Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government welcomes the Opportunity East One Year On report. To support the region, the Chancellor unveiled the OxCam Growth Corridor last year which has the potential to boost the economy by up to £78bn by 2035. This initiative is supported by East-West Rail, which will provide faster journeys between Oxford and Cambridge and unlock up to 100,000 new homes.
During the Spending Review period, the Department will provide Cambridgeshire & Peterborough with £31.8 million to promote buses and £24.9 million to promote active travel schemes. This funding will support local residents to access jobs, education and services.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time is for the DVLA to (a) review and (b) reinstate driving licences suspended on medical grounds following a head injury.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated can take longer as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including doctors, other healthcare professionals or the applicant themselves, before a licensing decision can be made.
In the current financial year to September, the average time taken to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 47 working days. Information is not held by specific medical conditions (for example, head injuries).
The DVLA understands the impact that not having a driving licence can have on a person’s everyday life. However, when the DVLA is made aware of a condition that could affect an individual’s ability to drive safely, they must ensure that the required medical standards for driving are met before a licence is issued.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) the VAT treatment of private hire vehicles and (b) the potential impact of changes in VAT rates for those vehicles on the viability of that sector.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Government remains committed to consult on the potential impacts of the Uber Britannia Ltd v Sefton MBC High Court ruling, and will publish a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support people not eligible for a Cycle to Work Scheme to take up cycling.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Active Travel England provides funding to local authorities and a range of national charities to increase levels of cycling. This includes £33 million provided in 2022/23 under the Capability Fund that can be used for local cycle loan and share schemes, e-cycle initiatives and cycling outreach programmes directed towards underrepresented groups. In addition, the Government has been trialling an £8 million national e-cycle programme to provide opportunities to try e-cycles through short term loans in a small number of locations.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage more women to cycle.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Active Travel England (ATE) provides £2 million per year to the Big Bike Revival project, which focuses cycling activities on underrepresented groups, such as women. In 2022/23, 59% of participants in Big Bike Revival were female.
ATE also provides funding to local authorities to enable women and other underrepresented groups to increase levels of cycling through the Capability Fund. Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. Bids must demonstrate that the safety and confidence of women had been factored into the design of active travel schemes.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide an exemption for hybrid vehicles from having a fully operational range extender in MOT tests.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Secretary of State currently has no plans to bring forward legislation to provide an exemption for hybrid vehicles from having a functioning range extender. To do so would compromise safety and emissions testing.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the National Cycle Network in providing opportunities for active travel in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department for Transport provided funding to Sustrans in 2018 to assess the quality, safety, and accessibility of the National Cycle Network (NCN), including in rural areas. The findings were published in Sustrans’ Paths for Everyone report and were used by Sustrans to prioritise the schemes it put forward for Departmental funding. Over £75 million has been provided by the Department to upgrade the NCN since 2018. A progress update was published by Sustrans in 2021.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding given by his Department to maintain the National Cycle Network.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department has provided over £75 million to Sustrans to upgrade the National Cycle Network (NCN) since 2018. Further funding for NCN upgrades in 2023/24 onwards will be announced later in the year.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps with Sustrans to improve Route 11 of the National Cycle Network in Cambridge.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department for Transport and Active Travel England have supported Sustrans in developing a network development plan, which seeks to improve the National Cycle Network (NCN) and make it more accessible by 2040. Sustrans is working with authorities, including Cambridge City Council, to identify local priorities for future investment. Route 11 is not currently part of the NCN upgrade programme in receipt of funding from the Department.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the financial impact of the ending of the DVLA contract with post offices of those businesses.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Post Office Ltd currently provides a limited range of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) services and an extension to the current contract has been agreed, ensuring that DVLA services will be available at post offices until the end of March 2024.
The DVLA wants its customers to be able to access its services as quickly and as easily as possible and the role of front office counter services will form part of the considerations of future service offerings, utilising government agreements if necessary.
The Department for Transport and DVLA are unable to comment on the financial position of post offices.