Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage weighting is given to social value in the evaluation of bids under each Government-funded scheme supporting the procurement of new buses, including zero-emission, electric, hydrogen and hybrid buses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Social value, through community benefits, was one of the criteria considered when assessing the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) 2 funding announced in March 2024. The strategic case, including community benefits, had a 10% weighting. The published criteria can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-zero-emission-bus-funding-zebra-2/apply-for-zero-emission-bus-funding-zebra-2 . Previous rounds of ZEBRA funding did not explicitly assess social value.
Through the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, which this Government launched in March 2025, my department is working with the sector to explore how best to consider social value in future bus procurement.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105302 on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Privatisation, what steps she is taking to mitigate for the loss of revenue to her Department from the privatisation of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, ownership and operation of the Dartford Crossing would transfer to a new regulated private sector entity. This entity would be responsible for operating and maintaining both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing, ensuring a consistent and reliable service across both.
The entity would be overseen by an independent regulator to ensure it performs effectively and protects the interests of users. Charges collected from both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing would be received by the entity and used to maintain the crossings and support more reliable journeys.
This approach is designed to bring in private capital to fund the majority of construction, delivering better value for taxpayers and reducing pressure on public budgets. The Department has incorporated the effects of this approach into its financial forecasts and funding settlements with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105895 on National Highways and Network Rail: Finance, what estimate he has made of the net efficiency savings attributable to Network Rail after accounting for the up-front and ongoing costs of the technology and systems investments cited.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105894, what estimate the Department has made of the proportion of efficiency savings attributed to regulated settlements that arise from funding constraints imposed by the Office of Rail and Road rather than from operational productivity improvements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2026 to Question 107278, what items of hospitality were provided at that reception; and if she will publish the relevant food and drink invoices and procurement contracts.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105302, whether the proposed primary legislation to enable the Regulated Asset Base model for the Lower Thames Crossing will be introduced before construction begins.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Construction enabling works for the Lower Thames Crossing have commenced north and south of the River Thames. At Autumn Budget 2025 the Government committed a further £891m to complete the publicly funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing, the final tranche of government support to enable the private sector to take forward construction and long-term operation. The Government's preferred financing option at this stage is the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. New primary legislation is required to enable the RAB model to be utilised to deliver roads. We intend to bring forward legislation, when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what schemes and programmes her Department has in place to help support zero-emission in (a) shipping and (b) aviation.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the potential decarbonisation and growth benefits that new forms of zero-emission maritime vessels and aircraft could provide.
The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, published in March 2025, sets out our policies and commitments to decarbonise the sector. We are already meeting these commitments through the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to domestic maritime from July 2026, and we will consult on maritime fuel regulations later this year.
We have announced a further £448 million of funding of the UK SHORE programme, the biggest government investment ever in the UK’s commercial maritime sector, which will unlock innovation and investment potential in UK technologies, ports and shipyards.
We will continue to work closely with maritime industry partners to help the sector unlock the investment it needs to transition to zero, and near-zero, emission fuels and technologies.
We have already made significant progress on aviation decarbonisation, with considerable support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), airspace modernisation and development of new technologies.
Alongside other measures, zero emission flight has a role to play in decarbonising the sector. In January, we announced up to £43m of R&D funding for aviation decarbonisation, including confirming our continued support of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge. This is informing the development of a regulatory framework for zero-emission hydrogen aircraft. Also, the Department for Transport (DfT) will publish shortly a report into the barriers and opportunities to commercialising hydrogen in aviation, completed by a Jet Zero Taskforce Task and Finish Group.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104866, what is the expected month and year of publication of the new Plan for Freight.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government intends to publish the plan in spring this year.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101488, what information her Department holds on revenue lost due to fare evasion by individual train operating companies.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Deliberate fare evasion reduces revenue needed to support the railway and disadvantages passengers who pay the correct fare. The Department does not hold data on revenue lost to fare evasion at the level of individual train operating companies. Industry estimates from the Rail Delivery Group indicate that fraud and ticketless travel result in at least £350–£400 million in lost revenue annually.
In June 2025, the Office for Rail and Road published its independent review of revenue protection practices. The Department has accepted the review’s recommendations in full and will publish its formal response shortly.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 Janaury 2026 to Question 104987, what forms of legislative modification a Harbour Revision Order is capable of making.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Harbour Revision Orders can amend, repeal, or consolidate existing harbour legislation.
These take the form of works orders or non-works orders. Works orders authorise a project, starting works or other installations or schemes. Non-works orders typically alter harbour boundaries, modernise governance arrangements, borrowing powers, or management structures to improve efficiency.
Any changes that are proposed must be consulted on and then must be considered and approved by the Marine Management Organisation, which is the body in that oversees this process in England.