The number of fires and spillages on the Strategic Road Network since the formation of Highways England are as follows:<\/p>
Financial Year<\/em><\/p><\/td> Incident Type<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Spillage<\/em><\/p><\/td> Fire<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> FY 2015-16<\/em><\/p><\/td> 3,346<\/em><\/p><\/td> 2,364<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> FY 2016-17<\/em><\/p><\/td> 3,429<\/em><\/p><\/td> 2,660<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> FY 2017-18<\/em><\/p><\/td> 3,860<\/em><\/p><\/td> 2,816<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> FY 2018-19<\/em><\/p><\/td> 3,562<\/em><\/p><\/td> 3,105<\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Grand Total<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/td> 14,197<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/td> 10,945<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Highways England and the department recognise the potential impact of spillages on our road users and on neighbouring communities. The department recently produced guides, aimed specifically at commercial drivers, to help reduce the severity and impact of a diesel spill. Highways England is also looking at ways to improve how our own staff and service providers respond and deal with spillages. In April 2019, the department commenced a research project to understand the causes of fire in commercial vehicles.<\/p> <\/p> The department does not have evidence of what role litter plays in these incidents. As set out in the Litter Strategy for England (2017), the Government is committed to reducing the amount of litter on our network.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-17T10:49:56.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Roads: Accidents"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causes of fires and spillages on highways and motorways; whether the number of fires and spillages has increased in recent years; if so, by how much; and what role litter on or around roads has played in any such increase.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4230", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Randerson"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Randerson"}
], "uin" : "HL16041"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129557", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129557/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for Transport supports the development of routes where there is high propensity for increasing functional cycling and walking journeys in a cost-effective way in line with the Government\u2019s Cycling and Walking Strategy, and we are working with 46 local authorities to develop Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans.<\/p> <\/p> In doing this, the department needs to take account of additional liabilities resulting from any granting of public access to, or transfer of, parts of the Historical Rail Estate that could create short or long-term improvement or maintenance costs to Highways England. The department believes that in such circumstances a transfer of the assets to the relevant local authority is the appropriate way forward so that the local authority can ensure that the relevant property conforms to local policies and that safety, security and long-term maintenance issues are addressed.<\/p> <\/p> Departmental officials are willing to support discussions relating to any such transfers.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-17T10:39:31.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Cycleways"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on their plans to increase cycling and walking of the remit provided to Highways England Historic Railways Estate, particularly its practice of objecting to new cycle paths on grounds of cost; and what steps they plan to take to ensure that policies within different parts of the Department for Transport are coordinated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4230", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Randerson"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Randerson"}
], "uin" : "HL16042"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129558", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129558/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " |