Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to mandate local authorities to allow motorcycle and scooter access in combined bus and cycle routes.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Local traffic authorities already have powers to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes in their areas, and to provide dedicated parking facilities for them. It is for them to decide what is appropriate for roads in their area. In making these decisions they will need to consider how to balance the needs of local residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to mandate local authorities to provide secure two-wheeler parking that can be used by both motorcyclists and cyclists.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Local traffic authorities already have powers to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes in their areas, and to provide dedicated parking facilities for them. It is for them to decide what is appropriate for roads in their area. In making these decisions they will need to consider how to balance the needs of local residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will extend the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000 exemption period for private school coaches from July 2020 to July 2025; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Operators, local authorities and education establishments have had almost twenty years to comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000.
Government has offered temporary exemptions for certain statutory and school procured services whilst compliant vehicles are procured, which will ensure that children are still able to get to and from their place of education.
We are currently liaising with stakeholders to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the ability of operators to comply and what further support might be required.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by engineering companies involved in high speed 2 to ensure participation of women in engineering; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
HS2 Ltd is an award winning employer in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion and is recognised as a sector leader in relation to exemplar equality, diversity and inclusion practices. HS2 Ltd’s engineering staff sit within the Construction and Infrastructure directorates. As of February 2020, women represented 27 and 29 percent of these directorates respectively, compared to averages of 13 and 17 percent in the wider construction and infrastructure sectors. (In February 2020, 37 percent of HS2 Ltd’s total employees were women.)
HS2 Ltd sets stringent equality, diversity and inclusion requirements for the supply chain which are monitored at each stage of the procurement process and results are reported bi-annually. Currently, the representation of women on all major HS2 contracts exceeds industry averages. HS2 Ltd also publishes the EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) annual report which is available on the HS2 Ltd website (www.gov.uk/hs2).
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to ensure the CAP1616 airspace design change process supports (a) general aviation, (b) gliding and (c) parachuting in the UK.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The government’s overarching policy on airspace change is set out in the Air Navigation Directions 2017 and reflected in the Civil Aviation Authority’s CAP1616 airspace change process.
The Directions were amended in October 2019 to help support general aviation in the UK, and a further amendment to provide additional assistance is due shortly.
The objective is for the UK to be the best place in the world to undertake general aviation-related activities in order to inspire the next generation of pilots, engineers and designers, and an appropriate airspace change process is crucial to ensuring this.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to encourage a modal shift to motorcycles and scooters.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government has committed to leaving the environment in a better state than was inherited by this generation and improving the health and lives of people across the UK. Transport has a key role to play in reducing emissions to meet both climate change and air quality goals. The Clean Air Strategy, published this year, is the most ambitious air quality strategy in a generation, aiming to halve the harm to human health from air pollution in the UK by 2030.
Motorcycles can make a significant contribution to addressing the nation’s transport and traffic problems. They offer real benefits in terms of reduced congestion and an affordable alternative to the car, providing independence and mobility and widening employment opportunities. Motorcyclists represent one of the most vulnerable road user groups and the Department has just published a refreshed Road Safety Statement and a two-year action plan to address the following four key priority groups: motorcyclists; rural road users; young road users; and older road users.
Electric scooters are illegal to use on public roads in the UK. The Department is also currently undertaking a Regulatory Review which will include whether electric scooters and other micromobility devices should be permitted in the UK and the impacts of introducing electric scooters on congestion, the environment and road safety.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the opportunities to improve (a) congestion, (b) the environment and (c) road safety through a modal shift to motorcycles and scooters.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government has committed to leaving the environment in a better state than was inherited by this generation and improving the health and lives of people across the UK. Transport has a key role to play in reducing emissions to meet both climate change and air quality goals. The Clean Air Strategy, published this year, is the most ambitious air quality strategy in a generation, aiming to halve the harm to human health from air pollution in the UK by 2030.
Motorcycles can make a significant contribution to addressing the nation’s transport and traffic problems. They offer real benefits in terms of reduced congestion and an affordable alternative to the car, providing independence and mobility and widening employment opportunities. Motorcyclists represent one of the most vulnerable road user groups and the Department has just published a refreshed Road Safety Statement and a two-year action plan to address the following four key priority groups: motorcyclists; rural road users; young road users; and older road users.
Electric scooters are illegal to use on public roads in the UK. The Department is also currently undertaking a Regulatory Review which will include whether electric scooters and other micromobility devices should be permitted in the UK and the impacts of introducing electric scooters on congestion, the environment and road safety.