Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent analysis he has undertaken on the rate of improvement in carbon-efficiency for UK-originating journeys in (a) aviation and (b) shipping.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government recognises the UK aviation industry’s success in taking steps to de-couple the growth in emissions from the continued demand for air services, but that there is still significant work to be done. Between 2010 and 2016, international air transport movements within the UK grew by 20%, but international greenhouse gas emissions increased by only 7%.
The UK has played a leading role in the aviation sector’s action to address its impact on climate change and will continue to do so. At the international level, the UK was instrumental in reaching agreement in ICAO, on a global market-based measure for international aviation, known as Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and the introduction of the first global commercial aircraft CO2 standard.
As for shipping, greenhouse gas emissions decreased between 1990 and 2017 by 3% for UK international shipping and 30% for domestic shipping. Carbon emissions from ships over 5,000 gross tonnes using UK ports are also being collected and analysed under the International Maritime Organization’s Data Collection System (IMO-DCS) and European Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (EU-MRV) regime. In 2019 the Department for Transport published a study identifying various scenarios for emissions reductions from UK shipping. This study was published alongside the Clean Maritime Plan, which sets a route map for zero emission shipping in the UK.
The Government is committed to maintaining the UK’s position as a world maritime leader, and in 2018 the UK was a leading voice in the agreement of the Initial IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG from Ships.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the rates of take-up of non-petrol/diesel road vehicles between the UK and other countries for (a) domestic, (b) goods and (c) passenger transport.
Answered by George Freeman
In 2018 the UK was the second largest market for ultra-low emission cars in the EU and the fourth largest market for battery electric cars in the EU. The UK is also global leader in the development and manufacture of electric vehicles; in 2018 a fifth of battery electric cars sold in Europe were made in the UK. So far in 2019, sales of battery electric vehicles have topped 25,000, up by over 120 per cent over the same period in 2018. Our Road to Zero Strategy sets out a clear pathway to zero emissions, to give clarity and certainty to both industry and motorists. At the end of 2018 the UK’s electric bus fleet stood at 387 vehicles, third among the leading EU ultra low emission vehicle markets and the UK also had the third largest electric van fleet. The London Black Cab fleet is now over 10 per cent ultra low emission and is among the most rapidly decarbonising globally.
The Strategy sets out support for cars, vans, HGVs, taxis and buses, including funding for both vehicles and the necessary supporting recharging and refueling infrastructure. Most recently, the first £70 million from the £400m Changepoint Infrastructure Investment Fund was invested in September 2019 and will support the installation over 3,000 rapid chargepoints across the UK – more than doubling the number of rapid chargepoints currently available.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of (a) rail journeys and (b) passenger miles were undertaken in (i) electric powered and (ii) diesel powered trains in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of those proportions in (A) one and (B) five years' time.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Information on the number of journeys or passenger miles by power source of the vehicle is not available.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes data on the electrified rail route operated by Network Rail in Great Britain. This includes routes open to passengers and freight.
The length of Network Rail operated electrified route in Great Britain (so excluding the High Speed 1 line, for example) was 3,583 miles in 2017-18. This represents 36% of the total Network Rail mainline railway route.
This data is available at the following link:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/c35e0c28-324f-4168-81b9-be197963f251
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 7 October 2019 to Question 293525 on Bicycles: Electric Vehicles, what information his Department holds on the geographical distribution of the take up of those incentives; and which local authorities have made an application under that programme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
84 applications were received by the end of September. The geographic distribution of these applications shows that the largest number are from London (33), with the rest spread across the East (5), South East (16), South West (12), Midlands (6), Yorkshire & North East (6) and North West (6).
No applications have been received from local authorities as this element of the scheme has not yet opened for applications.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has issued to enforcement officers in relation to idling engines; and whether he plans to update that guidance.
Answered by George Freeman
Guidance for Local Authorities on idling enforcement was last issued in 2002. This is when the relevant regulations, the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002), were enacted. This guidance is currently being revised by the Department and will be reissued to Local Authorities in the coming months.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the take up and effectiveness of the incentives for e-cargo bikes announced on 10 September 2018.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The £2 million e-cargo bike programme was launched on 1st April 2019 and is being administered by the Energy Saving Trust. To date, 75 applications have been received worth around £240,000 (for 406 e-cargo bikes), with 69 grant offers made worth £180,000 (for 269 e-cargo bikes). This has created a significant boost for the e-cargo bike market.
To increase uptake of the scheme and to maximise early delivery of benefits, the Department recently made amendments to the eligibility criteria including increasing the maximum threshold for applications from £50,000 (50 bikes) to £200,000 (200 bikes), as well as allowing local authorities to apply for the grant to distribute locally.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the three most recent (a) traffic counts, (b) speed measurements and (c) weight-of-vehicles measurements are from the B3006 Selborne Road between the A31 at Alton and the A3 Ham Barn roundabout.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department's estimates the Average Annual Daily Flow, measured in the number of vehicles a day, for a selection of minor roads each year including the B3006 near Stairs Hill Farmhouse. Figures for the last three years are in the table below.
Year
| Average Annual Daily Flow
|
2011
| 8,529
|
2012
| 7,107
|
2013
| 7,826
|
Estimates of average speeds and weight-of-vehicle measurements for the B3006 are not held centrally.