Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the DVLA investigation team asks for the colour of the envelope that applications were sent to them in.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) receives around 60,000 items of mail every day and is unable to confirm the initial receipt of an individual application unless it has been sent by one of Royal Mail’s tracked services. For urgent cases where the application was not sent using one of these tracked mail services, DVLA officials will request further information in order to help locate the application. The information requested can include the type of application, the date it was sent, the postcode it was sent to and the type of envelope used, including the colour if applicable.
Information about the colour of the envelope is requested purely to help officials identify an application quickly and has no bearing on speed of processing. The DVLA process applications in the order in which they are received. No applications are left unopened specifically due to the colour of the envelope and the DVLA has no preference as to envelope colour.
If an applicant does not recall the colour of the envelope, the DVLA will attempt to locate the application using the other information available.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure best practice from local authorities in maintaining roads.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local highway authorities, including Herefordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. Local highways teams, including private contractors, are accountable to the local authority they are working for. The Department for Transport is not routinely informed of the detailed breakdown of spend on the local highway network, as authorities are best placed to understand how to maintain their respective networks, based on local needs and priorities.
The Department has regular meetings with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Local Government Association and Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport. In addition, the Department endorses 'Well-managed highway infrastructure the Code of Practice for highway maintenance’ by the UK Roads Liaison Group.
This guidance takes an integrated, risked based approach to managing highway infrastructure. The Department also worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish ‘Potholes: a repair guide’ which guide offers practical advice to highway authorities.
Of course, well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced an incentive element and a self-assessment questionnaire to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking with the Local Government Association to encourage local authorities to fix potholes.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local highway authorities, including Herefordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. Local highways teams, including private contractors, are accountable to the local authority they are working for. The Department for Transport is not routinely informed of the detailed breakdown of spend on the local highway network, as authorities are best placed to understand how to maintain their respective networks, based on local needs and priorities.
The Department has regular meetings with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Local Government Association and Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport. In addition, the Department endorses 'Well-managed highway infrastructure the Code of Practice for highway maintenance’ by the UK Roads Liaison Group.
This guidance takes an integrated, risked based approach to managing highway infrastructure. The Department also worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish ‘Potholes: a repair guide’ which guide offers practical advice to highway authorities.
Of course, well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced an incentive element and a self-assessment questionnaire to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of expenditure by each local authority on contractors on road repairs and maintenance.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local highway authorities, including Herefordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. Local highways teams, including private contractors, are accountable to the local authority they are working for. The Department for Transport is not routinely informed of the detailed breakdown of spend on the local highway network, as authorities are best placed to understand how to maintain their respective networks, based on local needs and priorities.
The Department has regular meetings with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Local Government Association and Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport. In addition, the Department endorses 'Well-managed highway infrastructure the Code of Practice for highway maintenance’ by the UK Roads Liaison Group.
This guidance takes an integrated, risked based approach to managing highway infrastructure. The Department also worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish ‘Potholes: a repair guide’ which guide offers practical advice to highway authorities.
Of course, well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced an incentive element and a self-assessment questionnaire to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of road maintenance at a County level.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local highway authorities, including Herefordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. Local highways teams, including private contractors, are accountable to the local authority they are working for. The Department for Transport is not routinely informed of the detailed breakdown of spend on the local highway network, as authorities are best placed to understand how to maintain their respective networks, based on local needs and priorities.
The Department has regular meetings with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Local Government Association and Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport. In addition, the Department endorses 'Well-managed highway infrastructure the Code of Practice for highway maintenance’ by the UK Roads Liaison Group.
This guidance takes an integrated, risked based approach to managing highway infrastructure. The Department also worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish ‘Potholes: a repair guide’ which guide offers practical advice to highway authorities.
Of course, well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced an incentive element and a self-assessment questionnaire to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent per metre on roads in Herefordshire compared with other counties in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local highway authorities, including Herefordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. Local highways teams, including private contractors, are accountable to the local authority they are working for. The Department for Transport is not routinely informed of the detailed breakdown of spend on the local highway network, as authorities are best placed to understand how to maintain their respective networks, based on local needs and priorities.
The Department has regular meetings with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Local Government Association and Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport. In addition, the Department endorses 'Well-managed highway infrastructure the Code of Practice for highway maintenance’ by the UK Roads Liaison Group.
This guidance takes an integrated, risked based approach to managing highway infrastructure. The Department also worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish ‘Potholes: a repair guide’ which guide offers practical advice to highway authorities.
Of course, well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced an incentive element and a self-assessment questionnaire to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the timeliness of the next available date for a practical driving test for a (a) car, (b) HGV, (c) motorcycle and (d) tractor in Herefordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in Herefordshire is: (a) 9 weeks for car (b) 3 weeks for HGV (c) 1 week for motorcycle (no motorcycle provision in Herefordshire but Worcester, Gloucester and Shrewsbury are all 1 week) (d) 12 weeks for tractor.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the timeliness of the next available date for a practical driving test for a (a) car, (b) HGV, (c) motorcycle and (d) tractor in England.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency’s (DVSA) priority is to keep candidates, examiners and instructors safe. It has measures in place to increase testing capacity as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service. To help reduce the backlog of driving tests, the DVSA advises candidates to only come to test when ready, and to be flexible in their choice of test centre; a test ready candidate should be capable of passing the test anywhere, not just on roads they are familiar with.
As at 17 May 2021, the number of people on the waiting list for a practical car driving test: (a) England 398,609 (b) Herefordshire (Hereford driving test centre) 812 (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 744.
As at 17 May 2021, the average waiting time for a practical driving test: (a) England 14 weeks (b) Herefordshire (Hereford Driving test centre) 10 weeks (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 15 weeks.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in North Herefordshire is: (a) 13 weeks for car (b) 3 weeks for HGV (c) 1 week for motorcycle (no motorcycle provision in North Herefordshire but Worcester, Gloucester and Shrewsbury are all 1 week) (d) 13 weeks for tractor.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in England is: (a) 13.4 weeks for car (b) 8.6 weeks for HGV (c) 7 weeks for motorcycle (d) 14 weeks for tractor.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the timeliness of the next available date to take a practical driving test for (a) car, (b) HGV, (c) motorcycle and (d) tractor in North Herefordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency’s (DVSA) priority is to keep candidates, examiners and instructors safe. It has measures in place to increase testing capacity as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service. To help reduce the backlog of driving tests, the DVSA advises candidates to only come to test when ready, and to be flexible in their choice of test centre; a test ready candidate should be capable of passing the test anywhere, not just on roads they are familiar with.
As at 17 May 2021, the number of people on the waiting list for a practical car driving test: (a) England 398,609 (b) Herefordshire (Hereford driving test centre) 812 (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 744.
As at 17 May 2021, the average waiting time for a practical driving test: (a) England 14 weeks (b) Herefordshire (Hereford Driving test centre) 10 weeks (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 15 weeks.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in North Herefordshire is: (a) 13 weeks for car (b) 3 weeks for HGV (c) 1 week for motorcycle (no motorcycle provision in North Herefordshire but Worcester, Gloucester and Shrewsbury are all 1 week) (d) 13 weeks for tractor.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in England is: (a) 13.4 weeks for car (b) 8.6 weeks for HGV (c) 7 weeks for motorcycle (d) 14 weeks for tractor.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2021 to Question 1001 on practical driving tests, what the average waiting time for a practical driving test was prior to the covid-19 outbreak in (a) England, (b) Herefordshire and (c) North Herefordshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency’s (DVSA) priority is to keep candidates, examiners and instructors safe. It has measures in place to increase testing capacity as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service. To help reduce the backlog of driving tests, the DVSA advises candidates to only come to test when ready, and to be flexible in their choice of test centre; a test ready candidate should be capable of passing the test anywhere, not just on roads they are familiar with.
As at 17 May 2021, the number of people on the waiting list for a practical car driving test: (a) England 398,609 (b) Herefordshire (Hereford driving test centre) 812 (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 744.
As at 17 May 2021, the average waiting time for a practical driving test: (a) England 14 weeks (b) Herefordshire (Hereford Driving test centre) 10 weeks (c) North Herefordshire (Ludlow driving test centre) 15 weeks.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in North Herefordshire is: (a) 13 weeks for car (b) 3 weeks for HGV (c) 1 week for motorcycle (no motorcycle provision in North Herefordshire but Worcester, Gloucester and Shrewsbury are all 1 week) (d) 13 weeks for tractor.
As at 17 May 2021, the next available date to take a practical driving test in England is: (a) 13.4 weeks for car (b) 8.6 weeks for HGV (c) 7 weeks for motorcycle (d) 14 weeks for tractor.