Department for Transport

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. On 15 January we confirmed that accessibility upgrades will be delivered at Colchester station in the Hon Member's constituency.

Across Essex, 37 stations currently have step-free access to all platforms.

A further 33 stations have some degree of step-free access, typically to one platform only, or to both platforms where interchange is poor.

Official statistics on the condition of local roads in England in are published annually Road conditions in England to March 2024 - GOV.UK. Where information was not provided the Department for Transport (DfT) this is denoted in the relevant tables. Local authorities were also required to provide information on road condition as part of the local highway's maintenance transparency report published on local authority websites Highway maintenance funding: guidance for local authorities - GOV.UK.

The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance from 2026/27 to 2029/30. As was the case in the 2025/26 financial year, a portion of this funding will be designated as incentive funding. This funding will be subject to local highway authorities demonstrating that they comply with best practice in highways maintenance, for example by spending all the Department for Transport’s capital grant on highways maintenance and adopting more preventative maintenance. All incentive funding will be withheld if reports are not published.

On 11 January, the Department published a new traffic light rating system for every local highway authority. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how effectively they spend their record Government funding, and whether they do so using best practice. The Department also published an interactive map which means residents can see how their authority is performing and allow the Government to target support to those who need extra help.

Young drivers account for only 6% of driving licence holders but were involved in 24% of fatal and serious collisions in 2024.

This is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. This includes consulting on a Minimum Learning Period before learner drivers can take their test. This would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers.

We are also consulting on a lower drink drive limit for newly qualified drivers with the intention of reducing collisions amongst this group.

This is a matter for the Mayor of London.

The Department holds a broad range of information on the freight and logistics system that provides an effective evidence-base for our work. This includes information that helps understand key transport routes, like our published road traffic and maritime statistics, and information to help understand network bottlenecks, such as our congestion statistics and stakeholder intelligence.

The Department recognises the importance of continually improving its analytical capabilities, as evidenced in the important recent update to the road freight values of time in our Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG). Further actions to improve our freight data provision and analytical capability are ongoing and will be announced in the upcoming Transport Data Action Plan and new plan for freight.

The 2022 Future of Freight plan committed to developing a fuller understanding of our domestic freight network from a multimodal perspective, before considering how it could be consolidated into a National Freight Network.

The Department is making good progress towards the goal of improving understanding of the freight and logistics system as an integrated multimodal network. This progress includes identifying, developing, and delivering a package of measures to enhance key data and insights capabilities.

Further detail on these measures and the overarching approach we are taking forward will be provided in the upcoming publication of the new plan for freight.

This government is firmly committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits that accessible transport brings to individuals, families and communities.

On 15 January, the Government was pleased to announce that accessibility upgrades will be delivered at Colchester station in the Honourable Member’s constituency. These improvements will include the installation of a new lift, step-free access between platforms, and enhanced facilities designed to better support passengers with reduced mobility, parents with buggies, and those carrying luggage.

As part of any future work to develop York Station, we will work closely with Network Rail to ensure that entrances adhere to accessibility standards.

As set out in the Department’s efficiency delivery plan, we expect a contribution to come from greater use of AI and digital tools. These tools can be used to automate and speed up routine processes that reduce system duplications and drive back-office efficiencies. As part of taking a test and learn approach, we are assessing impact and benefits on a case-by-case basis as appropriate in the life cycle of the project, as we develop our alignment across the DfT family on AI initiatives, and regularly add new use cases and applications.

A recent example of assessing impact is the published evaluation of our piloted Consultation Analysis Tool (CAT)1. This sets out a range of potential benefits, including net savings, which we will monitor as and when the tool is implemented as a standard process.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-consultation-analysis-tool-evaluation.

No such guidance has been issued by the Department. The enforcement of criminal offences is entirely a matter for the police.

The Government has made available an additional £500 million for highways maintenance for 2025/26, bringing the total available funding this year to £1.6 billion. To qualify for their full share of this funding uplift, local highway authorities had to publish reports setting out how they comply with best practice, including in relation to the extent to which they prioritise preventative maintenance.

In November, the Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance for the period of 2026/27 to 2029/30. By providing long term funding certainty, the Department enables local highway authorities to better plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term pothole repairs and to instead invest in preventative road surface treatments so that roads can be fixed properly and fewer potholes form in the first place.

Earlier in January, the Department published a new rating system for every highway authority in England. Each local highway authority received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they are spending to maintain it, and whether they do so using best practice, including by adopting more preventative maintenance. The ratings, which will be updated periodically, provide an incentive for councils to adopt more preventative maintenance, and enable the Department to provide targeted support to authorities to help them adopt best practice.

To gain access to all the Department’s increased highways maintenance funding in the future, local highway authorities will have to continue to demonstrate that they comply with best practice, for example by adopting more preventative maintenance.

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 any stations in the Stockport borough.

Given the acute funding pressures on capital investments, any sources of funding that can be identified locally, for example from s106 monies, would also be a way of bringing forward accessibility upgrades at stations in the borough.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The taskforce considered proposals related to subsidising motor insurance for households on low incomes but the consequences of direct market intervention are often hard to predict and could result in increased costs for others. The government has no plans to take these proposals forward at this time.

Instead, the taskforce has focused on driving down the cost of claims – rooting out inefficiencies, increasing safety, and reducing opportunities for fraud and theft – to stabilise and ultimately reduce the premiums that all motorists pay, including those on lower incomes.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Rule 60 of The Highway Code states that cycles must be fitted with a rear reflector and must have front and rear lights lit at night. Cycling without proper lights is an offence and enforcement is a matter for the police.

Rule 59 of the Highway Code recommends that cyclists should wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing to help other road users to see them in daylight and poor light, with reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark. This advice was made clearer in the updated version of The Highway Code that was published in January 2022.

The Department for Transport has not assessed the adequacy of national speed limit guidelines in light of changes to (a) traffic volumes and (b) developments in vehicle (i) technology and (ii) safety. However, as part of the Road Safety Strategy (RSS), it has committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance “Setting Local Speed Limits” and updating separate guidance on the use of speed and red-light cameras, following research and consultation.

The RSS will build on published analysis to improve understanding of rural roads by breaking them down into subcategories. This will help to target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

Road safety is a shared responsibility, and the strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives. By investing in infrastructure, education, and enforcement, we are taking decisive steps to make our roads safer for everyone.

The strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by all motorcycle riders and the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. To support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety. Local authorities are responsible for delivering road safety education and have a statutory duty to take steps both to reduce and prevent collisions.

The Department has held no such discussions. Local traffic authorities are responsible for making decisions about their own roads, based on their knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and circumstances. It is for them to ensure roads are designed in a way that helps fulfil their road safety duties.

Good design can have a significant impact on road safety. The Department has long advocated street design that improves safety through guidance and good practice advice, in particular the Manual for Streets. As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, an update of the Manual is underway to ensure it continues to provide advice that enables authorities to deliver safer streets.

The Government recognises that many people use a driving licence as evidence of identity and that some organisations and businesses accept the photocard driving licence as such. However, the statutory purpose of a driving licence is to convey the licence holder’s entitlement to drive and it is not intended to act as a proof of identity.

All individuals who hold or apply for a driving licence must meet the minimum health standards required for safe driving. Those who do not meet the medical standards cannot hold or be issued with a driving licence only for identification purposes.

For those who no longer require a driving licence or those who not qualify, Local Authorities offer a Voter Authority Certificate as another form of photo identity. Although this is a paper document it can be used as photographic proof of identification. Further information can be found at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

Improving road safety is a key priority. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government is working hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

The Road Safety Strategy published on 7th January sets out the Department’s intention to establish a data-led road safety investigation branch to learn lessons from road incidents, by taking a strategic, thematic approach, focusing on patterns of collisions, injury trends, and systemic safety issues. It will adopt a test-and-learn approach, using real-world evidence to inform targeted safety interventions, data-driven policies, and proactive prevention and enforcement strategies.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. This is underpinned through the four key themes of the strategy, one of which is taking advantage of technology, data and innovation for safer vehicles and post collision care. This details how we will make current vehicles safer, by mandating vehicle safety technologies and making use of both connected and automated vehicles to make our roads safer. All of this will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board chaired by the Minister for Local Transport.

Road safety is a shared responsibility, and this strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives. Partnership working and utilisation of local expertise will ensure that road safety improvements are seen across counties and constituencies, including Surrey and Surrey Heath. By investing in infrastructure, education, and enforcement, we are taking decisive steps to make our roads safer for everyone.

There have been no allocations to Greater Manchester under national road safety funding schemes in each of the last three years. Local authorities are responsible for prioritising road safety measures within their existing transport and highways budgets.

The Government remains committed to improving road safety and the condition of local roads. While there is no ring‑fenced road safety funding, Greater Manchester will benefit from wider transport and highways investment, including £15,572,000 in highways maintenance incentive funding in 2026/27 and a £2.47 billion Transport for City Regions settlement for 2027–32 to support local transport priorities, which may include road safety initiatives.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with the Home Office on these matters.

Officials are however in regular contact with the Home Office concerning e-scooters.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

The Government response to Baroness Casey’s report committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons, and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords.

If passed, national minimum standards would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England, to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel. This is an important first step and the Department continues to consider further options for reform. The Government is consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their enforcement powers.

Statistics on reported road collisions where a reporting police officer has assigned ‘Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road’ as a contributing road safety factor are published on gov.uk:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68d3d602e65dc716bfb1dd00/ras0701.ods

No further assessment of the trends in these figures has been made.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network, which is why the Government has announced a record of £7.3 billion investment for local highway maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This investment to improve the condition of our roads will make journeys faster, smoother and safer. This builds on nearly £1.6 billion in capital funding that has been provided for local highways maintenance in England for the financial year 2025/26, a £500 million increase compared to the previous financial year.

There are currently no plans to publish data beyond the statistics on factors contributing to collisions that are already available (published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#factors-contributing-to-collisions-and-casualties-ras07).

The Government recognises that defective road surfaces, including potholes, can present significant safety risks to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. Local highway authorities have a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain their road networks and must consider the needs of vulnerable groups when planning and delivering maintenance programmes.

The Department is working with TfL to assess the benefits of the proposal, including housing growth opportunities such as the potential development of 21,000 homes at Crews Hill.

Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.

Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.

Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.

Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.

For stations in Dorking and Horley, we have simplified the complicated web of tickets by having one Peak and one Off-Peak price, with some fares changing and others being removed as part of improvements to ticketing via pay as you go with contactless expansion.   This will allow passengers greater flexibility in their choice of tickets, with some seeing a reduction in their ticket price.

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that regulated rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to be affected by this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze.

The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of Pay as you go roll out in the South East. Once evaluation is complete we will make the final reports public.

The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of Pay as you go roll out in the South East, following the launch of phase one stations last year. Once evaluation is complete, we will make the final reports public.

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Neither the Department for Transport nor the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency hold information about how many fuel recovery claims are made each year by operators of petrol stations in England, where a motorist has not paid for fuel.

Old Oak Common station will provide full street to platform step-free access, with HS2 platforms designed to offer full level boarding. Platforms serving the Elizabeth Line and conventional rail services have been designed to accommodate different kinds of rolling stock that have different boarding heights. Work to establish the feasibility and safety of deviating from standard 915mm platform heights on the relief line platforms (platforms 5-8, which will predominantly serve the Elizabeth Line) is continuing. Completed assessments to enable a final decision on this issue are expected by Spring 2026, with an announcement expected by the end of the year.

High-speed services will provide more reliable and faster end-to-end journeys to Birmingham, the Northwest and Scotland using the new, dedicated high-speed infrastructure despite the train's inability to tilt on the west coast Mainline. Moving long distance trains onto HS2 will create opportunities for additional services on the West Coast Mainline. No decisions have been made on the timetable which will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be made nearer the time and be subject to consultation.

Under the statutory elements of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), Travel Concessionary Authorities (TCA) must reimburse bus operators for all concessionary journeys starting within their boundaries, irrespective of whether the concessionary passholder making the journey is resident in the TCA area. ENCTS funding is part of the non-ringfenced Local Government Finance Settlement provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. A daytime population metric, which includes domestic tourists, is included in the allocation formulae.

The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement costs to bus operators and any changes to the statutory obligations would need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

The Government is investing in bus services long-term and has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will be allocated £17 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £6 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including helping to fund concessionary travel locally.