Roads

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on roads. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
04.03.2013	Oil Prices
	Oil prices peaked at almost $150 Dollars a barrel in July 2008 and fell sharply in the second half of 2008 as the global financial crisis hit. Prices have increased since then, despite a fairly weak global economy. Political unrest across the Middle East and the revolt in Libya contributed to further price rises in early 2011. Subsequent prices have been volatile; falling amid concerns about the world economy and going up as tension between Iran and the West increases. Some commentators have said that quantitative easing has contributed to the underlying price increases. Sustained high prices in 2011 meant the annual average price was above that seen in 2008 and the highest since 1864. The latest spot price is around $110 per barrel. This is more than $40 below the peak, but the weaker pound has meant that recent Sterling prices have frequently been above their 2008 peak. The International Energy Agency's business as usual projections put the price of oil at almost $250 per barrel in 2035.
22.02.2013	Petrol and diesel prices
	Road fuel prices have increased steadily since their recent lows in early 2009. Petrol prices reached a record monthly high in May 2010, set new records in December 2010 and in each of the following five months and broke these again in March and April 2012. Diesel prices exceeded their summer 2008 highs in January 2011 and also set new highs in each of the next four months. New records were set in February, March and April 2012. Prices fell by 10 11 pence per litre over summer, approached the earlier highs in early autumn 2012 but fell back somewhat in winter.
05.02.2013	Taxation of road fuels
	This note sets out the way in which road fuels are taxed, and the Government's approach in recent years, before discussing the recent debate about reducing the burden of high oil prices on road users.
24.01.2013	Motor car insurance
	This note outlines some of the reasons given for the substantial rise in motor insurance premiums experienced by many constituents in the last year.
24.01.2013	Driving: serious offences
	This note explains the basic framework for serious road traffic offences, sentencing and charging policy and details of the new offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Research Papers

Date	Description
07.01.2013	HGV Road User Levy Bill: Committee Stage Report
	This Bill would provide for the introduction of an HGV road user levy from April 2014.
29.10.2012	HGV Road User Levy Bill
	This Bill would provide for the introduction of an HGV road user levy from April 2014.
19.01.2012	Social Indicators
	A compendium of the latest social statistics. This edition includes articles: Religion in Great Britain, and Focus on road casualties
22.08.2011	London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Amendment) Bill: Committee stage report
	This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Amendment) Bill and has been prepared for the Report and Third Reading of the Bill, scheduled for 8 September 2011. It supplements Research Paper 11/34, prepared for the Second Reading of the Bill in the Commons on 28 April 2011.
02.03.2011	Transport policy in 2011: a new direction?
	This paper outlines the changes made to transport policy by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government and looks at some of the long term transport challenges the government is likely to face over the course of this Parliament.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
03.05.2011	Transport and the economy.
	Government response. Transport Select Committee report [Commons]
26.04.2011	Keeping the UK moving: the impact on transport of the winter weather in December 2010.
	Transport Select Committee report [Commons]
21.03.2011	Drink and drug driving law.
	Government response. Department for Transport report [Commons]
01.03.2011	The cost of motor insurance.
	Transport Select Committee report [Commons]
01.03.2011	Severn crossings toll.
	Welsh Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
07.02.2012	DRIVING LICENCES AND DANGEROUS OR CARELESS DRIVING
	That this House notes that the law currently allows those charged with serious driving offences, including death by dangerous or careless driving, to continue driving until sentencing, ...
07.02.2012	FORTH RAIL BRIDGE GOLD BLUE PETER BADGE
	That this House welcomes the award of the iconic Gold Blue Peter Badge to the Forth Rail Bridge; notes that the Bridge is the first manmade structure to receive the accolade; further ...
30.11.2011	SAVING LIVES CAMPAIGN
	That this House welcomes the Saving Lives Campaign ... Drive Safely Because i-Count launched by the charity Kids Count and other associated bodies; notes that the campaign draws attention ...
30.11.2011	SCHOOL CROSSING PATROLS IN MANCHESTER
	That this House opposes the decision of Manchester City Council to axe some school crossing patrols and to try to pass on the cost of remaining patrols to local schools; notes the impact ...
28.11.2011	FUEL PRICES ON MOTORWAYS
	That this House believes that fuel prices on motorways are too high; notes that a recent survey by WhatCar? found that fuel prices on motorways are up to 7.4 per cent. higher than the ...

POST Papers

Date	Description
01.10.2010	Electric vehicles
	This POSTnote focuses on the extent to which EVs could reduce carbon emissions and examines issues that would surround widespread uptake.
01.01.2009	Intelligent transport systems, January 2009
	This POSTnote outlines current and future applications of ITS in road transport, as well as technical, behavioural and economic limitations to their deployment.
01.08.2007	Transport biofuels, August 2007
	Transport biofuels, August 2007. POSTnote 07/293.