Department for Transport

The methodology for the composite sustainability index (CSI) calculations is developed by Network Rail and is recognised by the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, as being a reliable and effective means to monitor the changing remaining life of railway infrastructure.

Rail asset age and condition, as determined via CSI and service affecting failures (SAFs) respectively, are shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

Table 1: CSI shift across Control Periods

Table 2: SAF shift across Control Periods

Network Rail will write to you on this issue and incorporate a response to your question into its response to a similar question asked previously by Jerome Mayhew MP.

In accordance with TUPE regulations, existing train operator staff transferring to the public-sector operator do so with their contractual terms and conditions protected. The trade unions (TUs) will be consulted at the earliest opportunity, if any changes to their members’ terms and conditions are being proposed as part of the transition to Great British Railways (GBR). In the meantime, we are keeping TU leaders informed on matters through the Rail Engagement Group.

Regarding pensions under GBR, I can confirm that we plan for the Railways Pension Scheme to continue to be the primary vehicle through which most rail employees build up their pension provision. The protections within the 1993 Railways Act remain unchanged by the Railways Bill currently going through parliament.

The scope of the Government Fleet Commitment relates to vehicles that are owned or leased by HMG, and to hire vehicles used for six days or more. Short term vehicle hires, which can happen at short notice, are subject to vehicle availability at the time and the policies of each hire company.

The Greening Government Commitments, which include the GFC, are currently under review to ensure that they remain aligned with Government priorities. Departments are expected to continue to take action to reduce their impact on the environment, including working with lease operators and hire companies to minimise the carbon intensity of their fleets and rental vehicles.

The analysis in question is a paper from a French research group that was published in a peer reviewed journal in 2018. The reference is:

Marechal M, Delbarre M, Tesson J et al. Color vision tests in pilots’ medical assessments. Aerosp Med Hum Perform August 2018; 89(8): 737-743.

The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review.

According to data from Thatcham Research, 2022, which compares claims data from the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register against the number of that powertrain on the roads, hybrids are on average less likely to be involved in a fire than their petrol or diesel counterparts. The proportion of hybrids involved in fires per year is reported by Thatcham as 3 per 100,000, compared with petrol at 7 per 100,000 and diesel at 11 per 100,000.

There are stringent requirements already in place for hybrid vehicles (as there are for all road vehicles). UNECE Regulation No. 100, as applied in GB Type Approval, ensures hybrid EV (fire) safety through requirements to minimise fire risks associated with high-voltage components. The United Kingdom, along with international partners, plays an active role in the development of these regulations, which are informed by research and data from across the world.

The same research indicates that the risk of fire is lower still in battery electric vehicles - 1 per 100,000 per year.

The functions in scope to transfer from DfT to DFTO include the majority of the Rail Services Group, as well as a small number of teams in the Rail Reform and Strategy Group and the Corporate Delivery Group.

The majority of roles transferring relate to rail policy, rail operations and rail contracting functions, with the exception of a few supporting and administrative roles. The final number of people transferring may change before 1 April due to new joiners and leavers in the 210 roles currently in scope to transfer.

None of the roles in scope to transfer are newly created, as the transition to public ownership is delivered through existing teams, including the Public Ownership Programme Directorate.

In preparation for the transfer the Department has mobilised a new sponsorship model and team, ensuring capacity in the Department and a simplified interface with DFTO.

The law allows vehicle keeper information to be released to local authorities and private parking companies to allow them to follow up alleged parking contraventions.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) provides the information as a first point of contact to help the local authority or parking company establish where liability may lie. Controls are in place to help ensure that the information is requested and used appropriately.

When a local authority or parking company has been provided with vehicle keeper information, they become the controller of the personal data and are responsible for complying with their data protection obligations. This includes the requirement not to retain data for longer than is necessary.

The DVLA also maintains record of disclosures from the vehicle record in order to fulfil its own data protection obligations.

The law requires driving licence holders or applicants to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of any medical condition that may affect their fitness to drive. The DVLA also considers relevant notifications received from third parties including the police, healthcare professionals and concerned relatives and friends.

Where appropriate, the DVLA will assess the information provided and if required, carry out a medical investigation. If an investigation is to be carried out, this will include asking the driver to complete a medical questionnaire and to provide authorisation for their medical professional(s) to provide information to the DVLA if necessary. A licensing decision will only be made after sufficient clinical evidence has been obtained.

When information is provided anonymously, the DVLA reviews it carefully before taking any action and no steps are taken without informing the driver.

The DVLA treats all third-party notifications in confidence and does not disclose the identity of the individual who provided the information. Acting on these notifications helps address situations where individuals may fail to notify the DVLA of a relevant medical condition themselves, either deliberately or due to a lack of awareness about their ability to continue to drive safely.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25 the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26.

To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and is launching a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

Ipsos UK has been commissioned by the Department for Transport to conduct research into the operation of sections 37 and 38 of the Highways Act 1980 and to assess whether the current road adoption system remains fit for purpose. As part of this work, Ipsos are engaging a range of organisations, including house builders of varying sizes, local highway and planning authorities, councillors, and residents.

Residents have been sampled from areas including Cambridge, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northumberland, Barnsley, Cheshire East, Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes. Interviews have also been conducted with several local authorities including Warwickshire, Barnsley, Cambridge, Cheshire East, Leicestershire, Kent and Shropshire.

Ipsos UK was commissioned to deliver anonymous qualitative interviews. To honour the confidentiality promised to participants, Ipsos has not shared the detailed list of individual housebuilders with the Department, and therefore DfT does not hold this information.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have market surveillance powers to tackle the supply of e-bikes where users are being deliberately misled about where they can and cannot be used.

According to the most recent data available (for 2024), the DVSA’s market surveillance programme identified 39 suppliers of e-bikes. 21 of these suppliers were found to be selling e-bikes that were compliant with the relevant Regulations.

Subsequent mystery shopper exercises, carried out by the DVSA and involving 18 suppliers, found 2 suppliers to be selling non-compliant e-bikes for use on the roads. One of these suppliers has since brought their selling practices into compliance while the other is being investigated further. In addition, over 400 listings of non-compliant e-bikes have been removed from online marketplaces following intervention by DVSA.

The Department will publish the report on the Department’s website as soon as is practical and will place a copy in the libraries of both Houses.

For driving examiner recruitment campaigns up to November 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates; however, the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, the agency introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising, the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For DVSA direct communications that have been sent to subscribers of jobs at DVSA over the last 12 months, the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed or successful applications.

For driving examiner recruitment campaigns up to November 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates; however, the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, the agency introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising, the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For DVSA direct communications that have been sent to subscribers of jobs at DVSA over the last 12 months, the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed or successful applications.

The Spending Review settlement profiles reflects the scope, specification and associated works that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period. The HS2 programme reset work that Mark Wild is currently undertaking is underpinned by the Spending Review settlement.

The Spending Review settlement profiles reflects the scope, specification and associated works that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period. The HS2 programme reset work that Mark Wild is currently undertaking is underpinned by the Spending Review settlement.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that delivery of large infrastructure projects is underpinned by prudent spending, taxpayer value for money, and efficiency. Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and Mayoral Combined Authorities are primarily responsible for delivering major regional transport infrastructure projects using devolved funding. The Department maintains oversight through established governance and assurance processes, including reporting on progress, risks, costs and delivery performance.

For the largest and most complex projects the Department retains investment decision-making and works closely with the LTAs to bring projects forward and monitor progress. The Department also provides funding to support LTA capacity and capability to develop and deliver schemes. In addition, the department continues to apply lessons from previous major urban transport schemes, including strengthening project governance, improving risk management, and ensuring clearer sequencing and accountability throughout delivery - to inform both current schemes and the design of future programmes.

The Department also published the James Stewart Review (June 2025), which identified lessons from delivery challenges, including delays to complex schemes. All recommendations have been accepted and are being implemented across the Department’s portfolio to improve consistency and delivery performance. The Department for Transport is using key findings to strengthen oversight of major transport infrastructure delivery, with a focus on improving cost estimation, scheduling, governance, assurance, and commercial delivery.

The research announced on 8 January 2026 focuses on measuring the current prevalence and impacts of pavement parking, providing a baseline against which the effects of future legislation can be measured.

This study will include a measure of public satisfaction with pavement condition, but not a direct measure of physical damage attributable specifically to pavement parking. We are also working with a sample of local authorities to collect data on the financial impacts to local authorities, including the annual costs of pavement maintenance arising from pavement parking.

The HS2 programme reset is underway and we are committed to updating parliament on progress on the reset in due course.

The Department for Transport recognises that rural communities face particular transport challenges. As announced in the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy, the Department is developing a new transport poverty tool to help national and local bodies in England identify where transport connectivity and affordability may be barriers to people’s access to employment and essential services. In developing this tool, officials are considering a range of data sources, together with the perspectives of academics, local transport authorities, community organisations and residents through targeted research, to understand better the transport issues people, particularly those in low-income households, experience.

The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details in certain limited circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards. Organisations receiving this data must comply with their obligations under data protection law.

Where a private parking management company makes electronic requests for vehicle keeper data, the data is provided subject to strict contractual terms. Data may only be used the purposes set out in the contract and must be deleted once no longer needed.

All private parking companies are audited to help ensure that the information is requested and used appropriately. The safeguards in place to protect personal data are kept under review to ensure they continue to provide appropriate protection.

Buses are procured directly by bus operators or local transport authorities (LTAs) who would make an assessment on the type of zero emission bus (ZEB) to purchase and deploy. The Government’s approach to ZEB competitions has been technology neutral. LTAs have been able to apply for funding for both battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses.

However, in ZEBRA 2, LTAs and bus operators demonstrated a clear preference for battery electric buses, which they have calculated are significantly more cost-effective than hydrogen at this time.

The HS2 Spending Review settlement reflects the scope of work that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period 2026/27 to 2029/30. The average annual real-terms growth rate of -7.9% detailed in the Spending Review report reflects changes in annual spend over this period, based on the expenditure profiles HS2 Ltd agreed with the Department for Transport to deliver Phase 1 scope. It reflects the stages of the programme and supports the reset of the programme Mark Wild is conducting.

Engagement during the consultation on any revised Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) draft will be proportionate to the amendments that are made. This will be considered as part of the ANPS review process.

In line with the Planning Act 2008, any consultation on a revised ANPS will be appropriately publicised ensuring that affected communities and authorities are properly notified and able to engage in the consultation.

Through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme, the Government and industry are delivering up to £35.7 million of joint investment to upgrade truck stops in 30 counties across England, improving both safety and working conditions for drivers.

The scheme is supporting better welfare and rest facilities such as improved gender-appropriate toilets and showers, rest areas, and increased HGV parking capacity for all drivers.

This funding is also helping operators to deliver security improvements including enhanced CCTV coverage, perimeter fencing, improved lighting, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and new and upgraded security barriers.

The Department for Transport has been raising awareness among road freight sector trade associations, businesses and unions of the driver health training module, developed by Loughborough University and approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. This is available as part of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence training for HGV drivers.

As part of the Men’s Health Strategy, the Department for Health and Social Care is working with the road freight sector to increase uptake of free NHS Health Checks by HGV drivers.

In addition, the Department for Transport, National Highways and industry are investing in improved facilities, additional parking spaces and security measures at lorry parks and truck stops which can contribute to the better physical and mental health of HGV drivers at work.

Through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme, the Government and industry are delivering up to £35.7 million of joint investment to upgrade truck stops in 30 counties across England, improving both safety and working conditions for drivers.

This funding is helping operators to deliver security improvements including enhanced CCTV coverage, perimeter fencing, improved lighting, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and new and upgraded security barriers. The scheme is also supporting better welfare and rest facilities, such as improved showers, rest areas, and increased HGV parking capacity.

In addition, National Highways and industry are investing up to £30 million to enhance facilities on the Strategic Roads Network, including investment in security measures.

The Department has developed the Road Transport Security Standards (RTSS) to support the commercial freight sector in improving the security of vehicles, drivers and operations. The RTSS provides a voluntary, industry‑led framework that promotes good practice to reduce risks such as vehicle theft, hijack and misuse, including risks that can arise when drivers are operating or resting away from base locations.

As set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, emissions pricing is an effective policy lever to reduce emissions. The Government set out its intention to include domestic maritime emissions in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in 2022 and confirmed expansion by 2026 in the Government response to the consultation in 2023. This was followed by a further consultation in November 2024 detailing the Government's proposed policy approach.

The Government have confirmed that we will be expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to domestic maritime from July 2026. The draft Statutory Instrument on the expansion of the ETS to maritime has now been laid and approved across the UK Parliaments, providing certainty ahead of the expansion in July. Further guidance is available from the Environment Agency.

The final policy design of the ETS has been based on the best available evidence and responses to these consultations, with the aims of incentivising investment in decarbonisation and avoiding competitive disadvantages for UK shipping operators.

There will be no double-charging of emissions when ETS is expanded to domestic maritime in July 2026, as the UK ETS will apply to voyages beginning and ending in the UK, and to emissions at berth within the UK. These emissions are not in scope of the EU ETS.

In May 2025, the UK and the European Union (EU) agreed to enter into negotiations on an agreement linking the UK ETS and the EU ETS. Linking ETS’s is about making life easier for operators and aims to minimise the administrative burdens and unlock greater access to a larger market, supporting economic growth and decarbonisation. Continuing negotiations will determine the details and extent of alignment.

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy (MDS), published in 2025, sets out how we will decarbonise UK maritime transport, including through the inclusion of domestic maritime sector in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) from July this year.

The draft Statutory Instrument on the expansion of the ETS to maritime has now been laid and approved across the UK Parliaments, providing certainty ahead of the expansion in July. Further guidance is available from the Environment Agency.

Given the long lifespan of shipping vessels, action needs to be taken now to meet the goals of the MDS, helping the sector move towards a lower carbon future and contribute to UK net zero obligations.

In recognition of this change, the Government will give maritime operators until the end of the first two scheme years to familiarise themselves with the UK ETS and its digital systems before they must surrender allowances for those years.

Exemptions will apply to ferry services to Scotland’s islands and certain peninsular communities. These are based on the unique and pressing challenges faced by these communities due to exceptional reliance on ferries for essential goods, healthcare, education, and employment, as well as additional legal duties under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. We have assessed that these criteria are not met for other UK islands.

The Government will monitor the impacts of the scheme and has committed to review the effectiveness of the scheme, including the exemptions, in 2028.

The table below shows how many car driving tests were taken for the first, second, third or more times in 2024 and 2025. Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency publishes data on the number of people taking their test on their first attempt on GOV.UK The data in report DRT121D is updated annually. The next update is due to be published in August 2026.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) uses the Civil Service recruitment service for all of its recruitment.

For campaigns up to November 2025, DVSA used the data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. The data will be crossed referenced, however DVSA currently only has data for one complete and one ongoing campaign.

The HS2 Spending Review settlement reflects the scope of work that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period 2026/27 to 2029/30. The average annual real-terms growth rate of -7.9% detailed in the Spending Review report reflects changes in annual spend over this period, based on the expenditure profiles HS2 Ltd agreed with the Department for Transport to deliver Phase 1 scope. It reflects the stages of the programme and supports the reset of the programme Mark Wild is conducting.

The assessment and provision of pilotage services are matters for Competent Harbour Authorities (CHAs). Given the local knowledge and experience necessary, as well as wide variations between ports, they remain best placed to assess what arrangements are necessary.

The Department has responsibility for the effective and efficient functioning of the legislative framework and is content that current arrangements under the Pilotage Act 1987 remain fit for purpose. The Department does not hold any records relating to pilotage. However, these may be reviewed should there be an incident requiring investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and/or the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The Government expects efficiencies made through public ownership to contribute to a reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy during the Spending Review period of 2026-27 to 2028-29, inclusive. This includes £395m of efficiencies from corporate initiatives as part of the Departmental Efficiency Plan, £52m of which are forecast to be delivered in 2026-27.

The Government is monitoring the impact of conflict in the Middle East on fuel supplies, including its impact on the manufacturing of sustainable aviation fuel.

The UK fuel system is built on diverse international supply chains, with multiple import routes and suppliers, ensuring resilience.

My Department and I are working closely with the industry to monitor supply and understand their mitigations and alternative sourcing options. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with airlines and airports to understand mitigations, should any disruption arise.

Scaling up DFTO staffing in anticipation of establishing GBR is critical to building DFTO’s present capability to manage its growing number of operators and allow DFTO to maximise efficiencies during the transition to GBR. We expect the costs associated with expanding DfT Operator Limited - expansion that is key to delivering public ownership - to be offset in full by efficiency savings and reductions in the net subsidy.

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.

Train capacity through York Station is the subject of the York Area Capacity and Performance Project which was paused at the Spending Review. The scope of the TransPennine Route Upgrade Programme excludes York Station itself. Network Rail are undertaking further timetabling analysis and modelling as part of continuing train planning activity including in the Skelton Junction area.

The UK fuel system is built on diverse international supply chains, with multiple import routes and suppliers, ensuring resilience.

My Department and I are working closely with the industry to monitor supply and understand their mitigations and alternative sourcing options. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with airlines and airports to understand mitigations, should any disruption arise.

We are focused on tackling the cause of delays. We have raised fines for overruns to up to £10,000 a day. We have recently approved 7 lane rental schemes to charge those who dig up the busiest roads at the busiest times.

The Department for Transport does not issue Notice of Intended Prosecutions and is not responsible for enforcing against any illegal activity related to this process. These are matters for the police.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) monitors the performance of recruitment campaigns, including:

• monitoring pass rates for each of the stages in the recruitment process and comparing these between campaigns
• average times between advert and job offers being made, and offers being made and start date.

The performance in these areas have improved in the past 12 months. For example, before November 2025, the average time DVSA took to advertise and onboard potential driving examiners (DE) into training was 16 weeks. In December 2025, DVSA improved its recruitment process and the average time DVSA now takes to onboard potential DEs is 13 weeks. Further proposals should see this reduce by another 2-3 weeks for future campaigns.

For campaigns up to November 2025, DVSA used the data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. The data will be crossed referenced, however DVSA currently only has data for one complete and one ongoing campaign.

As DVSA’s fees are set out in legislation, any changes require a statutory process, including public consultation and subsequent legislative amendments. DVSA will publish details of any fee changes when consulting as part of the statutory process.