Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with transport industry representatives on (a) increasing the levels of participation and (b) the career advancement of women in the transport sector.
Answered by Mike Kane
We are working closely with industry experts to ensure that women are represented within all levels of the transport system.
This includes supporting the Generation Logistics campaign. Led by the industry, this initiative aims to raise awareness and enhance perceptions of careers in logistics, including promoting roles to women where they are currently under-represented.
Officials engage regularly with industry stakeholders, including employers and trade associations, to understand and address issues relating to the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in transport.
We also work closely with modal partners such as Women In Rail, Women in Bus and Coach and the Women In Maritime on programmes to support women in their careers.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to ensure more women take up leadership positions across the transport sector.
Answered by Mike Kane
We are working across the transport sector to ensure that women are represented within all levels of the transport system.
Specifically on leadership positions, we are supporters of the 'women in aviation and aerospace charter’, a commitment for organisations to support the progression of women into senior roles in the aviation and aerospace sectors by focusing on roles in the executive pipeline and the mid-tier level.
We also work closely with modal partners such as Women In Rail, Women in Bus and Coach and the Women In Maritime on programmes to support women in their careers.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) funding for and (b) resourcing of the British Transport Police.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). It is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. Set against a backdrop of wider public sector efficiencies and affordability by the rail industry it has agreed a budget increase for the financial year 2025/26 of 5.9%.
The cost of policing the rail network in Great Britain is primarily covered through the funding agreements that the British Transport Police Authority holds with Network Rail, the rail operators and Transport for London.
BTP are dedicated to building a modern, inclusive, and resilient force that reflects the communities it serves, and that keeps the railway safe and secure for passengers and rail staff. Their latest headcount figures show the Force is successful at maintaining staff and officer numbers at a consistent level.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to improve connectivity between Heywood and Middleton and other towns in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We work closely with the Mayor and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support their plans and strategies to improve connectivity within and across Greater Manchester including Middleton and Heywood. This has included strong endorsement and support for the successful introduction of the Bee Network, including providing £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans.
We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Heywood and is designed to significantly enhance local connectivity. Transport for Greater Manchester is targeting delivery of this scheme in the early 2030's, with an outline business case due with the Department in early 2026.
Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport connectivity in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. Through the Greater Manchester Pathfinder Devolution Deal we are providing Greater Manchester with a single integrated funding settlement, which includes CRSTS, to ensure that funding is prioritised locally to meet local connectivity requirements.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the (a) reliability of Northern Trains and (b) communications on the impacts of delays and cancellations on passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers have made very clear to Northern’s management and the Department for Transport Operator that its current performance is not acceptable, and that is why we issued it with a notice of breach of contract, requiring it to produce a detailed plan to improve its services, including moving to 90 per cent of all its trains arriving within 3 minutes of timetable and cancellations below 3 per cent.
One significant issue is a continuing dispute with conductors in the North West, which has been going for seven years and which the last Government did nothing to resolve. We are supporting Northern to step up its discussions with RMT about bringing Sundays into the working week and other reforms. We will be watching this closely to make sure this work continues at pace.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with officials within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on further housing development near Castleton Rail Station in Heywood and Middleton North constituency to support (a) local and (b) regional economic growth.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is continuing to work with MHCLG and other partners to deliver a well-designed, integrated, and affordable transport network that plays a vital role in unlocking homes, and delivering wider benefits, including reducing congestion and emissions, promoting less sedentary lifestyles, and ensuring communities can access jobs and services.
As recently announced by the Chancellor, as part of the governments reform of the planning system, untapped land near commuter transport hubs will be unlocked for housing - with plans to consult in the Spring on a new, streamlined set of national policies for decision making to guide planning decisions taken by local authorities and promote housebuilding in key areas.
We will continue to work closely with the Mayor and local leaders across Greater Manchester, including those in Middleton and Heywood, to ensure these reforms maximise transport investment benefits for housing and growth.
We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Castleton and Heywood. As the business case development progresses on this CRSTS scheme, DFT officials will continue to support GMCA officials, and will ensure potential benefits from planned housing are considered in this work.
Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points across (a) Heywood and Middleton North constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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). As of January 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 73,334 publicly available charging devices, up 37% on this time last year.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which includes Heywood and Middleton North constituency, has been allocated almost £17.6m capital and resource funding through the Local EV Infrastructure Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area.
In December we also announced new initiatives to support and speed up chargepoint infrastructure delivery across the country. This included measures to make it easier for industry to install chargepoints, new guidance for local authorities, and publishing the outcome of a review on improving the grid connection process for EV charging infrastructure.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve transport connectivity in (a) Heywood and (b) Middleton.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are committed to maximising transport investment benefits for housing and regeneration across Greater Manchester, including in Middleton and Heywood. Working with Mayors and local leaders, we are developing local plans for new housing and jobs through better transport connectivity.
We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. This supports tram, bus, and active travel improvements, such as tram-train infrastructure between Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood, and Bury.
We're also backing Greater Manchester’s Bee Network with £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans. Additionally, £15.8m will go towards highways maintenance in Greater Manchester in 2025/26.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase road safety for vulnerable road users.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are 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 details in due course.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 a reciprocal agreement between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to accept pensioners' bus passes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area so the administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England. There are no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement.