Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending (a) free and (b) discounted bus travel to people under the age of 22; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that young people in rural areas are not excluded from (i) education, (ii) employment and (c) family and community life due to the (A) rising cost of bus fares and (B) reduction of local services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling people to get to education, work and access vital services.
On 1 January, we introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London to help passengers continue to access cheaper bus services and better opportunities. At the Spending Review we announced the cap would be extended until March 2027.
The majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.
The government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of our ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.
In addition, we have confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which West Sussex Council was allocated £9.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent, protect crucial bus routes and introducing new fares initiatives, including for young people, to reduce the cost of bus travel further.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve standards of road safety among delivery (a) riders and (b) drivers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to work in this industry.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Everyone who rides or drives, including delivery couriers, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code. I have no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to ride while working.
The Department worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to update the joint DfT/HSE guidance on work related road safety. The revised guidance, published in September 2021 and called Driving and riding safely for work, clearly sets out what commercial organisations and their employees must do to manage work related road safety and what their obligations are under law.
Improving road safety is one of my highest priorities. Dangerous or unsafe behaviour by anyone on our roads is unacceptable. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. My department is developing the Government’s Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will (a) limit and (b) regulate the (i) number and (I) frequency of (A) pleasure and (B) display flights by small aircraft above residential areas.
Answered by Mike Kane
Currently there are no plans to formally limit the number of small aircraft over residential areas. However, all airspace users must follow The Rules of the Air Regulations 2007 which set out minimum heights for flight above built-up areas.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will (a) limit and (b) regulate the (i) number and (ii) frequency of (A) pleasure and (B) display flights by small aircraft above National Landscapes that are home to protected wildlife.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Air Navigation Guidance 2017 states that National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty are designated areas with specific statutory purposes to ensure their continued protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. Given the finite amount of airspace available, it will not always be possible to avoid overflying these areas, and there are no legislative requirements to do so.
When airspace changes are being considered, the guidance states that local circumstances, including community views on specific areas that should be avoided, should be taken into account where possible. This applies to controlled airspace, although most pleasure flights by small aircraft use uncontrolled airspace, which does not contain restrictions for flying over National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty. However, all airspace users must follow the Rules of the Air 2007.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the capital funding settlement for road investment strategies on infrastructure investment along the A27.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 11 June 2025, this Government will deliver notable improvements to people’s everyday travel by providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve roads across the country. We will provide updates on what this means for specific schemes and routes in due course.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Chichester constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.
Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.
To increase the number of tests available in Chichester, DVSA is deploying additional driving examiner (DE) resource from neighbouring driving test centres.
From recent recruitment campaigns for the area, DVSA has a potential new DE starting training later this month. DVSA has also offered another candidate a training course starting later in the year.
DVSA will continue to recruit in the area and has begun its next recruitment campaign. Once the campaign has closed, DVSA will make offers to successful applicants.
DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce driving test waiting times in rural areas.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.
Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.
To increase the number of tests available in Chichester, DVSA is deploying additional driving examiner (DE) resource from neighbouring driving test centres.
From recent recruitment campaigns for the area, DVSA has a potential new DE starting training later this month. DVSA has also offered another candidate a training course starting later in the year.
DVSA will continue to recruit in the area and has begun its next recruitment campaign. Once the campaign has closed, DVSA will make offers to successful applicants.
DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase the proportion of her Department's spending on active travel infrastructure.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Future funding for active travel, including capital funding for infrastructure, will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps National Highways are taking to improve road safety at roundabouts on the A27 in Chichester.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The safety of road users is National Highways’ top priority, and the company regularly reviews the safety performance of the strategic road network. Options identified by National Highways as part of the development of proposals within the RIS pipeline would seek to improve the safety performance of the A27, particularly at the junctions to the south of Chichester.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps National Highways are taking to reduce congestion on the A27 through Chichester.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National Highways has developed a number of options to improve the performance of the A27 through Chichester as part of the pipeline of projects being considered for possible delivery in a future Road Investment Strategy, beyond 2031.