Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that road safety measures in the vicinity of primary schools are given a priority status within (a) national transport policy and (b) guidance to local authorities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Road safety around schools is a priority for the Government, particularly the safety of children travelling to and from school.
Protection for children is not limited to the immediate school frontage; national transport policy focuses on improving safety along the whole journeys commonly made by children and young people, including routes to school. This approach includes the use of 20 mph limits where appropriate, alongside safer crossing facilities, traffic calming measures, School Streets schemes, enforcement, and school travel planning. The Government supports delivery of these measures through national funding, including £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance between 2026–27 and 2029–30, which local authorities can use to maintain and improve their road networks, including roads in the vicinity of schools.
Active Travel England (ATE) encourages authorities to consider a range of walking and cycling schemes to deal with local needs, including active travel to school. The Department for Transport and ATE have developed and published specific guidance on how to develop an effective School Streets scheme. School Streets can improve the experiences of a school’s pupils, staff, visitors, and neighbours alike at peak school arrival and departure times.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers caused by cyclists riding on the pavement.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
It is an offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 to cycle on the pavement and the only exception to this is for designated shared use paths. While there is no assessment of the dangers caused by pavement cycling, new offences in the Crime and Policing Bill are being introduced for cyclists who cause the death or serious injury of another person. These new offences will mean that cyclists will face the same penalties as those who commit motoring offences.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the danger, if any, caused by cyclists using headphones on roads.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No such assessment has been made, and it is not an offence to use headphones while cycling. However, if this is done in such a way as to put other road users in danger, the police may choose to bring a prosecution for careless or dangerous cycling.
Rule 66 of the Highway Code states that people should “avoid any actions that could reduce control of your cycle” and Rule 67 says that people should “be aware of traffic coming up behind you, including other cyclists”. Wearing headphones could indirectly affect a person’s ability to comply with either of these rules.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the danger, if any, caused by cycling on roads with one hand on the handlebars while using a mobile phone with the other.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Nobody should hold a mobile phone while cycling as this could affect their concentration and situational awareness. While no assessment of the dangers caused by this has been made, and it is not an offence to cycle and use a mobile phone, cyclists could be prosecuted by the police for careless or dangerous cycling.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trail riding on people's health and wellbeing through active recreation.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of trail riding on people's health and wellbeing through active recreation. The Department recognises that participation in outdoor activities using trails, such as cycling, walking, wheeling, and running, can have a range of physical and mental health benefits through movement, social engagement, and access to green and blue spaces.
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives. As committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will address physically inactivity and help build movement into everyday lives through investing in grassroots sports, developing a new Physical Education and school sports partnership network to support children reap the benefits of movement, and supporting cycling and walking infrastructure.
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 19 March 2026 to Question 120036 on the Highway Code, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals were represented on the expert stakeholder group; and how many times that stakeholder group met during the drafting of Rule H1.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The expert stakeholder group convened by the previous government when it determined the new rule could be introduced included individuals from The Automobile Association (AA), British Horse Society (BHS), BRAKE, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Cycling UK, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), First Car – representing Younger Road Users, Institute for Transport Studies Leeds – Representing Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Living Streets, Phil Jones Associates, Road Safety Foundation – representing Older Road Users, TMS Consultancy – representing Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Transport for London (TfL), Transport Scotland and Welsh Government.
The expert stakeholder group met five times during the drafting of updates to the Highway Code to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including Rule H1.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to raise public (a) awareness and (b) understanding of lawful and responsible trail riding.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that all users of the countryside understand how to access and enjoy it lawfully and responsibly. Public access, including for horse riders, is supported by the Countryside Code, which promotes responsible enjoyment of the outdoors, respect for others and protection of the natural environment. This includes keeping to permitted routes, leaving gates as found, and minimising damage to paths and surrounding land.
At a local level, highway authorities also play an important role in raising awareness of lawful and responsible use. They are responsible for managing and maintaining public rights of way, including keeping them free from obstruction, and for producing Rights of Way Improvement Plans (ROWIPs), which assess needs and set out planned improvements. The Government encourages riders to engage with their local authority and review their area’s ROWIP to understand planned improvements and raise concerns about bridleway connectivity and condition.
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 1 April 2026 to Question 123240, what contribution improved cycling facilities will make to balancing aviation sector growth.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Airports and their local stakeholders consider all transport options as part their surface access strategies, which cover staff as well as customers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of opening cycleways to horse riders.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My Department has made no such assessment.
Local authorities are responsible for the provision of cycling infrastructure and for considering appropriate provision for horse riders. The Highway Code is clear that cycle tracks are not intended for use by horse riders and any such assessment would be for local authorities to make.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 tackles barriers preventing women from cycling.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government does of course recognise how important it is that we tackle such barriers. My Department is reflecting on how best to address this within the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which we expect to publish in the Spring.