Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to give National Highways enforcement powers to tackle the dropping or dumping of litter on motorways in England, and (2) to increase penalties for those who commit such offences.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government has no plans to give National Highways enforcement powers to tackle littering offences on motorways in England. National Highways is not an enforcement organisation as its focus is on safety and maintaining the road network.
In recent years Government has bolstered Local Authority enforcement powers by raising the upper limit on fixed penalty notices for littering and introducing powers to issue the keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown with a civil penalty.
We are committed to working with National Highways and across Government to improve enforcement around roadside littering offences.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the state of litter collection on (a) the A13, and (b) the A12, and (2) whether National Highways is meeting its obligations to keep these roads clean.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
National Highways is responsible for keeping the A13 clear of litter and refuse as far as is practicable. Relevant Local Authorities hold this responsibility along the A12. National Highways has committed to report a litter performance indicator during the second Road Investment Strategy 2020-25. Specific regional assessments are the responsibility of National Highways and relevant local duty bodies. In 2021/22 National Highways reported that 60.8% of relevant parts of the Strategic Road Network had no litter, refuse or detritus, or was predominately free of litter, refuse or detritus apart from some small items.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there have been of individuals dropping or dumping litter on motorways in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Prosecutions for littering offences on motorways are carried out by appropriate organisations for each case, including Local Authorities, the Police, the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency and the Environment Agency. Therefore, Government does not hold a total number for prosecutions. Each individual organisation noted may have relevant numbers regarding the amount of prosecutions for littering offences on motorways in England in each of the past five years.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the overall performance of National Highways.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
National Highways is making progress towards its performance and delivery targets in the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2, 2020-2025).
Since the start of RIS2 National Highways has started work on 11 schemes, four of which were started ahead of the committed date. It has also completed work on 19 schemes that have opened to traffic and continues to deliver on 16 schemes that are currently in construction.
There have however been legal challenges to planning consent for several schemes, concerns around smart motorways and high levels of inflation that have had a significant impact on overall delivery of the portfolio both in terms of cost and schedule.
National Highways and the Department have taken steps to address, learn from and respond to these challenges. Consequently, this has resulted in the need to replan 22 of the 69 major enhancements to ensure the Capital Portfolio remains deliverable and affordable.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review the regulations surrounding the riding of e-scooters.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department is currently considering options, including robust technical requirements, for a new regulatory framework for e-scooters. These regulations will ensure that we increase the safety of e-scooters users and manage the impacts of e-scooters in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pedestrians have been killed by dangerous riding by cyclists in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of pedestrians killed in reported road collisions with a pedal cycle in each of the last 5 years is shown in the table. The Department’s reported road casualty statistics do not assign fault, so it is not possible to determine in how many of these cases the collision was caused by a cyclist riding dangerously. Conclusions on responsibility in each case are a matter for the courts.
Year | Pedestrian fatalities following collision with pedal cycle |
2016 | 3 |
2017 | 3 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 6 |
2020 | 4 |
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to make causing death by dangerous cycling a criminal offence.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Transport is working on addressing dangerous cycling and will publish conclusions in due course.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last made an assessment of litter collection by Highways England on (1) the M11 motorway, and (2) the A406 road; and what assessment they have made of Highways England's performance.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for Rail and Road monitors Highways England's performance. Their most recent Annual Assessment acknowledged Highways England's actions to address litter on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and that Highways England is continuing to work towards achieving the vision set out in its litter strategy. Highways England's litter collection on the SRN will be reported on as an annual performance indicator from the end of this financial year.
The A406 is not part of the SRN and responsibility for litter collection lies with the relevant local authority.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the haulage and cabotage rules in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement do not prevent multi-country touring for musicians and other performers.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and the EU allows UK hauliers to undertake up to 2 additional laden journeys within the EU after a laden international journey from the UK, with a maximum of 1 cabotage movement outside Ireland. These rules will also apply to specialist hauliers, such as hauliers who carry equipment for musicians and other performers.
Our assessment is that the TCA ensures that more than 95% of all haulage journeys will continue as they did before the end of the transition period. However, UK operators undertaking more than 2 additional movements will not be covered by the TCA.
Market access arrangements for hauliers transporting equipment for cultural events was discussed regularly during negotiations between the UK and the EU, and the UK put forward proposals for an exemption for specialist hauliers carrying out tours for cultural events, but the EU did not agree to our asks.
The Department for Transport is in regular contact with the road haulage industry and is working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to support the creative industries sector.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate with the EU an exemption from cabotage rules for the movement of goods, including those subject to an ATA carnet, on the basis of the goods (1) not being sold, and (2) the rules also affecting EEA performing arts companies coming to the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and the EU allows UK hauliers to undertake up to 2 additional laden journeys within the EU after a laden international journey from the UK, with a maximum of 1 cabotage movement outside Ireland. These rules will also apply to specialist hauliers, such as hauliers who carry equipment for musicians and other performers.
Our assessment is that the TCA will allow the vast majority of haulage operations that were being undertaken by UK hauliers before the end of the transition period. However, UK operators will not be allowed to undertake more than 2 movements within the EU before returning to the UK. This limitation also applies to movements of goods covered by an ATA carnet. This issue was discussed in detail as part of negotiations, but the EU was unwilling to agree more flexible arrangements.
The Department for Transport is in regular contact with the road haulage industry and is working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to support the creative industries sector.