Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made on the potential merits of a ban on pavement parking in order to improve vehicle access for individuals with mobility issues.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Department consulted on measures to address pavement parking in 2020 and the options included a nationwide pavement parking ban. Ministers are reviewing the outcome of the consultation and the options for tackling pavement parking
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason new non-zero emission L3e-A1 motorcycles have been included in the proposed phase out date of 2030.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Due to their smaller size and lower power requirements, L3e-A1 motorcycles are more compatible with the zero emission technologies currently available and are expected to be amongst the first to move to zero exhaust emissions.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had recent discussions with representatives of the L-Category sector on the viability of the proposals within the consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles, published on 14 July 2022.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles was open to written responses from 14 July to 21 September 2022. It was supported by a thorough programme of stakeholder engagement with manufacturers and the wider industry led by Ministers.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage a modal shift from single occupancy cars to zero-emission L-Category vehicles such as mopeds and motorcycles.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
As the Government set out in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, we increasingly expect people to travel in zero-emission vehicles. The transition to electric vehicles, including L-Category ones like mopeds and motorcycles, can reduce carbon emissions, fuel demand, congestion, and air and noise pollution.
The Department is preparing the Government’s consultation response on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-Category vehicles, and will publish it in due course. In the meantime, the Department for Transport is providing £350,000 to help grow the supply chain for zero-emission L-Category vehicles.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will publish the risk assessment it carried out on the use of Lithium-ion batteries in buses.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Before a vehicle can be sold or registered in the UK, vehicle manufacturers must demonstrate compliance with a broad range of technical construction requirements. The majority of these requirements are established at an international level through the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, in which the Department is an active member. Electric vehicles, including buses which use lithium-ion batteries, are subject to specific provisions regulating their electrical systems and batteries to protect passengers, emergency services personnel and other users from harm. The risks for electric vehicles, however, are different to traditional vehicles and need to be understood and controlled. The safety of electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government, and working with experts, we keep it under regular review.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to convert more motorways to smart motorways.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Since assuming office, the Secretary of State’s focus has been to ensure that Smart Motorways are safer than conventional motorways, committing an additional £500 million in infrastructure, technology and communications to make these roads safer.
We welcome the Transport Select Committee (TSC) report Rollout and safety of smart motorways, published on 2 November 2021, scrutiny and will now consider its recommendations in detail, providing a formal response in due course. This is a serious piece of work which we will engage with closely in the months ahead. We are pleased that the TSC recognises that reinstating the hard shoulder on all all-lane running motorways could put more drivers and passengers at risk of death and serious injury and that we are right to focus on upgrading their safety.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government carried out comparative fuel economy trials for the change from E5 unleaded petrol to E10; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Comparative fuel economy trials were not commissioned by the Department.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact on CO2 emissions of the change from E5 unleaded petrol to E10.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
E10 petrol (petrol containing up to 10% bioethanol) was introduced as the standard petrol across Great Britain in September. The impact assessment published alongside the Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) and the Biofuel (Labelling) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021, which introduced E10, estimates that the change from E5 unleaded petrol to E10 is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around 0.7 to 0.8 megatonnes per year.