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 potential merits of extending the period of the theory test certificate in response to the suspension of theory and practical driving tests as a result of the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place for road safety reasons; to ensure that a candidate’s knowledge is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point that they drive unsupervised for the first time. Those with theory test certificates expiring may have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, their lessons and practice sessions will have been significantly curtailed during recent lockdowns and it is likely that their knowledge base will have diminished. Research suggests that this would be particularly harmful for hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety.
Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the training of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Taking all this into consideration, the decision has been made not to extend theory test certificates and learners will need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated total cost is of the recently announced preferred route for the A27 Arundel bypass; and what the expected timescale is to completion.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The total cost for delivery of the A27 Arundel Bypass preferred route (Grey, Option 5BV1), which was announced on 15 October 2020, will be between £320 and £455 million, as set out at the further public consultation in 2019. This figure is subject to the development of the scheme through detailed design and ongoing commercial discussions.
Construction will commence in 2023/24 and will take approximately 36 months.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from archaeological groups on objections to the Stonehenge Tunnel; and what plans he has to address the objections.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Secretary of State’s decision to approve the A303 (Amesbury to Berwick Down) Development Consent Order was issued on 12 November 2020. The reasons for the decision are set out in the decision letter published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/south-west/a303-stonehenge/. It includes consideration of the representations made by archaeological groups and other Interested Parties.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many qualified archaeologists are being deployed on survey and excavation work relating to High Speed Two construction.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The number of archaeologists required and consequently deployed will vary as the HS2 project moves forward. HS2 Ltd has estimated that they will need the skills of over 1,000 archaeologists and associated specialisms for the entire HS2 archaeology programme.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he next plans to report on proposals for upgrading the A27 between Worthing and Shoreham.
Answered by George Freeman
The second Road Investment Strategy will confirm the Government’s plans for the Strategic Road Network. We expect this to be published before the start of the second Road Period on 1 April 2020.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when Highways England will bring forward further measures to tackle congestion on the A27 between Worthing and Shoreham; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
Highways England continues to engage with local stakeholders to understand their needs and priorities for the A27. Decisions on future enhancements on the Strategic Road Network will be announced before the end of 2019 as part of the second Road Investment Strategy.
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 number of archaeologists required for the construction of HS2; and what discussions he has had with archaeologists' professional bodies.
Answered by Paul Maynard
HS2 Ltd estimates that over 1,000 archaeologists, period specialists, scientists and conservators will be needed to deliver the HS2 archaeology programme.
Neither myself, nor the Secretary of State, have discussed HS2 with archaeologists’ professional bodies directly. HS2 Ltd engages regularly with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and Historic England in relation to industry matters, including capacity and skills. This includes participating in the National Infrastructure Plan and Skills Capacity Working Group, chaired by Historic England.