The Transport Select Committee held a hearing on Wednesday (21 October) with the Alliance of British Drivers; Dr. Kiron Chatterjee, Associate Professor in Travel Behaviour at the University of West England; and Baroness Vere, the Roads Minister at the Department for Transport (DfT).
High Peak MP Robert Largan joined colleagues on the Transport Select Committee to discuss the high collision rates among young and novice drivers; the relationship between driving and social mobility; possible policies to help improve young and novice driver safety; and the DfT’s Road Safety Statement.
Robert led questions to the Roads Minister, asking:
“The Peak District is very lucky to have some of the most scenic roads in the country, but in terms of fatalities it also has some of the most dangerous ones. The Cat and Fiddle, Long Hill and Snake Pass are in the top five most dangerous roads in the country, and all of them are in my constituency. Recent figures have shown that four out of five fatal casualties involving young drivers have occurred on rural roads. With that in mind, can you talk us through what the Department is doing to try to improve safety on rural roads, in particular for younger drivers?”
Baroness Vere, the Roads Minister, concluded in her response:
“One of the things we said we would do in the road safety statement, which has been delayed by coronavirus but is now at a stage where we can restart it, is to set up a rural roads working group. I will have working groups with more professional drivers on rural roads—farmers and people like that, who use them for work—but there will be a specific focus as well on younger drivers who live in the countryside and need to get from A to B using a car. How do they perceive safety on rural roads? Depending on what they say, we will take it from there.”
Robert then raised further questions regarding the DfT’s progress with the establishment of a national rural roads working group, and the challenges posed by hill driving for young and novice drivers.
Robert Largan MP commented:
“As part of my role on the Transport Select Committee, I have been conducting an inquiry with colleagues into young and novice drivers.
“This hearing provided me with the opportunity to question the Roads Minister, Charlotte Vere, on how we can tackle dangerous roads in High Peak, saving the lives of local young people.”
