Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to request funds for (a) cycling and (b) walking as part of the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Future government funding for cycling and walking is being considered alongside all other transport priorities as part of the Spending Review. On 28 March, I informed Parliament of my intention to publish a third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy following the conclusion of the Spending Review. This will allow us to say more on the long-term funding for active travel, as required by the 2015 Infrastructure Act.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential return on investment of increasing funding for (a) cycling and (b) walking.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Investment in active travel supports the Government’s economic growth, health and net zero missions, and generally has a very positive benefit-to-cost ratio. Walking and cycling are among the cheapest and most accessible forms of physical activity and some of the most cost-effective interventions to meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended physical activity levels. The Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6 on 12 February. This will deliver 300 miles of brand new pavements and cycle routes to enable 30 million more journeys by walking and cycling every year. It will lead to 43,000 less sick days a year to ease pressure on the NHS.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated to Dorset Council for road resurfacing projects in West Dorset for the fiscal years (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and how this compares to the last five years for which information is available.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The main criteria used to determine the allocation of highway maintenance funding to local highway authorities are road length and road classification, along with the number of bridges and street lighting columns that each local authority is responsible for maintaining. The Department uses a bespoke formula to allocate funding to eligible authorities, including Dorset Council; details of the formula can be found on gov.uk.
It is for Dorset Council to decide how much to spend in the West Dorset constituency and how much to spend elsewhere across its network.
Funding allocations for Dorset Council for the last six years are set out in the table below.
Funding for Dorset Council 2020/21 – 2025/26
Year £m | Highways Maintenance Block needs | Highways Maintenance Block incentive | Potholes Fund* | Budget 2023 top up | Network North (Roads Resurfacing Fund) | Total |
20/21 | 10.564 | 2.201 | 9.112 |
|
| 21.877 |
21/22 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
|
| 16.391 |
22/23 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
|
| 16.391 |
23/24 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 | 2.914 | 2.068 | 21.373 |
24/25 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
| 2.068 | 18.459 |
25/26 | 18.273 | 6.738** |
|
|
| 25.011 |
* For 2020/21, this included the £500 million Pothole Fund, allocated funding from the £100 million Challenge Fund, and the final £50 million of the previous Pothole Action Fund, totalling £650 million.
**25% of this funding is subject to authorities adhering to incentive measures as announced on March 24, 2025.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria are used to determine the allocation of funding for road resurfacing to local councils; and how these criteria have been applied to Dorset Council.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The main criteria used to determine the allocation of highway maintenance funding to local highway authorities are road length and road classification, along with the number of bridges and street lighting columns that each local authority is responsible for maintaining. The Department uses a bespoke formula to allocate funding to eligible authorities, including Dorset Council; details of the formula can be found on gov.uk.
It is for Dorset Council to decide how much to spend in the West Dorset constituency and how much to spend elsewhere across its network.
Funding allocations for Dorset Council for the last six years are set out in the table below.
Funding for Dorset Council 2020/21 – 2025/26
Year £m | Highways Maintenance Block needs | Highways Maintenance Block incentive | Potholes Fund* | Budget 2023 top up | Network North (Roads Resurfacing Fund) | Total |
20/21 | 10.564 | 2.201 | 9.112 |
|
| 21.877 |
21/22 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
|
| 16.391 |
22/23 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
|
| 16.391 |
23/24 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 | 2.914 | 2.068 | 21.373 |
24/25 | 7.285 | 1.821 | 7.285 |
| 2.068 | 18.459 |
25/26 | 18.273 | 6.738** |
|
|
| 25.011 |
* For 2020/21, this included the £500 million Pothole Fund, allocated funding from the £100 million Challenge Fund, and the final £50 million of the previous Pothole Action Fund, totalling £650 million.
**25% of this funding is subject to authorities adhering to incentive measures as announced on March 24, 2025.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has set a timetable for future meetings of the Motor Insurance Taskforce.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.
The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Motor Insurance Taskforce is taking to help reduce the cost of motor insurance.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.
The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish an update on the work of the Motor Insurance Taskforce.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.
The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase the number of fast charging points for electric vehicles in West Dorset constituency over the next five years.
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. The Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, including 15,082 rapid charging devices. There are currently over 5,250 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargers within one mile of the strategic road network.
As of 1 January 2025, there were 107 public charging devices in West Dorset, including 30 rapid or ultra-rapid devices. Dorset Council, which includes West Dorset constituency, were allocated almost £3 million of capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. The £381 million LEVI Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, backed by private investment, will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across England.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support local authorities in west Dorset to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
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. The Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, including 15,082 rapid charging devices. There are currently over 5,250 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargers within one mile of the strategic road network.
As of 1 January 2025, there were 107 public charging devices in West Dorset, including 30 rapid or ultra-rapid devices. Dorset Council, which includes West Dorset constituency, were allocated almost £3 million of capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. The £381 million LEVI Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, backed by private investment, will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across England.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fast charging points for electric vehicles are operational in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Data on the number of public electric vehicle charging devices in the West Dorset constituency, provided by the electric vehicle charging platform Zapmap as of 1 January 2025, are given in the table below, categorised by standard speed groupings. Higher power devices can deliver charging at quicker speeds.
| 3kW up to 8kW | 8kW to 49kW | 50kW to 149kW | 150kW and above |
West Dorset constituency | 30 | 47 | 28 | 2 |
Data on charging devices not available to the public installed under government grants are not available at parliamentary constituency level and so are excluded from this table.