Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Transport Infrastructure

Thursday 21 November 2024 · 10 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government is committed to providing stability and certainty for the infrastructure sector, including rail upgrades in the north and major road improvements across England.
  • Over 200 million has been invested in electric vehicle charging infrastructure for 2025-26, and the Minister for the future of roads is willing to meet with local authorities to discuss measures to avoid bottlenecks in the roll-out of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure.
  • National Highways is addressing issues with the Dartford Crossing's new charging system, working to clear up errors quickly and provide better support for customers, and reducing incorrect penalty charge notices.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Catherine Fookes Lab Monmouthshire
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the stability and certainty in transport infrastructure policy, highlighting the need for government commitment.

Question

What steps are being taken to improve transport infrastructure, given that the sector needs stability and certainty?

Answer from Louise Haigh

The Government is committed to providing stability and certainty for the infrastructure sector. The Department's capital settlement secures delivery of infrastructure projects, including rail upgrades in the north and major road improvements across England.

Answered
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Q2 Perran Moon Lab Camborne and Redruth
Transport Energy
Context

The MP is concerned about the local authority resources needed for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which are due to run out next year.

Question

Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss measures to avoid local authorities becoming bottlenecks in the roll-out of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure?

Answer from Louise Haigh

The Government is committed to accelerating the electric vehicle charge point roll-out. Over £200 million has been invested in charging infrastructure for 2025-26, including support for local authorities. The Minister for the future of roads would be happy to meet with him.

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Q3 Jennifer Craft Lab Thurrock
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about recent failings in the Dartford Crossing's new charging system, including errors in billing and incorrect charges.

Question

What steps are being taken to resolve issues with the Dartford Crossing's new charging system?

Answer from Louise Haigh

National Highways is working to clear up errors quickly and provide better support for customers. The Minister for the future of roads has been holding National Highways to account, ensuring incorrect penalty charge notices are reduced.

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Q4 Connor Naismith Lab Crewe and Nantwich
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the engagement of the Department with Labour mayors developing proposals for a new rail link.

Question

What engagement has the Department had with Labour mayors on their proposal for a rail link between Birmingham and Manchester?

Answer from Louise Haigh

I met Mayors Burnham and Parker to discuss their proposals. The Department continues to engage with all relevant stakeholders on this topic, recognising Crewe's importance in future rail infrastructure connecting the north and midlands.

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Q5 Catherine Fookes Lab Monmouthshire
Wales
Context

The MP is concerned about the innovative Magor walkway station planned to reduce M4 congestion and boost local economy.

Question

Will the Secretary of State commit to working with me and Welsh Ministers to deliver the five Burns stations, including Magor Walkway?

Answer from Louise Haigh

Discussions are ongoing with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and Welsh Ministers on these proposals. I would be more than happy to discuss progress with my hon. Friend.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No firm commitment given, only discussion is ongoing

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Q6 Rishi Sunak Con Richmond and Northallerton
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the recent tragic loss of life on the A66, which raises serious road safety concerns.

Question

Will she reassure constituents living near single carriageway sections of the A66 that road safety will be a priority?

Answer from Louise Haigh

We take road safety seriously, particularly on the A66. We are developing a new road safety strategy and will keep road safety uppermost in our mind as we think about the future of the A66.

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Q7 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the need for long-term funding to support councils in delivering active travel infrastructure.

Question

Will the Secretary of State commit to long-term funding of the active travel plans?

Answer from Louise Haigh

We are committed to providing stability and sustainability. The ambition is to move towards multi-year settlements, ensuring consistency and support for local authorities in delivering active travel routes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific commitment given, only ambition mentioned

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Q8 Danny Kruger Reform East Wiltshire
Transport
Context

The village roads in Wiltshire are clogged with heavy goods vehicle traffic, leading to unsustainable traffic problems. The Government scrapped the Stonehenge tunnel.

Question

I thank the Minister for meeting me last week to discuss the future of the A303 and the north-south routes through Wiltshire; village roads are clogged with heavy goods vehicle traffic. Seeing as the Government have scrapped the Stonehenge tunnel, saving billions of pounds, I implore the Minister, as she considers the road investment strategy for next year, to think about mitigation of the unsustainable traffic problems that we have in Wiltshire. We have been waiting years for improvements.

Answer from Louise Haigh

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Minister has already asked National Highways to meet the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues to discuss those important issues. We will place statutory duties and stretching freight targets on Great British Railways to encourage freight off the roads and on to the railways, but we are absolutely considering the specific congestion issues in the south-west as we look towards the road investment strategy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to including mitigation measures specifically for Wiltshire's traffic problems in the next RIS

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Q9 Peter Fortune Con Bromley and Biggin Hill
Transport
Context

An increasing amount of Transport for London's funding comes from punitive taxes on motorists in Bromley and Biggin Hill, with reports that the Mayor of London was planning to charge drivers up to 60p a mile.

Question

There are reports that the Mayor of London was actively planning to charge drivers up to 60p a mile to drive. Will the Secretary of State take the opportunity to discourage the mayor from introducing pay-per-mile road user charging across Greater London?

Answer from Louise Haigh

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman is fully aware that the mayor has repeatedly made it clear that he has no plans to act on road user charging.

Not addressed: Did not address whether the Secretary of State would take action or discourage the Mayor from introducing pay-per-mile road user charging

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Q10 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Economy Transport
Context

Figures show that capital spending on transport is falling by 3.1% in real terms next year, with huge tax rises and a £70 billion increase in taxes.

Question

The figures show that capital spending on transport is not rising under Labour; it will fall by 3.1% in real terms next year. We have huge tax rises and a more than £70 billion increase in tax. Labour's black hole myth has been debunked by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Financial Times and the Institute for Fiscal Studies—all real economists—so why the cut in capital spending? The Secretary of State was out of her depth when she negotiated a £9,000 pay rise for ASLEF train drivers with nothing in return. Was she out of her depth when she negotiated with her own Chancellor?

Answer from Louise Haigh

This Budget delivered £1 billion funding for local bus services and transformational capital investment in infrastructure projects, such as the trans-Pennine route upgrade, the A57 and, of course, East West Rail. This Government are committed to investing, investing, investing in transport, transport, transport.

Not addressed: Did not address why there is a reduction in capital spending despite tax rises and debunked economic myths

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