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 the use of (a) recycled plastic materials and (b) other innovative and durable techniques for road repairs.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The use of recycled plastic materials as a component in road surfacing is not widespread. Officials at the Department for Transport are, however, aware that it has been used in a small proportion of England’s strategic road network for high friction surfacing materials, and on one short stretch of public road in England.
Officials from the Department have been in discussion with Cumbria County Council, which is trialling the use of recycled plastic materials in their road resurfacing, and with the company that supplies the material. They will continue to monitor the situation and any outcomes, positive or negative, from the trial currently underway.
The Department is also encouraging local highway authorities to trial new innovations and technology to help repair the roads for which they are responsible. The Department recently announced that it is working in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Environment, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) on future-proofing the local road network through the use of smart infrastructure and new materials.
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 tackle motorists using (a) illegal exhausts and (b) other disallowed modifications.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has taken a number of recent steps to reduce the use of illegal vehicle modifications, including illegal exhausts. As of 20 May 2018, vehicles will fail their MOT where evidence is found that emissions control systems have been tampered with. As announced in the Clear Air Strategy, new legislation will make tampering with an emissions control system an offence.
DVSA has also introduced roadside checks for emissions cheat devices in Heavy Goods Vehicles, with 388 devices found in 10,237 vehicles searched by the end of February 2018. Where devices are found, drivers and operators are given 10 days to fix the emissions system or face a £300 fine and having the vehicle taken off the road (with vehicles being immediately taken off the road for repeat offenders).
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a temporary Blue Badge scheme for people with temporary but debilitating and incapacitating injuries and conditions.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department did examine this as part of the wider Blue Badge reform programme but took the decision not to extend eligibility to people with temporary disabilities as this would have put at risk the sustainability of the scheme.
The Department has issued local authorities with advice on how they can use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas such as provision of badges to those with temporary conditions. The advice provided can be viewed at:
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing drivers' addresses from driving licenses while allowing the police to continue to access that data centrally to prevent potential data protection breaches.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The removal of addresses from driving licences has been considered previously. However, following discussions with motoring organisations and industry, it was decided that there was not a compelling case for doing so.
There is no legal requirement for motorists to carry their licence with them. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency recommends that driving licences are kept in a safe and secure place. The police are already able to access drivers’ data, including the address, via the Police National Computer.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing drivers' addresses from driving licenses while allowing the police to continue to access that data centrally to prevent potential data protection breaches.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The removal of addresses from driving licences has been considered previously. However, following discussions with motoring organisations and industry, it was decided that there was not a compelling case for doing so.
There is no legal requirement for motorists to carry their licence with them. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency recommends that driving licences are kept in a safe and secure place. The police are already able to access drivers’ data, including the address, via the Police National Computer.
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 potential merits of extending the 16-25 railcard to bus travel.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Concessionary fares for young people are already available in the vast majority of authorities in England outside of London and such concessionary fares for young people are a matter for local authorities and bus operators to determine in their local areas. Therefore at this point the Department has no plans to introduce a statutory national bus travel concession for young people in England.
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 ensure that taxis and private hire vehicles are accessible to people with disabilities.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Accessible taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services are essential for helping many disabled people to remain independent and complete door-to-door journeys.
In 2017 we commenced legislation to ensure wheelchair users receive the support they require and are not charged extra when taking taxis and PHVs, and later in the year we plan to review the reasons why some drivers continue to refuse passengers with assistance dogs, and the efficacy of actions to prevent such behaviour.
Ultimately however, local licensing authorities should use their existing powers to ensure that taxi and PHV fleets reflect the needs of passengers, that drivers understand the rights and requirements of disabled people, and that robust action is taken against drivers who discriminate illegally against them.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to launch the public consultation on the future of Arriva Cross Country's franchise for services to and from Cheltenham.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We plan on holding the public consultation for this franchise later this year.