Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme will be impacted by changes to Personal Independence Payment policy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The statutory elements of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), including the eligibility criteria for disabled people, are set out in concessionary travel legislation. Any changes to Personal Independence Payment policy will not change the statutory eligibility criteria as defined in concessionary travel legislation. Responsibility for administering the ENCTS sits with local authorities, or 'travel concessionary authorities' (TCAs). The Department for Transport provides guidance to TCAs on assessing the eligibility of disabled people for concessionary bus travel which includes guidance on the process around the passporting of eligibility for concessionary travel from other state benefits, such as certain Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to operate on a 24-hour basis; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on disabled people.
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 £795 million annually in reimbursement to operators 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. The Government has conducted a review of the ENCTS, which included considering travel times for passholders and is currently considering next steps.
Currently, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the travel time criteria for the ENCTS.
The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across England to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. West Sussex County Council will be allocated £28.4 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £9.7 million they are already receiving this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, which could include extending discretionary concessions locally.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, particularly among eligible disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) is administered by local authorities or 'travel concession authorities' (TCAs). The Department for Transport provides guidance on administering the scheme, which makes clear that TCAs should ensure that people who are eligible to claim concessionary travel are able to do so, and that they should inform them of what they are entitled to, how they can obtain an ENCTS pass, how they can check their eligibility, what services they can use their pass on, and how they can obtain further information. The Department will continue to work with local authorities and monitor progress in this area.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve public awareness and understanding of changes to the Highway Code as part of the new Road Safety Strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
I would like to make clear that 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.
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: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps to encourage developers to build roads that meet standards for adoption by the highways authority.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government expects developers to design and construct roads in line with the design standards set by local highway authorities. These standards ensure that roads are suitable for adoption, enabling them to be maintained at public expense. The Department for Transport works closely with local authorities and developers to promote the use of Manual for Streets, which provides guidance on the design of residential streets and supports authorities in setting appropriate standards. The Department has reviewed data which indicates there is a declining trend in the number of roads being adopted and is undertaking research to better understand the underlying causes and identify potential measures to address this issue.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to make cycling (a) safer and (b) more accessible through funding for (i) protected cycle lanes, (ii) well-lit routes and (iii) other new infrastructure.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety very seriously and is 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 when possible.
In the Spending Review we announced that we are allocating £616 million for Active Travel England from 2026-27 to 2029-30 to support local authorities to build and maintain walking and cycling infrastructure, which can include segregated cycle lanes and lighting.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a National NHS Railcard for Healthcare Staff.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no current plans to introduce an NHS Railcard in advance of the transition to Great British Railways (GBR), but GBR will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the justification of the eligibility and restrictions of some railcards. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers and taxpayers.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help protect (a) woodland and (b) natural habitats in the context of the construction of the lower Thames crossing.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Minister for Local Transport’s considerations on the Lower Thames Crossing scheme are explained in the Decision Letter, published on the Planning Inspectorate website, and this sets out the proposed mitigations regarding habitats, including woodlands. The Honourable Member will understand that during the 6-week legal challenge period the Department is unable to comment in detail, but National Highways will be able to answer further questions about the scheme.