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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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 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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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 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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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.
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 of the illegal use of privately owned e-scooters driven in public places, and what measures they intend to take to impose penalties for their illegal use.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements. Those riding illegally are subject to the same road traffic offences and penalties for unlawful use as all other motor vehicles.
Users can face fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence, and having their e-scooter seized. How resources are deployed to tackle illegal riding is a matter for Chief Officers according to local policing plans.
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 of the value of the logistics sector to the economy.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the economic impact of the decline in the UK’s ranking in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI).
According to the latest available data published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the Transport and Storage Sector contributed £83.5 billion Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2021. It should be noted that this figure includes some sub-sectors not specific to logistics. A breakdown by sub-sector is available within the ONS published Annual Business Survey statistics.
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 of the impact on the economy of any decline in the UK's ranking in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the economic impact of the decline in the UK’s ranking in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI).
According to the latest available data published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the Transport and Storage Sector contributed £83.5 billion Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2021. It should be noted that this figure includes some sub-sectors not specific to logistics. A breakdown by sub-sector is available within the ONS published Annual Business Survey statistics.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the Ely area capacity enhancement programme; and what assessment they have made of the impact of this programme on the freight corridor, from Felixstowe through Ely and to Selby in North Yorkshire, serving Yorkshire and the Humber region in terms of increasing rail freight capacity.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Business case analysis of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme confirms it could unlock rail freight capacity across Britain, including in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
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 review the risk to pedestrian safety of carelessly ridden e-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles with a view to increasing the penalties that apply.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Cycling on the pavement is already an offence, and privately owned e-scooters cannot be ridden on the highway or on pavements. Enforcement of these offences is a matter for the police. There are already penalties in place for these offences and the Government has no plans to change these.
The Government is considering bringing forward legislation to introduce new offences concerning careless or dangerous cycling, to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cycling behaviour. This follows an earlier review exploring the case for specific careless and dangerous cycling offences, a response to which the Government will publish as soon as it can.
In the case of e-scooters, a range of motoring offences and penalties currently apply for using an e-scooter illegally and/or irresponsibly, including criminal prosecution.
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 review the penalties for cycling offences, such as riding on a pavement in circumstances where a cycle lane exists.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Cycling on the pavement is already an offence, and privately owned e-scooters cannot be ridden on the highway or on pavements. Enforcement of these offences is a matter for the police. There are already penalties in place for these offences and the Government has no plans to change these.
The Government is considering bringing forward legislation to introduce new offences concerning careless or dangerous cycling, to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cycling behaviour. This follows an earlier review exploring the case for specific careless and dangerous cycling offences, a response to which the Government will publish as soon as it can.
In the case of e-scooters, a range of motoring offences and penalties currently apply for using an e-scooter illegally and/or irresponsibly, including criminal prosecution.
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, if any, to encourage targeted technology investment in renewable fuels such as the use of waste cooking oils in aviation fuel.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation is currently our main support mechanism to encourage the supply of renewable fuels, including aviation fuels and those produced from waste feedstocks like used cooking oil (UCO).
The Government plans to introduce the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate in 2025, which will aim to drive demand for SAF in the UK and deliver at least 10% SAF in the jet fuel mix by 2030. The mandate will include a cap on hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) SAF, which includes UCO. The Department is currently consulting on what level the cap should be set at.