Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a new link road between the A66 and junction 59 of the A1.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
National Highways and Tees Valley Combined Authority have worked closely on developing proposals for a Darlington Northern Link Road, connecting the A66 and Junction 59 of the A1. The work to date will form part of the canon of evidence informing the Investment Plan for the third Road Investment Strategy or future road periods beyond 2025.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a new link road between the A66 and Junction 59 of the A1 for connectivity in Darlington.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
National Highways and Tees Valley Combined Authority have worked closely on developing proposals for a Darlington Northern Link Road, connecting the A66 and Junction 59 of the A1. The work to date will form part of the canon of evidence informing the Investment Plan for the third Road Investment Strategy or future road periods beyond 2025.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on re-establishing a passenger service along the Weardale line in County Durham.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The £500m Restoring Your Railway Fund is supporting over 45 promising schemes with the potential to level up areas and reconnect communities. The Department has now received the scheme’s Strategic Outline Business Case and will review it in the coming months.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what sources of funding her Department provides for accessibility and cosmetic improvements for historic North Road Station prior to the bicentenary of the passenger railway in 2025.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Department provides funding through the Service Contract operated by Northern Trains Limited, which acts as the Station Facilities Owner for the North Road (Darlington) station.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with (a) Highways England, (b) Darlington Borough Council and (c) North Yorkshire Council on improving safe access for cyclists on the A66 at Blackwell Bridge and Roundabout.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
National Highways recognises that improvements are needed in this area to provide safer access for cyclists. In November 2021 cycle route warning signs were installed on both A66 approaches to the Blackwell roundabout. In addition, a scheme is currently being developed to install an off-carriageway pedestrian/cycle route between the Blackwell minor road and the road to Stapleton and a new crossing point over the A66 at the Blackwell roundabout.
National Highways has been engaging with North Yorkshire County Council and Darlington Borough council throughout the development of this scheme and anticipate delivery in 2024.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to support and encourage celebrations of the bicentenary of the passenger railways in 2025.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Railways are a product of Britain’s rich history of engineering innovation and the 200-year anniversary is a nationally important moment to mark and celebrate. The DfT will work with the whole industry to make this a special event for workers and passengers alike.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to celebrate the bicentenary of the passenger Railway in 2025.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Railways are a product of Britain’s rich history of engineering innovation and the 200-year anniversary is a nationally important moment to mark and celebrate. The DfT will work with the whole industry to make this a special event for workers and passengers alike.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of Heathrow Airport on improving regional connectivity (a) in respect of Teesside Airport and (b) throughout the UK.
Answered by Robert Courts
The withdrawal of the Teesside to Heathrow route was a commercial decision, as the UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines are well placed to deliver services to their customers by responding to demand for different routes.
I encourage all parties to continue discussions to seek viable and sustainable solutions to regional connectivity.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to prevent vehicle cloning.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport understands how distressing this criminal activity can be for innocent motorists. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with the police, motor trade, vehicle data checking companies and the vehicle security industry to help combat the problem of vehicle cloning. Advice for consumers is provided on the GOV.UK website. A step-by-step guide is also available that gives a list of things to look out for to ensure that the identity of the vehicle is correct. In most cases, the DVLA only becomes aware of incidents of vehicle cloning after the crime has been committed. However, when notified, the DVLA will investigate and pass on intelligence to the police who are responsible for investigating this criminal matter.
When the DVLA is notified of a suspected cloned vehicle case, officials will investigate and where appropriate, take action to record the correct identity of the vehicle in question. The DVLA can, on request, provide a replacement registration number to anyone who has been a victim of vehicle cloning.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department takes to help protect the victims of vehicle cloning.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport understands how distressing this criminal activity can be for innocent motorists. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with the police, motor trade, vehicle data checking companies and the vehicle security industry to help combat the problem of vehicle cloning. Advice for consumers is provided on the GOV.UK website. A step-by-step guide is also available that gives a list of things to look out for to ensure that the identity of the vehicle is correct. In most cases, the DVLA only becomes aware of incidents of vehicle cloning after the crime has been committed. However, when notified, the DVLA will investigate and pass on intelligence to the police who are responsible for investigating this criminal matter.
When the DVLA is notified of a suspected cloned vehicle case, officials will investigate and where appropriate, take action to record the correct identity of the vehicle in question. The DVLA can, on request, provide a replacement registration number to anyone who has been a victim of vehicle cloning.