Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers local authorities have to prevent cars parking on verges and footpaths.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Local authorities outside London have wide-ranging powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to make Traffic Regulation Orders to restrict or prohibit footway parking on designated lengths of highway or over a wide area. These restrictions will be shown to drivers using traffic signs and may be enforced by issuing Penalty Charge Notices. Local authorities may also use high kerbs or bollards physically to prevent cars mounting the pavement.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what provisions there are in statute for the insurance of food delivery (a) bicycle and (b) motorbike riders.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There is no statutory requirement for delivery cyclists or for pedal cyclists in general to have compulsory insurance, and the Government has no current plans to mandate such a requirement. Motorbike riders require motor third party liability insurance under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988
It is, however, compulsory for employers to take out liability insurance to protect employees where they suffer injury or loss arising from their employment.
Various ‘insuretech’ businesses have also arisen in recent years offering pay-as-you-go hourly insurance, which provides personal accident and liability cover for food delivery workers (public liability for pedal cyclists and compulsory motor insurance for scooter or motorbike riders).
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 traffic enforcement teams to check with the DVLA vehicle enquiry service before issuing penalty notices in order to avoid problems caused by potential vehicle license plate cloning.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The purpose of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) Vehicle Enquiry Service is to provide some details about the vehicle being checked, for example its licensing status.
The DVLA already has existing secure data sharing arrangements in place which are used by the police and local authorities for enforcement purposes.
If the registered keeper of a vehicle suspects that their number plate has been cloned, they should contact the police and the authority that issued any disputed penalty notice for investigations to be carried out. The DVLA is also able to issue a new registration number where appropriate.
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 introduce a combined form to enable people to notify the DVLA of a change of address for both driving licence and registered vehicle keeper.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently improving the way it holds data and the services it provides to customers. As part of this process the DVLA will provide a new service to notify changes of address covering both driver and vehicle databases. As most customers want to notify changes online, the DVLA will focus on delivering a digital service, with other support and assistance available for those who need it.
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 traffic enforcement teams to check with the DVLA vehicle enquiry service before issuing penalty notices in order to avoid problems caused by potential vehicle license plate cloning.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The purpose of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) Vehicle Enquiry Service is to provide some details about the vehicle being checked, for example its licensing status.
The DVLA already has existing secure data sharing arrangements in place which are used by the police and local authorities for enforcement purposes.
If the registered keeper of a vehicle suspects that their number plate has been cloned, they should contact the police and the authority that issued any disputed penalty notice for investigations to be carried out. The DVLA is also able to issue a new registration number where appropriate.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of the move away from paper tax discs on levels of registration plate cloning fraud.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There is no evidence to suggest that there is a link between the removal of paper tax discs and levels of registration plate cloning.
There are robust measures in place to protect the integrity of the number plate system which have never relied on the availability of paper tax discs. Since 2003, number plate suppliers in England and Wales have been required to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) Register of Number Plate Suppliers. This requirement was extended to Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2008.
This regime was introduced to protect the integrity of number plates by ensuring that suppliers check a customer’s identity to ensure their entitlement to the registration number before selling them a replacement number plate. A team of DVLA enforcement officers conduct regular compliance visits to suppliers and work closely with the police and trading standards officials to share intelligence and support investigations and prosecutions.
DVLA will investigate where customers believe that their vehicle registration number is being used fraudulently.
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 data sharing between the DVLA, police, local authorities and other key agencies to facilitate the swift removal of abandoned vehicles.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has secure data sharing arrangements in place for key agencies, including local authorities and the police, to obtain information on registered keeper details where a vehicle appears to be abandoned.
Local authorities are responsible for the removal of abandoned vehicles. They are able to do so using powers contained in the Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2006. Alternatively, the police can remove any vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is likely to cause danger, or is broken down or abandoned without lawful authority.
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 support local authorities to hold to account utility companies that fail to reinstate the original road or pavement surface after the completion of their work.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Local Highway Authorities in England already have powers under the 1991 New Roads and Street Works Act to require utility companies to reinstate the highway to the prescribed standard set out in the Specification for Reinstating Openings in the Highway. The same Act also provides Authorities with powers to inspect utility works to ensure standards are met. The 2004 Traffic Management Act introduced the ability for authorities to operate a street works permit scheme which ensures proactive management of how works are undertaken. To date some 65% of authorities have introduced such a scheme.
Currently the Department is looking at a range of measures with the sector as a whole to continue to improve the quality of reinstatements of the highway improves. This is in addition to the wider point recently made by my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State that utility companies should look first at laying utilities under pavements or verges rather than under the road itself.