Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the West Coast Main Line at Stockport; and what steps she is taking to ensure that local rail services are not adversely impacted by the introduction of HS2-compatible trains on that line.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We recognise there are capacity constraints on the West Coast Mainline at Stockport. The Rail Minister has asked officials to work with Network Rail and the wider industry to explore options to address this and meet future demand.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
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 introduction of non-tilting HS2-compatible trains on West Coast Main Line capacity.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We anticipate the use of non-tilting trains to have no impact on the capacity of the West Coast Mainline. We are currently developing the timetable for when HS2 opens and decisions will made closer to the start of services and will be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to extend land powers for the HS2 route between Birmingham and Crewe beyond 10 February 2025; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those powers lapsing on future northern rail connectivity.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Northern Growth Strategy set out the Government’s intention to ultimately deliver a full North-South new line between Birmingham and Manchester. As part of this announcement, the Government confirmed that its existing land holdings between the West Midlands and Crewe will be retained.
We are aware that the existing land acquisition powers for the HS2 Phase 2a route expire in February 2026. We will set out our future intentions shortly.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the nationalisation of Northern Rail on punctuality, reliability, and frequency of service; and whether any improvements have been identified that can be used to improve wider nationalisation of the rail industry.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department has regular discussions with Northern Trains, as with all publicly owned operators, to ensure it remains focused on reducing train service cancellations and providing a reliable, predictable train service for customers. As part of this, we share success between operators so each one can assess how it could build on others’ good practice to improve its services.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of the (a) number of local authorities which have exempted blood bikes from the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, (b) cost of those exemptions individually and (c) savings from a national exemption.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Local authorities cannot extend the speed exemption in section 87 of The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to ‘Blood Bikes’ or any other class of vehicle. Like the exemptions to red traffic lights and keep left / right signs in The Traffic Signs, Regulations and General Directions 2016, these emergency driving exemptions are a matter for Parliament. Consequently, no such calculations or estimates have been made.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there has been any consideration given to designating blood bikes within the exemptions to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, under section 87.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There are no plans to give ‘blood bikes’ any road traffic exemptions or warning equipment. ‘Blood bikes’ provide a valuable courier service to the NHS, but they do not respond to emergencies and are not an emergency service. NHS Blood and Transplant provide an emergency blood service which is fully provided for in legislation should the supply of blood in a hospital blood bank require urgent unscheduled replenishment.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of promoting zipper merging at roadworks to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport works closely with local authorities to encourage effective traffic management during highway works, ensuring disruption to road users is kept to a minimum. Local authorities are responsible for determining the most appropriate traffic management plan as part of the permit conditions for the work, which may include measures such as zipper merging.
National Highways who maintain and operate the Strategic Road Network are always looking at ways to keep traffic flowing better during roadworks. This includes keeping the maximum number of lanes open at all busy times and carrying out the vast majority of work requiring extra restrictions overnight or at the weekend when traffic flows are lowest. National Highways has also increased the speed limit through most roadworks from 50mph to 60mph and is using more contraflows on its schemes, which can reduce the need for closures.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve oversight and coordination of road works undertaken by local authorities and utilities companies.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government supports lane rental as an effective measure to reduce congestion from the most disruptive works by incentivising better planning. It allows highway authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at peak times, incentivising quicker completion, off-peak scheduling, or alternative locations. We are facilitating the expansion of lane rental schemes, with updated guidance and application templates to be published shortly.
The Department’s digital service, Street Manager, is used by all highway authorities and utility companies in England to plan and manage works. Permits are applied for and granted through the service before works commence, providing a single source of information for the sector. This enables authorities to identify potential conflicts before approving permits. We also publish open data on live and planned works in real time, allowing developers to create tools that inform road users about disruptions.
Street Manager continues to evolve. Recent updates have enhanced coordination by highlighting potential clashes and improving collaboration features. In 2026, new functionality will support works on lane rental streets. Additionally, the new digital traffic orders system will centralise information on temporary road closures, making these details available as open data for wider public use.
The Department issues statutory guidance through the Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street and Road Works. We are currently working with industry stakeholders via the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee to update this guidance with the aim of further improving coordination.
From January 2026, fixed penalty notices for certain street works offences, such as working without a permit or breaching permit conditions will double. Charges of up to £10,000 per day for overrunning works will also apply to weekends and bank holidays. These measures aim to strengthen compliance and improve coordination across the network.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing compensation schemes for small businesses affected by prolonged or disruptive roadworks.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government remains committed to supporting small businesses across the country and helping them thrive. While we recognise the importance of minimising disruption, essential works do need to take place from time to time, and many businesses will ultimately benefit from the improvements these works deliver. Responsibility for road works on local roads rests with the relevant local highway authority. Decisions on whether to offer compensation to affected traders are entirely a matter for the local council. In some cases, when street works are carried out by gas or water companies, small businesses may be able to claim compensation for losses incurred. Business owners should contact the utility company directly in such circumstances. There are currently no legislative provisions requiring electricity or telecoms companies to provide compensation for works, and the Department for Transport has no plans to change the existing compensation arrangements.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that motorway and service station operators provide a sufficient number of accessible parking bays for disabled motorists.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport sets out minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at motorway service areas, motorway rest areas and all-purpose trunk road service areas in Department for Transport Circular 01/2022 Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development.
At motorway service areas (MSAs) the minimum car parking requirement for disabled users is 5% of the number of car parking spaces required. Where that number falls below 5, a minimum of 5 spaces shall be provided. There is also a minimum of two additional car parking spaces for disabled users for lodges (hotels located at MSAs). The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 5% of the number of parking spaces required for these vehicles, and where the number falls below 2, a minimum of 2 spaces shall be provided
The parking requirements for a motorway rest area are half of those required for a motorway service area rounded up to a whole number as necessary.
The minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at all-purpose trunk road service areas is 3 spaces and an additional minimum of 2 spaces for lodges. The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 1.