Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of vehicles in the car fleet for (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials are pure electric cars.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government Car Service (GCS) provide a Departmental Pool Car Service to Departments as a shared resource. Ministers have access to this service which is managed by the receiving Department. The GCS currently operates 38 battery electric cars (33% of the GCS fleet). Initial capital costs to procure battery electric cars for the GCS fleet incurred an uplift of at least 18% compared to a similar fit for purpose car.
A comparison of annual running costs is not held at present by GCS. This is due to the fact that the electric battery fleet is charged at multiple locations across numerous Government departments, and that data is not recorded. However, in many cases, electric vehicles continue to benefit from significant savings on the cost of fuel. Charging a medium sized electric car at rates equivalent to the January 2024 electricity price cap equates to around half the cost of filling up an equivalent petrol vehicle. In addition to this, electric vehicles generally cost less to maintain due to fewer moving parts than their petrol or diesel equivalents.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much grant money has been given to (a) the Mayor of London and (b) London boroughs for (i) ULEZ and (ii) active travel schemes.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, decisions on spending are entirely matters for TfL and/or the London boroughs where funding is devolved at the borough level.
No grant money has been given to the Mayor of London for his recent expansion of ULEZ, indeed the department specifically prohibited the use of government-provided funds for it.
In 2020/21, government allocated TfL and London Boroughs £25m from the Active Travel Fund and has since required TfL to ring-fence set amounts of funding for active travel schemes, including funding for London Boroughs under the local implementation plan process, in the extraordinary funding settlements with TfL throughout the Covid era.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what grants were provided by his Department to Wokingham Borough Council in the (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24 financial year; and how much was awarded in each grant.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Wokingham Borough Council have received the following grants from the Department for Transport:
Grant | FY 2022-23 | FY 2023-24 to date |
Bus Recovery Grant – Local Transport Fund | £225,225.24 | £131,792.39 |
Enhanced Bus Partnership Capacity (Revenue) Grant 2022/23 | £171,000.00 | - |
Bus Service Improvement Plan | £200,661.00 | £200,661.00 |
Bus Service Operators Grant Local Authorities | £111,461.00 | £111,461.00 |
Local Authorities Capability Fund | £127,359.00 | £63,680.00 |
Local Authorities Infrastructure Fund | £578,805.00 | £27,410.00 |
On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme | £130,125.00 | - |
Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capability Fund | £50,670 | £115,620 |
Budget 2023 Maintenance Funding | - | £589,000 |
Maintenance funding uplift from HS2 Euston savings | - | £418,000 |
Wokingham Borough Council was also allocated for 2022 to 2025 (3 years) the following grant awards: Pothole Fund £1.473m, Highways Maintenance Block £1.841m and Integrated Transport Block £0.740m.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) market surveys and (b) other research his Department conducted before setting mandatory percentages for future electric vehicle sales.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport consulted three times on the design of a zero emission vehicle mandate, including the zero emission vehicle targets for cars and vans. Manufacturers representing 96% of new cars sold in the UK and 95% of new vans were engaged as part of this process and gave detailed feedback. A full cost benefit analysis was published alongside the final consultation in March 2023, with a revised final cost benefit analysis published in October 2023 alongside the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order 2023.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on fining UK car manufacturers who sell too many petrol and diesel cars of levels of demand for battery vehicles.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport consulted extensively with vehicle manufacturers and as a result, the zero emission vehicle targets are ambitious but achievable.
The mandate will help cut the cost of zero emission vehicle cars by giving manufacturers the certainty they need to transition production. In doing so, this will help more and more people save money on their motoring with the cheaper driving they provide, whilst reducing our reliance on imported oil and helping to deliver our ambitious emission reduction targets.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department plans to provide to Wokingham Borough Council for (a) fixing potholes and (b) other road maintenance in the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department will provide Wokingham Borough Council with a total of £8.053 million for highways maintenance activities over the two years in question. The funding can be spent on activities including (a) fixing potholes and (b) other road maintenance in the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial years.
A Written Ministerial Statement has been laid in both Houses, and the Secretary of State has written out to Parliamentary colleagues advising them of the uplift to highways maintenance funding. In addition, officials from my Department will be writing out to all Chief Executives confirming their grant funding allocations shortly.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on the number of 20 mph speed limit zones in effect in England as of 13 June 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Local authorities have the power to set 20mph zones (which have traffic calming) and 20mph limits (which rely on signage).
No central record is kept of the number or length of 20mph zones and limits in England.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to promote the uptake of electric cars by Government departments..
Answered by Jesse Norman
Decarbonising road transport is critical to delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions and the Government has an important leadership role to play in driving this transition.
As of September 2022, over 25% of the cars and vans in the central government fleet were ultra-low emission vehicles, delivering this target well ahead of the Government’s December 2022 deadline. The Government is now going even further and has committed to its car and van fleet being fully zero emission at the tailpipe by 31 December 2027. Departmental officials are working with colleagues from the Crown Commercial Service and Energy Saving Trust to provide other government departments with advice and guidance to support them to deliver this commitment.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Government Car Service's policy is on the (a) type of fuel used and (b) country of origin when procuring new cars for its fleet.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has raised its ambition for its own vehicle fleet, and committed for 100% of its car and van fleet to be zero emission by 31 December 2027.
GCS is working towards this aim, and as vehicles become due for replacement GCS are procured zero emission or compliant ULEV vehicles with a balance between battery electric and petrol hybrid vehicles.
Working within Procurement rules, GCS endeavours to support UK based manufacturers subject to operational requirements. It now operates a fleet of which 71% are zero emission, ultra-low emission or low emission vehicles. This is achieved through a blend of battery electric and petrol hybrids.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the the adequacy of the (a) range, (b) security and (c) comfort of electric vehicles procured by the Government Car Service for Government use.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government Car Service (GCS) now operates 38 battery electric cars.
(a) The range of these cars is more than adequate for most journeys, whilst other vehicles are available if needed for longer journeys.
(b) The security of GCS vehicles and their passengers is a priority. Various modifications are made to these vehicles prior to entering service.
(c) All vehicles procured by GCS are evaluated for fitness for purpose to enable Ministers to work in reasonable comfort while travelling.