Written questions by Charters.

What steps she is taking to encourage more zebra crossings near primary schools.

The Department does not set mandatory criteria for the installation of zebra crossings. Local authorities are best placed to decide whether a zebra crossing is appropriate, including outside primary schools, taking into account local traffic conditions, vehicle speeds and patterns of pedestrian movement. The Department provides national good practice guidance in Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which includes advice on the assessment and design of pedestrian crossings. This is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manualChapter 6 is guidance and it is for authorities to consider how to apply it to their own roads.

What steps she is taking to ensure that national guidance on traffic flow and speed does not inhibit local authorities from installing zebra crossings outside primary schools.

The Department does not set mandatory criteria for the installation of zebra crossings. Local authorities are best placed to decide whether a zebra crossing is appropriate, including outside primary schools, taking into account local traffic conditions, vehicle speeds and patterns of pedestrian movement. The Department provides national good practice guidance in Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which includes advice on the assessment and design of pedestrian crossings. This is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manualChapter 6 is guidance and it is for authorities to consider how to apply it to their own roads.

What steps she is taking to ensure that road safety measures in the vicinity of primary schools are given a priority status within (a) national transport policy and (b) guidance to local authorities.

Road safety around schools is a priority for the Government, particularly the safety of children travelling to and from school.Protection for children is not limited to the immediate school frontage; national transport policy focuses on improving safety along the whole journeys commonly made by children and young people, including routes to school. This approach includes the use of 20 mph limits where appropriate, alongside safer crossing facilities, traffic calming measures, School Streets schemes, enforcement, and school travel planning. The Government supports delivery of these measures through national funding, including £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance between 2026–27 and 2029–30, which local authorities can use to maintain and improve their road networks, including roads in the vicinity of schools. Active Travel England (ATE) encourages authorities to consider a range of walking and cycling schemes to deal with local needs, including active travel to school. The Department for Transport and ATE have developed and published specific guidance on how to develop an effective School Streets scheme. School Streets can improve the experiences of a school’s pupils, staff, visitors, and neighbours alike at peak school arrival and departure times.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the powers of traffic commissioners.

Traffic Commissioners perform important and independent regulatory, compliance and tribunal roles for the road freight and public transport sectors. A functional review conducted by the Ministry of Justice, published in May 2023, found the function generally effective and offered proposals for improvement. My Department are considering these alongside other reform options.

What assessment she has made of existing health and safety standards on (a) electric vehicles and (b) their batteries.

All vehicles used on UK roads must comply with rigorous safety requirements. The UK is actively involved in the ongoing development of international regulations for road vehicle approval at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. These regulations consider novel risks and potential safety concerns associated with hybrid and electric vehicles. The crashworthiness regulations have been reviewed and amended accordingly, whilst a specific regulation dealing with electrical safety of vehicles has been updated to include provisions for the mechanical and electrical testing of the battery, its fire resistance, and electrical insulation.

If she will make an assessment of the potential economic merits of improving internet 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. This will include assessing the economic benefits of improving internet connectivity. The Department is also measuring the strength of mobile signals along the rail network to fully understand where interventions are needed.