Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to publish revised national road traffic projections before the Summer recess.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The National Road Traffic Projections were last published in December 2022. The Department has no plans to publish updated projections before the Summer recess. The Department regularly reviews evidence and data on the drivers of travel demand and will publish an update in due course.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2024 to Question 11269 on Electric Scooters: Hire Services, whether he plans to announce a decision on extending e-scooter rental trials before the Summer recess.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
E-scooter trials have been extended to 31 May 2026. Extending the trials beyond May 2024 will enable us to build on current learning across areas including usage, safety, and environmental impacts, and to explore changing travel patterns since the coronavirus pandemic and as e-scooters become more embedded in public life.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that most zero-emission buses for use in the UK are built in the UK.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
UK bus manufacturing is an area of strength for the UK, with 80% of buses operating in urban areas produced in the UK.
As part of the application process for the ZEBRA programmes, bidders were asked to highlight any community benefits from their proposals. This included local economic development in the area, the creation and/or retention of jobs and apprenticeships related to the maintenance of zero emission vehicles, including batteries and fuel cells, and supporting infrastructure.
The UK Government has no role in the procurement of buses, this is the responsibility of the LTA and the bus operator. During the procurement process for ZEBs, LTAs and bus operators tend to consider criteria such as value for money and route suitability, rather than geographical origins. Their priority is to procure the right vehicle, for the right location, based on quality and value for money.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with the Mayor of London on the (a) reasons for the duration of time during which an escalator at Paddington Station has been out of service and (b) impact of that on elderly and disabled visitors to that station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Facilities at Paddington London Underground station are the responsibility of Transport for London (TfL). DfT Ministers and officials meet regularly with TfL on a range of issues.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to receive the results of the evaluation of Future Transport Zones commissioned by his Department from the National Centre for Social Research.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department manages a programme-level evaluation of the Future Transport Zones on how the four Zones designed, procured and implemented their programmes, currently running from 2021-25. The externally commissioned evaluation of Future Transport Zones is still ongoing.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Operation Zero steering board meetings were there in 2023; and how long each meeting lasted.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In 2023, the Operation Zero Steering Board met three times, with each meeting lasting two hours.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with of manufacturers of electronic vehicles on estimates of mileage ranges achievable in new vehicles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers regularly meet vehicle manufactures to discuss regulatory requirements – including those that set out how to establish official electric vehicle range figures.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2024 to Question 16450, how many of the 1.14 million blue badges issued between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 were the result of new applications.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Data on the number of blue badges issued as a result of new applications over that time period is not available.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on the Blue Badge scheme at the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance in the financial year 2022-23.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The Department sets the legislation that governs the Blue Badge scheme, and provides guidance for local authorities who are solely responsible for administering the scheme.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Blue Badges were issued in England in 2023.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There were 1.14 million badges issued between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, an increase of 101,000 badges (9.7%) on the previous year. These figures include badges issued followed reapplications from existing badge holders.