Department for Transport

Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 local highway authorities have a duty to maintain the highways network in their area. DfT does not have legal mechanisms under the act to co-ordinate maintenance responsibilities between multiple authorities on A roads that do not fall under the remit of National Highways. Section 8 of the Act provides for agreements to be made between neighbouring local highways authorities.

We recognise the fundamental importance of building the capacity and capability of local transport authorities to drive improvements to bus services and exercise franchising powers if they wish.

The Department is working with Local Transport Authorities who are in the process of or are interested in franchising, to understand how the process could be improved and to provide a tailored programme of support.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services for passengers, and has confirmed investment of £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £712 million allocated to local authorities which can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including modernising the technology used to support bus services. Surrey County Council has been allocated £12.1 million of this funding.

The Department for Transport is also working with representatives from the bus industry, Midlands Connect and Transport for the West Midlands to develop a national technology solution to facilitate multi-operator ticketing on buses and trams, focusing on contactless bank card payments and enabling fares capping outside of London, which could help to modernise public transport technology in Surrey Heath.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in buses at the Spending Review by confirming around £900 million of revenue funding each year to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

The Spending Review also confirmed £2.3 billion through the Local Transport Grant over the Spending Review period for local transport improvements in places outside areas receiving Transport for City Regions settlements, which could include supporting improvements to bus technology and infrastructure. Surrey County Council have been allocated £38.2 million of this funding.

The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025. The following factors were considered: reduction in payload per journey, increased waste, and increased vehicle mileage.

Some VCM operators have argued that heavier VCMs could reduce overall trips and emissions, however, the increased road and bridge damage would result in more frequent repairs, offsetting these potential benefits.

As part of its consideration of the evidence, the Department for Transport also assessed the potential environmental impacts in accordance with the Environment Act 2021 which requires Ministers of the Crown to have ‘due regard’ to the environmental principles policy statement when making policy.

VCMs will continue to be permitted on our roads, but as planned, a temporary weight limit exemption for this type of vehicle (via vehicle special orders) will end on 31 March 2028, after which VCMs must operate at the legal weight limits applicable to other heavy good vehicles. This is not a ban or change in policy.

In the context of the Spending Review 2025 there are no plans to make specific announcements in relation to the Greater Anglia rail operator in relation to (a) future funding and (b) plans for (i) ticket offices on the Greater Anglia franchise, (ii) implementation of step-free access through redevelopments at (A) Greater Anglia and (B) Marks Tey railway stations and (iii) the redevelopment of Witham railway station.

While some key schemes have already been referenced by the Chancellor, we will now be working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

As part of the ongoing Spending Review, a period of business planning is continuing to take place and announcements on individual schemes and projects will be made in due course.

The Capital Review has now closed. It was established to provide rapid, independent advice on the Department’s capital portfolio. The Panel offered an external perspective to support the Secretary of State’s considerations during the second phase of the Spending Review.

The Secretary of State closed the Panel ahead of the conclusion of the Spending Review. The Department is grateful for the voluntary contributions of its members and the expertise they brought to the review.

The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:

The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.

My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.

Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.

The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.

The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:

The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.

My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.

Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.

The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.

The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:

The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.

My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.

Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.

The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.

The Department has not made an assessment of the percentage of first class train tickets sold within the last 12 months.

The Chancellor’s commitment to progress Midlands Rail Hub West in the 2025 Spending Review follows the release of £123 million last year to design the first phase, which could be delivered by the early 2030s.

This Government committed in its manifesto to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. To deliver on this commitment, the UK Government formed a cross-government Taskforce on motor insurance, co-chaired by the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury.

The Taskforce which met most recently on 28 April has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry. The Government will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.

Regarding fraudulent insurance claims, the Government is committed to tackling this threat and has worked in collaboration with the UK insurance sector to publish an insurance fraud charter. This is a voluntary agreement which aims to raise the visibility of insurance fraud, improve victim support and better detect and prevent scams, such as crash-for cash.

We are 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, with the move to Great British Railways passengers will be able to receive a more consistent offer across the network. 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.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) – this includes responsibility for setting fares on TfL services. We know the success of the London transport network is critical for both the capital and the UK’s economy, which is why in the spending review TfL received a four-year settlement of £2.2 billion.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

I recognise the importance of aligning rural transport with housing and wider spatial planning ambitions. I am working closely with my counterparts in the Ministry for Housing, Communities on Local Government on this important issue. As part of our commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes, and under the revised National Planning Policy Framework, local planning authorities must take a vision-led approach and consider transport issues, particularly public and active transport, at the earliest stages of plan-making.

The review of the role of statutory consultee system is a further opportunity to focus on swifter provision of expert advice to inform development, including in rural areas.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London and they were responsible for the ULEZ scrappage scheme. 680 vehicles were donated to Ukraine through the scheme before it closed in September 2024.

Level crossings form part of the rail system of Great Britain, which plays a critical role in the development, economic growth, and social wellbeing of communities across the UK. By connecting communities and providing safe access to essential services and places of work, they also provide important benefits to local businesses and communities.

Given their integral role within the national rail network, the Department does not hold information on the specific impacts of level crossings on the UK or regional economies. However, Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager of Great Britain’s railways, will take account of the impact on local businesses and communities of any decisions it takes that affect level crossings.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the Government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

HS2 Ltd does not categorise properties by type - i.e. ‘houses’ - as a property can have mixed usage. For example, a farm can be (or have within it properties which are) residential, commercial, and/or agricultural, and similarly, a pub can be (and often is) both residential and commercial.

HS2 Ltd does record the number of property compensation claims made, however, the quantity of claims does not indicate how many houses (or other properties) have been acquired because property arrangements are highly varied.

HS2 Ltd does record the amount of land that has been acquired. To date, approximately 56km2 of land has been acquired for Phases One and 2a through compulsory purchase. No land or properties have been compulsory purchased along the route of Phase 2b as HS2 Ltd has never had the legal powers to do so.

In respect to demolitions, HS2 records show that 332 structures have been or were scheduled to be demolished along the route of HS2. It should be noted that this figure is not limited to properties but includes other structures such as substations and bridges.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with local councils or other local government bodies on the issue of pavement parking. The Department held a consultation in 2020 and has been considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. In so doing, the Department has been seeking to find an optimal solution to this complex issue which is consistent with the Government’s wider aims and objectives. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response shortly.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with local councils or other local government bodies on the issue of pavement parking. The Department held a consultation in 2020 and has been considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. In so doing, the Department has been seeking to find an optimal solution to this complex issue which is consistent with the Government’s wider aims and objectives. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response shortly.

The research into the effectiveness of current civil parking penalty charge levels was carried out by the Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London organisation in concert with the British Parking Association, and with the support of the Local Government Association. Dissemination of this research, which was not commissioned by the Department for Transport, and associated correspondence with the Department, is a matter for those organisations.

Services and rolling stock on this line are the responsibility of Transport for Wales. My officials meet regularly with TfW to agree performance improvement actions on this cross-border route.

Building on the recent UK Government funded upgrade of the line’s signalling system to support the intended introduction of new trains, and the investment plans detailed in the recent Spending Review, we will continue to work collaboratively with the Welsh Government to further develop services on routes across Wales and the Borders

National Highways have advised that the below half-joint structures are planned to have a full deck replacement: (this is assuming that the reference to a s-joint structure is similar to that of National Highways definition of half-joint structure)

A47 Great Ouse - Kings Lynn

M67 St Annes Road

M53 Upton Road

M53 Clatterbridge North

M53 Clatterbridge South

M53 Raby Hall Road

M6 Tebay

M6 Castle Howe

M6 Roundthwaite

M6 Jeffreys

M6/A685 Lawtland House Rly

M6 Borrowbeck Viaduct

M6 High Gill North

M6 High Gill South

M6 Galloper Well

A27 Pook Lane

A21 Old Cock footbridge

“The Plan for Drivers” was published by the previous government; the Department is focused on actions that will make a positive difference for drivers in the light of this Government’s priorities. These include providing £1.6bn enabling councils to fill 7 million potholes and collaborating with the British Parking Association to make paying for parking easier.

In addition, we are delivering those measures in the Plan that help ensure smoother journeys, including incentivising roadworks to be finished promptly by extending overrun charges to weekends, and supporting the transition to electric vehicles by streamlining the approval process for works to install public chargepoints.

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 11 June 2025, this Government will deliver notable improvements to people’s everyday travel by providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve roads across the country. We will provide updates on specific schemes in due course.

This Government is committed to delivering greener transport and is considering its strategic approach to decarbonising aviation.

In 2023 the Department for Transport published research which estimated carbon emissions from UK-registered General Aviation aircraft arriving and departing from UK aerodromes in 2019. General Aviation includes all non-scheduled civil aviation, including business aviation.

By considering the typical maximum take-off weight of aircraft used for business aviation, his research found that approximately 370 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent were emitted by UK registered business aviation or larger recreational aircraft. Emissions from non-UK registered aircraft were not included.

The outcomes from the Spending Review for East Coast Main Line investment are still being finalised but will be communicated shortly as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure strategy.

The Department for Transport has no current plans to update its statutory guidance on moving traffic enforcement outside London.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and TfL, and decisions on capital spend and investment are for him to make, including the almost £2.2bn of funding awarded for TfL through the Government’s Spending Review. My Department and I have regular discussions about transport interests in London.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and TfL, and decisions on capital spend and investment are for him to make, including the almost £2.2bn of funding awarded for TfL through the Government’s Spending Review. My Department and I have regular discussions about transport interests in London.

The Department sought clarification from Fenland District Council of its decision not to permit passage, and the Council confirmed that its decision had been made on the basis of a risk assessment by qualified advisers. The Department remains committed to its ‘water-preferred’ abnormal load movement policy.

The Chancellor’s commitment to progress Midlands Rail Hub West in the 2025 Spending Review follows the release of £123 million last year to design the first phase, which could be delivered by the early 2030s.

The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in North Shropshire.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming around £900 million each year from 26/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services.

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

Since this announcement DVSA has:

• Asked volunteers currently working in other roles, but qualified to examine, to carry out practical driving tests.

• Reintroduced overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests. The additional testing allowance (ATA) scheme launched 1 June 2025. DVSA believes the introduction of the ATA will encourage both driving examiners (DE) and those in other roles to provide additional tests.

• Continued to work towards doubling new entrant training capacity. By 31 July 2025, DVSA aims to double its permanent training resource from 13 to 26 trainers. This will ensure newly recruited DEs can qualify as quickly as possible.

• Launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests, on 28 May. Views are being sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price. The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 23 July 2025.

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.

Local traffic authorities in England are responsible for providing on-street parking facilities ensuring that their parking strategy takes account of transport and planning policies to meet the needs of various road users. They have an explicit duty under section 16 of the Traffic Management Act (TMA) 2004, to manage their road network to reduce traffic congestion and disruption.

To help them achieve this, in 2015 the Government published statutory guidance to local authorities. This was to ensure that local businesses, the residential community and other road users have a recognised voice, in the exercise of the Network Management Duty in relation to parking. That guidance is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-challenge-parking-policies.

My Department and I have met with the Batched on-Site Association and engaged with the Volumetric Concrete Mixer (VCM) industry through correspondence.

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 did not include Radlett railway station.

In the context of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025 there are no plans for any specific announcements in relation to the Greater Anglia rail network.

For the past five years changes to regulated rail fares have happened in March. Any future changes will be announced in due course.

Since 2019 the operator has introduced 191 brand new trains into traffic; this full fleet replacement has improved performance and transformed the passenger experience.

At the Spending Review (SR), the government announced £2.3 billion across the SR period for the Local Transport Grant (LTG). Allocations have been published, and Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority have been allocated £40.9m. This is in addition to £4.7m the authority was allocated in 2025/26 through the Integrated Transport Block.

This funding is for maintaining and improving local transport infrastructure, delivering transport schemes that will boost growth. Local leaders can choose how to spend it, including on supporting new housing developments, improving public transport, and making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Funding guidance will be issued later this year to support local areas in deciding how to best utilise their LTG allocations.

In addition, Active Travel England recently announced capital funding allocations for 2025/26 to local authorities through the Consolidated Active Travel Fund. Devon County Council’s allocation is £2.3m, and this can be used to support the delivery of high quality walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure as well as capability building measures and behaviour changes activities.

It is for Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority to decide how they wish to spend their LTG and Consolidated Active Travel Fund allocations, including on the Teign Estuary Project, alongside other priority projects in their Local Transport Plan.

The Department has not made a combined assessment of regional economic growth of all projects relating to the East of England region.

The Department undertakes appraisal of business cases on a project-by-project basis. This appraisal attempts to quantity impacts such as user benefits, environmental impacts, economic impacts and any other wider impacts.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

The government is committed to ensuring transparency in Local Transport Authority (LTA) and operator service delivery. The Bus Services (No.2) Bill was introduced on 17 December as part of the government’s ambitious plan for bus reform. Bill measures aim to enable public access to a new centralised database of information about local services including: those registered with a Traffic Commissioner; those registered with an LTA where registration has been delegated to the LTA, and services operating in a franchised area.

The Traffic Commissioners also publish centralised guidance on registering local bus services on GOV.UK, titled “A guide to registering and operating local bus services in England and Wales”. This guidance includes detailed information on the roles of Traffic Commissioners and LTAs, the types of services that require registration, and the procedures that apply in different areas. Where an LTA is responsible for registering local bus services in its area, the guidance provides a link to the relevant information published by that authority.