Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of ensuring that companies that sub-contract vehicles to (a) delivery, (b) utility and (c) construction companies display the livery of (i) their organisation and (ii) the organisation to which they have subcontracted their vehicles on (A) road and (B) public safety.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There are no requirements in the goods vehicle operator licensing regime for vehicles used by delivery companies, utility companies, or construction companies to have livery displaying the details of the owning business, and the company using the vehicles at the time.
The goods vehicle operator licensing regime applies to vehicles weighing 3.5 tonnes or more used domestically, and those weighing more than 2.5 tonnes used for the purposes of hire and reward in the European Union.
Vehicles subject to operator licensing must have a disc with the operator licence number displayed. This can be checked on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-operators to identify the operator responsible for the operation of the vehicle, and the type of licence held.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take enforcement action against UK-based retailers that are selling imported electric scooters which perform at road speeds beyond the permitted limits.
Answered by Anthony Browne
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require child passengers on bicycles to wear a safety helmet.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department recommends that cyclists should wear helmets, as set out in The Highway Code, and will continue to encourage children to wear helmets. A comprehensive safety review carried out in 2018 considered the benefits of mandating helmet wearing for cyclists of all ages but concluded that the safety benefits would be likely to be outweighed by the fact that this would put some people off cycling, thereby reducing the wider health and environmental benefits
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the (a) Directors of Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway and (b) Chief Executive of the Office of Rail and Road on the inclusion of Wellington in Shropshire in future services operated by Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway.
Answered by Huw Merriman
As part of the Industry Consultation, conducted by Network Rail, the Department for Transport reviewed the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway and was supportive in principle of this application. Department for Transport officials have engaged with Directors at Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway and will continue to do so.
Passenger open access operators are train operators that run services without contractual arrangements or direct support from Government. Decisions on access to the rail network are a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in its role as independent regulator for the rail industry and the Department for Transport is unable to direct the ORR in its decision making. Should Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway wish to include Wellington in Shropshire in future open access proposals they will need to apply to the ORR in the usual manner.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will redirect funding that would have otherwise been used for the cancelled phase 2 of HS2 to electrification of the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line.
Answered by Huw Merriman
I am aware of and grateful for Midlands Connect’s Strategic Outline Business Case which sets out the case for the electrification of the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line, as well as work from other local parties to identify and promote improvements to the line.
We are committed to a rail infrastructure portfolio which delivers benefits for rail users and value for money for the taxpayer. Individual schemes are assessed on their alignment with Government priorities and the strength of their business cases in line with the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline policy.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to prevent the use of modified car exhausts which generate excessive noise.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department has been trialling noise camera technology to understand if it can be used to automatically detect when vehicles are excessively noisy, such as when car exhausts have been modified. As set out in the Government’s recent Plan for Drivers, the Department intends to publish the findings of the trial shortly and issue guidance to local authorities setting out minimum requirements and best practice for the use of noise cameras
Compliance with vehicle standards is monitored by the Department’s Market Surveillance Unit based in the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Current and past market surveillance activity includes targeted investigation of both illegal vehicle modifications in respect of exhaust replacement and of the legality of silencers which form part of the exhaust system. Prosecutions will be taken where there is sufficient evidence to do so. There are currently cases of this type in the court system waiting to be heard.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce legislative proposals to ensure that gig economy delivery companies are responsible for (a) the roadworthiness of delivery vehicles and (b) the driving standards of delivery drivers who use their delivery app platforms.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Vehicles used for deliveries weighing over 3.5 tonnes are subject to the annual roadworthiness test and also fall under operator licensing requirements. Those vehicles used by delivery drivers weighing 3.5 tonnes or less are also subject to annual roadworthiness checks under what is commonly known as the MOT test. All drivers of goods vehicles used for commercial purposes are subject to the relevant drivers’ hours regulations.
Vehicles used on the public road are required by law to be in a roadworthy condition.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) availability and (b) reliability of electric vehicle charging points on (i) public roads and (ii) the (A) central and (B) local government estate in (1) Shropshire, (2) Telford and (3) Wrekin.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is supporting local authorities in England through its £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund.
Shropshire Council has been allocated £2,006,000 of capital funding and £362,000 of capability funding through the LEVI Fund, to transform the availability of charging infrastructure across the area, including in Telford and the Wrekin.
Since 2017, local authorities across the UK have also been able to apply to the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS). Over 190 local authorities have been awarded grants through ORCS, which will help to support the installation of more than 18,000 chargepoints. Telford and Wrekin Council have been awarded £682,370 for the installation of 70 chargepoints, and Shropshire Council have been awarded a total of £992,330 for the installation of 150 chargepoints across two projects.
The Government has also laid regulations to improve the consumer experience across the public charging network and has published accompanying guidance. The regulations mandate open data to ensure that consumers can locate the right chargepoints for their needs, mandate 99 per cent reliability across each rapid charging network, and will ensure that a 24/7-hour helpline is available across the entire public charging network.
Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) and infrastructure grants are also available for local government estates. Eligible applicants can get up to 75% off the total costs of purchase and installation, capped at £350 per socket.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission research on the (a) potential impact and (b) prevalence of interference of 5G technology on the radio bandwidth of aircraft navigation systems.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is aware of the concerns around 5G and is actively monitoring any potential risk of 5G interference to radio navigation aids both nationally and internationally.
The risk of aircraft equipment failure remains inherently low but is under constant review. To date no UK or international reports of radio altimeter failure have been directly attributed to 5G technology. The CAA has issued a Safety Notice across the industry and continues to monitor any concerns that the 5G network could affect equipment onboard aircraft. It will keep this under review and update it to reflect UK and international developments.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps with (a) Network Rail and (b) train operating companies to help reduce pedestrian safety incidents on level crossings in Shropshire.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Department provided £34.7bn in direct funding to Network Rail to be spent in the period 2019-2024 on the operation, maintenance, and renewal of the mainline railway, including level crossings. In Shropshire, level crossings have directly benefited from funding to improve user safety, which has included the closure of 10 of the highest risk level crossings and the installation of overlay miniature stop lights at several crossings across the County, including Saltmoor, Stokeswood and Micklewood level crossings, amongst others. In implementing these measures, Network Rail has collaborated closely with lineside neighbours, local authorities, train operators and level crossing managers to identify risks, so that they can be addressed quickly, for example by installing new surfaces, clearing vegetation and improving access for users.