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Written Question
High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the comments of the Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission in the Financial Times on 26 November, in which he casts doubt on the Government’s plan for connecting the HS2 rail line to Euston through private financing.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Network North paper published by the Department for Transport on 4 October 2023 sets out that private finance will be leveraged to ensure contributions to the cost of Euston from those people and businesses it supports. The opportunity for regeneration and new homes in the Euston area is one of the largest in central London. This development-led approach will bring in private finance, along with a reduction of the transport scope to deliver only what is required at Euston. This will reduce the costs to the taxpayer. We are also taking on the lessons of success stories such as Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms, which secured £9 billion of private sector investment. The exact design of the model to be used, how it is taken to market, as well as how and where the alternative funding generated by this will be spent, is commercially sensitive and still subject to further work to ensure we are optimising funding and delivery. Ministers and officials have held positive initial conversations with potential funders. There will be a range of options within this that are still being considered and will require more time to develop before a final proposal is determined.


Written Question
Birmingham New Street Station: Commonwealth Games 2022
Tuesday 12th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to hold discussions with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 organising committee and Network Rail over the case for improving the signage at Birmingham New Street Station for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The West Midlands Combined Authority, the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee and Birmingham City Council are already working together and with other transport partners, on transport preparations and planning for the Games, covering the transportation of spectators, athletes and the Games Family, whilst at the same time ensuring that any disruption to transport users is kept to a minimum.


Written Question
Road Traffic Control: Advertising
Thursday 31st October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local newspaper revenue of any proposal to remove the requirement on local authorities to advertise Traffic Regulation Orders.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

A discovery or user research project, carried out by the Department for Transport, Geoplace, Ordnance Survey and the British Parking Association earlier in 2019, estimated that the estimated annual advertising costs for traffic orders and temporary traffic orders across all authorities in Great Britain is approximately £49m, which accounts for 34% of the total cost of making a traffic order and 46% of the total cost of making a temporary traffic order. The discovery project findings suggest that the average cost to an authority of advertising a single traffic order is £1,021 and a single temporary traffic order is £769.

The Department for Transport has not at this stage made any wider assessment of the impact on local newspaper revenues of removing the statutory requirement to place adverts for traffic orders or temporary traffic orders in local newspapers. The Department is now reviewing the legislation that applies to traffic orders with a view to consulting on proposed amendments in 2020. This may include proposals in relation to advertising, in which case this would form part of the impact assessment that will accompany the consultation.


Written Question
Road Works: Pedestrian Areas
Thursday 31st October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in their consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July, why the placement of new apparatus underground should where possible and practical be placed under the footway, footpath or verge.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The consultation document invited views on changes to permit scheme conditions relating to the placement of apparatus in the footway. This proposal was based on existing good practice that has been used by utility companies for some time, and recommends the placement of apparatus in the footway where possible to reduce the impact of works on congestion. We did not suggest any changes that would have compromised safe access during works for those that use the highway, including pavements.

We are currently analysing the responses provided and will publish a formal response shortly.


Written Question
Road Works: Pedestrian Areas
Thursday 31st October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July, the need for minimal disruption to the footway, footpath or verge in the placement of new apparatus underground has not been prioritised.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The consultation document invited views on changes to permit scheme conditions relating to the placement of apparatus in the footway. This proposal was based on existing good practice that has been used by utility companies for some time, and recommends the placement of apparatus in the footway where possible to reduce the impact of works on congestion. We did not suggest any changes that would have compromised safe access during works for those that use the highway, including pavements.

We are currently analysing the responses provided and will publish a formal response shortly.


Written Question
Road Works: Pedestrian Areas
Thursday 31st October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes’, published on 20 July, where it is proposed that the footway, footpath or verge is used for the placement of apparatus underground, that no requirement for the alternative provision for walkers, people with disabilities and parents with young children is set out.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The consultation document invited views on changes to permit scheme conditions relating to the placement of apparatus in the footway. This proposal was based on existing good practice that has been used by utility companies for some time, and recommends the placement of apparatus in the footway where possible to reduce the impact of works on congestion. We did not suggest any changes that would have compromised safe access during works for those that use the highway, including pavements.

We are currently analysing the responses provided and will publish a formal response shortly.


Written Question
Parking Offences: Pedestrian Areas
Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to deal with issues relating to pavement parking.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Earlier this year, the Department for Transport completed a review of pavement parking in England looking at the extent of the problem, the effectiveness of the current legislation and options for change. This review concluded shortly before the announcement of the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into pavement parking in April 2019.

The Department for Transport is considering the conclusions of the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry, alongside the findings of its own review, before deciding upon any course of action to tackle the problem of pavement parking.


Written Question
Parking Offences: Pedestrian Areas
Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of pavement parking on the safety of pedestrians.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

In early 2019, the Department for Transport completed a review of pavement parking in England looking at the extent of the problem, the effectiveness of the current legislation and options for change. Department officials consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including Guide Dogs, The Royal National Institute of Blind People and Living Streets, to ensure the safety of pedestrians was considered in the review process.

The review concluded shortly before the announcement of the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into pavement parking in April 2019. The Department for Transport is considering the conclusions of the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry, alongside the findings of its own review, before deciding upon any course of action to tackle the problem of pavement parking.


Written Question
Road Traffic Offences: Pedestrian Areas
Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to remind the public that driving on the pavement is illegal.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Highway Code states that you must not drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency.

Also, drivers must not park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.


Written Question
Parking Offences: Pedestrian Areas
Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to make obstructive pavement parking a civil offence enforced by local authorities.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some offences relating to the parking of vehicles have not been decriminalised and remain enforceable by the police in all circumstances, whether a local authority has civil parking enforcement powers or not. This includes leaving a vehicle in a position where it causes an unnecessary obstruction (the ‘unnecessary obstruction’ offence).

The Department for Transport completed a review of pavement parking in England looking at the extent of the problem, the effectiveness of the current legislation and options for change. The Department for Transport is considering the conclusions of the Transport Select Committee’s recent inquiry into pavement parking, alongside the findings of its own evidence review, before deciding upon a course of action to tackle the problem of pavement parking.