Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential merits of introducing a national prohibition on pavement parking, except in areas explicitly designated by local authorities.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairment. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.
In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate. Recent reforms that the Department has implemented to the process by which Traffic Regulation Orders are made will make it easier for them to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what work they are carrying out with disabled people and street design experts to update and implement inclusive pavement design standards.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Local authorities are responsible for managing their roads, including pavements, to meet Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010. It is for them to ensure they are designed and maintained in a way that takes account of the needs of everyone.
The Department has produced a range of good practice guidance to help them in this, including in Inclusive Mobility, and regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including various disability groups.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the accessibility needs of blind and partially sighted people are embedded in the Integrated National Transport Strategy for England.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Integrated National Transport Strategy will be published later this year and puts people and the journeys they make at the heart of how we plan, build and operate transport, reflecting transport’s key role in unlocking access to opportunities. Accessibility will be a priority area of the Strategy and it will aim to support disabled people, including those who are blind and partially sighted, to travel more confidently and independently across the transport network with fewer barriers.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria will be used in deciding whether to agree to the proposals for the expansion of Heathrow Airport, and whether they will publish those criteria.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is currently assessing proposals for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. On 30 June 2025, the Secretary of State for Transport published a letter online to potential promoters outlining the criteria against which any proposals would be considered, including stating how schemes must contribute to economic growth and be delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate commitments.
The assessment of the proposals is being carried out to support the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow Airport. It will be for scheme promoters to decide when to submit any Development Consent Order (DCO) application for a third runway scheme depending on the outcome of the ANPS review. The Secretary of State will decide whether to grant consent for the DCO, in accordance with the Planning Act 2008.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they will make of the environmental impact of additional flights if Heathrow Airport is expanded, and whether they will publish that assessment.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The government supports expansion at Heathrow Airport and has received proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. Once proposals have been reviewed, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the basis for decision-making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. This will include expectations on environmental impacts of an expanded Heathrow, including the likes of carbon, noise and air pollution.
The Planning Act 2008 requires that before amending the ANPS, the Secretary of State must carry out an Appraisal of Sustainability of the policy, which will be published alongside any amended ANPS.