Written questions by Naish.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allocating 10% of the transport budget to active travel.

Investment in active travel will play a key part in delivering the Government’s economic growth, health and net zero emissions by helping to revitalise high streets, improve air quality and enable people to live longer, healthier lives. On 12 February, the Government announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6. This will help local authorities to provide high-quality and easily accessible active travel schemes across England and will enable more children to walk and cycle to school. Decisions on future funding for active travel, as well as on other areas of transport expenditure, will be taken as part of the Government’s Spending Review.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable parking enforcement debt collection practices.

To ensure an enforcement regime that is fair and proportionate, the Department for Transport published the ‘Statutory guidance for local authorities in England on civil enforcement of parking contraventions’, which sets out the appropriate debt collection practices together with links to the applicable legislation. Local authorities in England with civil parking enforcement powers must have regard to this statutory guidance under Section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. Matters relating to private parking and local authority operated off-street car parks are the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) regulate delivery drivers working for food delivery companies to ensure they are using roads and pavements safely.

Everyone who drives, rides or cycles, including delivery drivers and riders, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code. They must also hold the necessary registration, tax, licence and appropriate insurance for driving or riding the vehicle they are using: if they do not, they may be liable for prosecution. Enforcement of these rules is a matter for the police.Employers have a duty to manage the safety of their employees, and their employees in turn have a responsibility to drive, ride or cycle appropriately and to comply with relevant laws. Last month, the Minister for Local Transport wrote to the main food delivery companies to remind them of their obligations, and of the importance the Government places on the safety of all road users. The Department will consider next steps in the light of the responses received to the letter.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that parking enforcement debt collection practices are equitable.

Local authorities may only charge reasonable costs in relation to fees for enforcement agents, these are clearly set out in the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014. Enforcement agents responsible for executing warrants of control on behalf of local authorities are obliged to follow the code set out in part 3 of, and schedule 12 to, the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. In addition, the Department issues statutory guidance to local authorities on the use of enforcement agents. Debt collection in respect of private parking operators is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

With reference to the formal response to the public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to create a new category for vehicles that park four wheels on pavements.

In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on measures for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. We are assessing all options and will publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking.

What steps she is taking to ensure that Highways England fulfils its statutory functions for (a) litter collection and (b) tree management.

The Department for Transport regularly engages with National Highways to discuss its performance and management of the Strategic Road Network.The Office for Road and Rail, as Highways Monitor, also plays an important role in monitoring on behalf of the Secretary of State, holding National Highways to account for its licence commitments to maintain, operate and improve motorways and major ‘A’ roads in England. Should the Office for Road and Rail deem that National Highways is not complying with its statutory functions or the requirements outlined in the Roads Investment Strategy, they may determine that enforcement action is appropriate.

Which organisation is responsible for (a) litter collection and (b) tree management along the A52 in Nottinghamshire.

Responsibility for litter collection on the A52 in Nottinghamshire lies with the local authorities in the area, in this case that is Broxtowe Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council. National Highways is responsible for tree management on the A52 in Nottinghamshire, this includes cyclical inspections of trees within National Highways ownership and can include third party trees that are identified as being a significant and imminent hazard to the Strategic Road Network.

Whether she plans to improve wi-fi connectivity on the rail network.

I have asked my officials to explore the feasibility of a range of technology options to improve passenger connectivity on the rail network. The Department is also measuring the strength of mobile signals along the rail network to fully understand where interventions are needed.

Whether she is taking steps to help ensure that new housing developments (a) connect to, (b) extend and (c) improve routes identified in local cycling and walking infrastructure plans.

Planning legislation identifies Active Travel England (ATE) as a statutory consultee for developments of at least 150 homes. In discharging its statutory requirements, ATE reviews how people can walk, wheel and cycle within and beyond site boundaries, and in most instances recommends where this can be improved. Where there is a clear link, ATE recommends that funding is secured from new developments towards schemes identified in Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). Ultimately, local planning decisions are for local councils but through ATE’s comments, and its toolkits and guidance that are available for use by local councils, we are adding capacity, and capability, to deliver improvements in active travel provision as part of new housing developments.