Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the Government doing to ensure residents without off-street parking can access domestic-rate electric vehicle charging.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV).
The £25 million EV Pavement Channel Grant supports local authorities to roll out cross-pavement solutions which enable residents without off-street parking to benefit from cheaper and more convenient domestic EV charging. Residents can also access the Electric Vehicle Charge point Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. As announced on 25 February 2026, from 1 April this year, eligible applicants can receive up to £500 off the cost of installing a domestic charge point when paired with a cross-pavement solution.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding is available to support local authorities in providing EV charging for residents without off-street parking.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities to deliver over 100,000 further public charge points for residents without off-street parking. In addition, the £25 million EV Pavement Channel Grant supports local authorities to rollout cross-pavement solutions. This will ensure more residents can benefit from cheaper and more convenient domestic EV charging. This funding is to build on more than 118,000 publicly available chargers in England and Wales as of 1 March.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, will the Government provide guidance to local authorities on permitting cross-pavement EV charging for residents.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is working with local authorities to encourage cross-pavement solutions to support EV charging for those without off-street parking. In December 2024, the Government published cross-pavement solutions guidance to help local authorities understand what they need to consider for the roll-out of cross-pavement solutions. This includes relevant planning permissions, minimum existing standards, responsibilities and case studies from trials.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve accessibility at train stations in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the significant social and economic benefits that enhanced accessibility brings to communities.
We are investing nearly £280 million to improve accessibility at stations through the Access for All programme. Funding for future rounds will be determined at a future spending review.
On 5 November 2025, we published our roadmap to an accessible railway, this sets out what we are doing now to improve the travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to GBR being established.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Government plans to ensure cross-pavement EV charging solutions remain sustainable and avoid unnecessary costs in the event that properties change ownership.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The commercial arrangements between each local authority and cross‑pavement solution provider will determine who is responsible for maintenance, including when property ownership changes. It is the responsibility of local authorities to develop their own policies on maintenance and change of ownership. Published in December 2024, the Government’s cross‑pavement solutions guidance helps local authorities develop policies that account for both maintenance requirements and situations involving changes in property ownership.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made to help reduce waiting times for driving tests in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce waiting times for car practical tests whilst upholding road safety standards. DVSA wants all learners to be able to access a driving test when they are ready to pass, to enable people to get to places of study or work and break down barriers to opportunity.
The table below shows the February 2026 average waiting time and number of tests booked and available at the driving test centres (DTCs) serving Hampshire and Surrey as of 23 March 2026. (DTCs in bold are the main DTCs serving Surrey Heath.
Driving test centre (DTC) | Average car practical driving test waiting time in weeks (February 2026) | Booked tests (as of 23 March 2026) | Tests available in 24 week booking window (as of 23 March 2026) |
Basingstoke | 24 | 1,037 | 38 |
Chertsey | 24 | 2,819 | 145 |
Farnborough | 24 | 3,945 | 129 |
Guildford | 24 | 810 | 38 |
Lee on Solent | 24 | 2,319 | 101 |
Mitcham | 24 | 5,854 | 198 |
Newport (Isle of Wight) | 24 | 1,401 | 59 |
Portsmouth | 24 | 6,214 | 262 |
Redhill | 24 | 1,797 | 81 |
Southampton | 24 | 4,802 | 223 |
Tolworth | 24 | 2,986 | 80 |
West Wickam | 24 | 3,274 | 141 |
Winchester | 16.5 | 1,585 | 67 |
Great Britain (National) | 21.6 weeks | 644,851 | 46,926 |
Between June 2025 – February 2026, at the DTCs above, DVSA conducted 2,996 additional car practical driving tests in overtime, when compared to the equivalent overtime scheme between June 2024 – February 2025. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme the agency introduced in June 2025.
Asked by: Baroness D'Souza (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the 20 mile per hour speed limit in central London is primarily to (1) reduce accidents, or (2) raise revenue; and if the former, what data they hold for any reduction in mortality since the introduction of that speed limit.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Responsibility for decisions on most of the London road network rests with the London boroughs, while Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the Red Routes. The introduction of 20mph speed limits on all these roads is a matter for local determination, either by Boroughs or TfL, and the Department does not intervene in those decisions.
The Department’s comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits was published on 22 November 2018. It substantially strengthened the evidence base on perceptions, speeds and early outcomes associated with 20mph speed limits. The evaluation can be viewed online.
A London study published on the TFL website shows 35% fewer collisions, 34% fewer fatal/serious injuries, and 46% fewer child casualties on 20‑mph roads.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of delivery robots to pedestrian and road safety; and what consideration they have given to making provision for local council control over deployment of those robots.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As with any new technology, there are potential risks with pavement delivery devices and safety remains our priority.
There is currently no specific legislation for delivery robots, but the Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows by creating a ‘Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle’ category, which could be used to regulate pavement robots in future.
If they were to be regulated, we recognise the need for local leaders to have control over pavement robot deployment. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill introduced in July 2025 includes powers to require licensing of micromobility schemes, and this specifically covers pavement robots in its definition of “non-passenger vehicles”.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to increase awareness of (a) Rule 178 of the Highway Code and (b) the Code more broadly.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.
That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes, including guidance aimed at improving safety for cyclists and encouraging compliance with “MUST” rules within the Code.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what average grant value per vehicle has been assumed in modelling the Zero Emission Truck and Van funding package.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Based on historic splits between higher and lower value awards, we estimate that the average grant value for vans in the 2026/27 financial year will be approximately £3,500. For trucks, the estimated average grant value is approximately £50,000 in 2026/27.
These estimates are indicative and remain subject to uncertainty. Actual average grant values will depend on market uptake and the proportion of vehicles eligible for each grant level. All grants remain under review and may be amended at any time to ensure value to the taxpayer.