Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to encourage people to use public transport in order to reduce congestion and its associated effect on air quality.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is committed to tackling congestion and improving air quality across the UK. High quality and accessible public transport will play a key role in this, alongside other forms of sustainable transport such as cycling and walking. Our rail plans are seeing the largest investment in the railway since Victorian times, which will help make rail travel more attractive through state-of-the-art new trains and stations, together with more and faster services. The Bus Services Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2017, gives local authorities a further range of tools, such as partnership working and franchising, to deliver service improvements for bus passengers, aiming to drive up bus use and help cut congestion. Our Cycling and Walking Strategy, published in April 2017 identified £1.2bn of investment in cycling and walking from 2016-21.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to monitor speed limits and ensure that they are appropriate.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government does not monitor speed limits, as traffic authorities set local speed limits in situations where local needs and conditions suggest a speed limit which is lower than the national speed limit. The Department has issued guidance to local highway authorities on setting local speed limits, which can be viewed online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to promote the use of cycle paths.
Answered by Jesse Norman
As with all local cycling infrastructure, local authorities are best placed to promote cycle paths in their area, which offer cyclists an alternative to cycling in the carriageway.
However, the decision to use a path will depend on the individual cyclist. While they can be attractive to some cyclists, particularly less confident cyclists, cycle paths may not always be convenient for experienced cyclists.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the use by local authorities of central government grants to tackle potholes.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department’s annual road condition statistics suggest that the condition of our roads is improving. The Department’s analysis estimated that the Highways Maintenance Block funding to local authorities provided very high value for money, with a Benefit Cost Ratio of just over 7. However no specific evaluation has been undertaken on the effectiveness of the use by local authorities of central government grants to tackle potholes.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of legislation related to compensation for people whose vehicles are damaged by unreported potholes.
Answered by Andrew Jones
It is for each highway authority to decide on what compensation is provided to those who have a legitimate claim in relation to a defect on the public highway based on the statutory legislation as set out in the Highways Act 1980 (as amended).
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provision of additional junctions to decrease ramp times on the strategic road network (a) in general and (b) at the missing Junction 6 of the M27.
Answered by John Hayes
Highways England is guided by the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges on the provision of new accesses and interchanges to the Strategic Road Network. As well as monitoring traffic flow data, they assess information from local development plans and local highway and planning authorities to identify when and where additional junctions are required.
I understand you met recently with Highways England at which unfortunately you were advised that a new junction could not be built to current standards at this location on the M27 due to other road improvements made since the motorway was constructed. Highways England is continuing to discuss this important matter with the local planning authority and monitoring developments in the vicinity.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatalities were caused by traffic collisions involving persons under the influence of (a) cannabis and (b) illegal drugs in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The statistical data that the police provide to the Department about personal-injury road traffic accidents does not include explicit information on the use of illegal drugs. The data do not attribute blame or responsibility for the cause of the accident either.
However, the records do include information on what factors police officers thought had contributed to the accident. The contributory factor ‘Impaired by drugs (illicit or medicinal)’ is recorded when a police officer thought that a driver or rider was affected by drugs. This factor not only includes the use of illegal drugs but also medicinal drugs, whether prescription or ‘over the counter’, which could have had an effect on someone’s driving. No split between illegal and medicinal drugs is available.
The number of fatalities in reported road accidents in Great Britain in which the contributory factor ‘Impaired by drugs (illicit or medicinal)’ was reported for 2010 to 2014 can be found in the table below.
2010 | 42 |
2011 | 54 |
2012 | 32 |
2013 | 36 |
2014 | 55 |
It should be noted that contributory factors are only recorded when police officers attended the scene of the accidents; this should be the case for the majority of fatal accidents. The factors are based on police officers’ judgements at the scene and may not include factors that were only discovered after a full investigation of the accident was carried out.
Drug driving is a menace which is why the Coalition government created a new offence of driving with a specified controlled drug in the body above the specified limit for that drug, with the aim of making it easier for the police to tackle those who drive after taking illegal drugs.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Botley Bypass, currently at feasibility design stage, will be included in near-future transport infrastructure plans.
Answered by Andrew Jones
I understand that the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), where the Botley Bypass is situated, is undertaking work to look at transport schemes within the LEP area to inform their Transport Infrastructure Plan due later this year.