Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of smart motorway on the M1 were covered by stopped vehicle detection technology in (a) March and (b) December 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Since March 2020, six emergency areas have been constructed as part of the upgrade project between J13 and J16, which is currently in construction. These emergency areas will come into use when the first section of this project (Junction 13 to Newport Pagnell services) opens to traffic in Spring 2022. There are currently no other All Lane Running (ALR) upgrade schemes on other stretches of the M1 that have entered into design since March 2020.
The Government’s Smart Motorway Safety Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan asked Highways England to accelerate its plans and install stopped vehicle detection technology (SVD) on ALR motorways within the next 36 months. The roll out of SVD is planned across the network by March 2023. Page 29 of Highways England’s Delivery Plan 2020-25 sets out an indicative delivery programme over the years 2020-23 for each section of ALR motorway.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional smart motorway emergency refuges have (a) been constructed and (b) have entered the design phase since the publication of his Department's report entitled Smart Motorway Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan, published on 12 March 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Since 12 March 2020, 10 additional emergency areas have been installed on the M25, in line with Action 5 of the Smart Motorway Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan. A further 27 emergency areas have been built as part of new upgrades currently in construction and which come into use as those projects open to traffic.
In March 2020, there were 23.86 miles of smart motorway covered by stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology. At the end of December 2020, there will be 36.78 miles. This is in line with Highways England’s programme to install SVD on all existing all lane running (ALR) sections of the motorway network, by March 2023, which it is on course to achieve.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of smart motorway were covered by stopped vehicle detection technology in (a) March and (b) December 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Since 12 March 2020, 10 additional emergency areas have been installed on the M25, in line with Action 5 of the Smart Motorway Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan. A further 27 emergency areas have been built as part of new upgrades currently in construction and which come into use as those projects open to traffic.
In March 2020, there were 23.86 miles of smart motorway covered by stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology. At the end of December 2020, there will be 36.78 miles. This is in line with Highways England’s programme to install SVD on all existing all lane running (ALR) sections of the motorway network, by March 2023, which it is on course to achieve.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has spent on retrofitting smart motorways with additional safety measures since the publication of his Department's report entitled Smart Motorway Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan, published on 12 March 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Since the publication of the Smart Motorway Safety Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan in March 2020, Highways England has spent £26.4 million on safety measures identified in the action plan. The work undertaken includes constructing new emergency areas and making all emergency areas more visible, starting programmes of work to install stopped vehicle detection technology in additional locations and works to upgrade 66 miles of dynamic hard shoulder motorways to all lane running. Highways England has also been creating a national targeted campaign to increase road user confidence and awareness of what to do in the event of a breakdown on a motorway and working to update the Highway Code.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2020 to Question 113113, whether a parent visiting under-age children overseas is a legally permitted reason for overseas travel under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
You can travel internationally if travelling for a reason which would permit you to leave your home under the national lockdown rules.
Exception 9 under the new national restrictions, as defined in the regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/part/2/made outlines the legally permitted reasons for an individual to be exempt from the new national restrictions with regards to children.
Individuals should assess themselves against the regulations to determine whether they may qualify for an exemption.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Government's covid-19 restrictions on travel overseas from 5 November to 2 December 2020, whether those restrictions apply to people travelling overseas for the purpose of visiting under-age children; and whether the requirement to self-isolate on arrival in the UK applies to people having travelled overseas for that purpose.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Under the new national restrictions, you cannot travel abroad unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons, as defined in the regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/part/2/made
Individuals should assess themselves against the regulations to determine whether they may qualify for an exemption.
Guidance for overseas travel during the new national restrictions is published on gov.uk, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november
The requirement for self-isolation on arrival in England will depend whether the country of departure is on the list of travel corridors or not. The most up-to-date list is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors. Individuals arriving to Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales should follow the guidance of the relevant Devolved Administration.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Government's covid-19 restrictions on travel overseas from 5 November to 2 December 2020, what forms of proof are acceptable to demonstrate that overseas travel is for the purpose of work.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Under the new national restrictions, you cannot leave or be outside of your home unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. This necessarily means that you cannot travel abroad unless the travel is for one of those legally permitted reasons.
Individuals should assess themselves against the requirements to determine whether they may quality for an exemption and, where they do, ensure they travel with the appropriate supporting documentation to demonstrate this if asked.
Guidance for leaving home for work during the new national restrictions is published on gov.uk, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#going-to-work.
If you are planning to travel into England, you should check the current travel corridor list to see whether you need to isolate upon arrival. You will still be required to abide by the national lockdown restrictions even if you do not need to isolate.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority on enforcement action to ensure that airlines comply with their obligations to passengers when issuing refunds for cancelled flights.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
My department works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and it has regular discussions with them about the range of issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis – including issues relating to enforcement action in respect of refund payments.
We recognise the need to take a balanced and proportionate approach to enforcement during this crisis, recognising the challenges businesses are facing, but have been clear that where the consumer asks for a cash refund then this must be paid. We have also been clear of the need to review this situation.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support he plans to make available to the UK aviation sector during the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK aviation sector is able to compete globally after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Aviation is an important sector for the UK’s economy and businesses across the industry will be able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time. This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, two business interruption loan guarantee schemes for different sizes of business, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals.
If businesses across the sector find themselves in severe and urgent financial difficulties as a result of coronavirus, even following the government’s cross-economy wage and financial interventions, then we remain open to discussions about bespoke financial support but only as a last resort. Any intervention would need to be on terms to protect the interests of taxpayers. Requests may be made formally, in writing, to the Secretary of State.
In relation to the future of the UK aviation sector, we are working across Government and closely with the sector on establishing a clear vision and objectives for the recovery of the sector, protecting global travel routes, continue repatriation, freight and maintain vital connectivity.
We have established an aviation expert steering group. The Group comprises of representatives across the sector, including airports, airlines, ground handlers, industry bodies, officials from across government and unions, and will focus on the immediate issues around restarting the sector and its longer-term growth and recovery.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents in which a vehicle was stranded in a live lane have taken place between junctions 32 and 35A of the M1 since March 2017.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
We want our roads to be as safe as possible. That is why the Secretary of State asked the Department to carry out an evidence stocktake to gather the facts about the safety of smart motorways and make recommendations. The Department will present the findings of the stocktake shortly.
While I would not want to pre-judge the results of that work, what I can say is that we will continue to prioritise improving safety – making conditions safer for everyone on our roads.