To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to local authorities about carrying out consultations with local communities ahead of the implementation of travel schemes funded from their emergency active travel fund for local authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic announced by the Secretary of State on 23 May, in view of the eight week deadline for the implementation of such schemes; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders by local authorities in such schemes does not bypass local democratic accountability.

To help authorities deliver at pace, new emergency legislation came into force on 23 May 2020 to help speed up the Emergency Traffic Order process in cases where measures are being introduced to deal with the effects of coronavirus. The main change is to how orders are advertised, which can now be done via digital means. It is for the Traffic Authority to decide which type of Order to use to introduce changes and to comply with the relevant regulations. Orders can be Emergency, Permanent, Temporary or Experimental.

The Department has reminded local authorities of the need to consult businesses and other stakeholders before introducing road space reallocation measures in their proforma for Tranche 1 of the Emergency Active Travel Fund. It is for local authorities, to take decisions at the local level, on where and how to consult wider local communities.