Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list all training that has been provided to traffic officers on managing electric vehicles in incident recovery situations in each year between 2014 and 2024.

National Highways has evolved its training programme for Traffic Officers on Electric Vehicles (EVs) as their use on the network has emerged and grown. Our training provision is aligned to the traffic officer work instructions in operation at that time, which have evolved as the number of EVs on our roads has increased.

Booster Pack and Skids training was provided for all Traffic Officers from December 2020 to April 2021. This was consolidated into new starter training from May 2021. Booster Pack training is the familiarisation of the booster pack that Traffic Officer vehicles carry. This training covers component parts of the booster pack and how to apply to release electronic handbrakes in line with manufacturer guidelines. Skids training is delivered to enable Traffic Officers to put skids underneath tyres that are unable to turn when electronic handbrakes cannot be released, enabling clearance of the carriageway. Whilst neither are exclusively EV training, they are methods that can be used with EVs.

Both training packages were subsequently consolidated into New Starter training for Traffic Officers as part of the continuous improvement of foundation training. EV eLearning was also rolled out to all Traffic Officers from January 2021 until November 2023, across a range of subjects, including:

• Overview of EV and Hybrids

• Evaluate the Positives and Negatives of EV and Hybrids

• Identify Types of EV/Hybrids at scene of incident or breakdowns

• Potential hazards involved when dealing with EV/Hybrids

• EV and Hybrid component parts

• H&S (HSE Guidance)

The EV and Hybrid Awareness eLearning package covers identification of component parts of EVs, such as High Voltage batteries and their location. The EV training delivered at New Starter Course offers a higher level of awareness, including when EVs are involved in Road Traffic Collisions and sustain a higher degree of damage.

Carriageway clearance, which includes EV training, is delivered to all new National Highways Traffic Officers as part of their Foundation training, this has been in place since 2018.