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 9 February 2026 to Question 110889, when the shore power trial at Portsmouth International Port began; what the outcomes have been; and whether any evaluation has been produced.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The shore power demonstrator trial at Portsmouth International Port was publicly awarded nearly £20m of R&D funding in September 2023. Portsmouth International Port began delivery of the project shortly afterwards as part of the UK SHORE Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition.
Most civil and electrical infrastructure works within the port side boundaries of Portsmouth International Port are now complete and the multi-berth shore power units are now on the berths. In November 2025, a successful dry connection test (without the provision of electricity) was completed, where one of the shore power units was plugged into Britanny Ferries’ Guillaume de Normandie vessel.
Separate to the UK SHORE funded project, Portsmouth International Port accepted a connection offer from Scottish and Southern Electricity (SSE). This connection offer was for a 15 Megawatt grid upgrade to secure the grid capacity for the shore power units. The Port is awaiting final details from SSE on energisation of the grid upgrade.
No specific evaluation for this project has yet been completed as the demonstration phase isn’t complete. A technical study is underway for all ZEVI projects, including Portsmouth, that will analyse the data generated throughout the multi-year demonstration period.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Surface access strategies give airports the tools they need to stay connected, cut congestion and meet environmental targets. The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers. We continue to engage with operators to ensure that, where airports do choose to charge, they do so in a way that is fair and transparent.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce speeding on rural roads in Newbury constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As part of the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, the department is exploring new sub-categories for rural roads to help target safety and speed management interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are focused where they will have the greatest impact.
Local authorities have a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to manage the safe movement of vehicular and other traffic, including pedestrians, and are best placed to assess matters such as speed management interventions.
Responsible authorities are asked to have regard to the Department for Transport’s Setting Local Speed Limits guidance, which ensures speed limits are set appropriately and consistently while allowing flexibility to respond to local circumstances.
As committed to in the Strategy, the Government will be updating this guidance to further support local authorities in making well‑informed decisions about managing speed on their roads. Final decisions on local speed limits remain with the relevant authority, working with the police who are responsible for enforcement.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of DVLA's new casework system on processing times and the number of cases that have not been processed.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is rolling out a new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated. This will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication.
The DVLA will also be 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.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve Poole train station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
South Western Railway (SWR) is responsible for making sure its stations are well-maintained and meet the standards that passengers expect. Now SWR is in public ownership, it is working more closely with Network Rail and together jointly developing a strategic station plan to improve the station building and facilities. SWR is also planning a station adoption group with local stakeholders to improve the general look of the station.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the DVLA are taking to reduce levels of address fraud for vehicle registrations and driving licenses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and 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.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the DVLA on levels of fraud.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and 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.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce address checks for driving licenses and vehicle registrations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and 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.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Transport for London on the distribution of the structure fund for repairs and renovations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is currently seeking views from key stakeholders, including Transport for London, on how best to design and deliver the Structures Fund.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what evidential criteria were applied when assessing motorcycle bus lane consultation responses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Details of the analysis carried out on the consultation responses are given in the consultation outcome published on 21 November 2024 and available at:
The consultation response was informed by analysis commissioned by the Department. A copy of this report will be placed in the House library at the earliest opportunity.