Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to the Answer to Question UIN 79041 on 20 October 2025, if he will provide an update on the Department’s investigation into the decline in road adoption rates across England; and when he expects the findings of that investigation to be published.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is currently investigating the decline in road adoption rates through an ongoing research project. This project seeks to develop a clearer understanding of the road adoption landscape in England and identify ways to improve the process to reverse the declining trend. We will aim to publish the findings of the project as soon as possible this year.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a regional transport strategy to improve connectivity between towns.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport doesn’t stop at local authority boundaries. It is therefore important that transport is also considered at a regional level to provide context for transport schemes and help improve connectivity between areas.
In England, regional transport strategies have been developed by the seven Sub-national Transport Bodies (STBs) which represent the entirety of England except London, which is covered by separate arrangements. The strategies produced by STBs reflect the collective priorities of their constituent authorities who are represented by local leaders and Mayors.
The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each publish their own National Transport Strategies.
Partnership working is also further facilitated by the Council of the Nations and Regions and Mayoral Council. These forums provide unparalleled opportunities for Mayors, working hand in glove with other local leaders, to engage government at the highest levels on a systematic basis.
This government is committed to resetting the relationship with local and regional government, empowering local leaders and Mayors to make the right decisions for their communities, and working together to grow an inclusive economy, reform public services and secure better outcomes.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) dates of and (b) attendees at meetings held by Keith Williams as part of the Government Rail Review.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Yes; a list of Keith Williams’ meetings with key stakeholders will be published in due course.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many railway stations are unstaffed.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Train operating companies are responsible for station operations and are therefore best placed to determine the appropriate level of staffing for each station.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the total cost to the public purse of the Williams Rail Review.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Williams Rail Review is funded from the Department for Transport’s existing budget. Neither Keith Williams nor the members of the Expert Challenge Panel are being paid.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of railway stations staffed on a (a) full-time and (b) part-time basis.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Train operating companies are responsible for station operations and are therefore best placed to determine the appropriate level of staffing for each station.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish workforce data showing the (a) headcount and (b) the full-time equivalence of staffing levels of each train operating company.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Office of Rail and Road publish information on the total number of employees for each train operating company in Great Britain. The Department does not publish any official statistics on Train operating companies’ workforce.
Total number of employees, 2018-19
Train Operating Company | Number of Employees |
c2c | 690 |
Caledonian Sleeper | 174 |
Chiltern | 852 |
CrossCountry | 1,915 |
East Midlands Trains | 2,460 |
Govia Thameslink Railway | 7,276 |
Grand Central | 193 |
Great Western Railway | 6,343 |
Greater Anglia | 3,103 |
Hull Trains | 122 |
London North Eastern Railway | 3,012 |
London Overground | 1,451 |
Merseyrail | 1,206 |
Northern | 6,183 |
ScotRail | 5,168 |
Southeastern | 4,410 |
South Western Railway | 5,177 |
TfL Rail | 1,401 |
TfW Rail | 2,293 |
Transpennine Express | 1,258 |
Virgin Trains West Coast | 3,724 |
West Midlands Trains | 2,834 |
Additional years are available at the following link:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/compendia/toc-key-statistics/
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Government Rail Review, how much his Department (a) has paid Keith Williams and (b) plans to pay Keith Williams in total.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Keith Williams is not paid for his work on the Rail Review.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of hours is that part-time staffed railway stations are staffed.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Train operating companies are responsible for station operations and are therefore best placed to determine the appropriate level of staffing for each station.