Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support under Railway 200 there will be for Heritage Rail.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railway 200 is a partner led initiative to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. Network Rail are leading the initiative in partnership with industry, Government and a wide range of other partners including the Heritage Railway Association. Many heritage railways are playing an active part with events planned throughout the year and advertised on the Railway 200 website under the Railway 200 banner.
The programme is encouraging all heritage railways across the country to join the celebrations with a ‘whistle off’ at midday on 1 January 2025 and Visit Britain are a key partner, encouraging more tourists to visit events throughout the year.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the status of the land which was purchased as part of HS2 and is no longer required; and whether that land will be returned or rented to previous owners to enable them to continue to farm it.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This government is carefully reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and will set out detailed plans in due course. These will include our plans for a disposal programme for land and property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required.
Where any land and property asset has been acquired compulsorily, or via statutory blight and is no longer required, then it will be sold subject to the Crichel Down Rules. These require government departments, under certain circumstances, to offer back surplus land to the former owner or the former owner’s successors at the current market value.
In the majority of cases, where agricultural land acquired for HS2 is not required operationally, former owners are offered the opportunity to continue to use and farm the land. This is documented by way of either a licence or Farm Business Tenancy depending on the circumstances and proposed use of the land.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making insurance cover for pedal bikes, e- bikes and e-scooters compulsory; and what assessment they have made of the benefits that could be gained.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Those who cycle on public roads are encouraged, but not required, to take out some form of insurance, and many cyclists have insurance cover through their membership of cycling organisations. Any change requiring cyclists to have insurance before cycling on the public highway would be likely to have unintended consequences such as putting many people off cycling. This would have adverse impacts on health and congestion.
It is illegal to use privately owned e-scooters on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be hired in e-scooter trials areas. The e-scooters used in the rental trials are covered by full motor vehicle insurance policies.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) serious injuries, and (2) deaths, of pedestrians occurred as a result of dangerous or careless cycling on pedal bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters in each of the past three years.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The information requested is not held by the Department.
Statistics on road casualties reported to police, including where pedestrians are injured in collisions with pedal cycles or e-scooters, are published annually.
However, this data does not attribute causation to collisions which means that it is not possible to determine in how many cases deaths or injuries to pedestrians were the result of dangerous or careless cycling.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made on the impact on the Motor Insurers' Bureau of accidents caused by pedal bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters in the absence of any insurance cover.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We have made no assessment of the impact on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) of incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters. However, pedal cycles and Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs) do not require insurance, so they have no impact on the MIB.
The Government regularly meets with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to discuss issues around micromobility insurance.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent inappropriate cycling on pavements by pedal bikes, electric bikes and e-scooters.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Cycling on the pavement and on footpaths is an offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, other than in designated areas such as on bridleways and shared use paths. This applies to all cycles, whether electrically assisted or otherwise. The enforcement of cycling offences is a matter for the police.
It is illegal to use private e-scooters on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. As with cycling offences, enforcement is a matter for the police.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to decarbonise transport infrastructure further towards the goal of net zero; and what measures they propose to achieve this aim.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
The Department for Transport (DfT) formed the Infrastructure Decarbonisation Division in April 2023 to drive action on the decarbonisation of transport infrastructure. DfT requires all transport infrastructure projects that it funds to produce carbon management plans that include a comprehensive whole life carbon assessment, and a plan to reduce carbon across the project lifecycle in line with industry standards (the British Standards Institute’s PAS 2080:2023 and the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyor’s Whole Life Carbon Assessment guidance).
DfT maintains frequent engagement with its Arm’s Length Bodies to support progress against their own carbon reduction plans.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether speed limits apply only to mechanically operated vehicles and not to cyclists; and if so, what plans they have to review this.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
While speed limits set under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 only apply to motor vehicles, cyclists can still be charged with careless or dangerous cycling offences depending on the circumstances.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage more freight on to rail for efficiency and environmental reasons; and to improve Ely Junction to facilitate goods travelling by rail from east coast ports and elsewhere in the UK.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
The Government is committed to growing rail freight to unlock the economic and environmental benefits it can deliver. We are undertaking a number of initiatives including setting a long-term growth target of increasing freight moved by rail by at least 75% by 2050, which was announced in December 2023, and a review of the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme. Network Rail also continues to work closely with freight operators to improve performance and efficient use of the network.
The October 2023 Network North announcement confirmed Government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement. The next stage of work for the scheme will involve detailed design work, development of a Full Business Case and beginning the process for securing delivery powers (for example, a Transport and Works Act Order).
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the safety of British ships crossing the Arctic Ocean as new shipping lanes become accessible as a result of climate change.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
His Majesty’s Government does not directly monitor the safety of British ships crossing the Arctic Ocean. However, ships transiting these waters will be monitored by those States that have Search and Rescue (SAR) responsibilities in the region.
With regards the safety of British ships in Arctic waters, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) came into force 1 January 2017 and requires ships operating in the Polar regions to meet enhanced safety standards which reflect the additional risks associated with those regions. The UK applies these standards through a survey and certification regime to ensure that safety standards are met and that ships operating in polar regions apply the additional safety considerations that are considered necessary.