Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the land connectivity of UK ports.

The Department is currently undertaking a Port Connectivity Study to examine the current level of road and rail access to ports in England, how connectivity issues are managed, and what future development plans ports hold that may impact on that connectivity. The Study is due to be published shortly.

Government transport investment plans also recognise the importance of port connectivity. The first Road Investment Strategy put in place plans for infrastructure schemes with access benefits for key ports, whilst investment on rail sees specific freight schemes being taken forward that will have benefits for ports. Rail investment between 2019 and 2024 will include funding for continued investment in the rail freight network, which could be used to fund improved connectivity to ports. Planning for the second Road Investment Strategy is underway and Highways England have highlighted connectivity to international gateways as one of the 4 key strategic economic roles in their Strategic Road Network Initial Report published in December 2017.