Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2445 on Tolls, if she will commission research on pay per mile charge schemes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There are no pay-per-mile road charges in the UK, and the Department has no plans to commission research into pay-per-mile road charging schemes.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to manage HGV traffic to Dover in addition to the use of (a) Operation Brock and (b) Brenley Corner.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) is responsible for operational decision making on traffic management measures in response to disruption at Eurotunnel and/or the Port of Dover. The KMRF have well-practised tactical plans in place, including Operation Brock.
The traffic management at Brenley Corner at the M2/A2 interchange is a key measure in order to help stop freight using undesignated routes to Dover when they should be using the M20 and into the M20 Brock contraflow. This has played a crucial role throughout this summer where we saw many HGV drivers trying to bypass the measures on the M20.
While these measures help to mitigate against the worst of any disruption, the Department still recognises the impact disruption has on local residents, businesses, hauliers, and passengers. Therefore, the Department is working with the KMRF and other local stakeholders to continually improve how traffic management plans operate.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to implement an alternative to Operation Brock in summer 2024.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) is responsible for operational decision making on traffic management measures in response to disruption at Eurotunnel and/or the Port of Dover. The KMRF have well-practised tactical plans in place, including Operation Brock.
The traffic management at Brenley Corner at the M2/A2 interchange is a key measure in order to help stop freight using undesignated routes to Dover when they should be using the M20 and into the M20 Brock contraflow. This has played a crucial role throughout this summer where we saw many HGV drivers trying to bypass the measures on the M20.
While these measures help to mitigate against the worst of any disruption, the Department still recognises the impact disruption has on local residents, businesses, hauliers, and passengers. Therefore, the Department is working with the KMRF and other local stakeholders to continually improve how traffic management plans operate.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will continue to fund improvements to (a) Brenley Corner and (b) Bluebell Hill.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs.
On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council received an additional £4.296 million for highways maintenance, on top of the over £34 million it typically receives as part of the SR21 3-year settlement. Further funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.
In addition, in her statement on 29 July, the Chancellor announced that the Department for Transport will review its capital roads portfolio over the summer.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide additional funding to fill in potholes in Kent.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs.
On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council received an additional £4.296 million for highways maintenance, on top of the over £34 million it typically receives as part of the SR21 3-year settlement. Further funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.
In addition, in her statement on 29 July, the Chancellor announced that the Department for Transport will review its capital roads portfolio over the summer.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the potential impacts of (i) pay per mile road charging and (ii) similar schemes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department has not undertaken or commissioned any such research since the conclusion of the road pricing demonstrations project in 2011.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for road improvements at (a) Blue Bell Hill, (b) Brenley Corner and (c) other roads in Kent.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs.
On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council received an additional £4.296 million for highways maintenance, on top of the over £34 million it typically receives as part of the SR21 3-year settlement. Further funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.
In addition, in her statement on 29 July, the Chancellor announced that the Department for Transport will review its capital roads portfolio over the summer.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has plans to increase the number of clean air zones.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Clean Air Zones (CAZ) are road user charging measures that local authorities in the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Programme introduced to address NO2 exceedances. Local authorities lead the development of plans to improve air quality, which are then assessed by Government. CAZ have been implemented by local authorities where modelling has shown them to achieve NO2 compliance in the shortest possible time. The majority of the local authorities in the programme have agreed their local plans. Greater Manchester’s CAZ remains under review.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has plans to increase the number of roads with 20 mph speed limits.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The power to introduce 20mph limits on roads in England rests with local authorities.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to (a) consider further introductions of and (b) increase the use of (i) congestion, (ii) ultra low emission zone and (iii) pay per mile road charges.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Local highway authorities in England have the powers to introduce road charging schemes. They do not require ministerial or parliamentary approval for such schemes. There are no pay-per-mile road charges currently in the UK.