Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a graduated driving license.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We have had to strike a balance between protecting young people and not overly impacting their opportunities to access work and education and social activities.
Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driver Licensing with further restrictions on newly qualified drivers such as carrying passengers or driving at night, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test.
This would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and so reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers.
We know that introducing a Minimum Learning Period has potential to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries. This is why we are consulting on the introduction of pre-test measures and combining these with the post-test measures already in place through the New Drivers Act.
The New Drivers Act has a form of “probationary period” of 2 years for novice drivers of all ages in Great Britain. During this time, instead of the standard 12 points, if 6 or more points are received, including in the learning period, a driver's licence is revoked and they must apply again for a provisional licence, re-entering the learning stage.
Additionally, we are considering further post-test measures as part of the motoring offences consultation, where views are being sought on a lower blood alcohol limit for novice drivers in England and Wales.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what evidence her Department considered on graduated driving licenses as part of the Road Safety Strategy; and whether she will publish that evidence.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We used published and publicly available evidence in developing young driver policy in the Road Safety Strategy.
Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driver Licensing with further restrictions on newly qualified drivers such as carrying passengers or driving at night, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test.
We know that introducing a Minimum Learning Period has potential to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries. This is why we are consulting on the introduction of pre-test measures and combining these with the post-test measures already in place through the New Drivers Act.
Additionally, we are considering further post-test measures as part of the motoring offences consultation, where views are being sought on a lower blood alcohol limit for novice drivers in England and Wales.
Once the consultations have concluded, we will publish our responses in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57937 on Roads: Closures, whether her Department has considered introducing a centralised digital platform to improve transparency and real-time coordination between (a) statutory undertakers, (b) HS2 Ltd and (c) local authorities during roadworks planning and implementation.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My department has already introduced Street Manager, our digital service that is used by all highway authorities and statutory undertakers in England. Our online service allows highway authorities to plan and manage street and road works on their road network. HS2 Ltd also uses this service. We stream open data on live and planned works that is made available to the public via apps and websites.
Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) can be used during works to regulate or restrict use of a road. My department has been developing a central publication platform, known as D-TRO (digital TRO service). The service will improve efficiency and provide real time updates on restrictions. It is currently in private beta testing with a selection of authorities.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57937 on Roads: Closures, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street and Road Works in reducing levels of disruption caused by overlapping works from (a) statutory bodies and (b) HS2 Ltd.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My department provides the statutory code of practice for the co-ordination of street and road works. It is not possible to assess the effectiveness of this code of practice alone in reducing disruption. The code of practice is one tool amongst many others, including other legislation, statutory guidance and guidance that enables highway authorities to coordinate works on their network and reduce disruption caused by overlapping works.
HS2 Ltd also use a range of mitigation measures to manage disruption across the route and keep local communities informed. To help coordinate works with other parties in the area, HS2 Ltd uses traffic management plans, and holds regular local traffic liaison meetings with highway authorities along the route.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57937 on Roads: Closures, what mechanisms are in place to ensure accountability when coordination between HS2 Ltd and local authorities fails to prevent avoidable road closures or extended disruption.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Highway authorities have a duty to coordinate works on the highway. HS2 Ltd holds regular local traffic liaison meetings with highway authorities to assist with this. Whilst traffic disruption is inevitable on a project of HS2’s scale, HS2 Ltd is committed to ensuring that this is minimised as far as reasonably practicable. This includes ensuring that any plans for road closures or works that may cause extended disruption are scrutinised carefully to ensure that they cannot be avoided and that appropriate mitigations are put in place.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the transport infrastructure needs of South Northamptonshire in the context of (a) the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor and (b) the aims of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published on 23 June 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Growth Corridor has been identified as a key priority for this Government with South Northamptonshire included within this corridor. Lord Vallance, appointed as the OxCam Champion, is exploring options for how best to deliver economic growth across the whole corridor, which includes considering improved transport infrastructure for the area.
South Northamptonshire’s strengths in Advanced Manufacturing, particularly around the Silverstone Technology Cluster also means it stands to benefit from measures set out in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure effective coordination between (a) statutory bodies, (b) water companies, (c) HS2 Ltd and (d) local authorities to help reduce disruption when (i) planning and (ii) implementing road closures.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Sections 59 and 60 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 places a duty on local highway authorities and statutory undertakers (including water companies) to co-ordinate works in order minimise inconvenience for road users and for safety. This is supported by the Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street and Road Works produced by my Department to ensure that, although there will always be some disruption from road and street works, these are minimised. Where road closures are unavoidable as part of construction of HS2, contractors work closely with relevant local highway authorities to minimise disruption to local communities.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric charging vehicle points there are in South Northamptonshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As of 1st April 2025, there were 112 public electric vehicle charging devices in the South Northamptonshire constituency.
Data on public electric vehicle charging devices in the UK are held by the Department for Transport, and are sourced from the electric vehicle charging platform Zapmap. Charging devices not recorded on Zapmap are not included and the true number of charging devices may be slightly higher than recorded in these figures.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to improve road safety on the A5 in South Northamptonshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government takes road safety very seriously and reducing those killed and injured on our roads is a key priority. National Highways is currently progressing a safety study on the A5 in South Northamptonshire. The study covers the stretch of the A5 from A508 Roundabout in Stony Stratford to Fosters Booth Junction. Work is funded for the study and early feasibility design phase within the 2025/26 financial year. Funding for the detailed design and on-site implementation would be considered as part of planning the next Road Investment Period.
For the A43, a further three studies are being carried out during the 2025/26 financial year. If a cost-effective improvement that reduces injury collisions is deemed feasible at these sites, funding to deliver the interventions would also be considered as part of setting the next Road Investment Period.
The three study locations are as follows:
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve road safety on the A43 in South Northamptonshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government takes road safety very seriously and reducing those killed and injured on our roads is a key priority. National Highways is currently progressing a safety study on the A5 in South Northamptonshire. The study covers the stretch of the A5 from A508 Roundabout in Stony Stratford to Fosters Booth Junction. Work is funded for the study and early feasibility design phase within the 2025/26 financial year. Funding for the detailed design and on-site implementation would be considered as part of planning the next Road Investment Period.
For the A43, a further three studies are being carried out during the 2025/26 financial year. If a cost-effective improvement that reduces injury collisions is deemed feasible at these sites, funding to deliver the interventions would also be considered as part of setting the next Road Investment Period.
The three study locations are as follows: