Department for Transport

The Department has received one letter from the Hon. Member for East Wiltshire relating to the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down project since 15 September 2025.

The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) proposes designating Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure, recognising its potential importance to national growth. We have consulted on this approach, and the Government will carefully consider the views received through the consultation, alongside the Transport Select Committee's recommendations, before setting out its response and any next steps in relation to the HENPS.

The Department is currently reviewing proposals submitted to the Structures Fund. Local highway authorities can expect to be informed of the outcome of that review later in the autumn. A specific date for announcing the outcome has not yet been confirmed.

The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) proposes designating Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure, recognising its potential importance to national growth. We have consulted on this approach, and the Government will carefully consider the views received through the consultation, alongside the Transport Select Committee's recommendations, before setting out its response and any next steps in relation to the HENPS.

As part of the consultation on the draft HENPS the Department conducted analysis to look at the potential impact of Heathrow expansion on the economy, including outside London. This analysis can be found in the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report (HEAR) located here: Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement appraisal report - GOV.UK. The HEAR is supported by further economic impact modelling located here: Heathrow expansion economic impact modelling - GOV.UK. This analysis found that the scheme could add up to 0.05% to UK GDP in 2056, with up to 40% of these benefits accruing to regions outside of London and the South East.

The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) proposes designating Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure (CNGI), recognising its potential importance to national growth. How that proposed CNGI policy would interact with the planning process is set out in the draft HENPS, located here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a3923ed0bea238415c9a3a9/proposed-draft-revision-to-the-anps-to-be-known-as-the-henps.pdf

We have consulted on this approach, and the Government will carefully consider the views received through the consultation, alongside the Transport Select Committee's recommendations, before setting out its response and any next steps in relation to the HENPS.

The recently published Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy sets out a new, long-term, whole-system approach to decisions about passenger trains and the infrastructure that supports them, focused on delivering better outcomes for passengers and taxpayers.

c2c is currently assessing the feasibility and affordability of an interior refurbishment programme for its Class 357 fleet. Any such programme would be subject to approval and, if taken forward, would not be completed before 2030.

The UK aviation sector is predominantly privately owned and operated, with airlines responsible for managing their operational capacity and ensuring appropriate resilience and contingency arrangements are in place to manage disruption during the winter period.

The Department for Transport engages regularly with airlines, airports and wider industry stakeholders to seek assurance that robust winter preparedness plans are in place, including arrangements to mitigate the impacts of adverse weather and other operational risks.

Decisions about operational policing, including the deployment of officers at London railway stations, are matters for the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police (BTP), who is operationally independent of Government.

As the dedicated police force for the railway, BTP works with partners to keep all passengers safe across the network. BTP undertakes operations to tackle theft of passenger property and organised criminal activity, using targeted plain-clothes deployments and intelligence-led activity to disrupt organised criminal groups.

This work has delivered a sustained reduction in theft of passenger property and other volume crime, including high-harm offences.

Theft of passenger property fell by 9.2% in 2025/26 and this improvement reflects joint targeted prevention activity with industry partners, including safety announcements on the London Underground by serving BTP officers, high visibility patrols at peak times and improved use of data to identify prolific offenders.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) review into the NATS outage of 8 September 2026 will be carried out by a dedicated team working independently of NATS, government and the aviation industry in order to deliver a robust and impartial review.  To further ensure the independence of the review, an Independent Challenge Panel, whose membership will be approved by the Secretary of State, will provide independent challenge and advice throughout.

The review will examine the causes of the incidents, broader questions relating to NATS' resilience, capital investment and modernisation plans, helping to identify any lessons needed to strengthen the resilience of the UK air traffic management system.

Whilst the CAA review will consider the adequacy of the resilience requirements, governance and assurance arrangements applied to NATS critical operational systems and supporting infrastructure, it is the responsibility of air navigation service providers to ensure that an adequate and trained workforce is in place to operate safely and effectively.

However, my department recently introduced secondary legislation giving the CAA powers to recognise the previous training of third country and military ATCOs towards meeting the requirements needed to achieve a UK civil ATCO licence. This will reduce the time it takes these individuals to become a civil ATCO in the UK and increase resilience across the sector.

Dividends received by the Department from NATS are shown in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, available on Gov.uk .

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) review into the NATS outage of 8 September 2026 will be carried out by a dedicated team working independently of NATS, government and the aviation industry in order to deliver a robust and impartial review.  To further ensure the independence of the review, an Independent Challenge Panel, whose membership will be approved by the Secretary of State, will provide independent challenge and advice throughout.

The review will examine the causes of the incidents, broader questions relating to NATS' resilience, capital investment and modernisation plans, helping to identify any lessons needed to strengthen the resilience of the UK air traffic management system.

Whilst the CAA review will consider the adequacy of the resilience requirements, governance and assurance arrangements applied to NATS critical operational systems and supporting infrastructure, it is the responsibility of air navigation service providers to ensure that an adequate and trained workforce is in place to operate safely and effectively.

However, my department recently introduced secondary legislation giving the CAA powers to recognise the previous training of third country and military ATCOs towards meeting the requirements needed to achieve a UK civil ATCO licence. This will reduce the time it takes these individuals to become a civil ATCO in the UK and increase resilience across the sector.

Dividends received by the Department from NATS are shown in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, available on Gov.uk .

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) review into the NATS outage of 8 September 2026 will be carried out by a dedicated team working independently of NATS, government and the aviation industry in order to deliver a robust and impartial review.  To further ensure the independence of the review, an Independent Challenge Panel, whose membership will be approved by the Secretary of State, will provide independent challenge and advice throughout.

The review will examine the causes of the incidents, broader questions relating to NATS' resilience, capital investment and modernisation plans, helping to identify any lessons needed to strengthen the resilience of the UK air traffic management system.

Whilst the CAA review will consider the adequacy of the resilience requirements, governance and assurance arrangements applied to NATS critical operational systems and supporting infrastructure, it is the responsibility of air navigation service providers to ensure that an adequate and trained workforce is in place to operate safely and effectively.

However, my department recently introduced secondary legislation giving the CAA powers to recognise the previous training of third country and military ATCOs towards meeting the requirements needed to achieve a UK civil ATCO licence. This will reduce the time it takes these individuals to become a civil ATCO in the UK and increase resilience across the sector.

Dividends received by the Department from NATS are shown in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, available on Gov.uk .

The Department has set up the Department for Transport Operator to oversee and drive improvements in performance and financial sustainability for all publicly owned operators, including c2c. Considerations include areas such as fares, punctuality, customer experience and accessibility, all of which are regularly discussed and challenged directly with the operator.

Regulated rail fares have been frozen across England until March 2027, saving passengers £600 million and easing cost‑of‑living pressures, which c2c passengers benefit from.

The Government is working with the rail industry to tackle ticketless travel, while ensuring passengers who make genuine mistakes are treated fairly and consistently.

We have committed £33.4 million to new and improved ticket gates across England, targeted at fare evasion hotspots. We are also working with the rail industry to improve data sharing, prosecutions and the consistency of revenue protection activity.

Responsibility for enforcement on London Underground rests primarily with Transport for London and the British Transport Police.

The Office of Rail and Road publishes periodic station-level information on rail performance, including the percentage of scheduled trains which did not call at each station. This includes information for Benfleet station and c2c. The data can be found at: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/performance-at-stations.

The Department does not produce comparisons of cancellations at individual stations between train operators. Such comparisons need to be treated with care because operating characteristics vary between routes and operators.

In March 2025, the Department made station specific performance information available, showing punctuality and cancellations at individual stations for the first time. This information can be found at: Performance at stations | ORR Data Portal.

The Office for Rail and Road publishes the Severe Disruption information here: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/table-3157b-days-of-severe-disruption-by-sub-operator-periodic/

In the case of c2c, all the days with severe disruption can be assumed to have affected services to and from Benfleet. https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/performance

Ministers in the Department for Transport regularly discuss a wide range of topics with Ministers in HM Treasury.

The Government is committed to ensuring disabled people, including wheelchair users, can travel safely and with confidence on local bus services.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 require buses and coaches used on local and scheduled services to include accessibility features such as wheelchair spaces and boarding equipment suitable for passengers using a standard “reference wheelchair”. Existing regulations also require drivers to provide assistance to disabled passengers upon request.

The Bus Services Act 2025 strengthens this framework by requiring drivers and other customer-facing staff to complete disability awareness and assistance training at least every five years. The Act also requires local authorities to publish Bus Network Accessibility Plans and strengthens consideration of accessibility within local bus service planning.

In addition, the Department is developing an Accessible Travel Charter which will help establish clear, unified principles for disabled passengers and assist operators and enforcement bodies in upholding accessibility standards.

The Charter will set out cross-cutting commitments and practical pledges, with organisations signing up to go beyond the legislative minimum and work towards a barrier-free transport system.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) and this includes decisions on road schemes which charge users including the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). We work closely with TfL on a range of issues but the operation and management of the ULEZ is a matter solely for them. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment or intervene in these matters.

The Government continues to engage with vehicle manufacturers on a regular basis regarding the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, including as part of the long-committed ZEV Mandate Review, which is currently subject to consultation. The consultation closes on 23 October, and we will publish the outcome of the review in our consultation response.

Data from the ZEV Mandate shows the average cost of trading ZEV allowances to meet compliance in the UK in 2024 was approximately £4,000 per traded ZEV allowance for cars. DfT analysis estimates the average additional cost of discounting for ZEVs was around £2,800 per vehicle in 2025. Both are substantially lower than the Mandate’s compliance payment levels. Vehicle discounting is common and recent industry data suggests discounts on ZEVs are increasingly at levels comparable to petrol vehicles.

Alongside any changes to the ZEV Mandate, a Cost Benefit Analysis will be made which set out the potential impact on ZEV uptake and emissions at a UK level. On 14 August, the Government launched the ZEV Mandate Review consultation, which seeks views from the public and stakeholders to consider the ZEV Mandate. This consultation forms an important part of the long-committed ZEV Mandate review.

No policy decisions have been made yet regarding the trajectories of the ZEV Mandate. We are seeking views on whether a revised approach to the existing Mandate trajectories is warranted. The Government remains committed to the 2030 and 2035 phase-out dates and they are not subject to change.

We continue to monitor grants for homes and workplaces to ensure best value for the taxpayer. We will make a further announcement on these grants in due course.

The Department continues to work closely with industry to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure and meet rising demand. As of 1 October 2026, Government and industry have supported the installation of over 124,000 public chargers across the UK. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is expected to deliver over 100,000 more near homes across England. We continue to monitor charge point rollout.

We continue to monitor grants for homes and workplaces to ensure best value for the taxpayer. We will make a further announcement on these grants in due course.

The Department continues to work closely with industry to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure and meet rising demand. As of 1 October 2026, Government and industry have supported the installation of over 124,000 public chargers across the UK. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is expected to deliver over 100,000 more near homes across England. We continue to monitor charge point rollout.

The Department does not hold this information. This is because, before April 2026, the ​automated grant management system meant customers could not submit applications unless they met eligibility criteria.

From 1 April, a new system has been in place. Up to 14 October, 4,382 customers (46%) ​submitted eligible applications. This has resulted in installers making 1,443 claims on customers' behalf so far. Nearly 750 claims have been approved to date. Processing these applications and claims takes time. We are working to move them through the new system and streamline the process.

As of 1 July 2026, 1,268 public chargers delivered through the Local EV Infrastructure Fund were operational and open to the public. Figures on the number of chargers committed through signed contracts are commercially sensitive, but the programme remains on track to deliver over 100,000 chargers.

Applicants in this situation are welcome to reapply on the extended scheme. Before doing so they should check the grant guidance as new evidencing requirements have been introduced.

The Department for Transport will publish analysis regarding the total cost of ownership of zero emission HGVs relative to diesel HGVs across use cases alongside the next consultation on the HGV CO2 emissions regulatory framework.

It is up to the Local Transport Authorities to decide whether they want to use the powers in the Bus Services Act to implement bus byelaws to deter nuisance behaviour on their local bus networks.

Where local authorities decide that this is a priority then byelaws will be able to be enforced by Transport Safety Officers, or other authorised officers employed by the local authority as well as by the Police.

The Department intends to introduce secondary legislation on pavement parking in two stages.

First, we intend to introduce powers in January 2027 enabling local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to issue penalty charge notices where a vehicle is parked in a way that unnecessarily obstructs the pavement.

We then plan to introduce powers as soon as possible to enable local transport authorities to prohibit pavement parking in their areas, subject to appropriate exemptions. The timetable for the secondary legislation has not yet been finalised.

The Government is committed to making road-user payments simpler and is supporting the rollout of the National Parking Platform, which enables motorists to use their preferred parking app across participating area, supporting greater interoperability, choice and competition.

The Platform is also exploring opportunities to support tolls and other road-user payments in future, including how payment could be made more seamless for motorists.

The Department has made no assessment of, and has no plans to introduce, a mandatory national payment system for all parking charges, tolls and road-user charges.

As of March 2025, there were 21,440 valid Blue Badges held by organisations in England.

Information on Blue Badges held by organisations and a breakdown by local authority is published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/blue-badge-scheme-statistics-data-tables-dis#blue-badge-scheme-statistics-data-tables.

The Department has not undertaken a formal assessment of the cost and efficiency of Traffic Regulation Orders specifically in relation to the delivery of yellow lines. The making and implementation of individual Traffic Regulation Orders is a matter for the relevant traffic authority.

The table below shows the average number of days to make a licensing decision for applications where a medical condition required investigation before a licence could be issued since July 2024. The figures relate to group 2 (bus and lorry) vocational applications.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s contract with Specsavers for vision testing services provides coverage across England, Wales and Scotland, with 436 stores able to perform the services required. Where required, there are provisions within the contract that allow Specsavers to utilise alternative local opticians for customers who live more than 25 miles from their nearest Specsavers branch.

As stated in the Written Ministerial Statement issued in December 2025, National Highways have implemented interim measures such as increased traffic officer patrols on affected sections of road. In addition, the police continue to use a range of tactics to enforce speed limits on the Strategic Road Network, including mobile camera deployments, roads policing patrols, and average speed sites.

My Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of advanced vehicle safety technology on motor insurance premiums. Motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer and it is for them to decide whether advanced vehicle safety technology would reduce the level of risk that any given applicant poses.

Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver poses before issuing a policy. This includes the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and the driving record and experience of the applicant.

The Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with the Scottish Government on its Air Departure Tax.

We are still in the process of understanding the impact of the 8 September NATS outage across the UK, including its impact on airlines. I recognise the significant disruption this outage caused for passengers, airlines, and airports. The Government is taking steps to ensure the right lessons are learnt. This includes asking the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct an independent review into the incidents.

We are still in the process of understanding the impact of the 8 September NATS outage across the UK, including its impact on airlines. I recognise the significant disruption this outage caused for passengers, airlines, and airports. The Government is taking steps to ensure the right lessons are learnt. This includes asking the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct an independent review into the incidents.

I recognise the significant disruption this outage caused for passengers, airlines, and airports. The Government is taking steps to ensure the right lessons are learnt. This includes asking the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct an independent review into the incidents.

As part of the independent review into NATS’ performance following the incidents that occurred on 8 and 21 September this year, the CAA will complete a broader assessment of NATS' resilience, which will include the adequacy of the resilience requirements, governance and assurance arrangements applied to NATS existing critical operational systems and supporting infrastructure. The review will also complete a broader assessment of NATS’ capital investment and modernisation plans, as well as the effectiveness of the CAA's own regulatory oversight. An initial findings report is due to be completed by end of January 2027, with a final report submitted by the end of March 2027. As a significant shareholder of NATS, the Government expects appropriate accountability and will consider the findings of the ongoing investigation carefully.

I recognise the significant disruption this outage caused for passengers, airlines, and airports. The Government is taking steps to ensure the right lessons are learnt. This includes asking the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct an independent review into the incidents.

As part of the independent review into NATS’ performance following the incidents that occurred on 8 and 21 September this year, the CAA will complete a broader assessment of NATS' resilience, which will include the adequacy of the resilience requirements, governance and assurance arrangements applied to NATS existing critical operational systems and supporting infrastructure. The review will also complete a broader assessment of NATS’ capital investment and modernisation plans, as well as the effectiveness of the CAA's own regulatory oversight. An initial findings report is due to be completed by end of January 2027, with a final report submitted by the end of March 2027. As a significant shareholder of NATS, the Government expects appropriate accountability and will consider the findings of the ongoing investigation carefully.

The Department holds no information on these incidents.

As part of the unveiling of the Great British Railways (GBR) brand identity, it was temporarily applied to Glasgow Central Station for a week in December 2025 alongside four other stations in England.

The framework for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Secretary of State and Scottish Ministers, published in March 2026, sets out the approach to branding of stations in Scotland. We are working with Scottish Ministers to develop this framework into an MoU. Other than Glasgow Central High Level and Edinburgh Waverley, stations are the responsibility of the Scottish Government rather than GBR - and are branded accordingly.