Lilian Greenwood
MP for Nottingham South · Labour · United Kingdom
“For those who qualify, financial support is available through universal credit, including for those who are in work but on lower incomes. If needed, that support can be available on day one through an advance.”
“In the sort of circumstances that my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest has described, we can understand how those issues can arise. If a child sadly has an end-of-life diagnosis, special rules are rightly in place. Those claims are always fast-tracked and the three-month qualifying period does not apply.”
“It starts with the issue of need. The point at which the child became eligible for disability living allowance marks the start of the qualifying period, even if that precedes the point at which parents make a claim.”
“I will perhaps come later in my speech to what the Government are planning to do. I am pleased to tell colleagues that between October 2024 and March 2025, the Department recruited and redeployed in excess of 100 case managers to improve clearance times for child DLA new claims.”
“There can, of course, be few circumstances more exceptionally difficult than those faced by seriously ill children and their parents. Along with the emotional strain, parents can understandably experience a significant impact upon work and household income, as well as facing extra costs, as my hon.”
“I am delighted to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) on securing this important debate. She has made a particularly valuable, thoughtful and passionate contribution this morning, and I join her in wishing Mabel, her mum Rachael and their whole family well.”
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“Ultimately, a blue badge may therefore be awarded to an individual with a disability that is expected to endure in some way for the three-year blue badge issue period. Local authorities invest considerable time and care in assessing applications from individuals who do not automatically qualify in line with the legislation. Many authorities—including Kent county council, which is one of the largest issuers, if not the largest, of blue badges in England—work hard to ensure that their decisions are fair and evidence-based. In 2024 alone, Kent issued more than 33,000 badges, supporting more than 83,000 of its residents. I have to be honest about the kind of structural change that people are calling for today; it would represent a significant departure from the scheme’s current purpose.”
“The eligibility criteria are designed to ensure that the blue badge is reserved for those with severe mobility impairments, whether physical or non-visible, that significantly impact their ability to access services. I know that the shift from the term “permanent and substantial disability” to “enduring and substantial disability” was a very deliberate change. It recognised that some conditions, particularly those affecting cognitive or mental function, might fluctuate or respond to treatment but still endure over time. I think the change was designed to allow for greater flexibility to recognise a broader range of disabilities, including those that might not be immediately visible. It also ensures that the scheme remains focused on mobility and the ability to access places and services safely and independently.”
“The Department provides non-statutory guidance to assist local authorities in implementing fair and consistent assessment and enforcement practices, but this is a matter for local authorities. We cannot intervene in individual cases, but we are committed to helping to support local authorities in delivering the scheme effectively. I really understand the concerns raised in this debate about eligibility for people living with cancer or other life-altering illnesses. They are serious and heartfelt concerns raised in response to constituents facing difficult and distressing circumstances, but before I come back to those issues it is important that I set out the rationale behind the current structure of the scheme.”
“I hope I can assure hon. Members that I know at first hand the passion and dedication that many local authority blue badge teams have in helping those who need access to parking. I have spoken to many of them, and I know how committed they are to supporting those in need. My first ask to colleagues today is that they encourage their constituents to provide as much detailed and high-quality information as possible when applying. I appreciate the points that have been made about how some people applying for a blue badge are doing so at a really difficult, traumatic and stressful time. However, providing detail helps local authorities to make informed and fair decisions in line with the guidance set out on the Government website.”
“Member for Wimbledon (Mr Kohler), spoke about hospital car parks; they are outside the remit of my Department, but would be a useful part of the conversation. Although we recognise the changing landscape of local infrastructure and council-owned car parks—perhaps there are fewer of them, and more private car parks—we have to continue to ensure that the scheme remains effective and accessible for on-street parking. Each year, over 1 million blue badges are issued across England. The day-to-day administration and enforcement of the scheme rests with local authorities, which are responsible for assessing applications and for ensuring that badges are issued only to those who meet the eligibility criteria set out in legislation. I would like to take a moment to recognise the efforts of the local authority teams who deliver the service.”
“The blue badge provides national on-street parking concessions, including the ability to park without charge or time limit in otherwise restricted areas and to park on yellow lines for up to three hours where loading restrictions do not apply, but it is important to note that the scheme applies only to on-street parking. Concessions in private or council-owned car parks are not guaranteed and may vary depending on the operator. All car parking providers are required to provide disabled parking spaces, and quite rightly so. In local authority car parks it is very likely, but not necessary, that the council will not charge those who are using disabled spaces, but in private sector car parks that might or might not be the case. I think that that also applies to hospitals. The Lib Dem spokesman, the hon.”
“It may be helpful to step back for a moment to talk a bit about the scheme as it was intended and to reaffirm its purpose. As has been acknowledged, the scheme was introduced in 1971 and has served the UK public for over five decades. It provides vital support for people with severe mobility difficulties, whether those difficulties are visible or non-visible—so-called hidden disabilities. The scheme enables individuals to access goods and services by allowing them to park closer to their destination, whether they are driving or travelling as a passenger.”
“Nevertheless, it is timely to think about the scheme and look at whether there is a need for review and further refinement. As I have said, there is guidance for local councils on best practice, and I know that local authority blue badge officers come together to talk about their experiences of administering the system and to share notes and best practice. I met a number of them when they last got together in Runcorn, which is where the blue badges are issued. My hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford also asked about the potential for cross-departmental work with colleagues in the national health service and the Department for Health and Social Care. I would be happy to explore that further with colleagues in those Departments; I hope that that will have the support of everyone who has spoken today.”
“It has caused me concern and I have discussed it regularly with my officials in the blue badge team. Today’s debate is timely in making me consider again what more we can do to address the concerns that are being raised. Let me come back to the questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford. He asked whether work is ongoing to review the scheme. We constantly consider the scheme and look to improve it. I felt that it was somewhat rude of the Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg Smith), to refer to things that were last changed in 2000 and then suggest that within my first year of being a Minister I should have conducted a review and made major changes; the last 14 years might have provided an opportunity to address some of those issues.”
“These are decisions for local authorities, which are elected by local residents and are responsible and accountable to local residents. I absolutely recognise that when we allow local authorities to make local decisions, they will make different decisions, which sometimes leads to inconsistency between them. The Department for Transport sets the legislation around blue badges and provides non-statutory guidance to local authorities, but it is local authorities themselves that are responsible for administering the scheme. I recognise the issue that hon. Members from across the House have raised about the potential that that creates for inconsistency; it is one that I have reflected on over the period in which I have been a Minister, and I have dealt with numerous pieces of correspondence about it from MPs on behalf of their constituents.”
“I am committed to listening and to considering carefully the points that have been made today. I will come to my hon. Friend’s questions in just a moment. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Terry Jermy) for his contribution to the debate and for highlighting the examples from his own constituency. He asked what arrangements there are for monitoring councils’ processing times. The Department for Transport does not monitor councils’ processing times; that is a matter for councils themselves. We recommend that they should process blue badge applications within 12 weeks, but of course that will vary according to the local authority and the resources that it chooses to put into its blue badge team.”
“As ever, Sir Christopher, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I congratulate the hon. Member for Maidstone and Malling (Helen Grant) on securing this important debate and on sharing her personal experience and the experiences of her constituents. I also pay tribute to Kent residents Sandy Burr, Bev Evans and others whose personal stories have led to this campaign and to today’s debate; I thank the hon. Lady for that. My hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tristan Osborne) spoke with passion and conviction in support of his constituents and those who face serious health concerns that give rise to some of the most difficult moments in our constituents’ lives. I recognise the need for a system that is fair and consistent. It should never be heartless or cold, and it should not feel like an obstacle course.”
“Our Department is currently developing an integrated national transport strategy, which is coming down the track later this year. This is just part of the bigger picture of providing the transport infrastructure we need to support economic growth, housing development and the shift of freight from the roads on to our railways, and to ensure that every part of the country is able to thrive. Again, I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich for securing this debate, and I thank all hon. Members for their contributions.”
“As I said, Crewe is at the heart of our rail network. It is a crucial transport hub providing 360° connectivity where four regional lines converge with the west coast main line. Network Rail has developed a £270 million programme of interventions to deliver essential renewals in the Crewe area over the next few years. The Department is supporting this programme, and is keen to work with local partners to consider any opportunities for investment over and beyond essential renewals. Today’s discussion is an opportunity to reflect on the current challenges and advocate for the improvements to the west coast main line that the public rightly expects. It has provided much food for thought, and the Rail Minister will continue to work extremely hard to address all of the issues.”
“Friends the Members for Stockport and for Blackpool South spoke with passion on behalf of their constituents, both those who rely on the railway and those work on it. I assure them that we will be working to ensure that Avanti West Coast and Network Rail deliver the improvements that we all expect. My hon. Friend the Member for Stockport will, I am sure, know that Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport metropolitan borough council are working on business case development for a station refurbishment scheme. I assure my hon. Friend the member for Blackpool South that, as my right hon. Friend the Transport Secretary told him at recent transport oral questions, the Rail Minister will be happy to meet with him to discuss the south Fylde line proposal. I come to the need for interventions at Crewe station to address ageing assets.”
“However, constituents should not have to wait until all those services come into public ownership to see improvements in their rail journeys, and we are absolutely determined that they will not have to. My hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South set out her constituents’ very reasonable needs when it comes to travelling on the railway. The Government are determined to address those needs, and I assure her that we are serious about investing in our transport infrastructure to support economic growth across the country, including in Warrington. Indeed, last week we announced investment in 50 road and rail projects, but we are doing this in the context of the terrible legacy left to us by the previous Government. We are clearing up their mess and it will take time, but we will do it. My hon.”
“The Rail Minister met the Avanti West Coast managing director and the Network Rail west coast south route director in January and May to challenge poor performance and demand immediate action to deliver urgent improvements. As many people have acknowledged, a new arm’s length body, Great British Railways, will deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high quality and efficient services, alongside ensuring safety and accessibility. Officials have been immediately convened to begin work on our plans to deliver Great British Railways and wider rail reforms, which I know will please hon. Members, including my hon. Friends the Members for Blackley and Middleton South and for Stockport.”
“Poor Network Rail infrastructure reliability continues to be the leading cause of passenger disruption. While improvements to performance generally have been made, the Department for Transport will continue to hold Avanti West Coast to account to ensure that improvements are maintained in the future. Our officials regularly meet both Avanti West Coast and Network Rail as part of our relentless focus on improving rail performance, bringing together track and train, holding both sides accountable and getting them to work together. That is the great advantage of the integrated approach that has been mentioned in the debate.”
“The settlement represents an increase in funding compared with what has been spent on rail enhancements in recent years. We are already investing to increase the capacity and capability of the power system at both ends of the west coast main line to improve performance on the route and enable the introduction of new electric services. A number of Members took the opportunity to raise concerns about the performance of Avanti West Coast. It is obviously not acceptable that people are experiencing high levels of delays and cancellations, and we are tackling that issue. Avanti West Coast is beginning to see a steady and consistent improvement in performance on the network, but there is much more to do, with punctuality behind the industry average.”
“In the meantime, Network Rail is undertaking a programme of renewals on the west coast main line between Crewe and the Scottish border to improve the performance and reliability of the railway. This section of the route was last upgraded in the 1970s and suffers from performance issues today. Renewing the railway also provides an opportunity to improve its capacity and capability in a more efficient and less disruptive manner. The Department is working closely with Network Rail and the rail industry to consider various options, and decisions on those options will need to be taken in the context of the spending review outcomes. The settlement received by the Department shows the Government’s commitment to invest in rail and in schemes that support economic growth in every corner of the country.”
“That work continues and is now supported by the clarity that the spending review has provided. I do not like to disappoint my hon. Friend or other hon. Members, but I am not able to provide more detail at this stage. However, I can assure him and other hon. Members that the Government hope to say more in the coming months, including on the future of Northern Powerhouse Rail. I very much agree that increasing rail capacity will allow for better services and enable more freight to travel by rail. That is desirable and can help us tackle multiple challenges not just on the rail network but on the road network, as well as issues around air quality and many other things. There is a great deal to play for.”
“Following the previous Government’s decision to cancel phase 2, we know that there are real and very understandable concerns about capacity between Birmingham and Manchester. I also understand the frustration—and, frankly, the anger—that this decision created for leaders and communities across the midlands and the north. We have heard that again today, and it is just as true for my own constituents in the east midlands as it is for those of so many colleagues. Back in January, I set out to this House—and to my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich—that we would not reverse the cancellation of HS2 phase 2. However, I also noted that we were, and are, continuing to review options for enhancing rail connectivity in the midlands and the north.”
“HS2 will deliver significant journey time savings too, not only from London to Birmingham, where travel times could be reduced to 49 minutes, but also to Manchester and Liverpool, where journeys could become 25 minutes faster. However, as my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich and other hon. Friends have rightly noted, HS2 was always about capacity, and phase 1 will not improve capacity north of Birmingham. Addressing the problem of insufficient capacity on the west coast main line was, as many people have said, one of the key strategic aims of HS2. I am sure I have said in the House many times that it was misnamed—“HC2” could have tripped off the tongue quite easily.”
“Friend the Member for North Warwickshire and Bedworth described it as “shocking mismanagement” and frankly, she is not wrong. A few weeks ago, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made a statement to this House setting out the scale of the challenge and this Government’s determination to get the project back under control. We are clear that our priority is to deliver HS2 between London and the west midlands safely and at the lowest reasonable cost. It is worth remembering the benefits that the new railway will eventually bring. HS2 will almost double long-distance rail capacity between London and the west midlands. It will significantly improve the southern section of the west coast main line, which, as we have heard repeatedly, is heavily congested. In turn, that could release capacity for local services.”
“It provides vital inter-city connections between the country’s largest urban areas, which we have heard much about this afternoon. It delivers local services to our towns and cities. Very importantly, it enables the transport of goods that help to keep our economy running. While the covid pandemic demonstrated that demand modelling is a complex area, our current estimates indicate that the west coast main line may reach capacity from the mid-2030s. Let me turn straight away to what this Government are doing to address the situation. I will start with HS2. As hon. Members will know, this Government inherited a difficult position on the programme. That is the line my civil servants have drafted. The truth is, the last Government could hardly have made a worse mess of this project if they had tried. My hon.”
“Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) and perhaps not stopping at the constituency of the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (David Simmonds). Rightly, my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich raised concerns about future capacity on the west coast main line. I should just say that it is also a pleasure to see my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Northfield (Laurence Turner); I know that he has lost his voice and so has not spoken, but that he will bring his great knowledge and expertise to bear on this subject on another occasion. As so many in this House will know, and as my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich said, the west coast main line is one of the busiest mixed use railways in Europe.”
“Members up and down the west coast main line and beyond, calling at the constituencies of my hon. Friends the Members for North Warwickshire and Bedworth (Rachel Taylor) and for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt), the hon. Member for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth), my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Dr Gardner), the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), the right hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Wendy Morton)—slightly off the line, there—and those of my hon. Friends the Members for Blackley and Middleton South (Graham Stringer), for Stockport (Navendu Mishra), for Warrington South (Sarah Hall), for Blackpool South (Chris Webb) and for Mid Cheshire (Andrew Cooper), and diverting via the constituency of the hon.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship this afternoon, Dr Murrison, after seeing each other yesterday to talk about roads. It is a pleasure to be in Westminster Hall today with so many hon. Members to speak about the future of the west coast main line—a route that has long served as the backbone of connectivity between London, the midlands, the north-west, north Wales and Scotland. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Connor Naismith) on securing the debate. He is a powerful advocate for his constituents and for our railways, which is fitting for someone who represents a constituency that has had a long and proud position at the heart of our rail network since 1837. As my hon. Friend anticipated, we have heard from hon.”
“That is why my Department is developing our road safety strategy, the first in over a decade. We will set out more details in due course. Members referred to the implementation of road safety at a local level. Local government is the main delivery body for road safety. Local authorities have a statutory duty under section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to take steps both to reduce and to prevent collisions. It is for them to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases, because they have the local knowledge —many Members mentioned the importance of that this evening—and it is right that they focus on the areas of highest risk, which may be places where tragic collisions have occurred. However, there is nothing to prevent them from implementing road safety measures elsewhere.”
“In 2023 there were 1,624 fatalities in reported road collisions in Great Britain, and more than 28,000 people were seriously injured. I have not worked out the numbers, but I suspect that means that in the time we have been debating this issue, someone will have been seriously injured somewhere on Great Britain’s roads. Fatalities and injuries resulting from road collisions are simply unacceptable, and this Government are working hard to prevent such tragedies for all road users. Road safety is fundamental to everything that the Government stand for. Safer roads underpin our national missions: driving economic growth, enabling greener journeys through active travel, easing pressure on the national health service, and ensuring that everyone can travel safely.”
“Friends the Members for Northampton South (Mike Reader), for Amber Valley (Linsey Farnsworth), for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur), for South Derbyshire (Samantha Niblett), for Reading Central (Matt Rodda), for Stafford (Leigh Ingham), for North Northumberland (David Smith), for St Austell and Newquay (Noah Law), for Bracknell (Peter Swallow), for North West Leicestershire (Amanda Hack), for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell), for Scarborough and Whitby (Alison Hume), for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury), and for Leeds South West and Morley (Mark Sewards). I hope very much that I have not missed anyone out. We clearly all agree that no one should be killed or injured on our roads, and improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities.”
“We, our families, our friends and our colleagues all use our roads, whether as drivers, riders, pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers in buses or taxis, and we all deserve the right to go on our journeys knowing that we will get home safely. Unusually in an Adjournment debate, we heard from, I think, 19 Members this evening—not only from my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland but from my hon. Friends the Members for Harlow (Chris Vince), for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) and for Ealing Southall (Deirdre Costigan), the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), and my hon.”
“I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Sam Rushworth) on securing this debate and on making such incredibly good use of the extra time we have had. I thank him for speaking so passionately about road safety. He is clearly a powerful advocate for his constituents. We really had a tour across the many villages and communities that he represents, and I enjoyed his efforts to namecheck them—every single one of them, I think. I am pleased to be back here for the second Adjournment debate about road safety in less than a week. I am happy to be discussing this important issue again, not just because I am Minister for the future of roads—which should, of course, be a safer future—but because this issue matters to all of us.”
“My Department is developing our road safety strategy, which is vital. For too long, we have tolerated a lack of progress, and this Government are determined to act. I look forward to setting out more details in due course, as indeed we will on my hon. Friend’s ambitions for the A66. Question put and agreed to.”
“There is both a legal and a moral duty for all road users to obey the law, both for safety and to create a culture of respect and consideration for all road users. There are laws in place to ensure that unsafe and dangerous behaviour has no place on our roads and is dealt with appropriately, using the most effective sanctions, including educational interventions. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police, who will decide on the evidence of each case whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take. I conclude by again thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland for securing this timely and important debate. As I said at the start, the Government treat road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the number of those killed and injured on our roads.”
“The responsibility for keeping for our roads safe cannot fall solely to central or local government; all road users have a part to play, and they must all comply with road traffic law in the interests of their own safety and that of other road users. As set out in the highway code, the hierarchy of road users places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision right at the top of the hierarchy. The objective of the hierarchy of road users is not to give priority to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders in every situation, but rather to ensure a more mutually respectful and considerate culture of safe and effective road use that benefits all users. This does not detract from the requirements for everyone to behave responsibly.”
“My Department recognises the excellent work that parish and town councils do to improve the safety of local roads, including through their involvement with community speedwatch schemes. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Amber Valley for highlighting that valuable volunteering. Police-run community speedwatch schemes enable local volunteers to work with the police and other agencies to address identified road policing issues in their localities. Drivers who are detected speeding are sent letters, and the police may take further action if a driver is detected multiple times. Decisions on when to adopt community speedwatch schemes are operational matters for police and crime commissioners and chief constables, working in conjunction with their local policing plans.”
“Friend and his constituents will rightly expect the county council not only to listen to their concerns, but to be accountable for the decisions it makes, whether it decides to install traffic measures or declines to do so, and I think that applies to all hon. Members who have made the powerful case for lower speed limits. The “safe system” approach to road safety acknowledges that even careful drivers can make mistakes, but no one should be killed or seriously injured as a result of a mistake, and we know that collisions at high speeds are much more likely to have tragic outcomes, which is why the argument holds for reducing speed limits in particular circumstances. The Department will look at what we can do to support local authorities, and we stand ready to work with all those looking to improve road safety locally.”
“As well as improving safety, they can enhance quality of life, the environment and the local economy, but 20 mph zones and limits are best considered on a road-by-road basis, based on the safety case, to ensure local consent, rather than as blanket measures. As I say, local councils will want to make decisions about local implementation in consultation with local communities and the local police. They know their roads best, and I simply cannot and should not dictate to them from Westminster. While local authorities are free to make their own decisions about the speed limits on the roads in their care, provided they take account of the relevant legislation and guidance, they are rightly accountable to local people for those decisions. My hon.”
“It is for local authorities to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases, because they have local knowledge of their roads, but any authorities that wish to install schemes to improve safety have my Department’s full backing. Obviously, they will want to make those decisions in consultation with local communities and the local police. I welcome the support expressed by so many hon. Members this evening, and agree that sharing local knowledge and working in partnership can be very helpful. My Department gave councils updated guidance on setting 20 mph speed limits in March 2024, and reminded them to reserve the lower limits for appropriate locations, such as outside schools, with safety and local support at the heart of such decisions. I want to emphasise that we support 20 mph speed limits in the right places.”
“Good street design can help improve road safety, and the “Manual for Streets” is our key piece of street design guidance. It advocates for streets to be designed to support appropriate vehicle speeds from the outset. Let us build the right roads to encourage appropriate speeds, rather than having to deal with problems when they arise later. That will reduce the risk of collisions, and reduce the severity of collisions that do happen. We expect local authorities to adopt the “Manual for Streets” when setting their own design standards, but that is ultimately a choice for them. We are working to update the manual to ensure that it is still relevant and enables those designing streets to do so in a way that contributes to sustainable, healthy and active communities.”
“As my hon. Friend described so vividly, dangerous roads have very real impacts on the lives of his constituents, especially children, older people and disabled people. This debate will send a clear message to Durham county council, and perhaps to other highway authorities, about the strength of feeling not only among his constituents, but in his local communities, about road safety issues, and about the need for highway authorities to be accountable to local residents for decisions that they take in fulfilling their duties. Local authorities have a range of traffic management measures available to them to help improve safety in residential areas and outside schools, including pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, school crossing patrols, and the introduction of a school street, where appropriate.”
“Members will know that the enforcement of road traffic law, and decisions on how available police resources are deployed, are the responsibility of chief constables and police and crime commissioners, taking into account the local problems and demands that they face. Local highway authorities have the power to set speed limits on their roads, and it is important that this is done in partnership with town and parish councils, and in consultation with the residents affected. I was really sorry to hear that in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland, Durham county council has not responded to local calls for lower speed limits on the stretches of road that he mentioned. I urge him, the town and parish councils, and Durham county council to discuss this matter as a priority, and to try to find a way forward.”
“They are often the first to hear about near misses or dangerous incidents, and act as a vital link with local residents’ day-to-day experiences. As we have heard time and again this evening, local parish and town councils—as well as residents’ associations, as my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central said, and indeed schoolchildren, parents and a wide range of community groups—have incredibly valuable local knowledge, and they need to be listened to and engaged with. Numerous hon. Members have talked about the need for action to reduce speed, including by lowering speed limits, and the need to enforce speed limits through police action and the introduction of speed cameras. Hon.”
“This Government are committed to the devolution of powers to local level, as we have shown through the publication of the English devolution White Paper, but it is important that the right powers be held at the right level. Responsibility for highways and traffic sits at county council or unitary level; that enables local authorities to deliver services in an efficient and consistent way across their areas. We have no plans to devolve those powers further to parish councils, but it is nevertheless crucial that local highway authorities engage with local partners, including parish and town councils, when deciding on the measures to take, as they can play an absolutely critical role in identifying road safety issues in their area.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for, once again, raising the issue of pavement parking. As I hope he knows, I am very keen for us to address that issue. It has been far too long since the 2020 consultation on the options, and I look forward to the opportunity to publish that consultation and set out the next steps in due course. I hope that no local authority would claim that road measures can be considered only at locations where there have been fatalities, because that is simply not the case. I understand the importance of using resources effectively, where they are most needed, but the use of such measures should never be arbitrary.”
“Potholes and poor road surfaces are a nuisance for drivers, cause damage to vehicles and can pose a real danger to road users. To tackle the poor state of our roads following a decade of decline, this Government will provide £24 billion of capital funding over the spending review period to maintain and improve local roads and motorways across the country, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his steadfast advocacy for people and businesses in his constituency, which I know has been blighted by the collapse of the A226 at Galley Hill. It was visiting places such as Galley Hill that led us to invest £1 billion to enhance the road network, and create a new structures fund that will repair rundown bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels. Details on how that fund will be allocated will be announced in due course.”
“I can already give the hon. Member the good news about the £24 billion allocated in the spending review for improving our nation’s roads, and as he knows, National Highways is looking closely at what can be done on the road that leads to his constituency.”
“I appreciate how frustrating the situation is for my hon. Friend and his constituents. My officials are continuing to discuss details of the business case for the scheme with East Sussex county council, and I would of course be happy to meet him to discuss that further.”