Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport on the level of nitrogen dioxide emissions in (i) Greater London and (ii) the South East.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.
On 27 February the Secretary of State has said she is ‘minded to approve’ the expansion of Gatwick Airport. Gatwick Airport is now asked to respond to the Secretary of State on the matters raised by 24 April 2025. The Secretary of State will make her final decision on or before 27 October. As this is a live planning application and the Secretary of State has a quasi-judicial role in this process we therefore cannot comment on it further.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Heathrow airport expansion on trends in the level of particulate matter.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.
On 27 February the Secretary of State has said she is ‘minded to approve’ the expansion of Gatwick Airport. Gatwick Airport is now asked to respond to the Secretary of State on the matters raised by 24 April 2025. The Secretary of State will make her final decision on or before 27 October. As this is a live planning application and the Secretary of State has a quasi-judicial role in this process we therefore cannot comment on it further.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) statistical and (b) land registry authorities on the availability of land for use as public (i) walkways and (ii) cycleways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not had any such discussions. It is a matter for individual local authorities to establish what land is available in their areas for public walkways and cycleways.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional miles of (a) public footpaths, (b) bridleways, (c) restricted byways and (d) other public walkways and cycleways her Department plans to deliver by 2030.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of miles of disused rail lines that could be developed into (a) cycleways and (b) walkways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of dedicated (a) cycleways and (b) walkways on the economy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of dedicated (a) cycleways and (b) walkways on public health.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help increase the availability of toilet facilities for HGV drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and industry are jointly investing up to £43.5 million to upgrade truckstops across England. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network.
This investment is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and eating facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.
National Highways does not maintain records on the number of toilet facilities across its network. These facilities are operated commercially by private entities, who are responsible for ensuring they comply with legislative requirements and meet customer needs.
All Motorway Service Areas, Motorway Rest Areas, All-Purpose Trunk Road Service Areas, Motorway Truck Stops, Truck Stops on All-Purpose Trunk Roads and Truck Stops which benefit from signs from the strategic road network must provide free parking for a minimum of 2 hours for all vehicles permitted to use the facility and free-to-use toilets with hand washing facilities.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many free toilet facilities there are on the road network managed by National Highways; and how many and what proportion of these are accessible for HGVs.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and industry are jointly investing up to £43.5 million to upgrade truckstops across England. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network.
This investment is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and eating facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.
National Highways does not maintain records on the number of toilet facilities across its network. These facilities are operated commercially by private entities, who are responsible for ensuring they comply with legislative requirements and meet customer needs.
All Motorway Service Areas, Motorway Rest Areas, All-Purpose Trunk Road Service Areas, Motorway Truck Stops, Truck Stops on All-Purpose Trunk Roads and Truck Stops which benefit from signs from the strategic road network must provide free parking for a minimum of 2 hours for all vehicles permitted to use the facility and free-to-use toilets with hand washing facilities.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on steps to improve the mental health of HGV drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Health and Safety Executive launched their Working Minds campaign in the transport sector, partnered with the Road Haulage Association. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the legal duty to prevent work-related stress and provides support and resources including risk assessment templates, examples and practical toolkits.
The Department regularly engages with stakeholders to discuss matters of concern to the industry, including those relating to driver wellbeing.
To improve the working conditions of HGV drivers while on the road, the department and industry are jointly investing up to £43.5 million to upgrade truckstops across England. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network.