Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of funding provided by her Department for transport infrastructure on business productivity in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mike Kane
DfT's annual report and accounts which are published on gov.uk set out the Department's spending and an assessment of the Department's performance each year.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of electric vehicle charging points in the UK.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As of 1 February 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 74,234 publicly available charging devices (including 14,687 rapid charging devices) across the UK. More than 680,000 English households have access to a domestic charging device. Government workplace charging grants have supported the installation of over 1,400 chargepoint sockets in schools and 59,000 in other workplaces.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Minister of Infrastructure in the Northern Ireland Executive on improving the (a) frequency and (b) accessibility of (i) domestic and (ii) international flights from all Belfast airports.
Answered by Mike Kane
I have not had recent discussions about Belfast Airports specifically. However, the question of whether to operate an air service is a commercial matter for industry. To maximise airlines’ and airports’ commercial and operational flexibility when making such decisions, my officials negotiate international treaties - “Air Services Agreements” – that ensure a wide range of options for operations from/to all UK airports. Furthermore, aviation must be accessible so that everyone can travel with dignity and ease. The Department launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November 2024. It brings together industry and consumer representatives, including from the Consumer Council of Northern Ireland, to identify practical and achievable actions to improve aviation accessibility. The Group is engaging widely with industry across the UK.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of flight delays at Heathrow Airport on the economy in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Kane
Delays at airports can impact passengers, airlines, airports and the environment. They can cause inconvenience to passengers and productivity impacts for business travellers.
UK aviation operates in the private sector. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the sector to manage demand, ensuring appropriate contingency plans to minimise any potential disruption and put the consumer first.
The information requested regarding the potential impact of flight delays at Heathrow Airport on the economy is not held centrally, and there are no current plans to make an estimate.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to recruit more bus drivers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport is a devolved matter, and the Department for Transport is responsible for transport in England only. Bus services in England are predominantly run on a commercial basis by private operators. Ultimate responsibility for recruiting bus drivers falls to individual operators.
The government recognises the sector has had issues recruiting and retaining bus drivers in England, Scotland and Wales, but this is now more of a localised issue. The Department held a Driver Shortages Summit in 2022 with industry, and local and national government attendees to identify actions to help resolve this. In April 2024, the Department subsequently launched a consultation to help support driver recruitment on measures to amend licensing restrictions which would enable 18- to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach over 50km when driving a regular service and enable some of the tests required to be passed in order to gain a driver certificate of professional competence to be taken before a provisional licence is issued. The Department is reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of electric vehicle purchases in the last 12 months.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government closely monitors developments in the EV market. 2024 was a record year for the sale of new zero emission cars. In 2024 over 380,000 electric cars were sold, the highest number ever in the UK. These made up a fifth of the new car market – also the highest ever. In 2024, the UK overtook Germany to become the largest electric car market in Europe and the market as a whole grew by 2.6%, faster than France, Germany, and the EU.
The electric van market also continues to experience growth. New electric van volumes increased by 3.3% in 2024, compared to the previous year.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many claims have been successful for vehicles that have been damaged by potholes in the last year.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On England’s Strategic Road Network, compensation claims of this sort are a matter for National Highways, and their website provides further details of how claims are dealt with. Between 1 January and 31 December 2024, National Highways received 1552 claims for vehicle damage due to potholes, of which 717 (or 46%) have been successful.
On local roads, compensation claims of this sort are a matter for the relevant local highway authority and the Department does not collect data on it.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help ensure that airports are accessible.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Department for Transport launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November 2024. Led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, it brings together experts from industry and consumer representatives to develop practical and achievable industry-led actions to improve aviation accessibility throughout the consumer journey.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) - the sector’s independent regulator – is also responsible for ensuring industry is meeting its legal obligations in relation to aviation accessibility. It undertakes annual assessments of airports against the Airport Accessibility Performance Framework, which provides a ranking of UK airports.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the safety of LED headlights on cars (a) generally and (b) on country roads.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
All types of road vehicle headlamps are designed, tested, and approved to internationally recognised standards to help prevent undue glare and ensure safety on a broad range of roads and environments.
However, noting increased public concern about headlamp glare, Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes and develop potential countermeasures. This work is underway and due to deliver in summer 2025; it will include real-world assessment of glare on a broad range of road types and scenarios including country roads.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to help ensure rail stations are step free.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since April 2024, step free upgrades at 13 stations have been completed, with a further 18 due to be completed by April 2025. This will be the most stations completed in one year since the programme started in 2006. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.