Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) legally and (b) illegally operated e-scooters in the UK.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Departments most recent figure shows that 28,608 rental e-scooters were available to operate legally as of the end of November 2022. This figure relates only to e-scooters operating as part of the e-scooter trials in England and is not representative of the UK as a whole. In 2021 and 2020 combined, just under 1 million e-scooters were imported into the UK, according to UK trade data. There are currently no import figures available from the year 2022. It is not known how many of these e-scooters are being operated legally, on private land or as part of the trials, and illegally, on public land and roads.
The provisional estimate of the number of injury collisions reported to the police in England involving an e-scooter was 1,304 in the year to end June 2022, the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. Information on helmet wearing by e-scooter users is not collected.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents involving both buses and pedestrians were recorded in England in the 12 months preceding (a) January 2023 and (b) each preceding month for the last two years.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department collects data on personal injury road collisions reported to the police. The latest published final figures are for 2021.
The number of personal injury collisions in England in each month of 2021 involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters are shown in the table.
The number of personal injury collisions each month involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters, 2021, England.
Month | Bus and pedestrian collisions | Bus and pedal cycle collisions | Bus and e-scooter collisions |
January | 20 | 11 | 1 |
February | 23 | 6 | 0 |
March | 30 | 24 | 0 |
April | 39 | 21 | 2 |
May | 50 | 29 | 4 |
June | 45 | 29 | 3 |
July | 41 | 24 | 1 |
August | 44 | 24 | 3 |
September | 50 | 17 | 4 |
October | 61 | 23 | 3 |
November | 58 | 20 | 5 |
December | 54 | 14 | 0 |
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents involving both buses and scooters were recorded in England in the 12 months preceding (a) January 2023 and (b) each preceding month for the last two years.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department collects data on personal injury road collisions reported to the police. The latest published final figures are for 2021.
The number of personal injury collisions in England in each month of 2021 involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters are shown in the table.
The number of personal injury collisions each month involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters, 2021, England.
Month | Bus and pedestrian collisions | Bus and pedal cycle collisions | Bus and e-scooter collisions |
January | 20 | 11 | 1 |
February | 23 | 6 | 0 |
March | 30 | 24 | 0 |
April | 39 | 21 | 2 |
May | 50 | 29 | 4 |
June | 45 | 29 | 3 |
July | 41 | 24 | 1 |
August | 44 | 24 | 3 |
September | 50 | 17 | 4 |
October | 61 | 23 | 3 |
November | 58 | 20 | 5 |
December | 54 | 14 | 0 |
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents involving both buses and cyclists were recorded in England in the 12 months preceding (a) January 2023 and (b) each preceding month for the last two years.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department collects data on personal injury road collisions reported to the police. The latest published final figures are for 2021.
The number of personal injury collisions in England in each month of 2021 involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters are shown in the table.
The number of personal injury collisions each month involving both buses and pedestrians, buses and pedal cyclists and buses and e-scooters, 2021, England.
Month | Bus and pedestrian collisions | Bus and pedal cycle collisions | Bus and e-scooter collisions |
January | 20 | 11 | 1 |
February | 23 | 6 | 0 |
March | 30 | 24 | 0 |
April | 39 | 21 | 2 |
May | 50 | 29 | 4 |
June | 45 | 29 | 3 |
July | 41 | 24 | 1 |
August | 44 | 24 | 3 |
September | 50 | 17 | 4 |
October | 61 | 23 | 3 |
November | 58 | 20 | 5 |
December | 54 | 14 | 0 |
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her policy is on electrification of the Snow Hill Lines; and what steps she is taking to help deliver zero-carbon rail on those lines.
Answered by Kevin Foster
In the Transport Decarbonisation Plan the government committed to deliver a net zero rail network by 2050. To do so we will electrify additional lines and deploy battery and hydrogen trains on lines where it makes economic and operational sense.
No decision has yet been taken on the approach which will be used in decarbonisation of the Snow Hill Lines.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to introduce legislative proposals on the regulation of e-scooters.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Government plans to introduce legislation for micromobility when parliamentary time allows. The legislation would subsequently enable regulations to be made surrounding e-scooters. No decisions have been made on the details of the regulations for e-scooters and we will consult before any new arrangements come into force.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the upfront cost of an electric vehicle is affordable to people on a low income.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Government has committed £2.5 billion since 2020 to support the transition to zero emission vehicles, with funding to offset their higher upfront cost, and to accelerate the rollout of chargepoint infrastructure.
In many cases, electric vehicles (EVs) are already cheaper to own and run than a petrol or diesel equivalent. While EVs do cost more to buy outright today than their petrol/diesel equivalents, the market for more affordable zero emission cars is growing rapidly – with 24 models currently priced under £32,000 compared to 15 just a year ago.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the electric vehicle charging industry on its ability to comply with the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Government consulted on the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Point) Regulations in 2019 and received 129 responses. Last August, the Government also published the final draft Regulations and notified the World Trade Organisation of intentions to lay these, offering UK and international trade bodies a further opportunity to provide comments. No responses were received.
Since the Regulations were made in December 2021, BEIS and Office for Product Safety Standards (OPSS) officials have continued to engage extensively with industry, both individually and via trade associations, to support them in compliance. Detailed guidance was published in February, and an updated version including further clarity on issues requested by industry will be published shortly.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department had discussions with the Office for Product Security and Safety prior to drawing up the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 were jointly developed by DfT and BEIS policy officials who worked closely with the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in their development.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the costs of compliance with and (b) the wider impact of the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 on the electric vehicle charging industry.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 are estimated to have a net economic benefit of up to £1.1bn (with a central estimate of £500m) by reducing the need for expensive electricity system infrastructure. This is expected to translate into lower energy bills for all consumers and support the uptake of electric vehicles by facilitating their integration into the electricity system at least cost.
An Impact Assessment was published alongside the Regulations that includes a detailed assessment of the costs and benefits that were considered in developing the regulations: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015290/electric-vehicles-smart-charge-points-regulations-2021-impact-assessment.pdf