Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has considered designating public electric vehicle charger sites as Critical National Infrastructure.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) is defined as those facilities, systems, sites, information, people, networks and processes judged to be critical to the functioning and security of the UK. Loss or compromise of these could result in risk to life or have a significant impact on our national security, national defence, or the functioning of the state.
CNI designation within each sector, including transport, is assessed using a criticalities scale. While the rollout of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure continues at pace, it is currently not classed as CNI. The Government will continue to review this status, as the number of electric vehicle chargepoints increases.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the unavailability of localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches on (a) general aviation, (b) emergency medical services and (c) regional airports; and what steps her Department is taking to deal with the (i) economic and (ii) operational impact of the loss of European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) services at airports.
Answered by Mike Kane
Larger UK airports and many regional airports have Instrument Landing Systems in place and therefore a satellite-based augmentation system) such as European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), is primarily beneficial at smaller regional airports and General Aviation aerodromes during periods of poor weather resulting in restricted visibility. Flights that are taking place continue to do so safely, following alternative Civil Aviation Authority approved procedures.
Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) will, in the UK, be supported through a GNSS Point in Space ‘PinS’ approach to helicopter landing sites at trauma hospitals which will greatly assist in increasing the utility of air ambulance helicopters in poor visibility conditions.
Government is considering options for UK access to a satellite-based augmentation system, following our withdrawal from the EU's EGNOS system. This work is ongoing and no decision has yet been made.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome, updated on 21 November 2024, what account her Department took of the outcomes of local authority trials allowing motorcycle access to bus lanes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The consultation was designed to gather up to date information primarily from local authorities to expand the evidence base. The questions for local authorities included asking about existing levels of motorcycle use in bus lanes on their networks and what factors had been taken into account in their decision making. However, the number of local authorities responding was too small to draw useful conclusions.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 27 November 2023 to Question HL240, whether he has made an assessment of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s proposal to merge the motorcycle module 1 and module 2 tests since that date.
Answered by Guy Opperman
This is an issue in the primary control of Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The DVSA and Department for Transport officials met with representatives of the motorcycle sector at a Stakeholder Roundtable Meeting on 4 December 2023 to discuss motorcycle safety and licensing reform. Further discussions are ongoing.
There is a proposed round table with the Motorcycle Industry Association, and other key stakeholders, scheduled for May 2024.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2024 to Question 11316 on Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions, what engagement his Department plans to undertake with the L-Category industry on the development of EV charging infrastructure in the next six months.
Answered by Anthony Browne
The Department has engaged extensively with the L-Category sector since the publication of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan in July 2021 and will continue to do so to support its transition to zero emission vehicles whenever appropriate.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2023 to Question 5 on Motorcycles: Training, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s proposals to reform compulsory basic training on (a) road safety, (b) the quality of rider training and (c) rider skill levels.
Answered by Guy Opperman
In 2017 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) published its response to the Improving Motorcycle Training consultation, and committed to exploring:
updating the qualification process for motorcycle instructors
updating the content and structure of the compulsory basic training (CBT) syllabus
strengthening the quality assurance scheme for motorcycle instructors
Officials met with key representatives of the motorcycle organisations on 4 December 2023 to discuss motorcycle safety. The next round table meeting, which is scheduled for 8 May 2024, will consider and explore:
taking forward reforms to motorcycle CBT and testing
the Motorcycle Industry Association's request for a wider review of licensing for L category vehicles as set out in the ‘A Net License to Zero’ proposals and action plan
licence reforms
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that Ukrainian driving licences remain valid 12 months after entry to the UK; whether they will be required to take a test to exchange the licence for a GB equivalent; and what support is being given to help with the process of exchanging to a GB equivalent.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Ukrainian driving licences are already valid for 12 months in Great Britain for driving most cars and motorcycles, and can be exchanged without test for a UK licence. Work is ongoing in respect of Ukrainian bus and lorry licences. Following this question, I have asked officials to consider whether there are further measures we might take in this regard.