Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has met with representatives of the Motorcycle Action Group to discuss the role of motorcycling in national transport policy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department will publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy later this year and set the long-term vision for transport across England, putting people and the journeys they make at the heart of how transport is planned, built and operated. We have conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the public at an official level to inform the Strategy and heard directly from motorcyclists and motorcycle representative groups including Motorcycle Action Group (MAG). As the Strategy is still in development, I am unable to comment on specific policy questions, but the insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are being considered as the Strategy continues to evolve.
On 20 January, I attended the first part of the first meeting of the reconstituted Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group (MSFG), chaired by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, to demonstrate my support and commitment to the motorcycling community and to the work of that group, of which MAG is a member and were in attendance. I think that the MSFG is best placed for MAG to feed in their concerns and requests about Government policy as it affects motorcyclists.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve road safety for motorcyclists.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Improving road safety is a key priority of this Government. For road users who choose to travel by motorcycle, the Department remains committed to ensuring that they are equipped with the specialist skills necessary to stay safe on the road.
Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. The Department is developing the Government’s Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the transition of motorcyclists from petrol and diesel vehicles to zero-emission alternative.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government supports the transition of L-category vehicles to zero emission and has been helping people transition to zero emission motorcycles. The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant helps bridge the price gap between zero emission and petrol motorcycles and will continue until at least April 2026 for L3-category motorcycles.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether motorcycling will be included in the Integrated National Transport Strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Later this year, the department will publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) and set the long-term vision for transport across England, placing people at the heart of how we plan, build, and operate transport. The Strategy will aim to address fragmentation and inefficiency across the transport system to ensure that people can easily, reliably, and safely carry out the journeys they want to make, however they choose to travel.
We have conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the public, including motorcyclists and motorcycle user representative groups, through a Call for Ideas, Regional Roadshows, and targeted sessions with seldom heard groups. As the Strategy is still in development, I am unable to comment on specific policy questions, but all the insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are being considered as the Strategy continues to evolve.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to instruct the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an investigation into the safety of Boeing aircraft models that are in service in the UK.
Answered by Mike Kane
No. The UK Civil Aviation Authority, as the UK’s aviation safety regulator, are responsible for regulatory oversight of UK airlines and operations. It is for them to assess whether further action is required within the UK. At this time they have ruled out the need for further checks in the UK.
In regard to the recent accident involving Air India flight AI171, currently, we are not aware of any evidence regarding this incident to suggest there is an unsafe condition with any commercial Boeing aircraft types. The preliminary report of this accident ruled out the need for wider action against this aircraft type, engine or manufacturer.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps with international aviation regulators to oversee Boeing’s (a) manufacturing and (b) safety practices.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Department for Transport (DfT) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regularly engage with international counterparts on safety issues.
The primary responsibility for Boeing aircraft is through the Type Certificate Holder and their certificating authority. The certificating authority for Boeing aircraft is the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA informed the CAA and DfT that they have increased oversight and directed Boeing to create an action plan to address issues identified which was submitted in May 2024. The FAA continue to actively monitor Boeing and delivery of their action plan.
In relation to the recent accident involving Air India flight AI171, the preliminary report ruled out the need for wider action against this aircraft type, engine or manufacturer.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling local authorities to use CCTV enforcement to address unlawful pavement parking; and if she will bring forward legislative proposals to permit such enforcement.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
No assessment has been made of the use of CCTV cameras to address pavement parking. The use of CCTV for civil enforcement of parking restrictions is currently limited to contraventions occurring in ‘keep clear’ zig-zag areas outside schools, red routes, bus lanes and mandatory cycle lanes, and at bus stops and bus stands.
More broadly on the issue of pavement parking, the Department has been considering responses to the consultation on pavement parking conducted in 2020 and potential policy options. We will announce our formal response to the consultation and next steps shortly.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department provided Greater Anglia with a formal written derogation to not consult on that company's May 2023 train timetable changes.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No derogation was granted to Greater Anglia in relation to the May 2023 train timetable. Operators continue to respond to changing passenger demand levels and travel patterns and it is important they have the flexibility to do so.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department gave Greater Anglia a formal written derogation to not consult on their May 2022 train timetable changes.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No derogation was granted to Greater Anglia in relation to the May 2022 train timetable. Operators continue to respond to changing passenger demand levels and travel patterns and it is important they have the flexibility to do so. We will only be in a position to reintroduce meaningful consultations once demand has stabilised.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with Greater Anglia on its decision to end national rail services at Edmonton Green station from 21 May 2023.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Detailed decisions about the development of the national rail timetable is for the rail operator and Network Rail. As part of Greater Anglia’s timetable planning process for the May 2023 timetable change, it has concentrated its services on the Lea Valley route. This change is to reduce congestion on the West Anglia route and deliver better, more consistent performance and greater resilience in the event of any disruption. Edmonton Green will continue to have frequent peak and off-peak services provided by London Overground.