Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to help strengthen public confidence in international travel during 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts
Following the changes to international travel implemented on 11 February, including the removal of all testing requirements for eligible vaccinated passengers, reducing measures for all other passengers, and recognising vaccine certificates from over 180 countries and territories, the UK now has one of the most open and streamlined COVID-19 border regimes in the world. Furthermore, my Rt Hon Friend the Transport Secretary is also looking at removing the Passenger Locator Form as soon as possible.
The Government has also committed to developing a contingency toolkit, to be set out ahead of Easter, with new border health measures only implemented in extreme circumstances where necessary to protect public health against COVID-19 variants.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the successful local authority bids in the third tranche of the Active Travel Fund.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department intends to make an announcement on this matter very shortly.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the motorcycle industry on encouraging the use of protective equipment to reduce the severity of collision related injury.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
As set out in The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, every person driving or riding a motorcycle on the road must wear a helmet. The Department’s safety helmet assessment and rating programme (SHARP) aims to change riders’ attitudes and habits to helmet safety and in so doing contribute to a reduction in the number of motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on UK roads.
The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with representatives of the motorcycle industry but the Department routinely engages with them in the development of its policies. There are currently no plans to mandate the wearing of protective clothing for motorcyclists as the Government believes that the use of protective clothing should remain a matter for individual choice, rather than become a legislative requirement.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to financially support coach operators in converting their fleets from Euro V to Euro VI emission standards.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We are committed to ensuring transport plays its part in reaching our net zero targets, and as such we are considering how to support all modes of transport. This includes working with the coach industry to support the increase of zero emission vehicles in their fleets.