Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a public awareness campaign to promote the new Highway Code rules.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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.
That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date her Department first raised with the BBC that the announcement on Graduated Driver Licensing scheme could be made on the BBC’s day of road safety coverage.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport has not made an announcement on a Graduated Driving Licensing scheme.
Whilst we are not considering further restrictions on newly qualified drivers such as carrying passengers or driving at night, as announced on the 7 January, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test, and on a lower drink drive limit for novice drivers..
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has held discussions with Transport for London on the potential impact of delays in issuing private hire licences on private hire drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the number of drink driving incidents in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government takes road safety very seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.
On 7 January 2026, the Department for Transport published the Government’s Road Safety Strategy alongside an open consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including drink and drug driving. The consultation closes on 31 March 2026. It includes proposals to consult on lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, including consideration of a lower limit for novice drivers; reviewing penalties and options such as alcohol interlock devices; and considering powers to suspend the driving licence for those suspected of drink and/or drug driving pending court attendance or, where relevant, forensic analysis.
Alongside this work, the Department for Transport (DfT) is working with partners, including the National Police Chiefs Council and Police and Crime Commissioners, on operational pilots to assess opportunities for enhancing the roads policing approach to drink and drug driving. These will feed into the Roads Policing Innovation Programme announced under the Road Safety Strategy, which is scheduled to begin in 2026.
The enforcement of road traffic law and how resources are deployed locally, including in Yeovil, is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure the review conducted by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority into the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme, issued to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on the 19 September 2025, is placed into the public domain.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 18 December, Mayor Brabin announced a revised plan for development and delivery of Mass Transit, following an independent peer review by NISTA in September 2025. The changes aim to strengthen delivery and reduce risk, and do not result from any delay by the Department for Transport. All major project reviews undertaken by NISTA are treated as confidential, in the interests of ensuring that everyone involved is able to share their honest feedback. This has been standard practice across successive governments.
The Department for Transport continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to ensure the programme remains firmly on track for successful delivery.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 101827, if she will publish the estimates of future passenger demand being used to inform strategic planning across the Essex Thameside area, including an assessment of the potential impact of proposed housing growth in Basildon Borough on c2c and Greater Anglia rail services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail is responsible for developing estimates of passenger and freight future demand, working closely and collaboratively with train operating companies, local authorities, freight operators and other relevant stakeholders.
The Eastern region planning documents, including the Essex Thameside Strategic Advice, are made available on Network Rail’s website -https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/long-term-planning/
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which business rates relief and other fiscal support provided to Heathrow and Gatwick is available to regional airports; and what steps she is taking to ensure regional airports are not placed at a competitive disadvantage.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector, however this government recognises the crucial role regional airports play in supporting thousands of local jobs, connecting communities to global opportunities, and strengthening social and economic ties across the four nations.
My department regularly engages with regional airports including through the Aviation Council, which includes a Regional Connectivity Working Group chaired by industry.
At the Budget, the Government announced a £4.3bn business rates support package. This includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme worth £3.2 billion to provide more generous support for those paying higher tax rates (such as the new high-value multiplier), including airports.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on safety from overcrowding on Great Western Railway services, including where planned rolling stock capacity is reduced due to engineering works overrunning; and what steps her Department is taking to address those risks before Great Western Railway enters public ownership, including through its contractual and oversight arrangements.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Great Western Railway (GWR) is responsible for the safe operation of its train services at all times, including during times of disruption or following engineering overrun. GWR is also responsible for ensuring deployment of its train fleet to best match demand, but despite this trains can still become very busy at certain peak times or during disruption. Whilst crowded trains can be uncomfortable, they are not necessarily unsafe.
The Department monitors train loadings carefully and continues to hold GWR to account against its contractual obligations as the Public Ownership Programme continues. This includes ensuring GWR is appropriately deploying its train fleet and working collaboratively with Network Rail to develop robust plans to support engineering work including mitigations plans for restoring service in the event of an overrun.
GWR has experienced an increase in short formations on services across its intercity train fleet in recent periods due to issues with diesel engines. These issues have now stabilised, with a noticeable reduction in recent weeks, and the department continues to monitor this closely.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Written Statement HCWS1232 on 12 January 2025, what steps she is taking to minimise disruption to road users as a result of additional highways maintenance.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has provided a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years. Investing into improving the condition of local roads is crucial to reduce disruption to motorists, for whom potholes can pose a safety risk or lead to damage to vehicles.
Local highway authorities themselves are responsible for maintaining their network and for the delivery of maintenance works. By providing them with long-term funding certainty, the Department enables them to move away from reactive repairs towards planned and preventative maintenance approaches. These keep roads in good condition for longer, prevent potholes from forming, and reduce the need for unplanned emergency repairs which can often lead to the greatest disruption.
In addition, the Department has introduced an incentive element to its highways maintenance funding. To gain access to their full funding allocation, local highway authorities will have to publish highways maintenance transparency reports and set out how they comply with best practice, including in relation to minimising disruption to road users. This is also considered by the Department’s recently published rating system for local highway authorities. The ratings will be updated annually to provide an incentive to local highway authorities to adopt best practice, and to enable the Department to identify where they need to improve and to support them. Further guidance on minimising disruption from maintenance works is also available in the Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106337, what estimate her Department has made of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints required to meet the 2030 target that will be delivered by the private sector.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has not made an estimate of how many electric vehicle chargepoints will be delivered by the private sector. Many chargepoints are delivered through a combination of public and private sector funding. This includes the estimated 100,000 chargepoints expected to be delivered under the Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Scheme, which is leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding.