Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to extend the requirement for mandatory anti-lock braking systems to include all new 125cc motorcycles.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The UK's technical requirements for the type approval of motorcycles currently remain aligned with the EU's as the Department seeks to reduce burdens on businesses by limiting UK-EU regulatory divergence.

Motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125cc or less must be equipped with an advanced braking system: either an anti-lock braking system or a combined braking system or both. The Department has not undertaken a study into the effectiveness of mandating anti-lock braking systems for motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125cc or less and there are no plans to introduce legislation on this issue.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure the safety of women and girls on public transport.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is committed to ensuring everyone, including women and girls, is safe on the transport network. As part of our aim to reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) by half over the next decade, we have an ambitious, evidence-based programme to help tackle VAWG on transport. This includes proposals in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, such as staff training on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour.

The Department is also working across government and with partners, including the British Transport Police (BTP), the transport industry and local authorities, to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to help ensure decisions about open access applications prioritise services that connect stations that do not have direct services.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Under the current system access decisions are solely for the ORR. We’re supportive of Open Access services where they encourage growth, improve connectivity and provide more choice for passengers. When a new application is received the DfT can submit its views to the ORR via a consultation process and we highlighted the new direct services that formed part of the Wrexham Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR) application when we wrote in support of this application in February 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station on the surrounding heritage buildings.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The initial plans brought forward by a previous developer have now been replaced by a revised scheme. This new approach seeks to address heritage concerns while preserving the benefits of commercial development. Crucially, it enables significant improvements to the station’s capacity and facilities without any cost to the taxpayer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the reliability of train operators on the West Coast Mainline.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

Network Rail is undertaking a programme of renewal activity on the West Coast Main Line north of Crewe to improve the performance and reliability of the railway. This section of the route was last upgraded in the 1970s and suffers from performance issues today.

We are also investing in increasing the capacity and capability of the power system at both ends of the West Coast Main Line to improve performance on the route, enable the introduction of new electric services, and support growth.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with South Western Rail on the role of open access rail operators in supporting (a) connectivity, (b) passenger choice and (c) service quality within the UK rail network.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

There have been no such conversations with SWR regarding Open Access. Open Access Operators can improve connectivity and choice for passengers but can also increase costs to taxpayers and create additional performance pressures. We have been clear that Open Access must deliver value, not merely divert revenue from existing operators. Open Access applications are also subject to assessments on whether there is sufficient network capacity to accommodate them in a process overseen by the ORR, this is to ensure that new services don’t put too much pressure on the network and adversely affect passengers and freight operators.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help reduce journey times on public transport between North Shropshire and London.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Department officials continue to work directly with train operators to ensure the best possible service for both passenger and taxpayer.

For passengers travelling from Shropshire and changing to join services to London, Avanti West Coast increased the number of weekday services from 270 in 2024 to 295 from May 2025. Additional services now operate between London and Liverpool, Birmingham, North Wales and Glasgow providing more connections.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the (a) total cost to the public purse for, (b) proportion of her Department’s total expenditure that was spent on and (c) spend per head on transport infrastructure in (i) Lincolnshire and (ii) the East Midlands in the last ten years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

HM Treasury’s Country and Regional Analysis: 2024 shows the following spend of public money on transport in the East Midlands region, for the five most recent years available. Historic data is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-and-regional-analysis.

(a) Total cost to the public purse:

The total identifiable expenditure on transport in the East Midlands for the five most recent years available (2019-20 to 2023-24) is as follows:

2019-20: £1,449 million

2020-21: £2,229 million

2021-22: £1,799 million

2022-23: £1,724 million

2023-24: £1,838 million

(b) Proportion of the Department’s total expenditure:

The proportion of the Department for Transport’s total expenditure on transport in the East Midlands for the same period is as follows:

2019-20: 5.3%

2020-21: 5.4%

2021-22: 4.9%

2022-23: 4.6%

2023-24: 4.6%

(c) Spend per head:

The expenditure per head on transport in the East Midlands for the same period is as follows:

2019-20: £299

2020-21: £459

2021-22: £368

2022-23: £349

2023-24: £368

While the above statistics are only available at the regional level, examples of recent Government investment in the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) area include over £180 million from the Local Transport Grant, £73.5 million in local roads maintenance funding and £18.5 million in local authority bus funding.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of steps to help reduce fatality rates of cyclists on rural roads in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has not made an assessment of steps to help reduce fatality rates of cyclists on rural roads in West Dorset constituency.

Dorset Unitary Authority has been awarded £774,233 in revenue and capital funding from the Consolidated Active Travel Fund. It will be for the local authority to allocate this funding in line with local investment priorities, such as improving safety for cyclists in West Dorset.

We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential risks of the use of (a) illegal or (b) modified e-bikes being used by food delivery riders.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

E-bikes must fully comply the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 in order to be legally used on the roads. This is irrespective of whether they have been modified, or whether they are being ridden by a delivery rider or anyone else.

While enforcement is a matter for the police, I have written to the Chief Executives of food delivery companies, making clear that riders should be fully aware of the relevant legal requirements and that they should only be using safe and road legal e-bikes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of funding the National-Level Transport Scheme allocates to the (a) investigation and (b) completion of business cases; and to the immediate construction of schemes that are ready to build.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has completed the capital review of transport projects.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth in Warrington South constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) operational cost and (b) salary of the Chief Executive of the Office of Road and Rail is; what assessment she has made of the (i) value for money and (ii) effectiveness of that office; and whether she plans to abolish that office.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) Avanti West Coast on the quality of public toilets at Stockport station.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many schools have entrances which open directly onto a 70mph road in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) the East of England.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not hold this information.

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding her Department has provided to improve rail services in (a) North Shropshire and (b) Shropshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department will review the refreshed Business Case for line speed improvements between Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury when it is completed later this year.

Funding for this scheme would be subject to a satisfactory business case which represents value for money, affordability and strong benefits for the country.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the aviation sector to emissions in the UK, and of the impact on the UK's ability to meet climate targets.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the National Underground Asset Register on roadworks in Broxbourne constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, on what basis the Minister for Rail selected attendees for the recent meeting between hon. Members and the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership; and whether she considered inviting the hon. Member for Weald of Kent.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

A number of Kent MPs have made representations to the Department over the last twelve months regarding international rail services serving Kent stations. As a result of the representations received prior to March this year, the Rail Minister agreed to meet with a delegation of MPs that had requested a meeting to discuss this issue. I am not aware that the Department has received a request from the hon. Member to discuss this topic, but the Rail Minister would be very happy to do so.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to support the (a) safety and (b) financial viability of black taxi drivers in London.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The taxi industry in London is the direct responsibility of Transport for London, including considering the safety and costs to drivers as part of their regulatory regime. The Department for Transport has supported the work of TfL and other licensing bodies by providing the “Taxis and private hire vehicles licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities” which is clear that licensing authorities must consider ways to protect those working in the trade as well as those that use its services.

In addition, DfT has provided funding of over £75m to support with the cost of purchasing over 10,500 zero emission capable taxis through the Plug in Taxi Grant.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, which hon. Members were invited to meet with the Minister for Rail to discuss the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership’s priorities for local rail.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

A number of Kent MPs have made representations to the Department over the last twelve months regarding international rail services serving Kent stations. As a result of the representations received prior to March this year, the Rail Minister agreed to meet with a delegation of MPs that had requested a meeting to discuss this issue. I am not aware that the Department has received a request from the hon. Member to discuss this topic, but the Rail Minister would be very happy to do so.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1 June 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 80,552 publicly available charging devices, up 29% on this time last year.

Lancashire County Council, which includes Preston, was allocated over £10.8 million capital and resource funding through the Government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to leverage additional private investment and increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. More broadly, the North West Region has been allocated almost £56.6m capital and resource funding through the LEVI Fund. In total, the £381m LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 local chargepoints across England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63159 on South Fylde Line, what discussions she has had with local (a) communities and (b) stakeholders on future service improvements on the Lytham to Preston line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Through the Rail North Partnership (RNP), my Department and Transport for the North widely engage stakeholders across the region. I have asked RNP to contact the Hon. Member about his local line.

Operators must align services with demand, ensuring sustainability and value for money. I urge the Member to work with Lancashire County Council as they carry out consultation of their Local Transport Plan, and whether to prioritise schemes targeting this line for further consideration.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63159 on South Fylde Line, what interim measures she is considering to improve capacity on the Lytham to Preston line before 2030.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Through the Rail North Partnership (RNP), my Department and Transport for the North widely engage stakeholders across the region. I have asked RNP to contact the Hon. Member about his local line.

Operators must align services with demand, ensuring sustainability and value for money. I urge the Member to work with Lancashire County Council as they carry out consultation of their Local Transport Plan, and whether to prioritise schemes targeting this line for further consideration.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish any assessment that National Highways have made of the flooding of the A421 at Marston Moreteyne in September 2024.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As the Lead Local Flood Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council are producing a Section 19 report to review the flooding that occurred on the A421 in accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

With publication of the report expected in autumn, National Highways (NH) is awaiting the outcome to make any necessary improvements.

In the meantime, given the significance of the issue affecting the A421, National highways are building a new £1.5million pumping station on higher ground to prevent this happening again.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to extend Project Reach to Stockport railway station.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The tranche 1 fibre commitment for Project Reach of 1000km includes the rail route Manchester–Crewe–Stafford which runs via Stockport.

Stockport station is not currently included in the initial list of 12 NR managed stations identified for improvements to mobile coverage. However, there could be scope to include this as part of the flexible interventions once the priority stations and tunnels have been delivered.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to highlight the importance of safety at railway level crossings during the school summer holidays.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Educating users is critical to ensuring that level crossings are used safely and we look to Network Rail as the owner of these assets to do this. Network Rail produces a wide range of educational material on safety on and around the railway, including on level crossing safety, which it promotes through media campaigns and through school and community events. It recognises that the school holidays can pose particular challenges and focuses significant effort in attending local schools and community events in the vicinity of level crossings to promote railway safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the safety of bus drivers in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government have introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which focuses on delivering safe, more reliable bus networks. The Bill sets requirements for mandatory training on how to recognise and respond appropriately to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour, on buses for staff, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public or with issues related to the travelling public.

Provisions in the Bus Services (No.2) Bill would also give all local transport authorities (LTAs) the power to make bus byelaws, which can be enforced by local authority officers on vehicles and at bus stations and stops. This, combined with targeted enforcement should lead to safer networks. Transport Safety Officers or Transport Safety and Enforcement Officers are also already operating in some areas.

All LTAs in England are required to publish Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) with information on how they intend to improve services in their area. LTAs have been informed that BSIPs should include plans on how LTAs and local bus operators will work together to ensure that bus services are safe and perceived to be safe by all. This may include measures such as appropriate passenger safety training for bus drivers to deal with emergency situations on or off the bus and encouraging bus operators to liaise with local police and other stakeholders to address safety concerns.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it remains her Department's policy to (a) phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and (b) ensure that all new car sales are for Zero Emission Vehicles by 2035.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 7 April the Government confirmed it is committed to phasing out the sale of new cars that rely solely on a petrol or diesel engine by 2030, and phasing out all new non-zero emission cars and vans by 2035.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve the safety of train drivers in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Ensuring the continued safety of train drivers across the national rail network remains a priority for my department. Train operators are subject to strict legal duties, which are enforced by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to ensure that the train drivers they employ can work in safety. My department works closely with the ORR, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the wider rail industry to keep these measures under review and to identify areas for improvement. This has included supporting research to improve the industry’s understanding of issues such as fatigue management and access to welfare facilities and the development of improved standards and guidance to codify best practice.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with Heathrow Airport on flights being held in a holding pattern over residents' houses between 5:30 and 6:00am.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

NATS is responsible for providing air traffic services at Heathrow Airport. There are defined flight routes and procedures for aircraft landing at Heathrow but for operational and safety reasons aircraft may be held in a holding pattern prior to landing. These reasons can include the need to ensure safe separation between aircraft as well as weather conditions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered the potential merits of a certification scheme for e-bikes to be carried on public transport; and whether she has had discussions with Transport for London on such a scheme.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

It is for transport operators to decide on their conditions of carriage, as safe duty holders, including whether to allow people to bring e-bikes onboard.

While I have therefore not discussed any form of certification scheme with Transport for London, Ministers and officials have regular discussions with TfL on a variety of issues, including on e-bike safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58271 on Driving Tests: Stockport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the average waiting time at the Bredbury driving test centre.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is aware that car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this is having on learner drivers. All staff at the agency are working tirelessly to reduce waiting times at all test centres, including at Bredbury.

There are currently 13 driving examiners at Bredbury test centre. This has risen from 9 examiners in 2022. Bredbury test centre is part of a cluster of test centres, including West Didsbury and Sale, that serve customers in Stockport.

DVSA continues to deploy examiners within the cluster to test centres based on demand.

Within the cluster of test centres from recruitment campaigns, one potential new driving examiner (DE) started their training course on 23 June for West Didsbury. A further potential new DE for Sale will start their course on 25 August. DVSA has made three further offers, with applicants scheduled for courses in the late summer/early autumn.

DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns, including for this cluster of test centres. DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.

DVSA continues to offer overtime incentives to its driving examiners, including those in this cluster.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the use of cloned vehicle registration plates.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government understands how distressing this criminal activity can be for innocent motorists. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned number plates.

The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied.

The DVLA assists the police and Trading Standards in their enforcement against number plate suppliers who trade illegally. When notified, the DVLA will investigate and pass on intelligence to the police who are responsible for investigating this criminal matter.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking's report entitled Unregulated and unsafe: the threat of illegal e-Bikes, published in June 2025, whether her Department plans to support the introduction of scrappage schemes for unsafe (a) e-bikes and (b) conversion kits.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

While there are no plans to introduce a scrappage scheme, the Government is bringing forward the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. This will enable the UK product safety framework to keep up with innovative products and technological progress, giving Ministers the power to update relevant product safety laws accordingly to tackle products that pose greater risks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include measures to tackle the use of (a) illegal and (b) unregulated e-bikes in its Road Safety Strategy.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Only e-bikes that are fully compliant with the requirements of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads, and we recognise the risk to road safety of those e-bikes that are not compliant with regulations.

The Government treats road safety very seriously, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more detail in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support initiatives aimed at increasing cycling participation among women and girls.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department and Active Travel England (ATE) work with local authorities and other delivery partners to support active travel outreach programmes for underrepresented groups, including women and girls. This includes funding for Bikeability cycle training for children and outreach programmes to engage underrepresented groups through Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival programme and local authorities.

In addition, ATE is working with local authorities across England to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure including as part of wider transport schemes. This includes providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes.

Responsibility for many aspects of transport in Scotland, including active travel, is devolved. My honourable friend the member for Edinburgh South West may wish to speak to the Scottish Government regarding steps taken to increase cycling participation among women and girls in Scotland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Active Travel England has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Active Travel England (ATE) staff are provided equipment from the Department for Transport to enable them to work across multiple locations, including from home where appropriate. This includes meeting legal obligations to provide reasonable workplace adjustments for staff who require them.

ATE does not record expenditure in a way that separately identifies costs specifically related to home working. Additionally, ATE’s hybrid working policy is non-contractual and does not entitle staff to additional equipment or to be reimbursed for items to facilitate home working.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle pavement parking in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government fully understands the problems that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause for pedestrians. This is particularly the case in certain sensitive locations, such as near schools, and for certain people such as those with mobility or sight impairments, or those pushing prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include the A30 junction at Plusha in the Road Safety Strategy.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is aware of the safety issues at the junction between the A30 and B3257 at Plusha. National Highways is investigating a number of possible modest safety improvements for this stretch of the A30 as part of its A30 Kennards House to Five Lanes Safety Study, for possible delivery in a future Road Investment Strategy.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the length of driving test waiting times in (a) Surrey and the (b) South-east.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is seeing some of the highest demand for driving tests it has ever seen. Demand remains high, owing in part to a major shift in customer booking behaviour.

DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times at all test centres, including in Surrey and the South-east.

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

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

On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July.  In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish recommendations from its open consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is seeing some of the highest demand for driving tests it has ever seen. Demand remains high, owing in part to a major shift in customer booking behaviour.

DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times at all test centres, including in Surrey and the South-east.

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

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

On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July.  In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing stricter regulation of pavement parking (a) near schools, (b) in locations affecting vulnerable people and (c) in other public areas in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government fully understands the problems that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause for pedestrians. This is particularly the case in certain sensitive locations, such as near schools, and for certain people such as those with mobility or sight impairments, or those pushing prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase safety measures at beaches during (a) summer months and (b) other periods of increased activity.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The provision of lifeguards, beach patrols and safety information is part of the risk assessment undertaken by the local authority or beach owner. In conjunction with other services HM Coastguard provides safety advice and guidance about the coastal environment with the aim to reduce incident numbers, this guidance includes how to call for help in an emergency.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many public charging points for electric vehicles there are in each local authority area, and how many there will be in each of the next three years.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

As of 1 June 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 80,552 publicly available charging devices across the UK (including 16,231 devices rated 50kW or above).

The latest data available regarding the number of public charging devices, for electric vehicles in each local authority area, in the UK, as at 1 April 2025, can be found in table 1a of the attached document.

The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund has been allocated to all highest tier local authorities in England and will support the installation over 100,000 local chargers, ensuring the rollout continues at pace to support drivers across the country.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to promote collaboration between the (a) Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, (b) Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee in Northern Ireland and (c) Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee in Northern Ireland, Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland and the Welsh Government meet twice a year as the Accessibility 4 Nations Group, to engage and collaborate on accessibility matters. These meetings are co-ordinated and chaired on a rotational basis by the respective secretariats, including the DPTAC secretariat within the Department for Transport. The latest meeting took place in April 2025 with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland chairing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with public transport bodies on (a) partnering with AccessAble and (b) providing equivalent information to improve accessibility for disabled passengers.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Innovative approaches to providing accessible information has an important role to play in delivering transport networks which allows disabled people to be able to travel easily, confidently and with dignity. Improving accessibility is a collaborative effort, with operators, industry, and entrepreneurs all having key parts to play – alongside disabled passengers. Initiatives such as those developed by AccessAble provide an example of how this can be achieved. As detailed in the Department’s response to the Transport Committee inquiry into accessible travel, the Department for Transport is undertaking discovery work to capture bus and rail accessibility assets within the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) which is a national dataset of all public transport ‘stops’ in England, Scotland and Wales. This discovery work is the starting point for accessibility journey planning.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve data collection on e-bike (a) collisions and (b) journey purpose.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

E-bikes (both privately owned and as part of bike share schemes) are currently included within the pedal cycle category within the STATS19 system used by police forces to record data on personal injury collisions and overseen by the Standing Committee on Road Injury Collision statistics. The Committee have agreed to explore whether the guidance on reporting of vehicle types, including e-bikes, can be improved.

At a population level, we understand there to be a low rate of usage of e-bikes. As and when usage grows, there is the potential for further insight via the National Travel Survey.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on pavement parking enforcement in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with Surrey County Council on this matter. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing zebra crossings without zig-zag lines.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

An amendment to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) would be required to permit zebra crossings to be placed without zig-zag lines or yellow globes.

The Department has been working with Active Travel England who have been carrying out further research to inform good practice advice to support possible future legislative change. The Department cannot give any timescale at present for when TSRGD may be amended.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of restricting concessionary bus travel to journeys after 9:30am on disabled people's employment prospects; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing disabled concessionary passholders to travel at any time of the day when travelling (a) to, (b) from and (c) during work.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the travel time criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England do have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, for example, by extending the times travel passes can be used. These are additional local concessions provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

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. Somerset County Council has been allocated £6.8 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

The Government recently conducted a review of the ENCTS, which included considering travel times for disabled passholders and is currently considering next steps.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Sustran's report entitled Transforming mobility, published on 8 July 2025, what steps she is taking to support the roll-out of side road zebra crossings.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

An amendment to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) would be required to permit zebra crossings to be placed without zig-zag lines or yellow globes.

The Department has been working with Active Travel England who have been carrying out further research to inform good practice advice to support possible future legislative change. The Department cannot give any timescale at present for when TSRGD may be amended.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of the £2 cap on fairs on the number of people using buses in (a) Dorset and (b) England.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap, including analysis on bus usage, was published on 12 February, and the Department does not plan to publish any further reports on the £2 fare cap.

Trends in bus usage will continue to be monitored and reported through the Department’s national statistics which are published annually.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish an analysis of the trends in bus usage for the full duration of the £2 bus cap.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap, including analysis on bus usage, was published on 12 February, and the Department does not plan to publish any further reports on the £2 fare cap.

Trends in bus usage will continue to be monitored and reported through the Department’s national statistics which are published annually.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending free bus pass eligibility to people aged over 60 in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

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. Surrey County Council has been allocated £12.1 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help support the long-term viability of community rail organisations in the context of (a) her Department's rail reforms and (b) the inception of Great British Rail.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), the Community Rail movement will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to work closely with the Community Rail Network to identify opportunities to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to return the frequency of South Western Railway trains in Surrey back to pre-Covid levels following renationalisation.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Passenger demand has not yet grown back to pre-Covid levels. However, the Department and South Western Railway (SWR) are in regular discussion regarding service provision, which aim to balance the needs of both passenger and taxpayer. Following the introduction of the Class 701 Arterio fleet which will significantly increase capacity, there will be an opportunity to look at the South Western timetable.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department can provide information on the levels of (a) rail and (b) road infrastructure investment allocated to Surrey Heath constituency as a result of the 2025 Spending Review.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are yet to announce the detail of all transport infrastructure investment following the Spending Review. This will be announced in due course. However, we have informed Surrey County Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which is £38.19 million for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to increase funding for (a) road maintenance and (b) pothole repairs in Twickenham.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has already provided an additional £500 million increase for local highway maintenance this financial year. As a result of this increase, Richmond upon Thames will receive up to £664,000 in additional funding.

Building on this, at the spending review the Chancellor announced that the Government will be providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral statement by her of 8 July 2025 on Road and Rail Projects, Official Report, column 815, if she will publish the (a) full detailed Green Book analysis, (b) costs and (c) benefits cost ratios for (i) each of the 50 schemes announced in that speech and (ii) the A12 widening scheme.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Business case documents, costs and benefit cost ratios for major schemes, including for the Strategic Road Network and for relevant schemes in the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline are published on gov.uk.

For the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme, information is already available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

For the wider set of 50 schemes referenced in the Secretary of State’s statement on 8 July 2025, detailed Green Book analyses, costs, and benefit cost ratios for each scheme have not been published as a single package.

The scheme-level business cases and economic assessments for projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio are published as they are finalised and reach the appropriate stage in the investment process. Summary information on costs and benefit cost ratios for major transport schemes may also be found in the Department for Transport’s Major Projects Portfolio, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

In the case of Major Road Network schemes, the business cases belong to the relevant local authorities. Whilst we encourage them to publish these, it is their decision whether to publish their business cases on their respective websites.

As each scheme progresses, further documentation is released and made available on gov.uk as appropriate. The Government is committed to transparency and will continue to make business case documents available in line with Green Book and Treasury guidance as schemes move forward.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cancellation of the A12 widening scheme on housing growth.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As announced on 8 July 2025, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded, therefore the Secretary of State for Transport had to take the difficult decision not to progress the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) Widening Scheme. The decision was based on evidence assessed against a wide range of criteria including housing growth impacts and in line with the HMT Treasury Green Book and the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance. The Department will continue to work with National Highways and relevant partners to explore whether there are any small-scale interventions to potentially address issues on the A12 to support housing growth.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support community rail in the north of England.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department continues to support the community rail sector across the north of England, including through funding for station adoption groups and Community Rail Partnerships. This support is delivered via train operating companies and through the Community Rail Network (CRN), who provide access to grants and resources to its members. As we move towards establishing Great British Railways, the role of Community Rail will be more important than ever. Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities in the north of England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to speed up the rollout of South Western Railway Arterio trains in Surrey following renationalisation.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The new Managing Director, Lawrence Bowman, has been tasked with drawing up a plan to introduce the new Class 701 Arterio fleet. South Western Railway (SWR) has accelerated the Arterio rollout with five additional units introduced since the transfer to public ownership (12 units in total) compared to only one additional unit being introduced in the six months prior to transfer. The Department is working with SWR to ensure the remaining fleet are introduced as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the decision was made to reclassify the Oxford-Cambridge line from an England-only project to an England and Wales project.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As rail infrastructure projects have not been devolved to Wales the categorisation of these projects is in line with wider devolution policy managed by Treasury.

Every Government funded rail project in Wales or England are always categorised as England and Wales investment projects.

The categorising of East West Rail as an England and Wales project does not mean that Wales is disadvantaged in any way.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the bye-law powers in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] will allow local authorities and the Greater London Authority to issue fixed penalty notices through private sector firms.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Under measures contained in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, local transport authorities, including in London, will be able to appoint individuals as “authorised persons” to enforce bus byelaws, and issue fixed penalty notices, where relevant. It will be for local transport authorities to determine who they appoint, and that could include employees of private sector businesses.

My department will be publishing guidance to support local transport authorities to implement this Bill measure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help support the wider community utility of rail stations in the north of England.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department continues to support the community rail sector across the north of England, including through funding for station adoption groups and Community Rail Partnerships. This support is delivered via train operating companies and through the Community Rail Network (CRN), who provide access to grants and resources to its members. As we move towards establishing Great British Railways, the role of Community Rail will be more important than ever. Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities in the north of England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the (a) frequency and (b) capacity of passenger rail services on the (i) Heart of Wales Line and (ii) Cambrian Line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Services on these routes are provided by Transport for Wales (TfW). Capacity on the Cambrian Line will improve with the introduction of new trains in the next couple of years and TfW is preparing to introduce a fifth through service per day on the Heart of Wales line from December 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has taken steps to implement two services an hour on the Shrewsbury-Wrexham-Chester Line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Services on this route are provided by Transport for Wales in accordance with its Train Service Requirement which is agreed with the Department in respective of services at stations in England. There are no active proposals to increase services on this route.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle train fare dodging.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train Operating Companies are responsible for reducing fare evasion and are measured on this as part of their contractual obligations. We work closely with each operator to ensure they have robust plans in place.

Through the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), we’re bringing operators together to establish oversight and better standardise practices, putting an end to inconsistent prosecutions and making sure passengers are treated fairly.

We’re working at pace to simplify ticketing and developing plans for GBR to sell tickets online, to alleviate confusion and make it easier for people to buy the right fare.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 04 July 2025 to Question 64211, on High Speed 2 Line: Compulsory Purchase, if she will extend those compulsory purchase powers until February 2031.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government's priority is the safe delivery of HS2 Phase 1 between the West Midlands and London Euston at the lowest reasonable cost. Whilst we will not reverse the previous government’s decision to cancel Phase 2, we recognise concerns about rail capacity and connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester. We are reviewing our plans for future connectivity in the Midlands and the North, and we hope to say more in the coming months, including our plans for land and property between Birmingham and Crewe.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she considered including Marks Tey railway station in the rail access for all feasibility studies.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.

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 Marks Tey Railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders further during the summer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason her Department introduced mandatory renewal of driving licenses for drivers over 70 and every subsequent three years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The requirement for driving entitlement to be renewed at the age of 70 and then at most every three years thereafter has been in place since 1976. Prior to this all drivers had been required to renew their driving entitlement every three years. Renewal at the age of 70 recognises that a person’s health may deteriorate in ways that affect driving. The driving licence renewal process provides a timely reminder to individuals to consider their health in the context of driving.

All drivers, irrespective of their age, must still ensure they are medically fit to drive at all times and are legally required to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency about the onset or worsening of a medical condition that could affect safe driving.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the freight throughput was in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) passing through Felixstowe port in the most recent 12 months for which data are available; and how many and what proportion of those TEUs were transported out of the port by rail by destination distribution centre in the same period.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Container throughput passing through Felixstowe port in the calendar year 2023 was 3.246 million TEU.

Source: DfT Port Freight Statistics 2023. Data for the 2024 will be published 30th July 2025.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6698eaf1fc8e12ac3edaff36/port0203.ods

The Department for Transport does not periodically collect data on hinterland movement of freight from seaports and therefore cannot provide the proportion of TEU that was transported out of the port by rail by destination distribution centre in the same period.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how, if at all, they publicise the specific location and availability of charging points for electric vehicles.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to making it easy for consumers to find public chargepoints. To support this, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 came into effect in November 2023. These regulations require operators to share open data freely – including chargepoint location and availability information. This data is then made available to consumers via commercial platforms such as mapping services and roaming providers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of road networks in rural areas in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of development on road networks between settlements.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Local government is the main delivery agent of road safety. The responsibility to implement, fund, deliver, promote and enforce local road safety initiatives remains with the Local Authorities under the 1988 Road Traffic Act. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local area to “take steps both to reduce and prevent accidents”.

Local authorities are also responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government, including setting local speed limits where the national limit would not be appropriate. Local highway authorities are bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty and it is for them to ensure they manage their roads in a way that complies with that, including assessing potential impacts of development on road networks in their area.

Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the uptake of electric vehicles.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government is reducing the initial costs of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by providing plug-in vehicle grants for vans, trucks, motorcycles, taxis and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Drivers of ZEVs also benefit from favourable tax rates, such as generous company car tax incentives. ZEVs will continue to have preferential first year rates of vehicle excise duty in comparison to the most polluting vehicles.

Government is also committed to increasing awareness of the benefits of ZEVs. We have been working with industry to create a more coordinated, focused cross-industry and Government approach to promoting ZEVs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of licensing requirements on small and medium-sized enterprises in the aviation sector; and what steps they are taking to streamline regulatory processes for both labour mobility and innovative and low-emission technologies.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government’s New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, which launched in March, has introduced a host of initiatives to streamline regulatory processes across aviation and all other sectors. These include committing to cut the administrative costs of regulation to businesses, whether small, medium sized or large, by 25% by the end of the Parliament.

Government is funding the Civil Aviation Authority to deliver this for innovation and low emission aviation technologies through: the Future of Flight Programme that is developing the regulatory framework to enable innovative aviation technology, such as electric Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft (eVTOL) and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (e.g. drones); and the Hydrogen Regulatory Challenge to support its engagement with innovators on the development of the regulatory framework for this technology.

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority are also taking steps to streamline the regulatory processes for people working in the sector, including by bringing in a digitised process for commercial pilot licence applications to speed up and deliver admin savings for up to 6,500 pilots every year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Sight Loss Council's report entitled MakeTransportAccessible - creating the perfect world for blind and partially sighted people, published on 1 November 2023, what steps her Department is taking to tackle issues for visually impaired people on (a) public transport accessibility and (b) pavement parking.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government is committed to improving public transport services so they are more inclusive and enable blind and partially sighted people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. On 17 December, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The Bill includes measures which will make bus travel more accessible and inclusive, including requiring authorities to pay regard to new guidance on the safety and accessibility of stopping places.

The government recognises the concerns which have been raised about floating bus stops, particularly. This is why the Department has accepted amendments to the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill which require the Secretary of State to publish statutory guidance on their provision and design within three months of Royal Assent. In addition, the Department will write to all local authorities requesting that they pause the introduction of any floating bus stops which require passengers to board and alight directly into a cycle track.

On 1 October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026.

Ensuring the rail network is also accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We know that the experience for disabled people when traveling on rail too often falls short of what is expected and what passengers deserve. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and have committed to publishing an accessibility roadmap to explain the actions we are taking to improve accessibility ahead of Great British Rail.  We have recently completed a programme to install platform edge tactile paving at every station that did not already have it in place or was due to have it installed as part of other enhancement or renewal work.

Regarding pavement parking, the government understands that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause serious problems for all pedestrians and especially people with mobility or sight impairments. The Department intends to publish a formal response to the pavement parking consultation, including the government’s next steps to address pavement parking.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure (a) equal and (b) fair access to driving test appointments for candidates who are unable to travel outside their local areas.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.

On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).

From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.

DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.

The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the cost of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) since January 2025 on the aviation sector’s (a) competitiveness and (b) progress towards increasing SAF production in the UK.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

When setting SAF policy, we have to carefully balance a range of factors including potential cost impacts on airlines and passengers and the need to drive decarbonisation across the transport sector.

We continue to monitor trends in the SAF market and will review our assumptions where necessary when developing policies such as the revenue certainty mechanism which aims to support SAF production in the UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish a list of locations with enforceable School Keep Clear road markings in each local authority area.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has no plans to publish such a list. Local authorities are responsible for these markings and maintaining their own records.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the DVSA’s recruitment campaign for new examiners; and how many new examiners have been recruited in the last 12 months.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.

On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).

From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.

DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.

The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional driving test appointments have been made available through extended testing hours since December 2024.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.

On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).

From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.

DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.

The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on reducing the level of bike thefts.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Secretary of State for Transport has not had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on reducing the level of bike thefts but I am aware that cycle theft is a major problem, particularly where expensive cycles are concerned, and that the fear of having a bike stolen can act as a serious deterrent to those who might otherwise want to take up cycling.

Active Travel England is providing funding for local authorities to introduce secure cycle parking. Ultimately, enforcement of cycle theft is an operational matter for the police.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress he has made with (a) Network Rail and (b) Govia Thameslink on the provision of lifts at Leagrave Station.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Persons with Reduced Mobility National Technical Specification Notice, published in December 2017, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Appendix B.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for the publication of the Motor Insurance Taskforce's final report; and whether it will include regional breakdowns of findings and recommendations.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which (a) consumer representatives and (b) regional insurers in Northern Ireland have been consulted by the Motor Insurance Taskforce.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Motor Insurance Taskforce has considered the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve rail (a) reliability and (b) performance to ensure people are able to access (i) work and (ii) educational opportunities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled New dawn for rail as South Western services return to public hands, published on 25 May 2025, what her plans are for operators who fail to meet the standard required to become part of Great British Railways.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bridleways on supporting active travel nationally.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that the recommendations of the Motor Insurance Taskforce are implemented equitably in all regions; and how she plans to monitor this.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Motor Insurance Taskforce (a) has analysed and (b) will publish regional insurance pricing data.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) serious and (b) fatal incidents have occurred at level crossings in each of the last five years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what process her Department took to appoint Chiltern Railways as the operator of East-West Rail from Oxford-Milton Keynes.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, whether (a) the Minister for Rail and (b) officials in her Department had met with the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership before 14 April 2025 to discuss their public interest case for rail investment.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's policy position is on 15 minute cities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with Oxfordshire County Council on its planned introduction of traffic filters by Oxford in 2026.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department has allocated to reducing the number of rail replacement services required on Thameslink services in the 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54870 on Parking: Fines, if she will publish the research provided by the (a) Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London, (b) British Parking Association and (c) Local Government Association.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding she has provided for rail electrification in the (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27 and (c) 2027-28 financial years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

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

Found: The Department for Transport published its national bus strategy for England, Bus Back Better, in 2021

Found:  Treasury and DfT must work with franchising authorities to ensure best use of capital funding –

Found: Data on bus service levels is available at the same local authority level in DfT Table Bus02d). 6.

Found: The Department for Transport has issued guidelines for ‘Permit’ operation bus services for transport

Found: particularly in rural regions, have declined significantly over the same time period4. 2 Department for Transport

Found: Combined with £12.3m of DfT ZEBRA funding, the investment will see over 60 new buses enter service over

Found: Despite the introduction of the Department for Transport (2021) and the requirement for Local Transport

Found: DfT. Journey time statistics, England: 2019. Department for Transport (2021). 21.

Found: Under such a guarantee, local authorities would work with the Department for Transport to define these

Found: member of the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) which advises the UK Department for Transport

Found: Using timetable data from the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) provided by the UK Department for Transport

Found: My department has engaged with Ofgem, NESO, HMT, DBT, DFT, DFE, DEFRA, MHCLG and No.10 to develop the

Found: Department for Transport, Department for Transport, and Department for Transport Oral Evidence

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of approving the use of beyond-line-of-sight drones by police forces.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Drone technology is developing at a rapid pace and decisions on operational equipment are made independently by police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs.

The Home Office and operational partners are working closely across government, including with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport, to support police use of drones and explore the benefits that future drones’ capabilities may provide to police operations. This includes standardising police operations, trialling innovative use of drones to improve police productivity, and supporting the progression of a future operating model for police aviation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on providing English Local Authorities the powers to enforce a pavement parking ban.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Department for Transport on this matter. The Department for Transport held a public consultation in 2020 and has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.

Found: • These Explanatory Notes have been provided by the Department for Transport, with the consent of

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: (2/2) 11 Average minimum travel time to the nearest key service (minutes) (2019) Source: Department for Transport

Found: 2024915.9403.511446.559.21539.1Infrastructure assets include the following: 2023-242022-23£bn£bnRail network as reported by the Department for Transport

Found: government - entity accountsCentral Government Property, Plant and Equipment 2024 (£ billion)Transport: DfT

Found: (DfT) of £2.9 billion (2022 -23: £2.2 billion).

Found: in all years shown, however the actual expenditure of Network Rail only appears in the Department for Transport

Found: spending in all years shown, however the actual expenditure of Network Rail only appears in the Department for Transport

Found: spending in all years shown, however the actual expenditure of Network Rail only appears in the Department for Transport

Found: HS2 Ltd has been established by the Department for Transport (DfT) to develop, build and bring into

Found: The group includes representatives from the Department for Transport (DfT), the police, the vehicle

Found: The GCA also had transactions with the Department for Transport, Housing Ombudsman Service, Ministry

Found: regarding this publication should be sent to us at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

Found: Get emails about this page Print this page Related content Collection DfT

Found: Sponsorship As an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT) we report to the Secretary

Found: It was the first time that all parties – the Department for Transport, National Highways, HM Treasury

Found: It was the first time that all parties – the Department for Transport, National Highways, HM Treasury

Found: In the autumn, the former DOHL (DfT OLR Holdings Ltd) became DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).

Found: CP 1359 DfT Operator Limited (Formerly DfT OLR Holdings Limited) Annual Report and

Found: DfT Operator Limited (formerly DfT OLR Holdings Limited) Annual Report and Financial Statements For

Found: Corporate report DFTO: annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025 DfT Operator

Found: DfT OLR Holdings Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements – CEO’s Overview For the year ended

Found: • The HS2 programme is sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Found: • The HS2 programme is sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Found: (DfT).

Found: From: Department for Transport and High Speed Two (HS2) Limited Published 17 July 2025 Get

Found: Homes England sets out traffic modelling projections and statistics showing actual 2019 Department for Transport

Found: Department for Envir onment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Health and Social Care; Department for Transport

Found: The comparative relates to the value of a non-current asset received from Department for Transport by

Found: Located in offices in Southampton, the MAIB is a separate, independent branch within the Department for Transport

Found: Crown copyright 2022 ISSN 0309-4278 Published by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Department for Transport

Found: Crown copyright 2022 ISSN 0309-4278 Published by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Department for Transport

Found: length bodies) are below: ● Department for Work and Pensions ● Ministry of Defence ● Department for Transport

Found: The GCA also had transactions with the Department for Transport, Housing Ombudsman Service, Ministry

Found: be brought into public ownership under new legislation, and the sixth operator run by the Department for Transport

Found: opportunity to get it right, which is why the reset will take time and involve close working between HS2 Ltd, DfT

Found: It is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Transport.

Found: 1 OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Dept: Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Department for Transport) Name

Found: you to be identified, under data protection law, the MCA, as an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: Birmingham City Council © HS2 Ltd. gov.uk/hs2 High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: Borough Council © HS2 Ltd. gov.uk/hs2 High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: Buckinghamshire Council © HS2 Ltd. gov.uk/hs2 High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: District Council © HS2 Ltd. gov.uk/hs2 High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport

Found: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the

Found: The Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency,

Found: governed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport

Found: - Planning Advice Note (2006) PAN 78 Scottish Executive 4 Inclusive Mobility (2002) - Department for Transport

Found: The Department for Transport confirmed in late 2024 that due to the change in Westminster Government

Found: Whilst recovery of passenger numbers from the pandemic has been slower in Wales, the recently published DfT

Found: The UK Bill is sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT). 9.

Question

Which democratic body oversees the work of the M48 Severn Bridge stakeholder steering group?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

The M48 Severn Bridge is the responsibility of National Highways therefore the Department for Transport in the UK Government has responsibility for overseeing their work.