No ministerial response provided in the given text. The Minister acknowledges the concerns raised about road safety in various constituencies and emphasises the importance of collaboration between central government, local authorities, and communities to address these issues. While the powers granted under the Road Traffic Regulation Act are currently limited to local councils, the Government is committed to exploring ways to empower parish and town councils to play a greater role in road safety management through strengthened consultative or even enforceable statutory powers, subject to thorough consultation and assessment of impacts on road users. The Minister encourages constituents to continue engaging with their local authorities and communities to push for necessary changes and improvements. I congratulate Sam Rushworth on securing this debate. No one should be killed or injured on our roads and improving road safety is a priority. Local authorities have a duty to take steps to reduce collisions; local knowledge is crucial in identifying areas of highest risk. We are committed to devolving powers but not further than county council level. Parish councils can still play an important role by engaging with local partners, including residents’ associations. For speed reduction measures, it's essential that decisions on lowering limits and enforcing them through police action are made in partnership with local authorities and community groups. I urge Sam Rushworth to discuss his concerns regarding Durham County Council as a priority. The Minister for Transport acknowledged the issue raised by local authorities concerning budget cuts and debt affecting their ability to implement safety measures. They stated that the government is working to update the “Manual for Streets” guidance to ensure it remains relevant and supports sustainable, healthy communities. The minister emphasised that while local authorities have the freedom to set speed limits based on local knowledge and community support, the government fully backs schemes aimed at improving road safety. Updated guidance was issued in March 2024 reminding councils to reserve lower speed limits for appropriate locations such as outside schools. The minister also mentioned the safe system approach to road safety which aims to reduce fatalities resulting from mistakes made by careful drivers. They highlighted that collisions at high speeds are more likely to have tragic outcomes, supporting the argument for reducing speed limits in specific circumstances. The Department is committed to supporting local authorities with their efforts and welcomed the valuable work done by parish and town councils through community speedwatch schemes. The minister concluded by emphasising that road safety cannot be the sole responsibility of central or local government; all road users must comply with traffic laws for their own safety and that of others. The hierarchy of road users, as outlined in the highway code, aims to ensure a respectful culture benefiting all users while also stressing the legal duty of all road users to obey the law.