Department for Transport

The Department continues to work closely with Network Rail and industry to look at solutions to improve connectivity on trains, which includes rolling out rail 5G on the rail network.

Following the spending review, funding has been made available to invest in low earth orbit satellite connectivity, to improve passenger mobile connectivity. We also continue to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to develop further interventions on the railway.

The department has been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail corridor. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables & address signals in mainline tunnels and stations was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave .

Pilot age limits ultimately derive from standards and recommended practices set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets age limits globally. Standards and recommended practices are kept under review and the CAA actively participates in these reviews.

The Government has made no assessment of reducing the bus fare cap to £2.

The Government is committed to ensuring bus travel remains affordable, and stepped in to prevent a cliff-edge return to commercial fares by investing over £150 million to introduce a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, replacing the £2 cap.

Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Autumn 2024 Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain a cap on bus fares beyond this point.  Maintaining the cap at £2 for the entirety of 2025 would have cost an estimated £444 million. The £3 cap represents a significant saving for taxpayers whilst ensuring bus services remain affordable.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review by confirming additional funding to extend the £3 cap by over a year until March 2027 as part of dedicated funding to maintain and improve bus services long-term.

An assessment of the merits of automatic compensation for denied boarding has not been made.

Provision of automatic compensation to passengers for denied boarding would present some practical challenges that would need to be fully considered through a full public consultation ahead of any potential legislative reforms.

Under UK law, airlines are required to provide written information to passengers affected by flight disruptions, setting out the rules for compensation and assistance.  This information must be clear, easy to understand, and available in accessible formats.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for ensuring airlines comply with their legal obligations towards passengers.

The EU conducted an assessment of the potential impact of the claims procedure on passengers as part of its proposed 2013 reform to Regulation 261, finding that some passengers were being discouraged from claiming their rights even when entitled. The UK has not carried out any further assessments on this issue since then.

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.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.

Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.

From previous recruitment campaigns for driving test centres that serve the Sherwood Forest constituency, three new driving examiners (DE) have completed their training and are now conducting tests. One at Ashfield and two at Nottingham (Colwick) DTCs.

From recent recruitment campaigns, a potential DE is currently undertaking training for Ashfield DTC. DVSA has also made offers to eight potential DEs, two for Ashfield, three for Worksop and three for Nottingham (Colwick) who will start their training at the earliest opportunity.

DVSA will be undertaking another recruitment campaign and will again advertise for posts in the local area.

This Government has shown that it will support the UK aviation sector by backing airport expansions that promote economic growth while meeting climate and environmental standards, as well as ending years of uncertainty by inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow.

We have introduced a package of measures to encourage the production and use of homegrown Sustainable Aviation Fuel, positioning the UK as a world leading destination for this new market.  The new revenue certainty mechanism will provide a price guarantee for SAF producers that will boost jobs across the country. This delivers on the UK’s clean energy and growth missions.

We have also recently announced the go ahead for the UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) which will improve confidence in the delivery of airspace modernisation in the UK, fulfilling a key manifesto commitment to enable quicker, quieter and cleaner flights.

Our assessment is that the change in charges will mean there are fewer car journeys at the Crossing than would have been the case otherwise, and that this will enable more goods vehicle journeys to be made.

The Secretary of State would be interested to learn more about the particular issues with Llynclys Crossroads, but existing diary commitments mean she is unable to commit to a visit at this stage.

The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially people with mobility or sight impairments and those with prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to its pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking and deal with other obstacles on the pavement.

Funding for rail enhancements is provided at portfolio level and allocated to individual schemes rather than to types and categories of works. Electrification is included in the scope of a number of schemes included within the £10.2bn funding for rail enhancements confirmed at the Spending Review for 2026/27-2029/30, including within the £3.5bn for Transpennine Route Upgrade, and £2.5bn for East West Rail, both of which feature electrification as part of their scope.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Leagrave railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.

The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.

We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.

The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.

We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.

The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.

We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.

The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.

We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.

The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.

We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.

We have provided a response based on the number of accepted requests via the Departments Working Remotely Overseas policy. This does not include staff working overseas on official business postings, with the Departments Working Remotely Overseas policy focusing on staff who are assigned to offices within the UK but have sought permission to temporarily work remotely overseas for exceptional reasons. The response to this question also only refers to DfT core, rather than wider group DfT.

On 3rd July 2025, DfTc had 4 members of staff with permission through our Working Remotely Overseas Policy to temporarily work outside of the UK. These members of staff are working from the Netherlands, India, Malawi and the United States of America.

We recently published the Accessibility National Technical Specification Notice (NTSN), replacing the Persons with Reduced Mobility NTSN. The Accessibility NTSN preserves many specifications inherited from EU law while updating ones that did not have a clear case for change. This update was published following an extensive review and public consultation facilitated by the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

During our review and public consultation, we did not receive any feedback on the adequacy of Annex B. However, we keep all NTSN content under regular review and will consider any further feedback as part of our continuing monitoring.

The Department requires its train operators to use reasonable endeavours to provide alternative means of transport where they cannot provide their planned train service. Rail replacement bus services are typically provided when parts of the railway are closed for planned maintenance and upgrade work or unplanned maintenance and repair work. The Department does not specifically allocate funding for the purpose of reducing the number of rail replacement services.

Bridleways have an important role to play in enabling active travel across the country. To support local authorities seeking to deliver active travel schemes outside of towns and cities, Active Travel England is developing specific guidance for good practice application in rural contexts and expects to publish this later this year. The guidance will explore how best bridleways (and other elements of the Public Rights of Way network) can be incorporated and integrated into existing and proposed active travel networks to expand their reach and connectivity. This will potentially have benefits for a range of different path users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders.

The first phase of Midlands Rail Hub, which enables additional trains between Birmingham and South Wales, and the South West, and on Birmingham’s Cross City Line is expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

The report entitled Economic appraisal for investing in local highways maintenance referenced was commissioned by the Department for Transport and was published on Gov.uk in November 2024. Alongside other research and evidence, it has informed policy development and funding decisions, and a formal response is not required.

We believe that traffic authorities are best placed to decide where lower limits will be effective on the roads for which they are responsible, and that consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process.

This Government takes the safety of all road users seriously, including those who work on our roads. We are developing a Road Safety Strategy and further details will be shared in due course.

The Government is determined to help local authorities fix our local road network and has drawn on a range of evidence to develop policy and determine funding for local highway maintenance, including the ALARM survey that is commissioned annually by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA).

At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced we will provide £24 billion between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase 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 is committed to tackling the poor state of our roads. In 2025-26, we provided an additional £16 million to invest a total of £60 million in improving the condition of Lincolnshire County Council’s local highways. The Spending Review announced that the Government will provide £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve roads across the country. This funding increase will significantly improve the long-term condition of England’s road network. Future funding allocations for local authorities and their highways, including Lincolnshire, will be announced in due course.

The Secretary of State sets out her considerations in her decision letters for each Development Consent Order. This will take into account relevant legislation, national policy statements and other relevant policy as well as national carbon budget commitments. She also follows public law considerations relating to good decision making and procedural fairness to ensure that interested parties have the opportunity to be heard. The Secretary of State takes account of the evidence before her, only considering relevant matters, and provides appropriate reasoning to support her decision making. Information about the Development Consent Order process and its requirements are available on gov.uk: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/decision-making-process-guide.

The publication or otherwise of this research is a matter for the organisations that undertook it. It would not be appropriate for the Department to publish it.

Local Government is at the heart of our transport ambitions. Traffic management schemes to promote walking cycling and public transport are a matter for Local Authorities because they know their areas best. Such schemes should always be developed through engagement with local communities. This is a long-standing policy and there are no plans to change it.

The Department has not had discussions with Oxfordshire County Council on its planned introduction of traffic filters by Oxford in 2026. Local authorities are responsible for managing their roads and are accountable to their communities.

We are starting to see train performance stabilise, following a decade of decline. We are working with the rail industry on a Performance Restoration Framework, with five clear areas of focus to recover performance to acceptable levels, including timetable resilience, staffing and keeping trains safely moving during disruptive events.

The Rail Minister is meeting with the Managing Directors of all train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards.

Great British Railways will set a clear quality standard for our railways, so a world class public service can be rebuilt. Ministers intend to recover performance to acceptable levels at all operators, ensuring their leadership has a relentless focus on performance and rigorous standards, held to account by Ministers. The focus is on supporting and challenging train operating companies to reach the tough standards that we will set.

The Department conducted a review to assess train operating companies’ level of capability and the degree of integration with the first stage of East–West Rail.

Chiltern Railways was assessed as providing the best fit and following a negotiation of commercial terms, a Deed of Amendment was signed enacting this in and it is now working on delivering the new, twice-hourly rail service between Oxford and Milton Keynes as early as possible.

DfT officials met with Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP) representatives on 10 October to discuss the issue of international rail services serving Kent stations. Following this, DfT officials have maintained a dialogue with KMEP, including providing feedback on their public interest case.

The number of fatalities and serious injuries at level crossings in Great Britain in each of the last five years is set out in the table below. This covers each reporting year and available data from April 2020 to March 2025.

The DfT is supportive of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) project. Strikes on cables and other underground assets are costly, lengthen the duration of roadworks and, most importantly, are a safety issue for those undertaking the works. Those excavating the public highway should already be taking all necessary measures to avoid strikes and safely plan their works, but anything that makes this process easier and reduces strikes can only be a benefit.

NUAR is improving the efficiency and safety of the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure by providing secure access to data from public and private sector asset owners. These will include over 600 gas, water, electric and telecommunications companies and local authorities.

A specific analysis of the potential impacts of the NUAR on roadworks in the Broxbourne constituency has not been carried out. However, an impact assessment was delivered as part of the recent Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 which considered the impact of NUAR across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This assessment estimated the economic benefits of NUAR to be over £400m per year. This consists of benefits in efficiencies, reduced asset strikes and reduced delays to the public and businesses.

According to the latest final UK greenhouse gas emissions statistics published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, greenhouse gas emissions from domestic and international civil aviation in 2023 totalled 34.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). This was 8 percent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions.

The government is making great strides in transitioning to greener aviation, including by introducing the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate and introducing the SAF Bill to implement the revenue certainty mechanism.

The government makes regular assessments concerning the impact of aviation emissions on climate targets. A Carbon Budget Delivery Plan will be published later this year, detailing policies to decarbonise all sectors, including aviation, covering the carbon budget 4 - 6 period (2023 – 2037).

The department does not recognise the ‘National-Level Transport Scheme.’ and is therefore unable to provide an answer to this question.

The Capital Review was undertaken by an external panel of independent experts, and has now concluded.

The Government is committed to driving economic growth across all regions through a better-connected, more reliable and greener transport network.

As part of our long-term plan for transport, Warrington Borough Council has been allocated over £33 million from the £2.3 billion Local Transport Grant between 2026/27 and 2029/30. This streamlined funding will support local priorities such as easing congestion, enhancing public transport, and expanding active travel options, helping to boost economic growth, improve access to jobs and support local development.

Warrington is also in line to benefit from the Government’s £24 billion investment in road infrastructure during this period, supporting faster, safer and more resilient journeys across the country.

The Department has also provided over £600,000 to support work on the regeneration and masterplanning of Warrington Bank Quay station, which will play a key role in unlocking housing and economic opportunities. We are continuing to work with stakeholders on this and, as announced by the Chancellor in Parliament, we will set out this government’s plans for taking forward our ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail in the coming weeks.

Together, these investments reflect the Government’s commitment to improving local transport in Warrington South and supporting long-term economic growth.

The Department meets with Avanti West Coast (AWC) regularly to discuss issues impacting passengers, such as this and to ensure they are addressed as soon as possible.  The Rail Minister will also make sure that AWC arranges a meeting with you directly to discuss improvements that can be made for passengers.

AWC is responsible for day-to-day management of Stockport Station, including facilities management and cleaning. To help monitor performance and drive high standards of customer experience, the Department requires train operators to employ the Service Quality Regime, which consists of regular inspections of the condition and availability of assets such as toilets, as well as the cleanliness of stations and trains. Responsibility for repairs to the structure of the property lies with the station’s landlord, Network Rail.  AWC works with Network Rail seeking improvements on behalf of passengers where this is required.

Responsibility for repairs to the structure of the property lies with the station’s landlord, Network Rail.  AWC works with Network Rail, seeking improvements on behalf of passengers where this is required.

The Department does not hold this information.

Local traffic authorities are best placed to decide where lower limits will be effective on the roads for which they are responsible, as they are best place to respond with the local information they hold.

Earlier this month, 12 of England’s regional mayors signed a joint pledge to help more children walk, cycle or scoot to school safely through the delivery of a combined 3,500 miles of routes safely linking schools to homes, town and city centres, and transport hubs.

The Office of Rail and Road’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2023/24 show a total expenditure of £40.77 million. This is detailed on page 53 of the report, available at:

https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-07/orr-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-web.pdf

The Chief Executive’s annual salary for 2023/24 is reported as being in the range of £170,000–£175,000, with performance related pay of £5,000–£10,000. This information is published in the Remuneration and Staff Report, available at:

https://www.orr.gov.uk/annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024/accountability-report/remuneration-and-staff-report

We would note that we expect the 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts to be published in the next few weeks on ORR’s website which will provide updated information.

The Department for Transport keeps the value for money and effectiveness of the ORR under ongoing review to ensure it delivers against its objectives efficiently and in line with public spending principles.

As set out in our consultation, the Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway, ensuring clear responsibilities and an efficient system that delivers for passengers and freight.

The Government proposes that ORR will retain its key regulatory functions, including on safety and will have a robust and independent appeals function on access decisions, ensuring capacity allocation decisions remain fair and non-discriminatory. There are no plans to abolish the ORR.