Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for learner drivers seeking to book and take the car theory test.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has a key performance indicator (KPI) to provide theory test candidates with a test appointment within 28 days of their preferred date which is measured as a regional average. Despite unprecedented levels of demand for theory tests this KPI is consistently met.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 90 in 180 day Schengen rule on (a) employment levels among UK-based HGV drivers working in international transport and (b) the competitiveness of UK logistics companies operating cross-border services to the EU.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Schengen 90/180-day immigration rule has applied since 2021 to all UK nationals (including drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and coaches) undertaking short stays for leisure and work in the Schengen area. The Schengen 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory. As such, it is not UK Government policy.
The Department for Transport is undertaking a research study to improve understanding of the effects of a) the Schengen 90/180-day limit to date, and b) preparedness for the implementation of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with his EU counterparts on establishing sector-specific mobility arrangements for UK professional drivers engaged in international (a) freight and (b) passenger transport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There have been no recent discussions with the EU regarding sector-specific mobility arrangements for UK road freight and coach drivers. The Government will continue to listen to concerns raised by sectors affected by existing rules and will advocate for British citizens abroad.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure local authorities have sufficient resources to repair and maintain residential roads; and what steps she plans to take to improve the long-term funding settlement available for tackling potholes and surface deterioration.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network. This Government has made a record investment of almost £1.6 billion for local road maintenance this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to 2024/25.
Building on this, we will provide £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve our motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, how much additional funding her Department plans to spend on transport projects for Maidenhead; and what those projects are.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are yet to announce the local authority allocations for the majority of the transport funding announced in the Spending Review. This will be announced in due course. We have informed Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which is £7.336 million for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of guidance from the Highway Authority and Utilities Committee that utilities beneath tram tracks must be diverted under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 on the cost of light rail schemes; and whether her Department is taking steps to (a) review the cost-allocation model for utility diversions and (b) review the requirement to move utilities in this way.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My Department works closely with the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC(UK)) - which brings together highway authorities, utilities and government with the aim of working safely and smartly to reduce the impact of street and road works on members of the public throughout the UK. The Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee is currently reviewing the Diversionary Works Code of Practice with my officials. There are currently no plans to review the regulations for cost allocation.
The New Road and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) balances the statutory rights of highway authorities and undertakers to carry out works with the need to minimise the disruption caused by these works. Financial incentives play an important role in ensuring compliance with requirements. There is a risk that by removing safeguards when utilities work on tram routes, reinstatements may not be fit for purpose, resulting in damage and possible safety issues that the tram company operator or local highway authority would then need to resolve.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Transport for London on taxi and private hire driver licence renewals.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport for London is the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authority for London and is responsible for administering the licensing regime in London. The Department discusses a range of licensing matters with them.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the reliability of Elizabeth Line services (a) to and (a) from Maidenhead in the last 12 months.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road show that 4% of Elizabeth Line services scheduled to stop at Maidenhead station in the year ending 26 April 2025 were cancelled. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL has overall responsibility for the management of the Elizabeth Line which is operated by their contractor GTS Rail Operations Limited.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to stop driving tests being bulk booked and re-sold at a higher cost.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests, very often at significant profit.
It is not possible to block book car practical driving tests. A driving licence number can be assigned to only one car practical driving test at a time. A DVSA survey suggests only 10% of learner drivers use third parties to book their tests. Most either book appointments themselves or through their approved driving instructor.
DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection on its public facing booking system to stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing and DVSA continues to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system.