Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to provide local authorities with new powers in relation to the creation of new cycle and walking routes which are objected to by landowners.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
On the 9th May the Government published fast-tracked statutory guidance to local authorities on reallocating road space to encourage cycling and walking and enabling social distancing. The guidance highlights the importance of consultation and engaging with local businesses. There are no plans to provide any additional powers.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Right hon. Member for East Hampshire representing the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body, what assessment he has made of the merits of including (a) swift bricks, (b) bird boxes, (c) beehives, and (d) others in the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Restoration and Renewal Programme has conducted preliminary assessments of the potential benefits of promoting biodiversity as part of the restoration works, including the introduction of swift bricks and bird boxes, and the desirability of such measures will be subject to the requirements of both Houses. The potential inclusion of beehives will require more careful consideration, including the health and safety implications, while other measures could include ensuring that all planting is pollinator friendly. The Sponsor Body has also agreed a strategic objective for the Programme to optimise the environmental impacty of the Palace in its construction and operation, which has been endorsed by the Commissions of both Houses and will be kept under review as the Programme progresses.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to introduce additional train services to the timetable in the former Northern Rail franchise area.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
We are working with Northern Trains Ltd to identify the improvements for rail services and performance. Work is also underway to consider the impact of passenger demand due COVID-19, which is currently subject to a great deal of uncertainty.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to replace the Service Option Fund on the former Northern Rail franchise.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Under the new agreement with Northern Trains Ltd, there is no longer a formal Service Options Fund to help capture the aspirations for additional services however the operator is required to continue this development work through its ongoing discussions with stakeholders. Aligned with this is the work to understand passenger demand as a result of COVID-19. Although there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding this, we always welcome suggestions to help better connect our towns and cities.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve pavements and crossings for people who use mobility scooters.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department for Transport provides guidance to local authorities and others on the accessibility of the public realm via a comprehensive guidance note entitled “Inclusive Mobility”, which is available on gov.uk . This includes advice on meeting the needs of people who use mobility scooters. The Department is in the process of updating the guidance, and has research underway to inform this. The research is due to conclude by the end of this year, and the updates to the guidance will follow at a later date.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many electric vehicle charge points there are in the UK.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Government funding and leadership, alongside private investment has supported the installation of more than 20,000 public chargepoints, according to figures made available by the charging point information platform zap-map. This includes over 2,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. Members of the public and businesses are able to install chargepoints without Government support, and information on these are not routinely collected
Our grant schemes and the £400m public-private Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see thousands more electric vehicle chargepoints installed across the UK. The Road to Zero strategy published last year, includes new commitments to expand significantly electric and low emission vehicle infrastructure across the country.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic growth in the Humber since the 2012 decision to halve tolls on the Humber Bridge.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Humber Bridge is owned by the Humber Bridge Board and any economic assessment of the impact of the tolls is a matter for the Board. Since the reduction of the tolls, 9.8 million trips were made across the Bridge in 2017/18, 52% more than in 2012. 92% of these were cars, suggesting a large increase in commuting across the river.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's timescale is for permanently ceasing operation of Pacer trains on Northern Rail franchise routes.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Northern is planning to remove the first Pacer in August, and is working to remove all the Pacers by the end of the year.
Our absolute priority is ensuring passengers in the north benefit from new trains, more services and increased capacity as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that all road users have adequate vision.
Answered by Jesse Norman
All drivers must be able to meet the required visual acuity and visual field standards, which includes being able to read a number plate from 20 metres. Drivers are legally responsible for notifying the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) at any time of a change in their health or vision which may affect their ability to meet the appropriate standards. The DVLA investigates all such notifications.
The Government fully supports the NHS’s recommendation that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. The DVLA runs regular national eyesight awareness campaigns to encourage drivers to take the number plate test and highlight the importance of having regular eyesight tests. These campaigns are promoted across a number of social media channels and in partnership with key stakeholders and charities.
On 22 November, the Government published its response to the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy Safety Review, including a 50 point action plan for the next two years. As part of this plan, the DVLA will encourage drivers to check their eyesight regularly, and consider the needs of vulnerable road users.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on public safety of driverless vehicles.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Connected and automated vehicle technologies offer many potential benefits including improved road traffic safety. In 2016, 86% of collisions on British roads were caused by human error, and we believe that connected and automated vehicle technologies could help reduce that number. The UK Code of Practice supports developers to undertake safe tests of automated vehicle technologies.