Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate toilet and washing facilities for HGV drivers.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
On 24 November Transport Minister launched the HGV parking and driver welfare grant-scheme.
The Department will be investing £32.5 million match-funding to assist operators to improve HGV parking and facilities. This is in addition to the previously announced £20m National Highways match-funding.
These funding schemes are going towards supporting lorry parking operators to make improvements such as enhancing security, showers, toilets and eating facilities as well as possibly increasing spaces for lorry drivers.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse from the abolition of paper vehicle tax discs since their removal in 2014.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
In the first full financial year 2015-16 the actual saving to the public purse from the abolition of the paper vehicle licence was £8.9 million. In the financial year 2016-17 the actual saving was £8.5 million. This saving was anticipated to be a recurring annual figure.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the matter in which the private parking industry is using its access to DVLA records.
Answered by Robert Courts
The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details to third parties in certain limited circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards. This includes the release of information to help manage parking on private land.
To ensure motorists are treated fairly, the DVLA will only provide information to private parking companies that are members of an appropriate accredited trade association and adhere to an enforceable code of practice. The DVLA audits external data users to ensure information is requested and used appropriately.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2022 to Question 40733, on Petrol: Ethanol, what is the current percentage of biofuels that are (a) waste-derived and (b) crop-based.
Answered by Robert Courts
The feedstock used to produce biofuel rewarded under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) is reported by suppliers and published quarterly on gov.uk.
The latest full year’s verified data indicates that in 2020, seventy-seven percent of biofuels were derived from wastes and residues and twenty-three per cent were crop-based.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the current world food shortages, if he will reassess the requirement for ethanol content in petrol.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We regularly review measures promoting low carbon fuels to ensure that they deliver cost effective carbon reductions. Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, we promote waste-derived biofuels and reduce the volume of crop-based biofuels that can count towards supplier targets.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new buses and coaches were registered last year (a) in total and (b) by system of propulsion.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The numbers of buses and coaches1 registered for the first time in the United Kingdom by propulsion / fuel type is given in the following table.
Year | Petrol | Diesel | Gas2 | Battery Electric | Other3 | TOTAL |
2021(to end-September only) | 52 | 3,053 | 1 | 236 | 52 | 3,394 |
Source: DfT / DVLA
1 Based on DVLA body type for buses and coaches, which also includes minibuses. The DVLA body type does not necessarily relate to how vehicles are used.
2 Includes gas, gas bi-fuel, petrol/gas and diesel/gas.
3 Includes hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, new fuel technologies, fuel cells and steam.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made contact with the Government of UAE regarding the recent actions of Dubai Ports-owned P&O.
Answered by Robert Courts
The Secretary of State has not as yet made contact with the Government of the UAE in relation to the recent actions of P&O. However, both myself and the Secretary of State have been in contact with P&O Ferries.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held discussions with the Government of Cyprus on the recent actions of P&O Ferries.
Answered by Robert Courts
The Secretary of State has not as yet held discussions with the Government of Cyprus in relation to the recent actions of P&O Ferries. However, both myself and the Secretary of State have been in contact with P&O Ferries.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on funding orders for hydrogen-fuelled buses.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department remains committed to supporting the roll out of zero emission buses (ZEBs) and is providing over £525m funding over this parliament.
The Government’s approach to the delivery of the ZEBs will be technology neutral. The £270m Zero Emission Bus Regional Area scheme is due to announce winners from the standard process in Spring 2022, having announced winners from the fast track process in October 2021. Local areas were able to apply for funding for both battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses depending on which technology is best suited to their local areas.
The Government has supported the introduction of hydrogen buses through the previous Low and Ultra Low Emission Bus funding schemes. Through these schemes, Government provided over £4.8m to a joint bid between Birmingham City Council and Transport for London for 40 hydrogen double decker buses. In addition, Government provided over £4.3m to Brighton and Hove Buses for a further 20 hydrogen buses.
Funding from other funding schemes, such as the Transforming Cities Fund and City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements, can also be used by local areas to support the introduction of ZEBs. 20 hydrogen buses are being supported in the Liverpool City Region through funding from the Transforming Cities Fund.
The Government will also increase the rate at which the Bus Service Operators Grant can be claimed for ZEBs to 22p per km, further incentivising and supporting the uptake of battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve roadside facilities for HGV drivers.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government recognises the need to ensure hauliers have access to appropriate services and facilities.
We will be investing £32.5 million in roadside facilities for HGV drivers on the road.
The Department continues to engage with key stakeholders to encourage the development of more safe, secure, and high-quality lorry parking to improve driver welfare.