Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the Highway Code to include the British Horse Society’s advice to drivers on how to pass horses safely on roads.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government announced on 18 October 2018 that, as part of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Safety Review, The Highway Code would be reviewed to help keep cyclists and pedestrians safe on the roads. The Government recognises that horse riders and carriage drivers are also vulnerable road users and that advice on, for example, overtaking or passing cyclists applies equally to them.
The full scope of the review has yet to be determined but as is normal practice it will be conducted in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including those representing equestrians.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will raise awareness of the requirement on taxis and private hire vehicles not to refuse carriage to assistance dog owners.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Assistance dogs perform a vital role for their owners, helping them to go about their lives independently, confidently and with dignity, and it is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers continue to refuse their carriage.
We plan to issue for consultation this year draft revised best practice guidance for local licensing authorities (LLAs), including strengthened recommendations on the provision of an inclusive service.
It is our intention that the guidance will encourage LLAs to ensure that taxi and PHV drivers understand their legal duty to carry assistance dogs, and that non-compliance is addressed effectively.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will raise awareness of the requirement on taxis and private hire vehicles not to refuse carriage to assistance dog owners.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Assistance dogs perform a vital role for their owners, helping them to go about their lives independently, confidently and with dignity, and it is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers continue to refuse their carriage.
We plan to issue for consultation this year draft revised best practice guidance for local licensing authorities (LLAs), including strengthened recommendations on the provision of an inclusive service.
It is our intention that the guidance will encourage LLAs to ensure that taxi and PHV drivers understand their legal duty to carry assistance dogs, and that non-compliance is addressed effectively.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the fines imposed on taxi drivers and private hire vehicle owners which refuse access to guide dog owners fully reflects the significance of the effect on those owners of the offence committed.
Answered by John Hayes
Assistance dogs play a crucial role in enabling their owners to live independently, safely and with dignity, and it is right that the penalties for refusing their carriage in a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) reflect this.
Taxi and PHV drivers convicted of illegally refusing the carriage of assistance dogs already face fines of up to £1,000 in addition to costs, and may also have their license suspended or revoked by the respective local licensing authority.
We know however that assistance dog owners still face discrimination when using taxi and PHV services, and plan to investigate why this happens, and what Government and other bodies can do to prevent such unacceptable behaviour.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department monitors the incidence of refusals to allow access to owners of assistance guide dogs by taxis, private hire vehicles and other transport-related services; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
It is illegal for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) to refuse the carriage of an assistance dog or to charge their owner extra.
Responsibility for investigating and, where appropriate, prosecuting drivers alleged to have refused an assistance dog illegally rests with local licensing authorities, and we encourage them to take effective action to eliminate such unacceptable behaviour.
We do not currently collect statistics on refusal incidents on board local public transport services.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria control the number of night flights arriving at and departing from airports, and, with reference to the Civil Aviation Authority's recent assessment of Edinburgh Airport's proposed new flight path, whether that Airport has reached capacity for night flights.
Answered by John Hayes
Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports are designated for the purpose of noise regulation under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The Government sets night flight restrictions at these airports through a noise quota and a movement limit.
For all other UK airports, operating restrictions such as on night flights are agreed at the local level, usually through the planning process.
With regard to the assessment of Edinburgh Airport’s proposed new flight paths by the Civil Aviation Authority, this assessment related to airspace changes and not the capacity of the airport at night.