Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the safety of (a) horses and (b) horse riders on roads.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes the safety of horse riders and other vulnerable road users very seriously and is committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on England’s roads.
Following Parliamentary approval, The Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report commissioned by the Local Government Association The path to inclusive footways, published on 10 February, what steps they are taking to ensure utilities providers pay for reinstatement works where they have caused disruption to footways.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Utility companies have a right to access footways to carry out works to maintain or install their infrastructure, including to roll-out broadband. Companies must reinstate the footway after the works have been completed in line with the statutory code of practice, ‘the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways’ (SROH). Highway authorities have the power to direct utility companies to carry out remedial works at the utility company’s expense if they identify reinstatements that do not meet the standards in the code. They can also fine companies for works that overrun.
As part of the plan for drivers we are consulting on measures to increase the rate of fixed penalty notices for some street work offences and extend charges for utility companies whose works overrun to include weekends and bank holidays. We have also introduced a new performance-based inspections regime which means authorities can inspect utility companies with high rates of defects in their reinstatements more than those who comply with the SROH.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of highway funding is spent on footways.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This information is not held. In England local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highway network in their area, including footways. Further information and best practice on the Well-managed Highway infrastructure Code of Practice is available from the UK Roads Leadership Group. Based on previous research, the Department estimates that on average local highway authorities spend around 9% of their highway maintenance budgets on maintaining footways.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that cyclists are aware of Rule 64 of the Highway Code.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Highway Code is published by the DVSA, which promotes adherence with the code via direct communications to learner drivers and via accredited driving instructors.
Asked by: Bambos Charalambous (Labour - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to enforce pedestrian priority at pedestrian crossing points without traffic control measures as set out in the update to the Highway Code in January 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Highway Code changes to improve road safety for people walking, cycling, and riding horses aim to initiate a positive shift in road user behaviour, by making road users aware of their responsibility to use roads safely and reduce the danger they may pose to others.
Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police, who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
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 taking steps to highlight (a) statutory and (b) Highway Code rules relating to idling vehicles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Enforcement against idling is primarily the responsibility of Local Authorities, who have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to drivers idling unnecessarily. Guidance for Local Authorities on idling enforcement makes clear that they should take steps to publicise the need to avoid idling to improve air quality and the penalties for failing to do so.
Asked by: Keir Mather (Labour - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage safer cycling at night-time in (a) Selby and Ainsty constituency, (b) rural communities and (c) nationally.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is investing over £3 billion in active travel over this Parliament, including high quality cycle infrastructure and cycle training opportunities. The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority for the Government, and the Department is determined to make the roads safer for everyone.
North Yorkshire has been allocated over £1.1 million capital funding through the Active Travel Fund over the last three years, and over £428,463 of revenue funding. This funding supports not only the provision of safe cycle infrastructure but also activities including cycle training.
The Highway Code sets out a number of requirements for cycling at night, including that cyclists must use lights, as well as providing advice on matters such as reflective clothing and accessories. Enforcement of these matters is the responsibility of the police.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to tackle the number of road accidents involving cats.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A focus for this Government is to make roads safer for all users, which will in turn reduce the risk to all animals.
Rule 286 of The Highway Code advises drivers to report any collisions involving an animal to the police, and if possible, they should make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals and advise them of the situation.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase safety for (a) cyclists and (b) pedestrians in towns and cities.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has created a new agency, Active Travel England (ATE), to improve the safety, accessibility and quality of walking and cycling schemes. ATE reviews proposed schemes to ensure they comply with good practice design guidance. The Government is providing over £3 billion of funding to local authorities up to 2025 to increase walking, wheeling and cycling in towns and cities in England. In January 2022, the Government also updated The Highway Code to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the level of understanding among cyclists of Rule 64 of the Highway Code.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has not undertaken any such assessment.