Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the levels of public awareness of the 29 January 2022 revisions to the Highway Code.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding.
The Department has assessed public understanding of the 2022 Highway Code changes through survey research which tracks levels of awareness and self‑reported understanding and compliance over time.
· The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to over 50% in August 2022 and up to 70% in September 2023, with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by that time.
· Understanding of pedestrian priority at junctions increased from 52% to 72%, and cyclists riding 2 abreast rising from 30% to 46%.
· Following the second phase of the campaign in summer 2023, 81% of drivers claimed to leave a gap of 1.5metres when passing a cyclist all or most of the time. 79% of drivers claimed to pass horse riders and horse drawn vehicles with at least 2metres distance and at under 10mph all or most of the time.
·Of the respondents that recognised the campaign advert, nine in ten said they had taken action as a result.
· More recent figures show a sustained increase in those saying it is unacceptable to not leave enough space for cyclists and horse riders, from 60% in March 2024 to 68% in April 2025.
However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety.
Although failure to comply with the advisory rules of the Highway Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, contraventions of these rules may be used as evidence in court to establish liability for a road traffic offence. Advisory rules include those which begin ‘should/should not’ and ‘do/do not’.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 will enable local authorities to plan and deliver continuous, high-quality active travel networks.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
I am carefully considering the feedback from the consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, including in respect of the planning and delivery of active travel networks. I expect to publish the Strategy in the Spring.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of launching a public information campaign to raise awareness of recent changes to the Highway Code.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Nationwide plans announced to design safer streets as 9 in 10 women report feeling unsafe walking at night, published 25 March 2026, what assessment she has made of the biggest barriers to the installation of lighting on walking, wheeling and cycling routes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Barriers to the installation of appropriate lighting include a lack of energy infrastructure, higher scheme cost for upfront work, the impact on nature and wildlife, the long-term revenue budget required for the ongoing maintenance of lighting installation, and the balance between these factors that is part of scheme development. The forthcoming guidance from ATE will include the importance of implementing better-designed lighting.
ATE’s Route Check Tool includes specific metrics relating to lighting coverage, visibility, user safety, and minimising light pollution, helping authorities to plan routes that meet modern safety and design standards.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve road safety for equestrians; and whether he plans to update Highway Code guidance or introduce further statutory protections for horse riders.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.
Following these updates the Department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
We are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to increase awareness of (a) Rule 178 of the Highway Code and (b) the Code more broadly.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.
That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes, including guidance aimed at improving safety for cyclists and encouraging compliance with “MUST” rules within the Code.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to reduce childhood obesity rates among children in areas of high deprivation.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England, we are taking decisive action on the obesity crisis and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. We are restricting junk food advertising targeted at children on television and online and have given councils stronger powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools. We have announced changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and consulted on our proposals to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children. We will go further by introducing mandatory reporting on the healthiness of sales for all large food businesses and strengthening the existing advertising and promotions restrictions by applying an updated definition of ‘less healthy food and drink’.
We recognise that obesity is highly unequal and we are taking appropriate steps to support people to access healthier food. Through the Healthy Start Scheme, we are encouraging a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households and, in April 2026, we will be uplifting the value of weekly payments by 10%. The Government is committed to reviewing the School Food Standards so that these reflect the most recent dietary recommendations, free school meals will be extended to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, and phase 1 of the free breakfast clubs programme will commence from April 2026, which will see a further 2,000 new schools delivering free breakfast clubs.
We are also committed to breaking down barriers and getting more people moving, especially those living in more deprived areas. We will do this through delivering the new Physical Education and School Sport Partnerships network, continued investment in grassroots sport, and cycling and walking infrastructure. We have already teamed up with Joe Wicks and launched 'Activate’, a series of animated, fun five-minute workouts to help families and schools tackle inactivity among children.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure that children from low-income households can access healthy food and regular exercise opportunities.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England, we are taking decisive action on the obesity crisis and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. We are restricting junk food advertising targeted at children on television and online and have given councils stronger powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools. We have announced changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and consulted on our proposals to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children. We will go further by introducing mandatory reporting on the healthiness of sales for all large food businesses and strengthening the existing advertising and promotions restrictions by applying an updated definition of ‘less healthy food and drink’.
We recognise that obesity is highly unequal and we are taking appropriate steps to support people to access healthier food. Through the Healthy Start Scheme, we are encouraging a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households and, in April 2026, we will be uplifting the value of weekly payments by 10%. The Government is committed to reviewing the School Food Standards so that these reflect the most recent dietary recommendations, free school meals will be extended to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, and phase 1 of the free breakfast clubs programme will commence from April 2026, which will see a further 2,000 new schools delivering free breakfast clubs.
We are also committed to breaking down barriers and getting more people moving, especially those living in more deprived areas. We will do this through delivering the new Physical Education and School Sport Partnerships network, continued investment in grassroots sport, and cycling and walking infrastructure. We have already teamed up with Joe Wicks and launched 'Activate’, a series of animated, fun five-minute workouts to help families and schools tackle inactivity among children.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111456, what mechanisms are available to airports to meet surface access environmental targets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In order to meet surface access environmental targets, airport operators and their local stakeholders are responsible for determining the specific interventions that are best-suited to their unique operational contexts taking into account local infrastructure, planning considerations and obligations, and regional transport policies.
The Government welcomes the significant investments airports are making in sustainable surface transport options for staff and passengers, from zero-emission bus fleets to improved cycling facilities, which are vital to balancing aviation sector growth with our environmental commitments.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including walking, wheeling, and cycling in policy HC1 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Proposed draft policy HC1 already makes clear that development plans should, at the most appropriate level, identify wider opportunities to promote good health, prevent ill-health and support social interaction through their spatial strategy and land allocations, including through policies locating development where it will support walking and cycling.