Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
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 Rachel Maclean
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 Central)
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 Rachel Maclean
The total number of Kent Access Permits that have been issued to date is 106,201.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
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 Rachel Maclean
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 Central)
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 Rachel Maclean
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
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish guidance for lorries travelling into Kent from the rest of the UK but not travelling to a country in the UK on how they can demonstrate from 1 January 2021 that they do not need to be in possession of a Kent Access Permit in order to enter the county of Kent.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
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
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether EU-registered lorries that have entered the UK to make deliveries will require a Kent Access Permit for their return journey if they are empty.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Subject to passage of the necessary Statutory Instruments, an empty HGV using the Short Straits crossings on its return to the EU will require a Kent Access Permit.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of EU-registered lorries that have entered the UK in a seven day period to make deliveries that will require a Kent Access Permit because they are carrying return loads destined for the EU.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All EU registered HGVs returning in a 7 day period will need a Kent Access Permit if using the short straits crossings, even if they are carrying an empty trailer. We are working closely with EU based hauliers and their industry associations to ensure they understand this requirement and have access to the information they need to take exports to the EU from 1 January.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Government agency or agencies will be responsible for (a) checking lorry paperwork, (b) issuing fines and (c) impounding non-compliant lorries under the proposed Kent Access Permit scheme.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In August 2020, Her Majesty’s Government consulted on the use of a Kent Access Permit (KAP) for any EU-bound Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV – goods vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes) taking goods via the Short Straits Channel crossing after the end of the EU transition period. Under these proposals, if taken forward:
Contractors working for DfT, HMRC and Defra (or its agencies) would confirm if an HGV driver has a valid KAP using the Smart Freight Service, and in some cases, conduct documentation checks.
Fixed Penalty Notices or Financial Penalty Deposit Notices of £300 would be issued by the Police or the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if an HCV driver did not have a valid KAP.
The DVSA would be able to impound vehicles should the driver choose not to pay the fine.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to make a decision on the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund bid.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Department for Transport received the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund business case on 28 November 2019. The Department is currently carefully assessing all 12 business cases from eligible city regions and will announce the outcome of this process within the next few months.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the capacity of Leeds train stations to cope with the predicted increase in passenger demand over the next 20 years.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department has consulted widely with Network Rail, Train Operators, and stakeholders in Leeds and West Yorkshire on options to relieve the shortage of capacity and plan for expected growth in rail traffic. We are now developing a programme of possible improvements which will benefit passengers in the area in the medium to long term. Next steps include developing and authorising a number of short & medium-term infrastructure improvements to increase capacity and performance in the Leeds Station area.
With regards to Leeds station specifically, the Government is committed to making improvements to the station to increase its capacity, including work already under way to add a new platform and tracks and upgrade the signalling.