The number of reported pedestrian casualties, including killed or seriously injured (adjusted) casualties, in collisions where the pedestrian was hit by a known motor vehicle in each of the last three years is shown in the below table.

On 2 February 2022, the initial outcome of the consultation was announced in the Levelling Up White Paper, which stated that in Mayoral Combined Authority areas, “the UK Government will provide new powers of direction to increase mayors’ control over Key Route Networks.” In addition to this announcement, it is the Department’s plan to publish a summary of responses and Government response in due course.

The most recent confirmed greenhouse gas statistics, for transport in 2019, attribute 66% of emissions to road transport, 1% to rail, 23% to domestic and international aviation, and 8% to domestic and international shipping.

The Spending Review confirmed increasing investment in rail infrastructure in England and Wales, committing over £40bn. This sees over £2 billion of funding confirmed in 2021-22 for rail services, building on the estimated £12.8 billion of support for transport services that the Government has already committed to provide in 2020-21.

It remains the case that no schemes have been cancelled nor formal investment decisions taken as a result of the Spending Review. We are committed to building a railway that is greener and fit for the future and that is why we continue to look at ways to decarbonise our network in a way that makes best use of taxpayers funding. As part of this settlement we have committed to funding the Transpennine Route upgrade, including its full electrification.

The Department for Transport received a significant multi-year settlement as a result of last month’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR 20), including funding for our major rail and road programmes, underlining this Government’s commitment to long term investment in infrastructure.

The responses to points (1) and (2), are summarised in the table below. For reasons of clarity (as there is potential overlap between 'enhancements' and 'new works'), we have defined “enhancements” as works to increase the capacity of the transport network, and “renewals” as works which replace existing infrastructure with modern equivalent.

With regards to completion dates, taken together these programmes represent a wide range of individual projects and milestones.

In respect of HS2 Phase One, the Delivery into Service (DIS) range for initial services from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street remains 2029 to 2033. The range for initial opening of services from Euston remains 2031-2036, subject to further work on the study of design and delivery options.

Network Rail’s operations, maintenance and renewals budgets have not been changed as a result of Spending Review 2020 and workbanks will continue to be based on the five-year regulatory funding settlement for 2019-2024. The Spending Review confirmed that the Government will continue to support the railway, investing in ambitious improvements to modernise the rail network. In terms of impacts on individual schemes, it remains the case that no schemes have been cancelled nor formal investment decisions taken as a result of the Spending Review. We are currently working with Network Rail and Ministers to agree a new baseline for the portfolio that fits with the new funding envelope. Furthermore, schemes will be regularly published as part of the enhancement delivery plan by Network Rail.

Highways England published its Delivery Plan for RIS2 in August, setting out the planned “start of works” and “open for traffic” dates for each enhancement scheme. The Delivery Plan is available on the Highways England website.

The Government is committed to building a transport network that is greener and fit for the future and we continue to look at ways to decarbonise our network in a way that makes best use of taxpayers’ funding.

Mobility scooters can be used on footways, footpaths, bridleways or pedestrianised areas, provided that they are used in accordance with prescribed requirements. Larger mobility scooters, capable of going up to 8mph, are permitted to use the road. The Government does not have any current plans to review and update the places where mobility scooters are permitted to be used.

The term ‘invalid carriage’ is the legal definition of a mobility scooter as laid out in the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. It means a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or not, constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of one person, being a person suffering from some physical defect or disability.

The Department is developing a bold and ambitious Transport Decarbonisation Plan to achieve net zero emissions across all modes of transport by 2050, including road and rail. As we move forward with the transition away from petrol and diesel cars and vans, the Government will need to ensure that the tax system encourages the uptake of electric vehicles and that revenue from motoring taxes keeps pace with this change, to ensure we can continue to fund the first class public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.

The Civil Aviation Authority, as an independent economic regulator, will consider the efficiency and reasonableness of all capital expenditure which is added to Heathrow Airport Ltd’s Regulated Asset Base. It can make ex-post decisions to remove expenditure which does not meet efficiency tests. The Civil Aviation Authority’s primary duty is to the consumer and its secondary duty is to ensure Heathrow Airport Ltd can finance its operation.

There were 423 reported accidents in 2018 where a police officer allocated the contributory factor ‘driver using mobile phone’ to at least one of the drivers/riders involved in the accident.

The numbers of fatalities and injuries of road users involved in these accidents are shown in the attached table.

Detailed final statistics on reported personal injury road accidents in Great Britain for 2019 will be published on 30 September 2020. The latest annual published statistics are for 2018.

Highways England has designed the Lower Thames Crossing route so that a Tilbury Link Road can, subject to funding and planning permission, be built in the future as a single carriageway connection to Tilbury.

The second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) identifies the Tilbury Link Road as a proposal to be developed for potential inclusion in RIS3. Highways England’s Delivery Plan and Strategic Business Plan, which include plans for taking forward the RIS3 pipeline proposals, will be published shortly.

On the areas of the Strategic Road Network where Highways England bears direct responsibility for litter clearance, Highways England’s agreements with its maintenance contractors requires them to carry out litter picking as a core contractual requirement. As a result, it is not possible to specify how much funding provided for road maintenance is allocated specifically to litter clearance. RIS2 introduces a performance indicator measuring the percentage of the SRN where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice, a widely-used definition of litter condition. Further detail of the metric scope will be laid out in Highways England’s Operational Metrics Manual, which is due to be published later in the Spring.

The Ministry of Justice court proceedings database does not distinguish convictions involving mobile phone use from the broader offences of causing death/serious injury by dangerous driving.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of hands-free mobile phone use, or use of other mobile devices such as satellite navigation equipment, while driving. The Highway Code stresses the importance of proper concentration while driving. If someone drives poorly because they are distracted by a phone conversation, for example, even if using hands-free, then the police can take enforcement action for failing to have proper control of the vehicle.