Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish (a) available data from the Government-sponsored e-scooter trials on the (i) number and (ii) number per million kilometers travelled of people killed or seriously injured in e-scooter incidents and (b) equivalent figures for (A) bicycles, (B) legally registered powered two wheel motorbikes, (C) passenger cars and (D) commercial vehicles; and whether he holds such data for incidents involving e-scooters not included in the trials.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Out of millions of trips completed since e-scooter trials began, the vast majority of journeys have been completed safely.
From 2020, DfT has been monitoring the frequency of casualties involving e-scooters. The majority of DfT reported road casualty statistics are based on STATS19 data, the system through which the police report road casualties. STATS19 collects data on e-scooter casualties, including those using private scooters, with data published regularly in e-scooter casualty factsheets. The most recent e-scooter factsheet can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-year-ending-june-2023/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-year-ending-june-2023.
In addition, the Department routinely publishes data on casualties in reported road collisions using all other modes of road transport based upon data provided by police forces via the STATS19 system, including figures for bicycles, motorcycles, cars, HGVs and LGVs. A comparison of the casualty rates for different modes of travel can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/657c4a0983ba380013e1b610/ras0203.ods. Data from STATS19 (2022) found the severity of injuries for e-scooters and pedal cycles to be broadly similar. The most common injuries across both modes were abrasions, sprains, and bruising.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What progress he has made on opening new stations on the rail network.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Since 2010, some 42 new stations have been opened across the rail network.
The Government supports proposals for new stations that help provide a solution to local traffic congestion or fulfill a new opportunity such as a housing development, business/retail park or airport.
Good progress is made on proposals that provide a robust business case, a sponsor and funding.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to (a) bring forward legislative proposals to make compulsory and (b) promote the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing for motorbike riders.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government already advises motorcyclists to wear high visibility clothing - Rules 86 and 87 of the Highway Code includes the advice to “wear a light or brightly coloured helmet and fluorescent clothing or strips, in daylight” and “wear reflective clothing or strips to improve your visibility in the dark”.
The Government has no plans to bring forward proposals to make compulsory the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing for motorcyclists.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to address railway signal failures caused by periods of very hot weather.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The resilience of the signalling system and other railway infrastructure to extreme weather conditions is the responsibility of Network Rail. With Ministers’ support, the company has developed a Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Plan for each of its eight Routes in order to understand the risks and to provide a focus for action to mitigate these. Specific measures include the roll-out of uninterruptible power supplies to help reduce signal failures, and the greater use of remote condition monitoring technology to ensure that any emerging issues are identified as soon as practicable.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on works to upgrade the overhead line between Shenfield and London Liverpool Street.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Where a need to upgrade has been identified, all the overhead wire on the line between London and Norwich has been upgraded as part of a £250m project, including the overhead line between Shenfield and London Liverpool Street.