Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an assessment has been made into the potential merits of providing access to extra traffic lanes and additional parking facilities for motorbikes after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Local traffic authorities already have powers to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes in their areas, and to provide dedicated parking facilities for them. It is for them to decide what is appropriate for roads in their area. In making these decisions they will need to consider how to balance the needs of local residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of motorcycle use as a socially-distanced form of transport in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department’s guidance issued on 12 May refers to “Private cars and other vehicles” as an alternative to using public transport, and encourages the public to “consider all other forms of transport before using public transport”. This would include private vehicles such as motorcycles and mopeds where the journey to be made is appropriate.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of the CID 27 form used by British Transport Police.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
British Transport Police officers and staff have carried out an internal search but there is no record of this form. It is possible that the form may belong to the Metropolitan Police or other Home Office territorial forces.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role hybrid vehicles will have as part of plans to decarbonise the transport sector; and whether new hybrid vehicles will be able to be bought after 2035.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
On the 4th February the Prime Minister announced that we are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible.
We are consulting on the Committee on Climate Change recommendation that any new vehicles sold after the phase out date must be zero emission at the tailpipe. The proposals relate to new cars and vans - owners of existing petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans will still be able to use these vehicles and buy and sell them on the used market.
The technologies on sale, and the market share of those technologies, must be compatible with achieving our 2050 net zero climate change target and our long-term air quality goals.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of (a) the potential merits of hybrid large commercial vehicles as a step towards full electrification and (b) the difference in range between hybrid and electric large commercial vehicles.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government’s long-term goal is the development and deployment of zero emission Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). While the pathway to achieving this is not as clear as for cars and vans, technologies are starting to emerge even for the largest vehicles. Zero emission technologies are at different stages of development for different segments of the HGV sector, with solutions more advanced for zero emission smaller, shorter-haul HGVs than for larger, long-haul HGVs. However, zero emission technologies exist and are technically proven for all types of HGVs and operations. For example, electrification of large and long-haul HGVs is possible. Manufacturers have produced large electric HGVs and there have been several successful trials of dynamic charging technologies for HGVs internationally.
Government-supported research will evaluate the potential costs, benefits and opportunities associated with various technologies, as well as their suitability for different types of HGVs and duty cycles across different parts of the network. This research will be conducted with a view to ultimately performing full-scale demonstrator trials on the UK road network, if appropriate technologies are identified. The research will be valuable in identifying the most promising solutions for the UK network and how best to develop them.
The Government will also continue to pursue regulatory opportunities to support the road freight sector in switching to lower emission commercial vehicles and are working with industry to develop an ultra low emission truck (ULET) standard to provide certainty on emission standards and encourage industry R&D in this area.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what schemes are available to help communities which have a high number of unadopted roads, due to the closure of large industry, get adopted status for those roads.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
The respective owners of private roads are responsible under legislation for ensuring that these roads are brought up to the required standard before local highway authorities can ‘adopt’ them and then maintain them at public expense. In cases where there are large areas of unadopted roads due to the closure of large industries, these may be improved by new developers as part of their development projects or the local authority can bid for Government funds through various programmes like the Local Growth Fund.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will follow the recommendation of the Transport for the North and include the A68 in the major route network.
Answered by George Freeman
The Major Road Network was developed in 2017. At the time the A68 did not meet the qualifying criteria used. However, the roads which comprise the Major Road Network are reviewed periodically.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department received representations from (a) Durham county council and (b) the previous Member for North West Durham on re-opening a rail link to Consett between the end of April 2017 and 14 November 2019.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
To help communities across the country, the Government has pledged £500m to start reopening lines closed following the Beeching report, reconnecting smaller towns, regenerating local economies and improving accessibility to jobs, homes and education. Further details about this funding will be announced in due course.
I can confirm that my Department has not received any representations from Durham County Council in the period between April 2017 and 14 November 2019 on the subject of re-opening a rail link to Consett. My predecessor responded to a written question from the previous Member for North West Durham on this subject on 22 November 2017 (Hansard Ref:113009).
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) plans are in place and (b) the timescale is for improvements to the A68 in County Durham, Teesside and Northumberland.
Answered by George Freeman
The A68 is part of the Local Road Network and therefore it is for the relevant local highways authorities to plan and bring forward improvements for the route. The Government recognises the importance of local roads for businesses and communities. We are providing over £5.8 billion to local highways authorities outside London from 2015 to 2020, to help improve the condition of roads and reduce congestion.