All 3 Petitions debates in the Commons on 28th Mar 2019


Wed 27th Mar 2019

House of Commons (29) - Commons Chamber (14) / Written Statements (10) / Petitions (3) / Westminster Hall (2)

House of Lords (12) - Lords Chamber (12)


Fri 29th Mar 2019
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Petitions

Thursday 28th March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Petitions
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Thursday 28 March 2019
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Closure of the Wellingborough Driving Test Centre

Thursday 28th March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Petitions
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The Humble Petition of the residents of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas,
Sheweth,
That the petitioners believe that the closure of the Wellingborough Driving Test Centre should be refused on the grounds of the loss of local access to driving tests, the increase in congestion and emissions in and around Northampton and Kettering, increased lead times for test dates and the increased costs to learner drivers and parents.
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges the Secretary of State for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and refuse to grant the closure of the Wellingborough Driving Test Centre.
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.—[Presented by Mr Peter Bone , Official Report, 12 March 2019; Vol. 656, c. 313 .]
[P002436]
Observations from the Minister of State, Department for Transport (Jesse Norman):
The Government wants to keep people safe on Britain’s roads by helping everyone through a lifetime of safe driving.
The test centre in Wellingborough is located within the sports centre in Glamis Hall, which over time has changed and expanded its service to the community. The area the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) uses within the sports centre is no longer suitable for either its customers or its staff. Glamis Hall had also proposed a substantial rent increase.
On 13 March, representatives from the DVSA met local approved driving instructors to discuss the closure of Wellingborough test centre. During the meeting the DVSA was told Glamis Hall was willing to offer the DVSA another facility at low cost. The DVSA has since contacted Glamis Hall and is in discussions about the possibility of negotiating new lease terms. Once these discussions are concluded the DVSA will make a decision on testing provision in Wellingborough.
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Zebra Crossing on the Green, Writtle

Thursday 28th March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

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The Petition of Ms Clare Biggs.
Declare that a zebra crossing should be installed on The Green, Writtle; further that increased traffic using The Green and the speed at which some of it is travelling means that it is increasingly difficult for villagers to cross the road safely, particularly the most vulnerable: young children, the elderly and disabled; further that the current traffic islands are too slim to accommodate pushchairs, wheelchairs and bicycles and do not provide a safe crossing point; and further notes a petition on this same subject has received over 800 signatures.
The petitioner therefore requests the House of Commons to urge the Government to install a zebra crossing on The Green, Writtle.
And the petitioner remains, etc.—[Presented by Mrs Kemi Badenoch, Official Report, 13 March 2019; Vol. 656, c. 8P .]
[P002440]
Observations from the Minister of State, Department for Transport (Jesse Norman):
The design, installation and maintenance of pedestrian crossings are matters for local highway authorities. They have powers to establish crossings on their roads, as well as a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to “secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including pedestrians)”.
Local authorities would need to consider local factors such as pedestrian numbers, road layout, traffic flow and speed and accident records in deciding whether a crossing is necessary, and if so what type to provide. The Department for Transport has published guidance on the assessment and design of pedestrian crossings, in two Local Transport Notes (LTNs):
LTN 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings
LTN 2/95: The Design of Pedestrian Crossings
Both publications are available on the Department’s website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-notes.
Local authorities are free to make their own decisions about the design of the streets under their care, provided they take account of the relevant legislation. It would be inappropriate for the Government to seek to intervene in the process of local democratic accountability.
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