Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce speeding on rural roads in Newbury constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As part of the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, the department is exploring new sub-categories for rural roads to help target safety and speed management interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are focused where they will have the greatest impact.
Local authorities have a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to manage the safe movement of vehicular and other traffic, including pedestrians, and are best placed to assess matters such as speed management interventions.
Responsible authorities are asked to have regard to the Department for Transport’s Setting Local Speed Limits guidance, which ensures speed limits are set appropriately and consistently while allowing flexibility to respond to local circumstances.
As committed to in the Strategy, the Government will be updating this guidance to further support local authorities in making well‑informed decisions about managing speed on their roads. Final decisions on local speed limits remain with the relevant authority, working with the police who are responsible for enforcement.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to review diversion routes for M4 closures to ensure that country lanes are not used.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
For planned closures on the M4, National Highways will identify and review diversion routes in advance to ensure they are safe, suitable and appropriate for the surrounding road network, including for heavy goods vehicles.
National Highways will agree diversion routes with the relevant local highway authorities, ensure they are clearly signed in line with national standards and ensure they are monitored while in operation. Diversion routes are kept under review and may be amended where issues are identified.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of the proportion of automotive technicians qualified to work on electric vehicles.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to ensuring the UK has the right vehicle maintenance and repair skills to remain at the forefront of the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). According to the Institute of the Motor Industry there are 71,942 qualified EV technicians. This means 26% of all technicians in the country are qualified to work on EVs, which make up about 13% of all licensed vehicles in the UK.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to expand the use of Leicestershire and Rutland’s rural policing team's Hazard Express Van to improve public understanding of the impact of fast-moving vehicles on horses and riders.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome local road safety interventions which demonstrate innovation and contribute to improving road safety and as part of the Roads Policing Innovation Programme, we are working closely with National Police Chiefs' Council to consider opportunities for innovation around wider roads policing.
The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential safety and operational benefits of converting the Thatcham level crossing from manually controlled barrier with CCTV to manually controlled barrier with obstacle detection.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail is responsible for assessing and managing the safety risk at level crossings on the mainline railway in Great Britain, including at Thatcham. It routinely reviews the most appropriate safety measures, taking into account local risk, user behaviour and operational requirements.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will consider including an equine safety specialist on the new road safety board.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16). Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board chaired by the Minister for Local Transport. This will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel, which will provide insight from those working directly with road users and communities.
The Board and Expert Advisory Panel are currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on recognition of horse riders and owners who lose horses in road traffic collisions within the Victims’ Code.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice specifically about horse riders and owners in road traffic collisions within the Victim’s Code. The Ministry of Justice is the lead government department for the Victim’s Code and has committed to undertaking a review of it.
The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes viaTHINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to launch further public information campaigns to raise awareness of changes to the Highway Code introduced in 2022.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice specifically about horse riders and owners in road traffic collisions within the Victim’s Code. The Ministry of Justice is the lead government department for the Victim’s Code and has committed to undertaking a review of it.
The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes viaTHINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to amend the Highway Code to provide greater protection for vulnerable road users.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice specifically about horse riders and owners in road traffic collisions within the Victim’s Code. The Ministry of Justice is the lead government department for the Victim’s Code and has committed to undertaking a review of it.
The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.
Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.
Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes viaTHINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.
However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to update driving theory tests to include greater awareness of (a) horses as flight animals and (b) the risks associated with passing horses too (i) quickly and (ii) closely.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps the driving theory test under continuous review. Both the multiplechoice and hazard perception elements already assess safe driving around vulnerable road users, including horse riders and horsedrawn vehicles.
Following updates to The Highway Code in 2022, candidates are required to understand the strengthened guidance on passing horses, to slow to a maximum of 10 mph and leave at least 2 metres where possible, this is reflected in DVSA’s official learning resources and the test itself. The hazard perception test includes computergenerated clips featuring horses to promote early recognition of developing hazards. There is also guidance available in The DVSA Official Guide to Driving; the essential skills, regarding the risk of horses as flight animals.
DVSA will continue to refresh theory test materials in line with the Highway Code and emerging evidence on keeping all road users safe.