Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of pausing Midland Main Line electrification on rail supply chain companies in the East Midlands.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am aware that a clear pipeline of infrastructure investment supports the supply chain in planning resources effectively and ensures skilled workers can be retained. While further electrification of the Midland Main Line has been paused, there is still significant investment being made in rail. The Spending Review has ensured an affordable and credible network-wide programme of works has been established to support the Government’s mission to improve the railway for passengers and freight operators.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) the Home Department and (b) Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the proposed new Chinese embassy on traffic disruption.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There have been no discussions on the potential impact of the proposed new Chinese embassy on traffic disruption. Responsibility for managing London's road network is shared between Transport for London, National Highways, and the 32 London boroughs, plus the City of London. These bodies are responsible for considering traffic impacts on their roads.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a public awareness campaign to encourage more drivers to replace (a) faulty and (b) broken indicator lights.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Modern vehicles are fitted with a mandatory tell-tale lamp to indicate whether the direction indicators are functioning properly. Statistics show that there are on average 146 collisions per year where defective lamps and indicators were considered to be a contributory factor. Direction indicator lamps are routinely checked at the annual MOT and the police are empowered to stop vehicles with defective lamps. Annex 6 of The Highway Code contains information on vehicle maintenance and makes it clear that special care should be taken to ensure that lights are working and are kept clean and clear.
THINK!, the Government’s flagship road safety campaign, prioritises budget where it can have most impact on reducing deaths and serious injuries, based on reviewing audience attitudes, statistics and alignment with issues that are prioritised by the police, such as drink driving and speeding. The campaign focuses on young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over.
We continue to adapt and evolve our campaign strategy based on data and insight and support a wider range of road safety messages via our partners and brand channels.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to bring forward regulations to require all road cyclists to wear an approved safety helmet.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Highway Code recommends that cyclists should wear helmets. The Government encourages cyclists, particularly children, to do so, but has no plans to make this a legal requirement. The safety benefits of mandating helmets would be likely to be outweighed by the fact that it would put some people off cycling, thereby reducing the wider health and environmental benefits.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allocating 10% of the transport budget to active travel.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Investment in active travel will play a key part in delivering the Government’s economic growth, health and net zero emissions by helping to revitalise high streets, improve air quality and enable people to live longer, healthier lives.
On 12 February, the Government announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6. This will help local authorities to provide high-quality and easily accessible active travel schemes across England and will enable more children to walk and cycle to school. Decisions on future funding for active travel, as well as on other areas of transport expenditure, will be taken as part of the Government’s Spending Review.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable parking enforcement debt collection practices.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
To ensure an enforcement regime that is fair and proportionate, the Department for Transport published the ‘Statutory guidance for local authorities in England on civil enforcement of parking contraventions’, which sets out the appropriate debt collection practices together with links to the applicable legislation. Local authorities in England with civil parking enforcement powers must have regard to this statutory guidance under Section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. Matters relating to private parking and local authority operated off-street car parks are the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) regulate delivery drivers working for food delivery companies to ensure they are using roads and pavements safely.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Everyone who drives, rides or cycles, including delivery drivers and riders, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code. They must also hold the necessary registration, tax, licence and appropriate insurance for driving or riding the vehicle they are using: if they do not, they may be liable for prosecution. Enforcement of these rules is a matter for the police.
Employers have a duty to manage the safety of their employees, and their employees in turn have a responsibility to drive, ride or cycle appropriately and to comply with relevant laws.
Last month, the Minister for Local Transport wrote to the main food delivery companies to remind them of their obligations, and of the importance the Government places on the safety of all road users. The Department will consider next steps in the light of the responses received to the letter.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that parking enforcement debt collection practices are equitable.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Local authorities may only charge reasonable costs in relation to fees for enforcement agents, these are clearly set out in the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014. Enforcement agents responsible for executing warrants of control on behalf of local authorities are obliged to follow the code set out in part 3 of, and schedule 12 to, the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. In addition, the Department issues statutory guidance to local authorities on the use of enforcement agents. Debt collection in respect of private parking operators is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the formal response to the public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to create a new category for vehicles that park four wheels on pavements.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on measures for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. We are assessing all options and will publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.
The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which organisation is responsible for (a) litter collection and (b) tree management along the A52 in Nottinghamshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Responsibility for litter collection on the A52 in Nottinghamshire lies with the local authorities in the area, in this case that is Broxtowe Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council.
National Highways is responsible for tree management on the A52 in Nottinghamshire, this includes cyclical inspections of trees within National Highways ownership and can include third party trees that are identified as being a significant and imminent hazard to the Strategic Road Network.