Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2017 to Question HL3576, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen families.
Answered by John Hayes
All families rely on the transport network, whether it’s to access education, get to work or the shops, or to visit friends and relations. That is why the Government has allocated more than £61bn in transport capital investment over the five years to 2020/21; record investment to make the network more reliable and better connected.
In April this year, we published the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, a £1.2bn plan to make cycling and walking the natural choice for the shorter, local journeys that are fundamental to family life. By creating safer streets, where cyclists and pedestrians feel like they have a place, families will be more encouraged to realise the health, social, environmental and economic benefits of these modes. Additionally, the strategy sets out a vision for better streets; with community-based activities and play streets.
We also remain committed to regulating rail fares to help keep down the cost of living and, in the Budget, announced a trial of a new 26-30 year old railcard to extend concessions to a wider group. Additionally, as part of the rail franchise re-letting process, the Department requires bidders to include proposals that give customers who travel to work or commute part-time a better value for money option than buying multiple return journeys.
The Government is committed to delivering a transport system which works for all. The Accessibility Action Plan will be published in 2018 and will set out the Government’s ambitions to help make transport accessible for all, enabling everyone to connect with their families.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to engage with the airline industry on tackling problems caused by alcohol consumption on airplanes.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government supports the industry and its efforts to find deliverable solutions to this increasingly high profile issue. It is important to ensure that all air passengers have a safe and pleasant experience when flying.
The industry bodies have joined together to create the UK Aviation Industry Code of Practice on Disruptive Passengers, with the purpose of creating a common, consistent approach that co-ordinates and enhances existing efforts to prevent and minimise disruptive passenger behaviour.
The Government will continue to engage and meet with a broad range of operators in the aviation sector to explore any further actions to support the Code.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department has made available for cycling in (a) rural areas and (b) Cheshire East since 2010.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (published April 2017) includes funding of £1.2 billion from 2016-21 to support our ambition to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys in every urban and rural community in England.
Since 2010, rural local authorities have benefited from funding for sustainable forms of transport, including cycling and walking, through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and its successors the Sustainable Travel Transition Year and Access Fund. Additionally, from 2013-15 the Department for Transport (DfT) provided £17million to benefit rural areas by improving cycling infrastructure in and around national parks. Details of the areas where DfT funding has been allocated can be found at: http://maps.dft.gov.uk/funding-for-sustainable-travel/index.html
Cheshire East council has benefited from the following DfT investment since 2010 which will help to encourage cycling:
Funding programme | £m | Duration |
Local Sustainable Transport Fund | 3.059 | 2011-15 |
Sustainable Travel Transition Year | 0.35 | 2016-17 |
Bikeability (national cycling training) | 0.967 | 2010-17 |
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what sources of funding are available to small towns and rural areas to fund new cycling infrastructure.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (published April 2017) includes funding of £1.2 billion from 2016-21 to support our ambition to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys in every urban and rural community in England.
In addition to the £1.2 billion highlighted in the Strategy, funding is also available to small towns and rural areas from local authority programmes, some other government programmes such as Sport England and Public Health England, and the most recent allocations from the Local Growth Fund.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide a new funding stream to encourage cycling in small towns and rural areas.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (published April 2017) includes funding of £1.2 billion from 2016-21 to support our ambition to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys in every urban and rural community in England.
In addition to the £1.2 billion highlighted in the Strategy, funding is also available to small towns and rural areas from local authority programmes, some other government programmes such as Sport England and Public Health England, and the most recent allocations from the Local Growth Fund.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent report by Public Health England on the significant increased risk of a crash occurring when a driver has above 40mg alcohol per 100ml blood.
Answered by Andrew Jones
My officials have met with these groups and heard their rationale for supporting a lower drink driving limit. However, the Government believes that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.
A fundamental review on drink and drug driving was commissioned in 2009. My Hon Friend can read the coalition government’s response here, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-governments-response-to-the-reports-by-sir-peter-north-cbe-qc-and-the-transport-select-committee-on-drink-and-drug-driving, with which this Government agrees.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the AA, RAC, RAC Foundation, Institute of Advanced Motoring, Police Federation, Fire Brigades Union and Royal College of Emergency Medicine on introducing a lower drink-driving limit in England and Wales as an effective and cost effective way of reducing road deaths; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
My officials have met with these groups and heard their rationale for supporting a lower drink driving limit. However, the Government believes that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.
A fundamental review on drink and drug driving was commissioned in 2009. My Hon Friend can read the coalition government’s response here, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-governments-response-to-the-reports-by-sir-peter-north-cbe-qc-and-the-transport-select-committee-on-drink-and-drug-driving, with which this Government agrees.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the introduction of a lower drink-drive limit in Scotland; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of introducing a similar limit in England and Wales.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government has no plans to lower the drink drive limit. We believe that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.
A fundamental review on drink and drug driving was commissioned in 2009. My Hon Friend can read the coalition government’s response here, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-governments-response-to-the-reports-by-sir-peter-north-cbe-qc-and-the-transport-select-committee-on-drink-and-drug-driving, with which this Government agrees.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that drivers are aware of the need to take care when driving past or near horses and their riders.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department takes every opportunity to remind motorists of their responsibilities towards vulnerable road users - including horse riders - through publications such as the Highway Code and THINK! Road Safety campaigns. THINK! officials are currently working with the British Horse Society following their recently launched ‘Dead Slow’ campaign. Plans for the summer include publicity on TV, radio, online and social media advising motorists on how to pass horses safely.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department has received on (a) noise and dust and (b) other disruptions affecting local residents caused by current major road works on the M6; and whether he has considered taking steps to reduce that disruption to those residents by those works.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Since work commenced on the smart motorway upgrade on the M6 between junctions 16 and 19 in December 2015, a total of 4 representations from local residents have been made to Highways England in regards to noise from the construction work. These representations were also made to Cheshire East County Council, who made Highways England aware of them.
A further 4 representations have been made concerning an increase in traffic on the A50 to the east of the M6 due to vehicles choosing to divert on to the local road network to avoid the roadworks on the motorway. This concern was also raised with Highways England by Brereton Parish Council.
A number of measures are in place to reduce the disruption to local people including the use of temporary noise screens to minimise noise from excavation works near homes and dust suppression measures. Highways England are in regular communication by letter, email and newsletter with local people to keep them informed about up-coming works.