Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles which passed their MOT in (a) 2022-2023, (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-2025 were assessed for exhaust noise as per section 8.1.1. of the MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is a mandatory requirement for all MOT centres in England to assess for exhaust noise when conducting an MOT.
During the emissions test the tester is required to use their judgement to assess the exhaust noise, either as part of the emissions test or by raising the engine speed to around 2,500rpm or half the maximum engine speed.
The numbers below show how many active MOT testing stations there are in England, who have carried out MOTs. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.
The numbers below show how many vehicles passed their MOT in (a) 2022-2023 (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-2025. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many MOT centres in England in (a) 2022-2023, (b)2023-2024 and (c)2024-2025 assessed for exhaust noise as per section 8.1.1. of the MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is a mandatory requirement for all MOT centres in England to assess for exhaust noise when conducting an MOT.
During the emissions test the tester is required to use their judgement to assess the exhaust noise, either as part of the emissions test or by raising the engine speed to around 2,500rpm or half the maximum engine speed.
The numbers below show how many active MOT testing stations there are in England, who have carried out MOTs. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.
The numbers below show how many vehicles passed their MOT in (a) 2022-2023 (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-2025. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that nationalised rail operators (a) remain commercially viable and (b) ensure that lower-income passengers are able to commute.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Public sector train operators deliver passenger services under Services Agreements with the Secretary of State. Services Agreements are customer-focused, performance-focused and will support the financial sustainability of the railways for taxpayers.
This Government is overhauling the fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal.
Track and train will be brought together so that decisions can be made on a whole-industry basis, with a single view across railway costs and revenue, rather than being driven by what is best for individual organisations.
A proposed new funding process, to be established in legislation, will facilitate integrated decisions and enable Great British Railways to deliver its agreed business plans and the strategies of railway funders.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of approved driving instructors in Lincolnshire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information on the number of approved driving instructors by postcode, including for Lincolnshire is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-instructor-and-motorcycle-instructor-register-data.
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 21 October 2025 to Question 82744 on Roads: Repairs and Maintenance, whether her Department has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned an assessment of the potential impact of the revised national road maintenance capital allocations on local highway maintenance performance indicators.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out at the Spending Review, the £24 billion of capital funding that was announced to maintain and improve our motorways and local roads will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.
The Government will confirm highways maintenance funding allocations for local highway authorities in due course.
An additional £500m of highways maintenance funding was announced this financial year, alongside new reporting requirements for local authorities. This includes the publication of an annual transparency report detailing how the funding has been used and the outcomes achieved. These reports will enable the Department and the public to better understand the impact of investment over the next four years.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53618, when she expects updated plans for where and when electrification is required to deliver a fully decarbonised railway over the next 25 years to be a) concluded and b) published.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Officials from the Department for Transport are working closely with Network Rail to produce their new 'Long-term Planning for Rail Decarbonisation' strategy, any plan which arises from this strategy will cover 25 years and set out a realistic, affordable, and deliverable approach to a net zero railway, with consideration for the bespoke electrification needs of freight operators. We expect Network Rail to engage with industry as part of the development of this strategy and we expect to see a draft of this strategy before the end of this year.
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 18 June 2025 to Question 59359 and the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 77650 on Motorcycles: Bus Lanes, how many and what proportion of respondents to the consultation were (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This information is contained in the ‘Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome’ published on 21 November 2024 and available here:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/motorcycles-in-bus-lanes
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of out of area taxi operations on public safety.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The primary purpose of the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime is public safety. Since coming into Government, we have been actively looking at ways to improve the existing licensing regime.
We have committed to legislate to address the issues raised in Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We want to achieve two outcomes; the first is ensuring we have consistently high safeguarding standards and the second is that there is no unintended reduction in the availability of licensed taxi and private hire vehicle services, which could disproportionately impact women and girls and disabled people, who rely on these services the most. We are considering all options – including out-of-area working, national standards, enforcement and transferring licensing to local transport authorities - seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.
We are currently reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance issued by the Department on actions they should take on licensing matters including safety. All licensing authorities have reported that they require the highest level of criminal background checks for taxi and private hire vehicle driver licence applicants – an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with a check of the children’s and adults’ barred lists. Where safety recommendations from the guidance are not being followed, licensing authorities will be held to account.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department is providing to Greater Manchester to fund the removal of Clean Air Zone signage in the region.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.
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 20 October 2025 to Question 78709 on Great British Railways: Staff, if she will make an estimate of the number of staff who will be employed by Great British Railways once those transfers are complete.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
GBR will be established as a consolidated new arms-length body from more than 17 existing organisations, and as a result, we estimate it will employ around 90,000 staff. We are developing GBR’s design and resourcing model to ensure GBR is an agile and efficient public service, and we will continue to engage on our plans and the impact on staff.