Department for Transport

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.

The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region.

Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare.

Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows:

DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.

The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region.

Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare.

Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows:

DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.

The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region.

Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare.

Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows:

DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.

The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region.

Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare.

Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows:

DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

Department for Transport Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.

The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

The Department for Transport is actively supporting this work.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, at Slough driving test centre in each month of 2024 and 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused.

Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July. DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in Slough and the southeast, to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

For Slough driving test centre (DTC), a new entrant driving examiner has successfully completed their training which will help to increase the number of tests available at this centre. Two further new entrant driving examiners will also be undertaking training shortly.

For the southeast, since 1 April 2025, DVSA has successfully recruited 108 new driving examiners.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, at Slough driving test centre in each month of 2024 and 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused.

Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July. DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in Slough and the southeast, to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

For Slough driving test centre (DTC), a new entrant driving examiner has successfully completed their training which will help to increase the number of tests available at this centre. Two further new entrant driving examiners will also be undertaking training shortly.

For the southeast, since 1 April 2025, DVSA has successfully recruited 108 new driving examiners.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) supervises the delivery of light vehicle MOTs in Great Britain through its approved MOT garages. However, as these are private garages, DVSA does not collate overall data on the volume and cost of missed MOT appointments.

In the UK, Regulation (EC) 261/2004 sets out passenger rights in the event of certain flight disruptions. This includes a requirement for airlines to provide affected passengers with information on their rights.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for ensuring airlines meet their obligations under the Regulation. It is currently undertaking a Regulation 261/2004 compliance programme to assess airline performance.

The CAA also published research in July 2025 as part of its work programme aiming to improve industry communications with consumers during disruption. This makes 12 recommendations for airlines, focusing on the timing, content and channels of communication that should be used during disruption.

In addition, the CAA and the Department have published guidance that helps passengers understand their rights when flying.

The Department for Transport (central) currently sponsors visas for 33 skilled workers and has an additional 19 employees working on other visa types.

Preliminary data on vehicles ordered and delivered to customers since grant launch show that the median purchase price of a vehicle eligible for the £3,750 Electric Car Grant (ECG) banding before the grant is applied is £24,009.88.

Based on registration data for December 2025, 5% of new electric vehicles registered in that month received £3,750 through the ECG.

The Government is committed to continued EV uptake across the UK and is working closely with devolved and local governments to achieve this. Data on licenced ultra-low emission vehicles across regions since July 2024 is at this link:

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F696641a38d599f4c09e1fff7%2Fveh0132.ods&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Household income is not assessed or recorded as part of grant eligibility for end customers.

We are encouraging the innovation and development of sustainable aviation fuels through a number of policy measures: The SAF Mandate, introduced in January 2025, generates a demand for advanced fuels by capping HEFA SAF and having targets for second and third generation SAFs.

We also encourage the development of such fuels through the Advanced Fuels Fund which is providing £63m to support 17 projects this year across a range of advanced SAF development including power-to-liquid. Support for the development of second and third generation SAFs will continue through the upcoming spending review period.

We also fund the UK SAF Clearing House, which coordinates the testing and qualification of SAF. Over £223k of grant funding for fuel testing has been awarded since 2024.

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: The National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030.

The Department has not defined quantitative benchmarks for the private sector, though we closely monitor electric vehicle charger rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public chargers. We support uptake through targeted grants and funding and regularly engage with local authorities and the private sector on progress. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charger delivery.

Examples of activities relevant under this metric include the more efficient management of vehicle movements to both increase operational efficiency and cut carbon emissions. They also include the greater adoption of preventative road surface treatments, such as preservation, rejuvenation or surface dressing. These techniques keep roads in good condition for longer and prevent potholes, while also reducing carbon emissions and costs.

The Local Government Association published guidance for local highway authorities last year, which provides an overview of different road resurfacing techniques and sets out the benefits of preventative techniques in terms of higher value for money, reduced disruption to residents, and lower carbon emissions. The guidance is available online, at: https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/improving-highways-maintenance-productivity.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests that will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change. The national average waiting time for a car practical driving test in January 2026 was 21.2 weeks.

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Examiner capacity is rising. Since April 2025, and as of January 2026, DVSA has seen an increase in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs, from 1,413 to 1,546; an increase of 130 FTE DEs.

During the current financial year to 31 January 2026, DVSA has conducted 1,623,925 tests. DVSA introduced the additional test allowance scheme in June 2025; from this date to 31 January 2026, DVSA has seen an increase of 123,320 tests when compared to the same period in the previous year.

The Department for Transport surveyed local highway authorities and other transport stakeholders on the criteria for prioritising structures for investment through the Structures Fund in February 2026. The Department is currently considering responses to the survey and will confirm the criteria that will be used to prioritise schemes for funding in due course.

The analysis was conducted by Thatcham Research on behalf of the insurance industry. Although key findings have been summarised in published material, the full analysis is not publicly available.

As a result, it is not possible to place a copy in the library, and no assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that analysis.

The Department for Transport surveyed local highway authorities and transport stakeholders on the assessment criteria for the Structures Fund in February 2026. We are currently considering the responses and will confirm the final prioritisation criteria in due course. Once these criteria are published, the Fund will be opened for investment proposals from local authorities, and the Department will then be able to confirm which, and how many, schemes are to receive funding from the Structures Fund.

In response to public concerns raised about glare from vehicle headlamps an international glare prevention taskforce has been established at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. UK officials and vehicle manufacturers representatives are actively involved in the work of the group which is looking at potential measures to reduce the occurrence of headlamp glare.

The 1,840 suppliers who were removed from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS) since 2020 includes those suppliers who were removed voluntarily, suppliers that have ceased trading and those whose removal was ordered by a court.

Suppliers who were removed from the RNPS voluntarily or because they have ceased trading can re-register at any time. Removals from the RNPS ordered by a court are usually for a fixed period, up to a maximum of five years.

If the DVLA is aware that removal from the RNPS has been ordered by a court, the supplier will not be able to rejoin the register until the length of the exclusion ordered by the court has expired.

When a supplier applies to join the RNPS, checks are carried out against the business and individual’s name(s) and address to confirm if they have previously been on the RNPS. This ensures number plate suppliers whose removal from the RNPS was ordered by a court cannot successfully re-apply to become a registered supplier during their removal period.

The Well‑managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, which is in the process of being updated, advises that local highway authorities should use a risk‑based approach when assessing and repairing defects. The Code does not define a national pothole size or threshold; instead, it recommends that each authority determine its own intervention criteria based on local circumstances, usage and risk. This reflects the fact that local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended) to maintain the highways network in their area.

All driving examiner (DE) vacancies are advertised on Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has run block recruitment campaigns for multiple roles across the driving test centre network in England, Scotland and Wales, repeatedly since 2021. DVSA has not run any campaigns for individual posts.

As stated in the answer to Question 113313, all DVSA examiner roles are open to applications from people seeking full-time, or part-time, employment.

DVSA also has a careers page on GOV.UK which highlights the DE role. This page directs any interested candidates wishing to apply, to live DE recruitment campaigns on Civil Service Jobs.

I wrote to you and members of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce, which includes Transport for London and Hammersmith and Fulham Council, on 27 February.

I set out in my letter that I consider Hammersmith Bridge to be a good candidate for investment from the Structures Fund, and my Department intends to consider the viability of future funding for the next stage of works via this route.

As part of the National Security Strategy the Government is implementing new measures to make the UK a harder target for actors who seek to exploit our open, democratic society. This includes bolstering our cyber and economic security defences.

For example, the national security powers in the Procurement Act 2023 allow the Government to exclude suppliers from public sector procurement, terminate their public contracts and debar them from future ones. These powers target risk from individual suppliers—not specific countries—and will be used proportionately based on the threat posed.

The Department for Transport is aware of the Supreme Court’s judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers (2025) and its implications for the interpretation of the protected characteristic of sex in the Equality Act 2010.

The Department awaits the publication of the updated statutory cross-government guidance from the Office for Equality and Opportunity and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to support consistent implementation of the judgment across departments and public bodies. The Department regularly reviews its policies and guidance to ensure they remain legally compliant and consistent with evolving case law. Once the statutory guidance is published, the Department will move quickly to consider future policy.

The Department’s arm’s‑length bodies are being kept informed of this process and will be expected to make any necessary updates in line with the forthcoming cross‑government guidance. All bodies sponsored by the Department are required to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and to take account of relevant case law, and we will continue to support them to do so.

Advice was provided to ministers in line with standard procedures.

There has been no estimate made of the total capital value of rolling stock because all WMT trains are leased from rolling stock companies who own the rolling stock. WMT's rolling stock lease charges make up approximately 12% of its cost base. Overall WMT's costs are greater than its fares revenue with the difference being made up by taxpayer support of approximately £289m in 2024/25. There was no government backed finance for this new rolling stock, nor any regional contributions. No assessment of the regional financial implications of reallocating assets has been made because the Department for Transport (DfT), and the Department’s Rail Operator (DFTO) currently have no plans to reallocate rolling stock in use by West Midlands Trains. Organisational design work on Great British Railways is ongoing, with the accounting and reporting arrangements being a function of final design.

Rolling stock that is currently on lease to train operating companies is either in operational use, undergoing routine maintenance, or in scheduled overhaul.

Where leases have expired and rolling stock has been returned to its owner, responsibility for decisions relating to storage and condition rests with the rolling stock owning company. The Department does not hold information regarding the operational condition of rolling stock that is stored out of use and no longer under lease.

The Government is committed to supporting those on low incomes in accessing electric vehicles and the up to £1,400 running cost saving per year versus a comparable petrol car. We are investing over £3.5bn in grants to make zero emission vehicles more affordable as well as measures to increase access to charging. This includes cross-pavement charging solutions to help those without a driveway access the cheapest charging rates and support for local authorities to invest in infrastructure that suits their local areas. The 2030 phase-out applies only to new pure petrol and diesel cars and provides certainty to industry, enabling businesses and drivers to plan for the future.

Work to update the Setting Local Speed Limits guidance is expected to commence shortly. No timetable has yet been set for the publication of the revised guidance.

The Motor Insurance Taskforce published its final report in December 2025. This report sets actions to strengthen the vehicle repair sector and references independent findings by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on the causes of increased premiums, including analysis of average repair costs for electric, hybrid, and petrol/diesel vehicles. The FCA found that increased claims costs were driven by factors including more complex and expensive cars, supply chain delays, and increased costs for replacement vehicles. The report is published and available here: https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/multi-firm-reviews/motor-insurance-claims-analysis.

The Department for Transport does not have plans to collect and publish this data.

Motability Operations, which delivers the Motability Scheme, has the largest fleet in the country and has an important role in ensuring an equitable transition to zero emission vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) are available through the Motability Scheme, with over 105,000 EVs on the Scheme and over 99,000 charge points installed to date:  https://www.mo.co.uk/our-impact/.

Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues including accessibility of their network. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL is responsible for managing the London Underground.

Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues including accessibility of their network. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL is responsible for managing the London Underground.

Between January and October 2025, the Government’s Electric Vehicle Charge Point Grant (EVCG) supported the installation of 7,981 residential charge point sockets across the UK. This figure includes installations delivered across all eligible residential categories under the scheme, based on the latest data published up to 1 October 2025 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electric-vehicle-charging-device-grant-scheme-statistics-october-2025.

The total grant expenditure associated with these installations over the same period was £3,706,049, according to the published administrative records. As with all EV grant statistics, the figures remain provisional due to processing times and potential undercounting of the most recent months.

We expect the uplift in amounts for applicable residential properties and the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road to increase applications to the grant.

The decision taken in March 2024 to defer the start of construction on the A12 widening scheme was made by Ministers.

Prior to this decision, the publicly committed start date for construction was 2023/24 but a new start date was being planned.

The Government recognises the importance of accessibility for emerging technologies and works closely with the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee and experts from leading accessibility organisations, such as the Motability Foundation, on policy development.

To support electric vehicle accessibility, electric wheelchair accessible vehicles can receive a grant of up to £2,500 and attract the largest bonus credit in the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate. Government also works closely with industry on accessible charge point designs.

Automated Vehicles have the potential to improve accessible transport options for older and disabled people. Government consulted on the statutory accessibility reporting requirement for Automated Passenger Services (APS) permits and is establishing the Accessibility Advisory Panel to help guide reporting and best practice for the accessibility of new services as they emerge.

Government is also reviewing the legal framework for powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters, which has remained largely unchanged for nearly 40 years.

No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence.

The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police.

It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.

No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence.

The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police.

It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.

The government is committed to improving passenger transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including in the East of England.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff and requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan.

We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established. The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog to protect the rights of disabled passengers by monitoring service delivery, investigating persistent issues, setting minimum standards and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

The Department for Transport was invited by the Office for National Statistics, via the Government Statistical Service harmonisation champions network, to respond to a consultation regarding possible changes to the standard for ethnicity categories.

Through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, Government has already provided £120 million of funding to kickstart the deployment of zero emission HGV infrastructure. This is funding 73 planned infrastructure locations, representing over 360 chargers. The Government is further supporting the installation of charging equipment at depots through the £30 million Depot Charging Scheme.

We will set out further detail in a zero emission HGV and Coach Infrastructure Strategy in due course.

The Department does not name individual members of staff. Such updates are always quality assured, which involves checks from various analysts who are not directly involved in the work. The Department’s quality assurance processes are fully aligned with the Government’s AQuA Book (the quality assurance guidance), but I have asked my officials to strengthen our practices further.