Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role the Rail Minister has been given in overseeing the West Yorkshire mass transit project following the recent review.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.
WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026
As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with mayoral combined authorities to deliver large-scale transport infrastructure.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Eligible Mayoral Combined Authorities are in receipt of £5.7 billion of funding through the City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) programme, running for a five-year period from April 2022 to March 2027. This devolved funding affords Mayors the ability to develop and implement large scale transport interventions that most benefit their areas.
Following the Summer Spending Review, £15.6 billion of devolved funding was confirmed to provide Transport for City Regions (TCR) settlements for the nine eligible Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) from the period April 2027 to March 2032.
Asked by: Sam Carling (Labour - North West Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce the level of exposure to children of diesel emissions from buses operating near schools.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government shares the concern about the impact diesel bus emissions have on air quality, and ultimately to children's health.
The NO2 programme has provided £576m to support local authorities (LAs) to improve air quality in areas of nitrogen oxide exceedances. This funding is for LAs to scope and develop measures; implement, monitor and evaluate their measures; and provide mitigation funding for local people and businesses affected by their measures. Clean Air Zones have also been implemented in places where the local evidence shows they are the quickest route to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution.
The most effective way to reduce bus emissions and improve air quality is to achieve an all zero emission bus (ZEB) fleet. As of March 2025, 12.4% of the bus fleet across England was zero emission, however we need to make further progress in accelerating bus decarbonisation.
We legislated in the Bus Services Act 2025 to ultimately prevent bus operators from using new non-ZEBs on local bus routes in England. This measure will provide confidence to the sector and stimulate the investment needed to deliver a fully zero emission fleet alongside the improved air quality benefits.
Separately, in April we announced £38m to deliver an additional 319 ZEBs through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas programme. Furthermore, the recent announcement of £15.6 billion over five years, to improve local transport in some of our largest city regions, allows local leaders to play a more active role in the delivery of local bus services and allocate some funding toward decarbonising their local fleets. Our smaller cities, towns and rural areas will also receive £2.3 billion from the Local Transport Grant.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what place based funding allocations has the Government confirmed for each area in the UK for the current spending review period.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government is investing billions in city regions, towns and communities across the UK as a commitment to driving growth everywhere.
This includes, for example, the historic £15.6 billion investment in transport infrastructure in major city regions outside London; £410 million for a Local Innovation Partnerships Fund to support local leaders to drive innovation excellence in key sectors across the UK; at least £13 billion of funding via Integrated Settlements from 2026-27 to 2029-30 for seven Mayoral Strategic Authorities; and a Local Transport Grant providing £2.3 billion to enable local authorities to deliver transport improvements.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve public transport connections in the West Midlands.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The West Midlands Combined Authority will receive almost £2.4bn in Transport for City Region (TCR) funding up to 31/32.
Enabling Mayors in recipient areas to deliver schemes that align with local priorities, the TCR programme provides unprecedented, multi-year, consolidated funding settlements to enhance the local transport networks of some of England’s largest city regions, including investment in public and sustainable transport infrastructure, to help to drive growth and productivity. It is for the Combined Authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with local priorities.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Budget’s roads funding announcements on tackling congestion hotspots in Aldridge-Brownhills, including the A452, A461, Chester Road, Walsall Wood Road and Brownhills High Street; and whether additional funding will be made available to local authorities to deliver small-scale but high-impact junction and safety improvements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Tackling congestion hotspots on local roads is a matter for local highway authorities. The roads in question are the responsibility of Walsall Council, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). WMCA is in receipt of £1.05bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27, and this Government has allocated £2.4bn of Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding to the region for the period up until 2031/32. It is for the combined authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with its local priorities.
The Government has also committed over £2 billion annually by 2029/30 for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes – doubling funding since coming into office. For the first time, we have confirmed funding allocations for four years, enabling local authorities to plan ahead with certainty, move away from expensive, short-term repairs, and instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance. As a result of this, WMCA are eligible to receive an additional £9 million in 2026/27.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that additional capital funding for roads, rail and bus networks announced in the Budget is allocated fairly across the West Midlands, including to areas across Aldridge-Brownhills which do not benefit from major rail interchanges or tram extensions.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The West Midlands Combined Authority will receive almost £2.4bn in Transport for City Region (TCR) funding up to 31/32.
Enabling Mayors in recipient areas to deliver schemes that align with local priorities, the TCR programme provides unprecedented, multi-year, consolidated funding settlements to enhance the local transport networks of some of England’s largest city regions, including investment in public and sustainable transport infrastructure, to help to drive growth and productivity.
It is for the Combined Authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with local priorities.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the government has plans to improve parking, access and customer experience at Mills Hill and Moston train stations; and whether there any plans to bring forward a programme to reopen previously closed stations such as the former Middleton Junction station.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Rail North Partnership between the Department and Transport for the North has regular discussions with Northern, which manages Mills Hill and Moston train stations, on its performance, customer experience and improving services.
There are no proposals or plans regarding the reintroduction of Middleton Junction station. Between 2022-23 and 2026-27, we are providing £1.07bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement funding to Greater Manchester to invest in their local transport network. Beyond that, we have confirmed a £2.5billion Transport for City Regions settlement for Greater Manchester providing funding up to 2031-32. It is for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to decide how to invest the funding locally.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the stability of funding for national active travel programmes.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
At the 2025 Spending Review, the Government announced £616 million of capital funding for active travel over the years 2026/27 to 2029/30. Long term funding settlements for local authorities will be agreed as part of wider Integrated Settlements for Mayoral Strategic Authorities and consolidated local transport settlements for other authorities.
The Government also announced £15.6 billion in total by 2031-32 for the Transport for City Regions (TCR) settlements, supporting them to invest in their local transport priorities, including promoting modal shift from cars to public transport, walking and cycling.
The Government plans to offer long term funding settlements over the 2025 Spending Review period for other national active travel programmes run by wider organisations, such as Bikeability and the National Cycle Network, following the conclusion of DfT business planning.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's document entitled Transport for City Regions funding allocations, published on 4 June 2025, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the (a) decarbonising transport, (b) enabling healthy living and (c) promoting the modal shift from cars to public transport, walking and cycling objectives during 2027-28 to 2031-32.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The devolved (TCR) programme will enable Mayors in recipient areas to deliver schemes that align with the aforementioned objectives at a local level. The cost is reflected in the capital and resource funding allocated through these settlements and will contribute towards achievement of the overarching programme objectives. Funding allocations can be found here at Transport for City Regions funding allocations - GOV.UK