Written Answers: November 2014

18 Dec 2014 | Parliament, Parliamentary Questions

6^th November

Motorcycles: Noise
Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2014 to Question 211087, what current legal mechanisms are in place to tackle excessive motorcycle noise and punish the owners of such vehicles.
Claire Perry: Enforcement of legislation including punishment of offenders is a matter for the Home Office. The police decide whether an offence may be being committed and take such action as they consider appropriate in each case. Action might range from informal advice to, for specified offences, the offer of a fixed penalty, to prosecution.
Roads: Safety
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to educate young people on road safety.
Mr Robert Goodwill (Roads Safety Minister): The Department’s THINK! Education resource centre provides education resources, which are organised into lesson packs by age and stages of education.
The Government also has a number of public facing web pages and social media sites such as “Tales of the Road”, which features: road safety games, quizzes, tips and advice for 6-11 year olds and their parents; and “I can’t wait to pass my driving test”, which has lots of useful information for learning to drive.
The Government recognises that there is value in training cyclists to ride safely and confidently on the road. That is why we took the decision to safeguard the future of Bikeability during this Parliament.
Roads: Accidents

David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road deaths there have been in the last five years; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce such deaths.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of reported road deaths in Great Britain in the last 5 years is shown in the table below:

In addition the Q1 2014 reported fatalities were published on 7 August 2014 whilst the Q2 statistics were published on 6 November 2014. They can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-accidents-and-safety-statistics
The Department published its Strategic Framework for Road Safety in May 2011. We have since taken a series of important steps to implement proposals set out in the framework. They include steps on all three of the thematic chapters of the framework namely improving road safety together, education, and targeted enforcement and sanctions. Further information on the progress can be found in my recent speech to the Road Safety Foundation at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/making-road-safety-pay.
Cycling
Alison McGovern (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of passenger journeys in the UK were made by bicycle in each of the last five years; and what share of his Department’s spending related to cycling in that time period.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The table below shows the percentage of all trips made by bicycle between 2009 and 2013:

Soure: NTS, Last updated: 29 July 2014
During the five financial years 2010/11 to 2014/15, departmental spending on cycling is detailed in the table below:

The £438 million on cycling spend represents 0.71% of the total departmental spend for those years.
 

10^th November

Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the budget is for new camera installations on national motorways and trunk roads this year.
Mr John Hayes: The budget for new camera installations on the strategic road network to the end of this financial year (2014-15) is £900k.
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of national motorway are subject to speed restrictions of under 70 mph.
Mr John Hayes: The Highways Agency is responsible for operating, maintaining and improving England’s strategic road network which comprises approximately 4,300 miles of motorways and all-purpose trunk roads.
Approximately 398 miles of motorway (excluding slip roads) are subject to speed restrictions of under 70 mph. 33 miles are permanent speed restrictions and 365 miles are temporary speed restrictions (as of 05 November 2014).
 
Mr Michael Thornton (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that motorways violating EU noise emissions are resolved within a two-year timescale; and if he will take steps to speed-up the resurfacing work on the areas of M27 between Fareham and Eastleigh.
Mr John Hayes: The European Noise Directive requires Member States to produce noise maps and noise action plans every five years, which have been produced by Defra. The European Noise Directive does not set any noise limits and there are no ‘EU noise emissions’ for motorways or other roads to violate.
The Highways Agency has informed me that due to the various road surface materials along the M27 between Eastleigh and Fareham, resurfacing of the road is a complex operation and it is not possible to bring the scheme forward. Resurfacing is carried out for maintenance reasons and this work is not expected to be required until 2017/18.
Cycling: Accidents
Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) men and (b) women have been (i) slightly injured, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) killed by cyclists riding on footpaths in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of (a) male and (b) female pedestrians that were (i) slightly injured, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) killed in reported road traffic accidents due to a collision with a pedal cyclist on a footway or verge is shown in the attached.
Data for the year 2014 will be available in June 2015.
 

13^th November

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has allocated to each local authority in England and Wales for road improvement in each year since 2010.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is committed to improving the local road network. Road improvements in Wales are a devolved matter and therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
The attached table includes funding we have provided through the local Highways Maintenance Block, Integrated Transport Block, Severe Weather Funding, Local Major Projects and Local Pinch Point Fund schemes. The table does not include funding provided through the Bus Service Operators Grant, Local Sustainable Transport Fund, or Cycling Grant.
The Department is also funding local highways maintenance projects in Portsmouth, Birmingham, Sheffield, Isle of Wight and the London Borough of Hounslow through the Private Finance Initiative.
Local authorities are also able to use revenue funding, allocated by the Department of Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant for maintaining their local highways. It is for local highway authorities to decide upon their spending priorities across the whole range of services that they provide.
 

17^th November

Motor Vehicles: Safety Measures
Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) drivers’ organisations, (b) driver training organisations and (c) accident prevention organisations on the mandatory carrying in motor cars of high visibility jackets and warning triangles.
Mr Robert Goodwill: There have been no discussions with these groups on the mandatory wearing of high visibility clothing for cyclists.
There have been no discussions with these groups on the mandatory carrying in motor cars of high visibility jackets and warning triangles.
Driving: Young People
Mr David Ward (Bradford East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on the introduction of graduated driver licensing for young people.
Mr. Robert Goodwill: My officials have been in touch with the motor insurance industry and academic experts to discuss telematics. We are keen to further understand the intrinsic effects that telematics products can have on the driving behaviour of novice drivers – that is why we are undertaking Government led research to further strengthen the independent evidence base in this area.
With regards to graduated driver licensing, I have received a number of representations on this subject and I expect to have meetings with both a Member of the Scottish Government and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety to continue to discuss this important matter shortly.
Mr David Ward (Bradford East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has any evidence on the effect of telematics insurance on the driving behaviours of young people.
Mr Robert Goodwill: My officials have been in touch with the motor insurance industry and academic experts to discuss telematics. We are keen to further understand the intrinsic effects that telematics products can have on the driving behaviour of novice drivers – that is why we are undertaking Government led research to further strengthen the independent evidence base in this area.
With regards to graduated driver licensing, I have received a number of representations on this subject and I expect to have meetings with both a Member of the Scottish Government and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety to continue to discuss this important matter shortly.
 

18^th November

Motorcycles: Accidents
Steve Baker (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of injuries to motorcyclists caused by wire rope barriers in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The information requested is not available. Information on whether the motorcyclist impacted a wire rope barrier is not routinely collected by the police.
Cycling
Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to make cycling road rules more enforceable; and if not, why not.
Baroness Kramer: The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Depending on the offence officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the road user for formal prosecution. We support any action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences.
Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to make it a legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets; and if not, why not.
Baroness Kramer: We have no plans to make it a legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets.
Government policy is that the cycle helmets offer a degree of protection for cyclists in the event of a fall from a cycle and some types of collisions. In line with the Highway Code rule 59, we encourage their use by all cyclists and in particular by children. However people and parents are free to choose whether to follow this advice and we have no plans to legislate to introduce mandatory enforcement of cycle helmet wearing.
 

20^th November

Driving: Eyesight
Rebecca Harris (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to introduce compulsory testing to ensure that drivers’ eyesight meets minimum legal standards.
Claire Perry: There are no plans to introduce compulsory eyesight tests for drivers.
All drivers are required by law to ensure that they are able to read a number plate from 20 metres and have a visual acuity of at least 6/12 (decimal 0.5), as measured on the Snellen chart. Corrective lenses can be worn if needed.
The Department makes the eyesight standards for driving clear in its leaflets, forms and on GOV.UK. The Department also supports the NHS’ recommendation that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. The advice was also promoted through a communication campaign in 2013, supported by the British Medical Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Brake.
The Highway Code
Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has any plans to amend the Highway Code.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The Highway Code was last revised in September 2007. When we carry out the next revision to the Code we will as usual undertake a consultation on proposed changes.
Motorcycles
Steve baker (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of passenger journeys in the UK were made by powered two wheelers in each of the last five years; and what share of his Department’s spending related to motorcycling in each period.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department holds data collected in the National Travel Survey (NTS) on the percentage of all trips made by motorcycle.

During the five financial years 2009/10 to 2013/14, departmental spending on motorcycling is detailed in the table below:

The £6.859 million motorcycling spend represents 0.011% of the total departmental spend for those years.
 

24^th November

Motor Vehicles: Safety Belts
Cathy Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to revise the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations 1993 (S.I., 1993/76), as amended, in order to provide greater clarity in respect of the exemptions for (a) taxi drivers, (b) bus drivers, (c) coach drivers and (d) HGV vehicle drivers wearing seat belts.
Mr Robert Goodwill: There are very few exemptions for wearing a seat belt if there is one fitted. Taxi drivers have an exemption when they are plying for hire or carrying a fare, and delivery drivers do not have to wear one if they are making deliveries or collections that are less than 50m apart. If a bus or coach is adapted for standing passengers then there may not be a seat belt fitted, however, if there is one, it should be worn. Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of serious injury in the event of an accident. Rules 99-102 of The Official Highway Code sets out seat belt requirements including exemptions, as does seat belt advice on www.gov.uk, so we do not believe that further clarification is necessary.
Motor Vehicles: Licensing
Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has (a) written to or contacted and (b) initiated legal proceedings against sellers of motor vehicles for failing to use form V5C/3 to notify DVLA of the transfer of a vehicle to a new owner in each of the last five years.
Mr John Hayes: The registered keeper of a vehicle must notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that they have disposed of it using the Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C) or otherwise in writing.
If the keeper fails to do so and someone then applies to become the new keeper, the DVLA will issue an automatic enforcement letter.
The letter advises customers to pay an out of court settlement of £55 (or £35 if paid within 17 calendar days). If payment is not received a court summons will be served.
The table below shows the number of letters that the DVLA has issued for failure to notify disposal of a vehicle, the number of summonses served to attend court and the outcome:

Some summonses may not proceed to prosecution as they may be withdrawn following further consideration, such as obtaining additional information from the customer. The outcome of some prosecutions might not be determined until the following financial year from when the summons was served.
Roads: Accidents
Julian Sturdy (York Outer): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of traffic accidents caused by horses and ponies straying onto the highway.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The information requested is not held by the Department.
The Department only collects information on ridden horses on the pubic highway that are involved in personal injury road accidents. This information is published in Table RAS30016 in annual report entitled “Reported road casualties in Great Britain: 2013”. This report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and is available online at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2013 and the attached table is at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/ras30-reported-casualties-in-road-accidents#table-ras30016
Further statistics are available on animals in the carriageway which contribute in injury accident but it is not possible to identify what type of animal was involved. This information is also published in Table RAS50001 also attached and available online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/ras50-contributory-factors#table-ras50001
Driving under Influence
Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Government’s first anti-drink drive television advert
Mr Robert Goodwill: The department’s THINK! road safety campaign recently launched its 50 years of drink drive campaigning on the 7^th November. The campaign has used the 50 year milestone to mark the progress made in reducing drink drive deaths on our road while underlining that – with 230 lives lost in 2012 – there is still a long way to go. One death caused by drink driving is one death too many.
Roads: Safety
Lord Berkley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how many years road safety audits are retained by the Highways Agency; and what is the minimum period that Transport for London and local highways authorities are required to keep them.
Baroness Kramer: The Highways Agency follow an internal procedures manual that recommends that the Road Safety Audits they undertake should be retained for 30 years either from the date of the opening of the scheme, or following the completion of the final phase.
In accordance with Transport for London’s document retention policy for Road Safety Audit reports and related information, these records must be retained for a period of 21 years from the date the report is issued. Local highway authorities will have their own individual processes for retention of Road Safety Audits.
 

26^th November

Road Traffic Offences: Cycling
Sir Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of pedal cyclists ignoring traffic lights and committing other road offences; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Depending on the offence officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the road user for formal prosecution. We support any action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences.
 

28^th November

Driving Tests
Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time for a driving test was in each month of 2014 to date.
Claire Perry: The attached table shows the average waiting time for statutory driving tests in each month of 2014 to date was: here 
Cycling
Alice McGovern (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2014 to Question 213147, if he will take steps to reflect the percentage journey share for cycling in the proportion of his Department’s spending that is made on cycling.
Mr Robert Goodwill: Funding allocations for transport schemes are not determined according to mode share – the factors that affect our decision to invest in a particular transport scheme are more complex and based on a wide variety of factors. For local transport schemes it is also right that local communities, through their local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships have influence over those decisions.
On 27 November 2014, the Deputy Prime Minister and I announced a further £214m investment for cycling. This brings the total investment in cycling by this Government to £588m, significantly more than any previous Government.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles in the UK.
Claire Perry: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency records the driving licence holders who have entitlement to drive Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Great Britain. It does not record those who are actually working as HGV drivers. In July 2014, 916,244 drivers had full HGV entitlement and 428,040 had provisional HGV entitlement, a total of 1,344,284.
The ONS Labour Force Survey showed that 285,000 people were working as heavy goods vehicle drivers in the United Kingdom in April – June 2014. However, other people will be driving heavy goods vehicles as part of their work in other sectors, such as retail or construction.
 

 
Information is available here on the parliamentary website.