Introducing 20mph Zones
September 2021
I believe that local traffic authorities, rather than the central Government, are best placed to set local speed limits given their knowledge of local needs and priorities. I know that local authorities already have the power to implement 20mph speed limits if they so choose and are asked to keep the limits under review with changing circumstances.
Indeed, as we look to recover from the pandemic, local authorities may choose to implement 20mph speed limits in association with other measures to encourage more cycling and walking. Just introducing 20mph speed limits will not in itself be sufficient to meet the needs of active travel, but in consort with other measures could provide a more attractive and safer environment for walking and cycling.
As far as I am aware, the Government currently has no plans to introduce a 20mph default speed limit on urban and restricted roads in England. While a recent and comprehensive study produced some encouraging findings about 20mph limits, there is still not sufficient evidence to conclude that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
As always, drivers should take care on the road and stay within the speed limit. Speeding is an offence, and those caught speeding can still receive a fixed penalty notice, penalty points on their driving licence or a notice of intended prosecution.
Dangerous Driving
August 2021
I join the Government in their commitment to making roads safer for all road users. It is important to consider that many deaths and injuries on the roads are a consequence of tragic accidents. However, too many involve criminal behaviour and I agree that more needs to be done to ensure justice is served in cases where culpability of an offender is high.
I am very clear that punishments must fit the crime. However, often families feel that this is not the case with killer drivers. I am encouraged the Government is taking action to put this right. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will increase the maximum penalties for causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs to life imprisonment. In addition, it is the case that there is a gap in the law relating to serious injury. I therefore welcome the fact that the Bill will also create a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.
I am aware of the amendments proposed to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill regarding the definition of exceptional hardship. However, I do not believe it is necessary to further define what should be considered exceptional hardship when deciding whether or not to disqualify a driver. I am concerned that the amendment would introduce a narrow definition that would not be able to account for all the circumstances that are presented to the courts. It would remove the courts freedom to use their experience to reach decisions based on all of the circumstances of the cases before them. I will however follow the debate on this amendment carefully as the PCSC Bill progresses through Parliament.
Rail Fares
August 2021
Currently, some fares are regulated by the Government, which controls their price, while others are not, as train operators are free to set them on a commercial basis. Around 45 per cent of rail fares are ‘regulated', with increases directly influenced by Government policy. This includes season tickets on most commuter journeys, some Off-Peak return tickets on long distance journeys and Anytime tickets around major cities.
Train fare revenue is crucial to funding day-to-day railway operations and rail investment, which benefits passengers. For instance, rail operators have been investing in more trains, better stations and faster journeys. Any rise in rail fares helps to allow this to be maintained.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that fare prices may be of concern to some people and that is why the Government has frozen increases in regulated rail fares in real terms for the past seven years. Whilst there is currently some press speculation around rail fare increases for 2022, I understand the Government has not yet made a decision on ticket price increases. Indeed, the Department for Transport is currently considering a range of options as part of a "rail recovery" package aimed at getting passengers back on the network.
I welcome that the Government also recently proposed the biggest change to the railways in 25 years, bringing the network under single national leadership. A new public body, Great British Railways, will own the infrastructure, receive the fare revenue, run and plan the network and set most fares and timetables. Reforms will also include a simplified ticketing system, including the rollout of new flexible season tickets to reflect new working and travel patterns, as well as making significant roll-outs of pay as you go, contactless ticketing and digital ticketing on smartphones.
HS2
August 2021
Following the recommendations of the independent Oakervee review on the benefits and impact of HS2, the Prime Minister gave the go ahead to HS2 alongside major improvements to local transport networks across the country. Construction work on Phase One of HS2 has now commenced, while Phase 2a has also achieved royal assent.
HS2 will form the backbone of the UK’s transport network, delivering a significant increase in rail capacity, with hundreds of thousands of extra seats. It will cut journey times, bring our biggest towns and cities closer together, enhance North-South connectivity, boost productivity in the Midlands and the North, and crucially it will help to spread prosperity more evenly across the country. HS2 will also play an important role in delivering the Government’s net zero carbon objectives.
Let me be clear that this is not an either / or decision between HS2 and improving the rest of the existing rail network, in particular local services in the Midlands and North. HS2 is in fact integral to giving the regions the fast connections they need.
I have been reassured that Ministers will work hard to speed up the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail. More broadly, ‘High Speed North’ will be established to ensure an integrated, effectively sequenced plan to make sure the North and Midlands have the rail capacity and connections they need – east to west and north to south.
I am also particularly pleased about the Government’s determination to see a line drawn under the failures of HS2 Ltd’s management, transparency and cost control to date. A dedicated Minister with specific responsibility for oversight and accountability of HS2 has been appointed and they will present regular reports to Parliament to enhance transparency.
HS2 Ltd.’s role will also change. The complex Euston station element will become the responsibility of a new body, as will the design and construction of Phase 2b. This will enable HS2 Ltd to focus its energies on delivering Phases 1 and 2a successfully.
E-Scooters
June 2021
I appreciate that people with disabilities, especially those who are blind and visually impaired, can be more greatly affected by some of the negative impacts of electric scooter use. It is important that our streets are as accessible as possible, and I welcome that the Department for Transport has carried out a preliminary assessment of the impacts of e-scooters on blind people. While there is currently limited evidence available, the current trials have been designed to enable the Government to gather robust and comprehensive evidence of the impact of e-scooters on all road users.
Local authorities must engage with local groups that represent the interests of disabled people before submitting a proposal to hold a trial, to allow concerns to be raised and, where possible, mitigated before trials commence. I understand that the Department have rejected proposals where this engagement has not taken place. Officials have also engaged with a range of key stakeholders, including representatives from: Guide Dogs, the RNIB, and the National Federation of the Blind of the UK.
As the trials continue to run, the Department has taken into account the possible implications for visually impaired people, and have attempted to minimise these through measures such as: not allowing e-scooter on pavements, and asking local authorities to consider in their trial plans ways to avoid e-scooters creating an obstruction when not in use. Following consultation last year, the Department now requires all e-scooters used in trials to have a horn or bell so that users can make others aware of their presence, and have also asked operators to develop more robust geo-fencing to tackle pavement riding and other anti-social behaviour.
I will continue to monitor this situation closely, and will pass on your concerns to my Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport.
The Way Forward is Public Transport Campaign
June 2021
I can assure you that the Government is committed to improving public transport links and encouraging the public to increase its use of public transport as part of its commitment to reaching net zero emissions.
While decarbonising private vehicles is a key part of the Government's net-zero strategy, I recognise that encouraging people to opt for public transport rather than cars will also be vital in helping to achieve this. I therefore welcome that in the Ten Point Plan, the Government committed to delivering £5 billion of investment in buses, cycling and walking during this parliament.
In recent weeks, the Government has launched ambitious strategies to improve both buses and railways across our country – making them easier to use, more comfortable and better value for money, to encourage more people onto public transport.
The new National Bus Strategy, for example, is the most ambitious shake-up of the bus sector in a generation, which will see lower, simpler flat fares in towns and cities, creating cheaper bus services. Backed by £3 billion, this Strategy will deliver better, more reliable bus services for passengers, strengthening communities and sustaining town centres across the country.
You may be interested to know that the Government will soon publish its Transport Decarbonisation Plan, setting out how we will further reduce emissions and ensure that we are able to meet our ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2050.