Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of Exeter City Council's strategy to make Exeter congestion free by 2025; and what measures the Government is taking to reduce traffic in urban areas.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has not made any assessment of Exeter City Council’s proposal to make Exeter congestion free by 2025.

The DfT is committed to an integrated transport policy which addresses the important issues of traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Transport matters, it brings real change to people’s lives and that is why it is at the heart of the Government’s infrastructure agenda.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement showed this commitment by giving new funding for the local roads network, specifically £1.1bn over 4 years to relieve congestion to increase the quality, performance and safety of the roads we use every day.

The Government recognises the role that new technology can play. On 21 February 2017, the Department announced that nineteen councils across England will receive £50,000 to £300,000 each for their ideas to improve journeys through digital innovation. These projects will feature cutting edge technology such as apps and sensors which can be used to cut congestion, improve parking in city centres and alert drivers when electric car charging points become available.