Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on development of the Sevington lorry park and checking facility in Ashford; and how many lorries a day is that site processing as at 28 June 2021.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Sevington Inland Border Facility (IBF) has operated well since it opened in January, conducting COVID-19 testing for hauliers leaving the UK. This has been an important operation in order to keep freight moving in times when the pandemic has peaked, and countries have had to instigate COVID-19 border protocols.
HMRC successfully transitioned their operations from Waterbrook IBF to Sevington IBF in March. The total number of vehicles processed by HMRC at Sevington on 28 June was 723, with a total of 676 COVID-19 tests being carried out on the same day.
Landscaping commenced with the beginning of the planting season, which is an important part of our environmental strategy to mitigate against visual impacts and to enhance biodiversity. The Department is also reviewing lighting on-site following feedback from local residents and the public and will be looking to implement some changes shortly.
Construction of the Border Control Post (BCP) has been progressing well with structures for all buildings now in place and accommodation buildings being erected. Completion of the BCP is on course for the end of the year.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What recent progress has been made on HS2.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
Construction is underway and already supporting over 15000 jobs including over 500 apprenticeships. Phase 2a has also achieved royal assent.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from UK citizens living in France on the problems that those citizens are encountering in exchanging a UK driving licence for a local driving licence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Government is committed to establishing reciprocal arrangements with France with the minimum of bureaucracy. The Government has secured interim arrangements with the French authorities which will allow UK licence holders to continue to use their valid UK licence until 1 January 2022. We are working with the French government to finalise a permanent arrangement and to find a solution for those with expired UK licences. The Government commits to providing an update as soon as possible.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of lorries that have left the UK via (a) the Port of Dover and (b) Eurotunnel from 1 Jan 2021 to the latest date for which information is available.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Department for Transport (DfT) does hold estimates of the number of lorries that have left the UK via the Short Strait crossings since the start of the year. However some the data used to estimate this is provided by transport operators on a commercially confidential basis. Whilst these operators may give permission for this data to be shared during periods of specific disruption, the DfT does not have permission to share this information during times of normal running. As such it is not possible to provide this information at this time.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Kent Access Permits have been issued to date.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The total number of Kent Access Permits that have been issued to date is 106,201.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans for electric scooters to be required to emit a sound to warn pedestrians of their approach; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Department has been working closely with a number of local authorities and rental e-scooter service providers since last July to establish trials to build evidence about e-scooter use.
All e-scooters used in trials must have a horn or bell so that users can make others aware of their presence and continuous sound emitter devices are also being trialled; their efficacy will be reviewed along with all other evidence from trials later this year.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether lorries travelling into Kent from the rest of the UK but not travelling to EU countries will from 1 January 2021 have to register with the DVSA in order to demonstrate an exemption for a Kent Access Permit.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
As set out in HM Government’s Border Operating Model first published on 13 July 2020, HGV drivers making domestic journeys that start, travel through, or end in Kent, will not need to obtain a Kent Access Permit. It is recommended that all drivers who are transporting goods domestically carry paperwork detailing their journey so any possible delays can be minimised