Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward a nationwide exemption to permit ambulances to use bus lanes.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Department has made no such assessment.
Ambulances on emergency business are already generally allowed to use bus lanes through an exemption in the underlying Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which creates a bus lane. Local authorities can extend this to ambulances on non-emergency business if they wish, but will need to consider whether the vehicles are easily identifiable for enforcement purposes, and the impact on the operation of the lane for buses.
Local authorities are best placed to judge how best to operate bus lanes on their road networks. Bus lanes are provided to give buses priority over other traffic, particularly at congested times of day, and to provide bus passengers with a more reliable service. Allowing more vehicle types to use a bus lane may start to erode this priority.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to deploy (a) blended recycled plastic with bitumen and (b) other new technology to create more durable road surfaces.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government is committed to exploring innovative ideas and processes for constructing, repairing and maintaining road surfaces. The Department for Transport is aware of a number of initiatives, both here in England and overseas, in which recycled plastic and other waste product materials are added as a binding mix to asphalt. Technological innovation in road maintenance processes can also improve efficiency and reduce waste by recycling existing road material.
As part of a Live Labs research programme, the Department for Transport, in conjunction with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) and private partners, announced in January 2019 that we were providing Cumbria County Council with £16 million to extend a trial for the selection and testing of recycled plastic in surfacing and structural treatments on the Local Road Network for which they are responsible. This trial will assess the suitability and durability of the plastics additives from minor patching work and pothole repairs through to major resurfacing.
Elsewhere, on the Strategic Road Network, Highways England is committed to investing in innovation to help meet the economic, environmental and efficiency challenges we face in our changing world. Its Innovation Designated Fund provides £150 million in the first Road Investment Strategy for innovation capital projects to discover and implement emerging technologies, new materials and ways of working. Highways England currently has no plans to deploy blended recycled plastic with bitumen in road surfaces, but it continues to investigate its potential for future use.
A trial of asphalt containing Ground Tyre Rubber was successfully completed along the M1 motorway in May 2019. By including a small amount of Ground Tyre Rubber into the asphalt surface it can present a good opportunity to re-cycle tyre rubber at its end-of-life, while not undermining asphalt properties and performance.
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 encourage local authorities to use recycled plastic to repair potholes.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government is committed to exploring innovative ideas and processes for more environmentally friendly ways of constructing, repairing and maintaining road surfaces.
As part of the Live Labs research programme in conjunction with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) and private partners, the Department for Transport announced in January 2019 funding of £1.6 million to Cumbria County Council to extend a trial for the selection and testing of recycled plastic in surfacing and structural treatments on the local road network. This trial will assess the suitability and durability of the plastics additives from minor patching work and pothole repairs through to major resurfacing.
As part of the Live Labs programme, projects will be evaluated and the findings disseminated to highway authorities throughout the UK. The Government will encourage local highway authorities to adopt those policies, processes and new ways of working, successfully trialled through the Live Labs Programme.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a national parking exemption badge to assist people (a) Thalidomide and (b) other disabilities that have difficulties in using the clock system on Blue Badges.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Department has assisted local authorities by providing guidance to local authorities who may want to consider issuing an exemption letter to the Blue Badge holder which would clarify the position in the event of a Penalty Charge Notice being issued. Blue Badge holders affected with upper limb disabilities eg. Thalidomide can use marked disabled bays on-street without needing to display a parking clock alongside their Blue Badge.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will encourage local authorities and other parking providers to use standard signage for Blue Badge holders.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 prescribe standard signs to indicate disabled badge holder parking spaces on public roads and these must be used by all local authorities in England. Parking providers responsible for car parks may use these signs but there are no plans to make them mandatory.
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 encourage planners and local authorities to prioritise active travel when building new roads.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has recently strengthened the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to improve consideration of cycling and walking within local development plans. The revised NPPF recommends that planning policies should provide for high quality walking and cycling networks and supporting facilities such as cycle parking, drawing on Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
The NPPF also states that the environmental impacts of traffic and transport infrastructure should be identified, assessed and taken into account from the earliest stages of plan-making, including appropriate opportunities for avoiding and mitigating any adverse effects, which might include, for example, ensuring that new roads make adequate provision for those who cycle and walk.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what further steps his Department plans to take to educate people on the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is concerned about drivers who use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. This is a reckless activity which increases the likelihood of a collision four-fold. The fine increased from £100 to £200, and the penalty points increased from three to six points for all drivers. These increases came into effect in March 2017.
The Government also recognises the importance of educating drivers about the risks involved in using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
In addition to advice in the Highway Code and on www.gov.uk,The THINK! Campaigns are designed to educate drivers and promote road safety, which includes supporting a change in behaviour on using mobile phones when driving.
Details of the THINK! campaigns can be found at http://think.direct.gov.uk/mobile-phones.html
The Department’s policy on the use of mobile phones while driving will be kept under review and consideration will be given to the impact of the recent change in law and the THINK! campaigns in due course.