Road Safety

Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab) asked the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, what steps the Government is taking to improve road safety, particularly in addressing the issue of "boy racers" and speeding in his constituency. In response, the Secretary of State acknowledged the tragic nature of deaths on the roads and stated that road safety is an absolute priority for the Government. She noted that the Department has begun work on a new road safety strategy, the first in over a decade, which will support the mission to build an NHS fit for the future. The Secretary of State also stated that the Government will give the police the powers they need to seize illegal, dangerous, and antisocial vehicles and take them off the streets for good, so that they can be quickly crushed. Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con) then raised the issue of a frequently bashed bridge in his constituency, as well as accidents and pinch points on the A5. He requested a meeting with the Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, to discuss how to address these problems. The Secretary of State responded that she is sure the Roads Minister will be happy to meet with him. Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab) then highlighted the issues with the A50/A500 corridor, which sees between 60,000 and 90,000 vehicles pass through every day, with average rush hour speeds below 20 mph. He requested that the Minister visit Uttoxeter to see the upgrades that are needed. The Secretary of State stated that she is sure the Roads Minister will be happy to meet with him to discuss the road in question. Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD) then raised the issue of road safety being a key reason why young people do not cycle, particularly in cities like Bath with historic infrastructure. She asked what the Government will do to help make roads safer for young cyclists in Bath. The Secretary of State acknowledged the importance of this issue and stated that it will be at the heart of the new road safety strategy, as the Government is determined to take back streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Finally, Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con) raised the issue of road safety being linked to the state of the roads, and asked the Secretary of State to confirm whether the Government will maintain the previous Conservative Government's commitment to £11 billion in road repair budgets. The Secretary of State responded that the legacy they have been left includes a maintenance backlog of billions of pounds on local roads, and that this is one of the biggest issues facing people across the country. She stated that the Government's manifesto committed them to repairing and preventing up to a million potholes a year.