Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
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 changing the repayment system for Vehicle Excise Duty so that money is paid directly into bank accounts instead of by cheque.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently undertaking a programme of large scale technical change to enhance its services. As part of this work, the DVLA is reviewing the way refunds of vehicle excise duty are paid.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to invest in new road infrastructure in the South West; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
My Department is investing significant money into new roads in the South West. This includes £2 billion in the Road Investment Strategy for motorways and major ‘A’ roads in the South West, as well as £365m towards local major schemes. Further details are presented below:
Road Investment Strategy
The Department for Transport announced schemes in the south west worth £2 billion in its Road Investment Strategy for motorways and major ‘A’ roads. This will include the delivery of the following schemes:
- The A303 and A358 corridor;
- A30 Temple to Carblake;
- A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross.
Congestion Relief Investment
On 10 March 2017, the Government named 27 proposed small congestion relief schemes that can be delivered quickly. The South West was allocated £32 million, including proposals for the following 4 small schemes:
- M5 J19 Improvements;
- M5 J17-18 Driver Information & Queue Protection Scheme;
- M5 J24-25 Driver Information & Queue Protection Scheme;
- M5 J23-24 Driver information & Queue Protection Scheme.
The programme for further small schemes for the region is currently being prioritised by Highways England and will be named at a future date.
Local Major Schemes
The following investment in the South West has been made since 2011/12:
Scheme Name | Transport Mode | Location | Total (£m) | DfT (£m) |
Bath Transportation Package | Mixed | Bath | 26.4 | 10.9 |
Bristol Bus Rapid Transit (Ashton Vale to Temple Meads) | Public transport | Bristol/N. Somerset | 54.5 | 34.5 |
Bristol Bus Rapid Transit (North Fringe to Hengrove) | Public transport | S. Gloucs/Bristol | 106.9 | 51.1 |
Camborne-Pool-Redruth Transport Package | Road | Cornwall | 27.9 | 16.1 |
East of Exeter | Road | Devon | 14.4 | 10.2 |
Eastern Villages Infrastructure - South Connector Rd | Road | Swindon | 53.7 | 34.1 |
Eastern Villages Infrastructure - White Hart Junction | Road | Swindon | 29.5 | 22.5 |
Elmbridge Transport (Phase 1) | Road | Gloucestershire | 14.7 | 9.0 |
Forder Valley Transport Link | Road | Plymouth | 33.4 | 22.6 |
Kingskerswell Bypass | Road | Devon | 106.5 | 76.4 |
South Bristol Link | Road | N. Somerset/Bristol | 44.3 | 27.6 |
Taunton Northern Inner Distributor Road | Road | Somerset | 27.0 | 14.7 |
Weston Package Phase 1 | Mixed | N. Somerset | 13.4 | 9.3 |
Wichelstowe Infrastructure | Road | Swindon | 28.2 | 22.9 |
Total Local Major Schemes |
|
| 580.8 | 361.9 |
Note: a number of the schemes above include provision of other transport modes, but there are elements of new road provision in all.
The Department for Transport is also providing £1.5m each for the development of business cases for the A391 improvements in Cornwall and the North Devon Link Road.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effects on rural communities of disbursements from the community transport minibus fund.
Answered by Lord McLoughlin
The Community Transport Minibus Fund will provide over 300 organisations with a new minibus so that they can continue to provide vital services to help elderly residents, people with learning and physical disabilities and those who do not have access to a commercial bus service.
Approximately one third of the organisations obtaining vehicles through the Fund are based in rural areas.