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Written Question
Roads: Litter
Monday 15th April 2024

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he can take if National Highways fail to clear litter from (a) roads and (b) verges; and what discussions he has had with that agency on such clearance.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport regularly engages with National Highways on the issue of litter clearance, and its performance is monitored against a litter performance indicator which helps to ensure National Highways are carrying out its legislative duty. National Highways strategy is to simultaneously reduce the need for litter picking and collection by encouraging behavioural change whilst also providing an effective litter clearing service. In 2023-24, National Highways collected over 50,000 bags of litter from roads under its supervision.

The Office for Road and Rail, as Highways Monitor, also plays an important role in monitoring National Highways’ litter clearance on behalf of the Secretary of State and holding National Highways to account for its licence commitments. The ORR report annually to Parliament and the public on National Highways performance, including litter. If the Office for Road and Rail deem that National Highways is not complying with its statutory directions or complying with the requirements of the Road Investment Strategy, they may determine enforcement action to be appropriate.


Written Question
Roads: Litter
Monday 15th April 2024

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure National Highways keeps (a) roads and (b) verges clear of litter.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

National Highways survey and grade the Strategic Road Network in accordance with The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Code of Practice for Litter and Refuse. National Highways teams patrol the Strategic Road Network and collect litter daily where it is safe to do so. National Highways carries out weekly inspections on its network, ensuring that it prioritises the clearance of the worst affected areas. National Highways also takes advantage of planned closures for other works to undertake additional litter picks.

National Highways’ grading activities are reported and monitored via its corporate Performance Indicator of the percentage of the Strategic Road Network where litter is graded at A or B as defined in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

National Highways strategy is to simultaneously reduce the need for litter picking and collection by encouraging behavioural change whilst also providing an effective litter clearing service. National Highways takes a data-led approach to litter clearing activities to ensure that litter hotspots are quickly identified and that resources are targeted effectively. In 2023-24, National Highways collected over 50,000 bags of litter from roads under its supervision.

The Office for Road and Rail, as Highways Monitor, also plays an important role in monitoring National Highways in areas such as litter on behalf of the Secretary of State, ensuring National Highways deliver its commitments as set out in the Roads Investment Strategy and holding National Highways to account for its licence commitments.


Written Question
Airspace: Horn of Africa
Thursday 7th March 2024

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) his policies and (b) the safety of overflying British aircraft of recent Traffic Collision Avoidance System events over air space controlled by Somalia and Somaliland.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The safety and security of British airlines and the travelling public are a top priority for my Department. Management of airspace is a sovereign responsibility and it is for airlines to take decisions on routings. DfT provide additional advice to UK airlines operating outside of the UK where we deem it necessary

In relation to Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) events within Somali airspace, a high number of TCAS events may indicate an inadequate Air Traffic Control provision within the area but it also means that the protections are working and aircraft are being kept separated. Should an aircraft’s TCAS be unserviceable, then protection is still provided by aircraft with a serviceable TCAS. It is also of note that this airspace is not routinely or regularly used by UK operators.


Written Question
Cycling: Children
Monday 19th June 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has been made of the (a) adequacy of funding arrangements for Bikeability and (b) Government’s progress on meeting the target of reaching every child with Bikeability lessons by the time they leave primary school.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Department for Transport has increased the funding available for Bikeability each year since 2020 and is providing at least £21 million in the financial year of 2023-24. This is sufficient for half a million children to attend Bikeability cycle training. The Department remains committed to offering Bikeability cycle training to every child that wants it and is considering additional actions and investment to meet this target.

Provisional figures from the Bikeability Trust show that the proportion of year 6 children outside London that received basic road training by the end of primary school was at 51 per cent in 2022/23.


Written Question
Blue Badge Scheme: USA
Thursday 16th March 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether UK blue badges are recognised in the US; and whether he has had discussions with his US counterpart on recognition of blue badges in the US.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Not all countries offer recognition of UK issued Blue Badges and the US is one country that currently does not. Holders may either need to obtain a temporary badge for the duration of their stay, or may need to park in standard parking bays, and pay any applicable charges. UK Government advice to disabled travellers is always to check locally in the area of travel before parking.


Written Question
Motorcycles: Electric Vehicles
Thursday 2nd March 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the take-up of electric motorbikes.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government offers financial support to consumers via the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant,which helps bridge the price gap between the cost of zero emission and internal combustion engine vehicles. The grant pays for 35% of the purchase price for selected models, up to a maximum of £500 for motorcycles and £150 for mopeds.

The Government continues to work with the UK industry to grow the motorcycle sector and ensure it has a prosperous future in the UK. In February 2022, the Motorcycle Industry Association and Zemo Partnership published a government-commissioned action plan, “Realising the Full Potential of Zero Emission Powered Light Vehicles”, to support the take-up of zero emission L-category vehicles. The Government has also made up to £350,000 of funding available to grow the zero-emission motorcycle supply chain in the UK.


Written Question
Driving Licences: Ukraine
Thursday 19th January 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2022 to Question 49052 on Driving Licences: Ukraine, whether he has held recent discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart on taking steps to introduce an agreement to allow holders of a Ukrainian licence to drive large vehicles to exchange it for a UK equivalent.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Information has been received from the Ukrainian licensing authority on its driver testing and licensing standards which has been assessed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is currently progressing the work needed to introduce an exchange agreement for Ukrainian lorry and bus licences as soon as possible subject to a public consultation and the necessary legal process.


Written Question
Driving Licences: Ukraine
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has received recent representations on the validity of Ukrainian driving licences in the UK for Ukrainian refugees.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Enquiries have been received about the use and exchange of Ukrainian driving licences in the GB.

Holders of a Ukrainian driving licence can drive small vehicles (cars up to 3,500kg and motorcycles) for 12 months from the date they become resident in GB. To continue driving after this time, they must obtain a GB licence.

Ukrainian driving licences for cars can also be exchanged for the GB equivalent without the need to take a test. However, drivers who took a test in Ukraine before 28 December 2021 will only be granted entitlement to drive automatic cars when the GB licence is issued. This is because the Ukrainian driver licensing authority does not have information to confirm whether a test was taken in a manual or automatic vehicle before this date.

Officials are currently progressing the work needed to introduce an exchange agreement which would allow holders of a Ukrainian licence to drive larger vehicles to exchange it for a GB equivalent. This is subject to a public consultation and the necessary parliamentary process.

Finally, driver licensing is devolved in Northern Ireland so the relevant regulations would need to be followed by those Ukrainian Refugees resident there.


Written Question
Trailers: Driving Licences
Thursday 27th January 2022

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department made of the potential risk to road safety prior to the decision in September 2021 to cease the requirement to take the B+E test to tow a trailer or caravan with a car.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) takes its commitment to road safety extremely seriously and continues to work with the industry and stakeholders to drive forward the importance of safe driving and safe towing.

The Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver shortage has been well documented and is an issue that is affecting people and businesses throughout the world. The Government has acted decisively to help address the HGV driver shortage and announced a range of measures to help the industry recover from the pandemic. A public consultation exercise was launched to seek views on changes to the HGV driving test. The proposal to remove the requirement for car drivers to take a B+E test if they want to tow a trailer was subject to that public consultation. The consultation received over 9,500 responses and most respondents supported the proposals. The DVSA has analysed the responses and published a summary of the public feedback on these proposals on GOV.UK

The car and trailer licence changes announced on 10 September 2021 have now been approved by Parliament and came into force on 16 December 2021.

All car drivers wishing to tow a trailer or caravan for leisure or business are still encouraged to undertake voluntary training through an accreditation scheme, which is being developed with the trailer industry and training providers.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Ethiopia
Wednesday 19th January 2022

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he has plans to alter the vaccine recognition approval status for Ethiopia.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government is taking a phased approach to the rollout of our inbound vaccination programme and will continue to work with international partners to expand the policy to more countries and territories where it is safe to do so. Vaccine certification between countries and territories varies considerably and the government has published minimum criteria on gov.uk that both digital and paper certificates must meet.