Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the safety of pedestrians on rural roads (a) with Transport for London and local authorities in (i) Enfield North constituency and (ii) London and (b) in England.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Responsibility for managing London's road network is shared between Transport for London, National Highways and the London boroughs.
At a national level, the Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. Key changes include the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, strengthening pedestrian priority on pavements and at crossings and guidance on safe passing distances when overtaking cyclists, pedestrians and horse-riders. The changes will lead to improvements in road safety as they encourage more mutual respect and consideration for all road users.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made a recent assessment of the safety of pedestrians on rural roads (a) with Transport for London in (i) Enfield North constituency and (ii) London and (b) in England.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Responsibility for managing London's road network is shared between Transport for London, National Highways and the London boroughs.
At a national level, the Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. Key changes include the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, strengthening pedestrian priority on pavements and at crossings and guidance on safe passing distances when overtaking cyclists, pedestrians and horse-riders. The changes will lead to improvements in road safety as they encourage more mutual respect and consideration for all road users.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the level of understanding among road users of the changes to the Highway Code introduced in January 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The January 2022 changes to The Highway Code to help improve road safety for people walking, cycling and horse riding have been communicated via:
The campaign has been supported by significant media spend, utilising channels such as radio, digital audio, video on demand and social media advertising.
- The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022, with 83% of road users having heard of the changes by August 2022.
- The percentage of people who agreed that motor vehicles do have priority on the roads fell from 68% in January 2022 to 61% in August 2022.
- 78% of road users correctly identified the need for a 1.5m gap when passing cyclists in January 2022, rising to 84% in August 2022. Understanding that cyclists may ride two abreast also increased from 30% to 46%. The percentage of drivers reporting that they always leave a 1.5 metre gap when passing cyclists rose from 50% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022.
- Recognition among the target audience of at least one of the campaign assets was 57% at Phase 1 and 53% at Phase 2. Of the respondents that recognised the 30 second hero assets from Phase 2, nearly nine in ten (84%) said they had done something as a result.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the legal age for riding (1) an electric scooter, or (2) an electric bike, on the road; and what road and safety awareness training is required in order to do so.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the UK, e-scooters are classed in law as a type of motor vehicle, therefore, all users of e-scooters in approved rental trial areas are required to hold a driving licence, a provisional as a minimum. Users are not required to complete a mandatory training course, but the Department recommends e-scooter providers offer training courses to users.
Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs), otherwise known as e-cycles, cannot be ridden by anyone under the age of 14 and road and safety awareness training is not required to ride them. The Highway Code provides advice on how to safely ride a cycle, including an e-cycle.
If an e-cycle does not meet the EAPC requirements set out in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 (as amended) it will be classed as a motor vehicle in GB law and will be subject to approval, registration, insurance, vehicle excise duty and road worthiness testing. The user will need to have the appropriate driving licence and wear an approved helmet.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what current laws or regulations govern the (1) use, and (2) parking, of electric, and non-electric, bicycles and scooters on pedestrian pavements; and what proposals they are considering for strengthening such laws and regulations, in particular in respect of leaving undocked hire bicycles and scooters on the pavement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is an offence to use a carriage (which would include a bicycle or e-bicycle) on a footway under s.72 of the Highways Act 1835. “Carriage” may also include an e-scooter, but it is also an offence under s.34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle (which would include an e-scooter, though not an e-bicycle) on the footpath. Footway and footpath are defined differently, but generally refer to what is called the pavement.
In London, it is an offence to park a vehicle on a footpath under s.15 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1974 unless authorised through an administrative resolution. For the purposes of this section “vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle. Outside London, parking on pavements is permitted unless specifically prohibited by a local authority making a Traffic Regulation Order to that effect. The Department for Transport is currently considering consultation responses on proposals to tackle pavement parking outside London.
It is an offence under s.22 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to leave a vehicle (including bicycles, e-bicycles and e-scooters) on a road (including a pavement) in a position that carries a danger of injury to others and under s.137 of the Highways Act 1980 wilfully to obstruct passage.
Enforcement of these regulations is a matter for the police. All road users have a duty to behave in a safe, responsible manner and to follow the rules in The Highway Code.
When parliamentary time allows, the Department intends to create a new licensing framework for shared mobility operations, including bicycles, e-bicycles and e-scooters, giving local transport authorities the additional powers they need to shape and manage cycle, e-cycle and e-scooter rental schemes. This would include the ability to set rules about the management of rental cycles, e-cycles and e-scooters on the pavement.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Highway Code's clothing recommendations for cyclists at (a) ensuring visibility and (b) keeping road users safe.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority for the Government, and the Department is determined to make the roads safer for everyone.
Rule 59 of The Highway Code recommends that cyclists should wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing to help other road users to see them in daylight and poor light, with reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark. This advice was strengthened in the updated version of The Highway Code that was published in January 2022, and the Department ran communication campaigns in both 2022 and 2023 to highlight some of the key changes.
The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022, with 83% of road users having heard of the changes by August.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
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 all road users; and what plans he has to help reduce the number of road (a) accidents and (b) fatalities.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Britain’s roads are some of the safest in the world, but we are always looking at ways to help keep drivers and all road users safe. In June 2018 the Department announced £100 million of funding for the Top 50 most dangerous ‘A’ roads in England, to date £147.5 million has been allocated throughout a series of rounds over the last 6 years.
This project works closely with the Local Authorities and the Road Safety Foundation, providing tailored safety interventions specific to each road’s risk, encouraging safe system principles and improving infrastructure for more active travel. This scheme is expected to save 1500 lives over the next 20 years and is already improving safety for all road users.
The Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022, the changes will lead to improvements in road safety as they encourage more mutual respect and consideration for all road users.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve road safety.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Britain’s roads are some of the safest in the world, but we are always looking at ways to help keep drivers and all road users safe. In June 2018 the Department announced £100 million of funding to drive forward safety improvements on ‘A’ roads in England, to date £147.5 million has been allocated throughout a series of rounds over the last 6 years. This project works closely with Local Authorities and the Road Safety Foundation, providing tailored safety interventions specific to each road’s risk, encouraging safe system principles and improving infrastructure for more active travel. This scheme is expected to save 1500 lives over the next 20 years and is already improving safety for all road users.
The Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022, the changes will lead to improvements in road safety as they encourage more mutual respect and consideration for all road users.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the safety of (a) pedestrians and (b) other road users.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. Key changes include the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, strengthening pedestrian priority on pavements and at crossings, guidance on safe passing distances when overtaking cyclists, pedestrians and horse-riders and clarification that cyclists have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead. The changes will lead to improvements in road safety as they encourage more mutual respect and consideration for all road users.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) encourage active travel and (b) increase safety for (i) cyclists and (ii) pedestrians in cities.
Answered by Jesse Norman
This Government has done more than any other to support active travel, and over the course of this Parliament it will be investing around £3 billion to boost walking, cycling and wheeling across England. Active Travel England is working with local authorities to ensure that this funding delivers safe and high-quality infrastructure. This, coupled with other initiatives including the recent changes to The Highway Code, will make the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians.