Written questions by Lowe.

What steps is the Minister taking to reduce the impact from cyclists using (a) strobe and (b) flashing lights on (i) motorists and (ii) other road users.

Standards for the fitment and use of bicycle lights are set out in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended. Front and rear flashing lights are only permitted on bicycles provided they do not cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users, have a constant flashing frequency of 1 to 4 hertz and, if they are the only lights fitted, an intensity of not less than four candelas.Enforcement of road traffic law is generally an operational matter for individual police forces and their officers can issue verbal warnings or fixed penalty notices, or report riders for formal prosecution.

What information his Department holds on the number of emergency calls made by irregular migrants crossing the channel on the basis of information that is later found to be false for each year since 2018.

HM Coastguard does not hold information on the number of emergency calls made by irregular migrants crossing the channel on the basis of information that is later found to be false.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of immigration on the road system.

The Department models future demand for road transport based on Office for National Statistics population forecasts, which include changes in population arising from immigration and other demographic change. Furthermore, the Department’s Common Analytical Scenarios consider futures that include high or low immigration to enable future uncertainty to be taken into account.

What the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for the DVLA was in each of the last five years.

The table below provides the average waiting time, over the last five years, for someone who calls the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to be connected to an advisor. Please note that the figures for the various years are not directly comparable as the DVLA has moved to a new telephony platform which allows them to manage customer demand in different ways.Fiscal YearAverage waiting time in minutes2020-202107:162021-202210:122022-202309:182023-202412:552024-24 Oct 2413:22

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) mass immigration and (b) population increase on the road system.

The Department for Transport published the latest National Road Traffic Projections in 2022. These are projections of road traffic, congestion and emissions for England and Wales. These include outputs for the Common Analytical Scenarios, a set of seven standardised, off-the-shelf, cross-modal scenarios exploring national level uncertainties for use in transport forecasting and appraisal. A full description of the scenarios can be found in the DfT Uncertainty Toolkit.

How much has been spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for people contacting her Department in each of the last five years.

Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested.

Whether she has made an assessment of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of smart motorways.

National Highways publish reviews on major road schemes which measure their impact against anticipated benefits.National Highways also report on safety data annually, with the latest published data showing, overall, all three types of smart motorway are safer than conventional motorways for those safety metrics which consider the most significant impacts, such as deaths or serious injuries. However, we recognise that the risk of a collision between a moving and a stopped vehicle is greater on smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder. We will not be rolling out any new smart motorways.

If she will meet the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to discuss (a) safety concerns about and (b) dualling of the Acle Straight on the A47.

In the first instance, I would encourage the honourable member to meet with colleagues from National Highways to discuss their work to improve safety on the Acle Straight section of the A47 in Suffolk. There are currently no plans to dual the Acle Straight.