October that the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil (as well as its use) should also be banned, unless the ship uses an exhaust gas cleaning system.

Additionally, the UK has been active within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in supporting the development of guidance for shipowners. The existing standard for marine fuels (ISO 8217:2017) will continue to apply, but additional guidance will be available for companies ordering and handling these fuels from mid-2019.


Written Question
Rolling Stock
Friday 16th December 2016

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic effect on the (a) South West region and (b) UK of the lack of new rolling stock available to train companies; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government and the private sector has continued to invest in new rolling stock in the South West and in other regions to provide improved services for passengers.

The market for new rolling stock in the UK has become increasingly vibrant in recent years, with a number of manufacturers competing to provide new rolling stock to the UK’s train operating companies.

Train operators are not seeing a shortage of train manufacturing companies or financiers offering new rolling stock for the UK’s rail network.

Over 1,900 new vehicles were ordered in 2016 alone.

Great Western Railway are acquiring 29 brand new bi-mode trains to operate services to the South West of England.

Nationally passengers will see over 5,000 new vehicles delivered to operators between now and the end of 2020.


Written Question
Rolling Stock
Tuesday 13th December 2016

Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate access for train-operating companies delivering services (a) to the South West and (b) nationally to new passenger rolling stock.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Improvements in rolling stock are part of the Government’s investment in the railways that will deliver better journeys for passengers.

In relation to the South West of England specifically, in July 2015 the Department announced that Great Western Railway would be acquiring 29 brand new Hitachi AT300 bi-mode trains for longer distance services between London and the South West of England.

Nationally, new train procurements including Thameslink, Crossrail and the Great Western/East Coast Intercity Express Programme will see over 5000 new carriages delivered to operators between now and the end of 2020.

In 2016 alone we have announced that over 1900 new carriages will be delivered by the franchising programme over the next five years, including over 500 into the Northern and TransPennine franchises, 211 for Great Western, 150 for Great Northern and 1043 for East Anglia.