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 spread best practice from the Cycle City Ambition scheme to those cities and towns not part of that scheme.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Cycle Cities Together Group was established to help the 8 cycle ambition cities (and London) identify best practice, share learning and identify ways of supporting other towns and cities across the country.
In addition, the Department is currently making arrangements to monitor and evaluate the Cycle Ambition Cities programme. We anticipate that the evaluation will highlight the most effective of cycling interventions as a result of the investment.
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 increase the safety of cycling.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is fully committed to creating a safe environment for all road users, and in particular vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. Sections 204 – 225 of the Highway Code, aims to educate and remind drivers of the needs of more vulnerable road users including cyclists.
A revised Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions came into force on 22 April, which contains a number of measures, including low level cycle signals, a new type of crossing and changes to advanced stop lines, designed to improve the safety of cyclists on the road. TSRGD also includes changes making it easier for local authorities to introduce 20mph speed limits in residential areas.
We are also working on wider cyclist safety in other ways, including changes to vehicle design, publicity campaigns, and mandatory training for HGV drivers and optional training for cyclists, including extending the Bikeability programme of cycle training. Bikeability provides trainees with riding skills suited to the road, but also explains the importance of obeying the Highway Code, the correct use of safety equipment, and sharing the road with other people.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria local authorities will be measured against when applications for funding from the Pothole Action Fund are considered.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Pothole Action Fund is worth £250 million over the next five years to local highway authorities in England, outside London. On 7 April the Government announced the share each local highway authority will receive from the £50 million available for 2016/17. Funding for this year was allocated according to the length of the road network each local highway authority is responsible for as set out in the Department for Transport Road Statistics Publication.
Gloucestershire County Council received £1,006,000 from the Pothole Action Fund in 2016/17.
Further details, including the share of the funding allocated to each local highway authority, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cash-for-councils-to-fill-almost-1-million-potholes
No decisions have yet been taken in respect of future years allocations from the Fund.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend per person on cycling in England outside London for each year until 2020-21.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government has agreed a four-year revenue and five-year capital settlement for local transport spend, which includes cycling and walking investment. The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, to be published in summer 2016, will explain the Government’s investment strategy for cycling and walking.