Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with manufacturers of satellite navigation devices on steps that could be taken to ensure that HGVs are not inappropriately directed into narrow residential streets.
Answered by Andrew Jones
In the last Parliament the Department brought together satnav manufacturers, mapping companies, local authorities and other industry organisations in a Satnav Summit.
We continue to work with these parties to improve the information satnavs provide to road users, and enable better co‑operation and information-sharing between local highway authorities and the industry, through joint working.
Earlier this year Highways England published a Traffic Information Strategy setting out how they will work with local highway authorities to integrate journey planning across the network, improve communication with road users and make traffic data and information available to third parties to enable these companies to develop products and services for customers.
Furthermore, the Department is investing £3 million to create a national digital road map, developed by Ordnance Survey and launching this year, which will enable better integration and sharing of data on roads between local authorities and service providers.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to grant local authorities greater powers to resolve neighbour disputes arising from the reservation of parking spaces using traffic cones, refuse bins or other items.
Answered by Andrew Jones
It is an offence under Section 148(c) of the Highways Act 1980 for a person to deposit anything on the highway to interrupt the use of a highway. Local authorities have powers under Section 149 of the Highways Act 1980 to notify the person who deposited the item or items to remove them, or refer the matter to a Magistrates’ Court if he or she fails to comply. The Government believes that the current powers are adequate to deal with such matters.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the pothole fund may be used to reward the use and development of innovative resurfacing practices by local authorities.
Answered by Andrew Jones
This financial year the Department for Transport has allocated the first £50 million of funding from the £250 million Pothole Action Fund to local highway authorities in England, outside London. Further details, including the funding being provided to each local highway authority, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cash-for-councils-to-fill-almost-1-million-potholes
It is up to each highway authority to decide how best to use this funding to help repair potholes and other road defects on the roads for which they are responsible. This includes using innovative practices, such as in machinery and materials. We do however encourage innovation and efficient highways maintenance practices to ensure that we get the best value for money from the highways maintenance funding being provided.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to increase participation in cycling by women.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government remains committed to its manifesto target to double the number of journeys made by bicycle. In order to achieve this, all potential cyclists’ needs must be considered.
The Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to cycling and walking, with SR2015 announcing funding support of over £300m. In addition, Highways England has committed to provide a safer, integrated and more accessible strategic road network for cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
The draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which is currently being consulted on and is due to be published in summer 2016, fully explains the Government’s ambitions for increasing cycling activity and sets out the funding resources available.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what programmes are in place to increase the numbers of children cycling to school.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government would like to see an increase in the number of children cycling to school. We believe that cycle safety training can give children the skills and confidence they need to cycle on local roads.
Bikeability is the Government's long-standing programme of cycle training for school children, with over 1.7 million children trained since 2010. It is available to every local body in England (London has separate funding arrangements for Bikeability). Funding of £12 million a year has been confirmed for the next four years. This will provide a range of cycling activities to schools including on-road cycle training and Bikeability Plus, a new suite of training modules focussed on increasing levels of cycling school and cycle safety.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents have been recorded over the last five years on the area of the A417 in Gloucestershire for which an upgrade is planned in 2020.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Highways England is starting full-scale options work on the A417 Missing Link ‘Air Balloon’ roundabout scheme this financial year (2016/17), with the intention that the scheme will be ready to start construction as early as possible in the next Road Investment Strategy period which starts on 1 April 2020.
A total of 65 personal injury road accidents were reported to the police between 2010 and 2014 in the vicinity of the A417 scheme.
The number of reported personal injury road accidents per year by severity are as follows:
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total |
2010 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 16 |
2011 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 10 |
2012 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 15 |
2013 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
2014 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 |
5yr total | 6 | 8 | 51 | 65 |
Figures for 2015 will be published on 30th June 2016.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to promote cycling to work.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We support the Cycle to Work scheme which allows employers to loan bicycle and bicycle safety equipment to employees free of any income tax liability. The Department has produced guidelines to encourage employers to take advantage of this exemption so that employees can loan affordable equipment enabling them to cycle to work.
The Department also helps people to cycle to work, for instance, by providing funding to local authorities through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and Cycle Ambition Cities fund which can be used to improve local cycling provisions, provide safer cycle routes and increase cycle parking facilities.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that road surfacing and repair work benefits from the latest techniques and technology to maximise their durability.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Both Highways England, as a publicly owned company responsible for the strategic road network, and local highway authorities, responsible for maintaining the local road network, allow the use of different materials for treating highway surfaces. Whilst using any specific techniques and technologies to maintain the road network is entirely a matter for each individual highway authority to decide based on their circumstances, the Department for Transport continues to work with local highway authorities and the private sector to introduce more innovation and technology to ensure more efficient working and permanent repairs.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he supports the expansion of centres such as Travel for London's planned cycling superhub to other parts of the UK.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We support the development of cycle hubs that have all the facilities a cyclist needs in one place and are providing funding for a number of these hubs. We have already financed a number of these innovative hubs which have contributed towards the number of cycle parking spaces across England trebling since 2012.
We are monitoring with interest the development of the cycle superhub at Waterloo Station which will provide cycle parking on a much larger scale to ascertain the effectiveness of such a facility at other cities across England.
Cycling is a devolved responsibility for Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on preparation for the expected start of construction works to the A417 Missing Link in Gloucestershire in 2020.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Highways England will start full scale options work on the scheme in financial year 2016/17, with the intention that the scheme will be ready to start construction as early as possible in the next Road Period.