Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from local authorities on commencing Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Although there has been no formal assessment of this in recent months, the Department has recently received representations on this issue from the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Local Government Association, both of which called for the commencement of Part 6 on the basis that these powers may help local authorities to manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion. A number of local and combined authorities made requests for moving traffic powers during devolution negotiations, but these powers were not featured in any final agreements.
Ministers have recently discussed moving traffic powers at meetings with Transport for the North, the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, and the Local Government Association. A wide range of local authorities have also raised these powers at regular engagement meetings.
In addition, the Department receives occasional correspondence from councillors and local MPs enquiring about Government policy and the law regarding moving traffic offences.
There have been no formal Ministerial discussions with individual police constabularies about these powers in recent months.
The Government believes that the police already have the necessary powers to take action where it is needed and has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to enable all local authorities to take on civil enforcement powers for moving traffic offences.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) police constabularies and (b) local authorities on devolving the power to levy fines for moving traffic offences; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Although there has been no formal assessment of this in recent months, the Department has recently received representations on this issue from the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Local Government Association, both of which called for the commencement of Part 6 on the basis that these powers may help local authorities to manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion. A number of local and combined authorities made requests for moving traffic powers during devolution negotiations, but these powers were not featured in any final agreements.
Ministers have recently discussed moving traffic powers at meetings with Transport for the North, the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, and the Local Government Association. A wide range of local authorities have also raised these powers at regular engagement meetings.
In addition, the Department receives occasional correspondence from councillors and local MPs enquiring about Government policy and the law regarding moving traffic offences.
There have been no formal Ministerial discussions with individual police constabularies about these powers in recent months.
The Government believes that the police already have the necessary powers to take action where it is needed and has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to enable all local authorities to take on civil enforcement powers for moving traffic offences.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of powers available to local authorities to levy fines for moving traffic offences.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Although there has been no formal assessment of this in recent months, the Department has recently received representations on this issue from the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Local Government Association, both of which called for the commencement of Part 6 on the basis that these powers may help local authorities to manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion. A number of local and combined authorities made requests for moving traffic powers during devolution negotiations, but these powers were not featured in any final agreements.
Ministers have recently discussed moving traffic powers at meetings with Transport for the North, the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, and the Local Government Association. A wide range of local authorities have also raised these powers at regular engagement meetings.
In addition, the Department receives occasional correspondence from councillors and local MPs enquiring about Government policy and the law regarding moving traffic offences.
There have been no formal Ministerial discussions with individual police constabularies about these powers in recent months.
The Government believes that the police already have the necessary powers to take action where it is needed and has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to enable all local authorities to take on civil enforcement powers for moving traffic offences.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they estimate it would cost a local authority, or local authorities acting together, in England to implement civil enforcement powers under the Traffic Management Act 2004, covering 100,000 people.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport does not produce estimates of this kind. Local authorities are responsible for considering the financial implications of civil enforcement when deciding whether to apply for these powers. Their estimates will reflect a range of local factors, such as geography, road use, parking demand, specific traffic issues and the proposed intensity of enforcement.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making greater use of tidal flow carriageways to help reduce congestion at rush hours in towns and cities; if he will take steps to encourage local highway authorities to make greater use of such carriageways; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 introduced a network management duty for local traffic authorities to manage their road networks with a view to “achieving, so far as may be reasonably practicable, the expeditious movement of traffic on the authority’s road network”. Local traffic authorities have a range of tools available, including tidal flow carriageways, to manage congestion and are responsible for deciding which measures are appropriate for use on their roads.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the powers available to local authorities to control congestion, in the light of reports that some bus companies are no longer buying new vehicles where there are inadequate bus priority measures.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Her Majesty’s Government has made no specific assessment in light of these reports. Section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 introduced a network management duty for local traffic authorities to manage their road networks with a view to “achieving, so far as may be reasonably practicable, the expeditious movement of traffic on the authority’s road network”. Local authorities have a range of powers and tools available, including bus priority measures, to manage congestion and are responsible for deciding which measures are appropriate for use on their roads.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that contractors working in the construction industry are in possession of all appropriate licenses before being allowed to operate in public areas and walkways.
Answered by Jesse Norman
This is a matter for local highway authorities as they are responsible for issuing licences or permits for temporary work on their roads. Developers need to apply to them for the relevant licences and permits under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, the Highways Act 1980, the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Traffic Management Act 2004, as appropriate.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to end monopoly control of off-road car parking in town centres by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
Parking in town centres is provided by both private companies and local authorities. Local authority car parks are strongly regulated by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Traffic Management Act 2004. In 2015 the government published statutory guidance to assist Local Authorities in complying with the requirements of the legislation.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to commence the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 2004 on the penalties for vehicles encroaching on cycle lanes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
I believe that the Honourable Member is referring to the Traffic Management Act 2004. It is true that powers for enforcement of moving traffic contraventions, by local authorities under the Traffic Management Act 2004, have not yet been brought into force outside London (other than the existing powers to enforce contraventions in a bus lane). The Department for Transport’s view is that the Police already have the necessary powers to take action where it is needed. I can confirm that there are no current plans to give local authorities greater powers to enforce moving traffic contraventions.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the level of co-operation between local authorities and utility companies to minimise disruption to the public when undertaking work.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under sections 59 and 60 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, highway authorities have a general duty to co-ordinate all street and road works on their networks and undertakers have a general duty to use their best endeavours to co-operate with such actions. The Traffic Management Act 2004 also places a Network Management Duty on local highway authorities to manage roads effectively to keep traffic moving.
We have not carried out a formal assessment, but although we consider that existing legislation is sufficient to enable effective co-operation to take place, it is clear that there is scope for reducing the impact on road users of works needed to deliver infrastructure and local services.
To this end we are engaged in a project that is looking to improve the way that data is collected and shared, how we can use this data to co-ordinate activities on the highway more effectively, and how the data can be used to inform the public about planned and live works.
To enable more proactive management of the local road network, the majority of highway authorities have introduced Permit Schemes, which enable the authority to stipulate conditions under which works can take place on the highway. We are currently undertaking an evaluation of permit schemes which concludes in November, and we expect the outcome to demonstrate that such schemes provide a clear reduction in works duration. We are keen for the remaining authorities to develop such schemes.
We have also published statutory guidance entitled ‘Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street Works and Works for Road Purposes and Related Matters’. This can be found at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-works-co-ordination