Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to improve the efficiency of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to use its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.
However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation to safely maximise the number of staff on site and is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible.
Together with the ending of industrial action, these measures are having a positive impact. The queues are reducing, and customers will continue to see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the future of UK car mileage in the context of (a) the National Travel Survey finding that 25 per cent of car mileage is for commuting purposes and (b) ONS data from April 2020 showing that 47 per cent of people did some work at home.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
There is significant uncertainty about the impact of COVID-19 on road travel demand. The Department continues to closely monitor the impact of the pandemic and to develop tools to understand and present this uncertainty alongside other drivers of future demand such as technological change and population change.
The Department has commissioned a programme of social and behavioural research to understand the impacts of the pandemic on people’s travel behavior. This includes changes in the behaviours that drive travel demand, such as working from home, and a longitudinal survey to track changes in behaviour during the pandemic as well as people’s intentions going forward.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental effect of (a) scrubber technology and (b) marine sulphur dumping on UK coastlines.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have a significant effect on the marine environment.
All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.
Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has carried out any assessment of the effect of emissions from older diesel locomotives on public health.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential effects on cleanliness of engines of retrofitting cleaner diesel engines into older trains and locomotives.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential effects on cleanliness of engines of retrofitting cleaner diesel engines into older trains and locomotives.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has carried out any assessment of the effect of emissions from older diesel locomotives on public health.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of vehicles in the Government car service are ultra-low emission vehicles.
Answered by John Hayes
Currently 8.33% of the Government Car Service fleet are ultra-low emission vehicles. This consists of six Nissan LEAF electric and one Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell. By way of context, across the whole of the UK around 1.5% of 2017 new car registrations were ultra-low emission vehicles registrations (up to September 2017). In addition, 25% of the fleet are petrol hybrid vehicles.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of the use of AdBlue in road transport on the (a) carbon footprint of AdBlue production and (b) level of carbon dioxide emissions.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is committed to ensuring that the transport sector plays a full part in delivering the emissions reductions needed to meet the Climate Change Act (2008) target for an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.
The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the Carbon Dioxide emissions of Adblue production or use. Officials regularly review the emerging evidence on carbon dioxide emissions and, where found to be material, will adjust forecasts and policy to reflect this.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce street clutter.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport (DfT) has always advocated minimising street clutter as it is unsightly, and can cause navigational difficulties for some groups.
Overuse of street furniture can create a cluttered environment, though where it is placed is a matter for local councils. However, the Department has published a range of guidance covering all aspects of street design, which stresses the importance of providing uncluttered environments. These include Inclusive Mobility, Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/13: Reducing Sign Clutter, and the Manual for Streets.
Traffic signs can also contribute to clutter. In 2016 DfT revised the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) to give local councils more flexibility in what signs they place and where. The Circular published alongside the TSRGD highlights these changes and makes it clear that the Department expects authorities to make use of these to reduce the amount of clutter on the roads.
Outdoor advertisements, such as ‘A’ boards, are controlled by local planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Placing ‘A’ boards on highways (including footways) where vehicular traffic is prohibited requires express advertisement consent from the local planning authority, and the consent of the relevant highway authority under section 115E of the Highways Act 1980.