The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of local authority road are in a poor structural condition in (a) England outside London and (b) London.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport does not hold information on how many miles of local authority roads are in a poor structural condition in England or London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations to make audio-visual announcement systems a requirement on all new buses.
Andrew Jones
I understand the benefits that audio visual systems on buses can bring to passengers. There are a number of different potential solutions for achieving better audio visual information, not all of which will necessarily require on-bus equipment. Making on-board systems a requirement on all new buses would be a significant cost to the industry and I have no current plans to mandate such systems through Regulation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on including road policing as a strategic policing requirement.
Andrew Jones
Department for Transport and Home Office Ministers have an ongoing dialogue about the importance of road safety and its enforcement. Road Safety does not fall under the Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) as this advises what, in strategic terms, needs to be achieved in tackling major national threats such as terrorism and organised crime. It is the role of the police to decide how the Requirement is met and if road policing capabilities are appropriate to tackle Strategic Policing Requirement national threats.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will establish a standards setting body with a code of practice and an appeals service for all accredited trade associations for the management of parking on private land.
Mr Marcus Jones
We are currently analysing responses to the discussion paper ‘Parking reform: tackling unfair practices’ issued earlier this year. The suggestion to establish a standards setting body with a code of practice and an appeals service for all accredited trade associations for the management of parking on private land was made in some responses, and we are actively considering this point as part of our wider work on parking. We will publish our response to the discussion paper in the New Year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward amendments to regulations under the Pet Animals Act 1951 to include a ban on the sale of kittens in pet shops.
George Eustice
Under the Pet Animals Act 1951 local authorities can already apply conditions to individual pet shop licences. This includes, for example, restricting the species that can be sold. The power to apply conditions to an individual licence is in section 1(3) of the 1951 Act and is intended to help secure the welfare requirements set out in that section. We are currently reviewing animal establishment licensing which will include looking at the 1951 Act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish a full impact assessment of the Government’s proposal for clean air zones.
Rory Stewart
We will be working closely over the coming months with the five cities in which Clean Air Zones are to be introduced to develop the detail of the actions required. An impact assessment of the proposals for Clean Air Zones will be published later this year alongside a consultation on a framework for Clean Air Zones and the secondary legislation to be introduced.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 66 of his Department’s Road Investment Strategy Investment Plan, how much of the five ring-fenced investment funds totalling £675 million has been allocated to cycling and walking infrastructure projects.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Highways England has committed to provide a safer, integrated and more accessible strategic road network for cyclists and other vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. Through the first Road Investment Strategy for Highways England, £175 million has been made available between 2015 and 2020 to improve the safety of the Strategic Road Network and improve conditions for cyclists and other road users.
The Highways England delivery plan states that £78 million will be used to improve conditions for those cycling alongside and crossing the Strategic Road Network.
The remaining £97 million will be used to enhance the safety of our network, with £20 million of this specifically targeted at improving facilities to provide a more accessible and integrated network, which will also benefit pedestrians.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress the Government has made on an impact analysis and consultation on changes to current pavement parking legislation since the withdrawal of the Pavement Parking (Protection of Vulnerable Pedestrians) Bill.
Andrew Jones
I intend to convene a round table in March, the details of which are currently being finalised. The round table will discuss the topic, and help to inform the Department’s thinking and the work it plans to do later this year to examine more closely the legal and financial implications of alternative approaches.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) officials, (b) other staff and (c) contracted workers in his Department are working on taxi and private hire vehicle policy.
Andrew Jones
There are currently (a) two officials, (b) one further official on secondment to the Department and (c) no contracted workers working on taxi and private hire vehicle policy in the Department for Transport. All work in the Buses and Taxis division. The subject forms one part of the officials’ roles. This level of staffing for work on taxis and private hire vehicles is essentially consistent with that going back to 2009/10.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 18101, at what stage he plans to be able to predict the geographical distribution of funding for cycling outside of London and the eight cycling ambition cities; and what steps he is taking to identify that geographical distribution.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Due to the inclusion of devolved funding when reporting on overall cycling expenditure, spend is usually reported in terms of regions.
Currently, spend on cycling is £6 per head across England compared to £2 per head in 2010, with spend of £10 in London and the eight Cycle Ambition Cities. Further details of funding programmes will be set out in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to be published in summer 2016.
In the meantime, where funding is already allocated then the geographic distribution is known.
Where funding has been subject to formula then the geographic distribution will be known at the point the formula weightings are determined.
Where funding is allocated by competition, then the geographic distribution will be known at the point the results of the competition are announced.
Where funding is devolved, then its geographic distribution is a matter for the relevant local body.