• Research Briefing

    Ports: privatisation of trust ports

    This note sets out the legislative procedure put in place by the previous Conservative Government to allow for the privatisation of trust ports; how this was implemented in the mid-1990s; and the possibility of more trust ports being privatised in the future. It also gives information about the proposed privatisation of the Port of Dover, which has been the subject of much controversy and was finally rejected by the Government in December 2012.

  • Research Briefing

    Shipping: Marine Navigation (No. 2) Bill (Bill 19 of 2012-13)

    On 17 May 2012 the Conservative MP for South East Cornwall, Sheryll Murray, was drawn twelfth in the Private Members Bill ballot. On 20 June Ms Murray introduced the Marine Navigation (No. 2) Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill and accompanying Explanatory Notes were published on 12 October. The Bill received Second Reading in the House of Commons on 19 October; Committee stage on 7 November, Report stage and Third Reading on 30 November and is awaiting Second Reading in the Lords. The Bill has support from both the Government and the Opposition.

  • Research Briefing

    Transport: winter maintenance

    This note looks at the Quarmby recommendations to improve the resilience of all modes of transport to extreme weather, focusing particularly on the road network. It also explains the duty of highways authorities to ensure that safe passage along the highway is not endangered by snow or ice and looks briefly at issues of salt and grit supplies.

  • Research Briefing

    Parking: wheel clamping

    This Note describes the law on wheel clamping on public roads and the legal position of clamping on private land. As this is a devolved issue in Scotland it deals with England and Wales only.

  • Research Briefing

    Driving: licences

    This note explains the law related to driver licensing, including the changes introduced in the UK by virtue of European Directives. There is a separate section on the new licensing regime for HGV drivers, introduced in 2009.

  • Research Briefing

    Buses: policy and administration

    This note outlines the overall policy approach of the present and previous governments towards bus policy in England. It includes separate information about competition in local bus markets, the role of the traffic commissioners and licensing. There are separate notes on bus funding and grants, concessionary fares and franchising.

  • Research Briefing

    Buses: franchising

    This note provides information about the policy of bus franchising, how it operates in London and the legislation that exists in England to set up ‘Quality Contracts’, a form of franchising. It also provides information on statutory Quality Partnerships.

  • Research Briefing

    Railway: accidents

    This note outlines the statutory framework for investigating accidents on the railway and provides information on five of the most serious accidents in the past fifteen years.

  • Research Briefing

    Roads: Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)

    This note describes the Workplace Parking Levy (WPL), a policy introduced by the Labour Government that enables local authorities to charge businesses for every employee who parks in the area. It outlines the policy of successive governments and provides information on the only scheme currently in place, in Nottingham.

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