Department for Transport

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

We continue to monitor the impact of the guidance issued in June 2025 by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), aimed at improving coordination, transparency, and efficiency for both law enforcement and the transport industry. NPCC have set a review date for the document of 1 May 2027.

We are working with industry, including the Heavy Transport Association and agencies, such as National Highways, to ensure the appropriate balance between efficient movement of abnormal loads, whilst ensuring road safety and minimised disruption to other road users.

The Department keeps the objectives and operation of all its local transport funding streams under regular review to ensure they support decarbonisation, growth and improved passenger outcomes. Our wider zero emission bus policy is designed to stimulate demand across the UK, with bus operators and local transport authorities transitioning fleets and creating opportunities for domestic manufacturers.

Data on screening test results in England and Wales, including the concentrations of alcohol detected in drivers’ breath in roadside breath tests, are published in table RAS2042. The table has not been updated for 2023, so the latest data currently available are for 2022.

The table is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#ras20

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on roadside breath tests for alcohol in England and Wales in its Police powers and procedures: Roads policing release.

A strong framework already applies to utilities, contractors and highway authorities, including national reinstatement standards, permit schemes, and performance‑based inspections introduced in 2023, which ensure poor performers face more frequent inspections and associated charges. Recent regulations, in force from January 2026, further strengthen enforcement by increasing penalties for overruns and improving compliance. We will continue to keep the regime under review.

The disabled eligibility criteria are set out in Section 146 of the Transport Act 2000. While autism is not included in this list, individuals with autism may be eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they meet certain criteria related to their condition or its functional impact.

The Department recognises that sometimes this can be hard to determine, especially for non-visible disabilities. To support local authorities in determining eligibility, the Department maintains guidance on assessing the eligibility of disabled applicants. This includes examples of where entitlement may be considered automatic based on receipt of state benefits and related documentary evidence, to help make the process more straightforward for both applicants and local authorities.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead department for the planning system, and the Department for Transport works with it closely on the impacts of local government reorganisation.

Existing district councils have responsibilities for taxi licencing and spatial planning, but transport infrastructure is generally delivered by county and unitary authorities. New unitary authorities formed by local government reorganisation should have appropriate scale to effectively deliver transport infrastructure projects and, outside of Strategic Authorities, to undertake their local transport authority responsibilities.

As of March 2024, there were 2,837,000 valid Blue Badges in circulation across England. Information regarding breakdown by local authority can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/blue-badge-scheme-statistics-data-tables-dis.

The DVLA’s new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated will deliver significant improvements and the DVLA is also launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf.

Official statistics on the condition of local roads in England are published annually: Road conditions in England to March 2025 - GOV.UK. Local authorities in England are required to provide the Department for Transport (DfT) with data on the condition of local roads annually under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s single data list.

DfT does not hold information on the condition of roads for Ely or East Cambridgeshire constituency but does hold information for Cambridgeshire.

In the financial year ending March 2025, the percentage of local A road and motorway in Cambridgeshire where maintenance should have been considered was 7%, for B and C road this was 16% and for unclassified road was 22%. For the same period, in England, the percentage of local A road and motorway where maintenance should have been considered was 5%, for B and C road was 7% and for unclassified road was 17%.

On 8 January 2026, I announced the publication of the government’s formal response to the 2020 public consultation 'Pavement parking: options for change' which sets out the legislative measures to tackle pavement parking.

In the first instance we will give local authorities powers this year to issue Penalty Charge Notices for vehicles parked in a way that unnecessarily obstructs the pavement. My officials have begun work on secondary legislation and guidance for this option, and associated stakeholder engagement.

The Government recognises that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all, and we are committed to delivering change as part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity. We want to see passenger transport services that are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to address some of the barriers faced by disabled people when using 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 also know disabled passengers often face barriers when travelling by rail and we are committed to improving this experience. 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.

On 8 January 2026, I announced the publication of the government’s formal response to the 2020 public consultation 'Pavement parking: options for change' which sets out what the government plans to do to tackle pavement parking. In the first instance we plan to give local authorities powers before the end of this year to issue Penalty Charge Notices for vehicles parked in a way that unnecessarily obstructs the pavement. The Department will engage with local authorities on the detail of these plans.

No assessment has been made as part of the Road Safety Strategy of the contribution of delivery work, whether involving e-bikes or other modes of road transport, to deaths and injuries. The evidence base for an assessment is limited but it is estimated that approximately 1 in 3 of all road traffic fatalities UK-wide involve someone who is driving/riding for work.

The announced pilot in the Road Safety Strategy of a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them, will be developed in collaboration with business and industry with an aim to collect and monitor data to enable an evaluation of the pilot.

The Department for Transport is commissioning research on the road behaviours of food delivery riders using e-bikes. This is expected to take about a year, and we will of course publish the findings from it.

Funding for future rounds of the Access for All (AfA) programme may be made available as part of the next Spending Review and this could provide an opportunity to fully or partially fund accessibility upgrades at stations. The process and timings for identifying future AfA projects have not yet been decided, although we have committed to reforming the AfA programme as we move towards the establishment of Great British Railways.

The proposal to amend Active Travel England's consultation criteria for new planning applications forms part of a wider consultation undertaken by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

As the department responsible for the planning system, MHCLG is leading on the formal response to the consultation. Any decision on whether to raise the threshold for consulting Active Travel England on residential developments from 150 to 250 units, and the publication of the consultation outcome, will be announced by MHCLG in due course.

The Department’s existing statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake safeguarding training. Licensing authorities are responsible for deciding the content and format of such training, including whether it includes a test with a minimum pass mark.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, currently being considered by the House of Lords, seeks to provide a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations requirements that must be met for any taxi or private hire vehicle licence to be issued and held.

To support local highway authorities in the maintenance of their highway networks, the Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will be eligible for £188 million in highways maintenance funding over this period.

The Government’s record investment over the next four years builds on an investment of £1.6 billion nationally this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to the previous financial year.

Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and decide not to disqualify them. Courts may allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.

These decisions are for the courts, not the Department for Transport or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which update and maintain the driver record using information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service.

The Department has no plans to hold discussions with local police forces about court decisions on whether an individual is disqualified under the ‘totting up’ provisions.

The 2025 Spending Review determined the allocation of railway enhancement funding over the financial years 2026/27 to 2029/20.

The currently assumed annualised allocations for the £350 million committed for Wales rail enhancements within that period are as follows:

This investment marks the beginning of a long-term UK Government commitment to modernise Welsh railways as announced by the Prime Minister on 18 February. Further UK Government funding allocations for rail enhancements in Wales will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews.

Funding for the operation, maintenance, and renewal (OMR) of railways in Wales is separately determined under the Office for Rail and Road Periodic Review process. Funding to support passenger services operated by Transport for Wales (TfW) is a matter for Welsh Government (with the Department providing c.£20 million - £25 million p.a. in respect of TfW services operating in England, TfW's participation in Pay As You Go Fare schemes in England and to cover changes in Control Period Charges).

The Department’s support for the 14 contracted operators and Network Rail was £9.60 per passenger journey in 2023/24.  As explained in the response to Question 96260, this support reduced to £8.47 per passenger journey in 2024/25, and it is estimated that it will continue to steadily decrease each year of the Spending Review period.

The Department has worked closely with National Highways, the Home Office and the police to respond to a technical anomaly affecting some speed cameras on a limited number of motorways and A-roads. National Highways always keeps safety issues under review, and undertook a comprehensive safety assessment in this case. National Highways do not routinely publish these assessments.

The public must have confidence in technology on our roads, which is why we have announced an independent review into how the anomaly occurred, its handling, and the changes needed to ensure this cannot happen again.

The government recognises the importance of a resilient railway that passengers can rely on. Significant government investment has already ensured the South West coastline is better protected against extreme weather, boosting the region’s connectivity and economy for years to come. The new Dawlish sea wall successfully withstood its biggest test during the recent disruptive weather in January 2026, with the structure performing as designed. There were only two significant areas of damage; on the sea wall at Dawlish and near the line at Teignmouth. Urgent repairs were undertaken by Network Rail, which has responsibility to ensure the railway is safe and reliable. The Department will continue to work in partnership with Network Rail to ensure the line remains resilient and is fit for purpose for the local communities it serves.

More broadly, the Wales and Western Region will see a £2.6 billion asset renewals programme and £1.6 billion invested to maintain existing assets during Control Period 7. Network Rail is also addressing severe weather events through a comprehensive weather resilience and climate change adaption plan, focusing on safeguarding assets, embedding resilience into daily operations, and adapting to climate change impacts across the route.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

On 8 January 2026, I announced the publication of the government’s formal response to the 2020 public consultation 'Pavement parking: options for change' which sets out what the government plans to do to tackle pavement parking. In the first instance we plan to give local authorities powers in 2026 to issue Penalty Charge Notices for vehicles parked in a way that unnecessarily obstructs the pavement.

I have hosted two stakeholder roundtables on pavement parking policy. One of the roundtables was attended by representatives from several Mayoral Combined Authorities. I have also corresponded with various Local Authorities, and my officials have held engagement sessions with Local Authorities on our pavement parking policy approach.

The previous government did not initiate any assessment of the impact of Rule H1 following their introduction of the rule in 2022.

Rule H1 of the Highway Code is an advisory rule. Although failure to comply with the advisory rules of the Highway Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, contraventions of these rules may be used as evidence in court to establish liability for a road traffic offence. Advisory rules include those which begin ‘should/should not’ and ‘do/do not’.

All road users are required to comply with road traffic law, in the interests of their own safety and that of other road users. If road users do not adopt a responsible attitude or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment, or causes nuisance, they may be committing a number of offences that can make them liable for prosecution.

Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

The previous Government updated the Highway Code in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.

New rule H1 set out that ‘those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others. This principle applies most strongly to drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles, vans/minibuses, cars/taxis and motorcycles. Cyclists, horse riders and drivers of horse drawn vehicles likewise have a responsibility to reduce danger to pedestrians. None of this detracts from the responsibility of ALL road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, to have regard for their own and other road users’ safety.’

The previous Government did not initiate any assessment of their introduction of Rule H1.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is covered by the current Growth Duty set out in Section 108 of the Deregulation Act 2015. This requires specified regulators to have regard to the desirability of promoting economic growth when delivering their regulatory functions; and to consider the importance for the promotion of economic growth of exercising regulatory functions in a way which ensures action is only taken when it is needed, and that any action taken is proportionate. The CAA voluntarily reports each year on its work to meet the Growth Duty. The Secretary of State laid the latest such report in both Houses of Parliament alongside the CAA’s Annual Report and Accounts in July 2025.

£343 million capital funding has been allocated to 113 local authorities (LAs) across England through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. As of 2 March 2026, £328m funding has been delivered to 105 LAs. Spending by LAs is a matter between those LAs and their contracted suppliers and will be dependent on individual agreements.

Most LEVI installations are in the early stages of delivery. We do not hold data on the average time between allocation and operational deployment as it is too early to establish trends. Installations are expected to increase over the coming years.

We continually monitor and track barriers to local authority delivery, working with industry and LAs to develop practical solutions.

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.

We closely monitor charge point rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public charge points. 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 is expected to deliver another 100,000 public chargers across England, leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding. The LEVI Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charge point delivery.

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.

We closely monitor charge point rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public charge points. 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 is expected to deliver another 100,000 public chargers across England, leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding. The LEVI Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charge point delivery.

The Get That Electric Feeling campaign was established to help boost the uptake of electric vehicle ownership ahead of the phase out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. It aims to highlight the benefits of driving an electric car, including lower charging and maintenance costs.

The Get That Electric Feeling campaign has been launched under the Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower mission, with a total campaign budget for 2025/26 of £4.56 million, excluding contractors. As the campaign is currently live, we do not have a consolidated breakdown of costs.

Budgets for future phases have not yet been confirmed.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, the Department for Transport has published a public consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including seat belt usage. The consultation seeks views on strengthening sanctions for non‑compliance with seat belt requirements, including the potential introduction of penalty points, and additional penalty points for drivers who do not ensure child passengers are appropriately restrained.

No decisions have been taken, including on the detailed scope of any changes or how they would apply in practice. The consultation closes on 11 May 2026. Policy decisions will be taken after the consultation has closed and stakeholders’ views have been considered.

The information requested is not available.

The Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) do not hold information on the reasons put forward in exceptional hardship applications.

Decisions on whether exceptional hardship has been established, and the grounds advanced in support of such applications, are matters for the courts.

DVLA’s role is to update and maintain the driver record using information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, and it does not receive or hold the underlying reasons cited to the court.

The fares freeze is expected to save existing rail passengers £600m in 2026/27, putting money back in the pockets of hardworking people when they need it most. This will include savings of more than £300 per year for some commuters.

This is the first time in 30 years that passengers will benefit from a freeze, and this historic intervention recognises the importance of affordability for rail passengers. In addition to the fares freeze we are also reforming fares more broadly across the system, making it easier for passengers to feel confident they are buying the right ticket for their journey.

The 2025 Spending Review allocated £19.5 million to deliver a new two-platform station at Haxby on the York-Scarborough line. Work has started to secure planning consents, and the project is progressing toward contractor appointment to deliver the station.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

The total spend on the THINK! road safety campaign for the years requested is as follows:

• 2023–24 outturn: £5,180,103.98

• 2024–25 outturn: £4,336,057

• 2025–26 forecast: £3,880,000

• 2026–27 forecast: £5,529,000

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications. This has unfortunately led to longer waiting times for some customers.

The DVLA keeps applicants informed of key updates on their case, including when medical information is requested or chased.

To improve performance, the DVLA is updating its online service, and launching a new casework system. A new digital medical services portal will also launch in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

In 2024/25 the DVLA achieved 85 per cent against its customer service measure to make a licensing decision in 90 days in 90 per cent of medical driving licence cases.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications. This has unfortunately led to longer waiting times for some customers.

The DVLA keeps applicants informed of key updates on their case, including when medical information is requested or chased.

To improve performance, the DVLA is updating its online service, and launching a new casework system. A new digital medical services portal will also launch in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

In 2024/25 the DVLA achieved 85 per cent against its customer service measure to make a licensing decision in 90 days in 90 per cent of medical driving licence cases.