Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of developing a national strategy for improving the long-term resilience of the local road network.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the publication of the Government’s Resilience Action Plan in July 2025, work is already underway to improve the short, medium and long-term resilience of the transport system, including the local road network, as part of the whole of society approach.
In December 2025, the Government published its Climate Adaptation Strategy for Transport, which now provides an overarching framework for improving the resilience of roads, rail and other transport networks to flooding and other climate risks. This includes commitments to introduce climate resilience standards by 2030, embed resilience into transport investment decisions, and work with sector bodies such as the UK Roads Leadership Group to support local highway authorities.
DfT also funds workshops delivered through the UK Roads Leadership Group to support capability‑building across the sector, and is updating the Well‑Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice which will continue to reflect a risk‑based, resilience‑focused approach to asset management.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is available to Surrey County Council to (a) trial and (b) adopt more durable road surfacing materials to tackle pothole formation on local road networks.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the importance of using durable materials and innovative techniques to reduce pothole formation and improve the long‑term condition of local roads.
Surrey County Council receives a significant allocation of highways maintenance funding from the Department for Transport, which can be used to trial new materials and construction techniques where that authority judges this to be appropriate. In November, the Government confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion into local highways maintenance from 2026/27 to 2029/30. As part of this investment, Surrey County Council will be eligible to receive over £160 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years.
The Department encourages and supports innovation in road surface repairs. It is updating the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure, to include new advice on matters such as surface treatments. The Department has also provided £30 million to the ADEPT ‘Live Labs’ research programme, enabling local authority-led consortia to trial innovative low-carbon ways of looking after their networks. One of the projects within the Live Labs programme is enabling novel resurfacing materials to be tested and evaluated through the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department is undertaking into developing alternative vehicle fuels, such as synthetic and bio fuels.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In recognition of their established carbon reduction benefits the Government supports the use of low carbon fuels in surface transport vehicles through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme. Under the scheme the supply of synthetic fuels and biofuels produced from renewable inputs is eligible for support, where these low carbon fuels meet stringent sustainability criteria.
Whilst my Department does not generally undertake its own research into developing alternative vehicle fuels, it does periodically fund specific research studies to inform policy development and the deployment of such fuels. A recent example is a study on higher bio content fuel deployment in heavy-duty transport, the outputs of which were published online in August 2025.
Additionally, the Department provides funding for latter stage development and deployment of hydrogen, a synthetic fuel, through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) and the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programmes.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential for UK hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to contribute to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as (a) heavy machinery and (b) heavy transport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government expects hydrogen to play a role in decarbonising applications where there are limited alternatives such as maritime, aviation, and off-road machinery. This includes through use as a fuel directly, in a fuel cell, and to produce other low-carbon fuels such as ammonia, methanol, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The Government plans to publish a renewed Hydrogen Strategy in early 2026 to sharpen our priorities, deepen industry collaboration, and unlock the full potential of hydrogen over the next decade.
The Department has long supported the research, development, and deployment of hydrogen‑powered transport, including through ensuring hydrogen is eligible for support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate, through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator, the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions, and the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas programme.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she is taking to encourage private sector investment in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is focused on strengthening the UK economy long term by building resilient local economies and supporting household prosperity. Central to this is ensuring that places such as Surrey Heath are well placed to attract private sector investment. Our stable fiscal rules and competitive tax system enable firms to invest confidently. For example, we uphold key aspects of the corporate tax framework, including:
This government is also taking wider steps to strengthen the UK’s overall investment environment. We are reforming regulation to cut costs for businesses and regulate for growth, with measures announced last month expected to save businesses nearly £6bn by the end of the Parliament. This will free up funds for businesses to invest more in productivity, innovation and jobs.
The government has increased the capacity of public financial institutions such as the National Wealth Fund and British Business Bank by 40% to £137 billion this Parliament, using loans, equity and guarantees to support investment. This support for investment also means improving local infrastructure. Surrey will receive £38 million in Local Transport Grant funding to deliver transport improvements such as zero‑emission buses, upgraded cycleways, better accessibility and measures to tackle congestion which is a four‑fold increase in local transport funding in 2029‑30 compared with 2024‑25.
By backing all regions of the UK through measures like these, the government is creating the conditions for private sector investment and high‑quality jobs in every part of the country, including Surrey Heath. This approach is already delivering results, at the first Regional Investment Summit in October, over £10 billion of investment commitments were announced, and nearly 1,000 high‑quality jobs are set to be created. Since coming into government, firms have committed over £340 billion of private investment into the UK.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on improving rail accessibility in Luton North constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the significant social and economic benefits that enhanced accessibility brings to communities.
On 15 January, we confirmed that accessibility upgrades will not progress at Leagrave station in the Hon. Member’s constituency at this time. The absence of third-party funding contributions to the project was the crucial factor in this decision. In contrast, all 30 of the 50 shortlisted projects which included a third-party funding contribution will now be progressing.
Nearby Luton Airport Parkway station already has step-free access to all platforms. Delivery is beginning on step-free upgrades at Luton station.
In the meantime, where step-free access is not available, train operators are required to provide alternative accessible transport at no additional cost to the passenger.
In addition to the Access for All programme, whenever the rail industry installs, replaces or renews station infrastructure, this work must comply with current accessibility standards, with enforcement action taken by the Office of Rail and Road where those standards are not met.
Should sources of funding be identified locally, for example through section 106 contributions, this would provide an opportunity to bring forward accessibility improvements at Leagrave station.
The Rail Minister would be pleased to meet with the Hon. Member, at her earliest convenience, to discuss accessibility at Leagrave station further.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the current level of port and bunkering infrastructure on the uptake of e-fuels by UK-operating vessels; what steps the Government is taking to help increase the domestic (a) production and (b) supply of e-fuels for maritime transport; and what steps her Department has taken to help increase investment in port and bunkering infrastructure.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government provides the port sector with the right regulatory environment it needs to support investment, providing targeted support where there are clear public benefits, such as decarbonisation. In September 2025 the Government announced a further £448 million to the UK SHORE research programme, the biggest ever Government investment in commercial maritime across the UK. In addition, the Government is working with the National Wealth Fund, which has committed at least £5.8 billion of its capital to five sectors, including ports.
The Government has not conducted an assessment of the impact of an uptake in e-fuels on the current level of port and bunkering infrastructure in the UK, however we are taking action through policies set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.
This Strategy includes a range of fuel scenarios, underpinned by a maritime emissions model, illustrating the varying ways in which the UK domestic maritime sector could transition from traditional fuels, such as heavy fuel oil, to zero and near-zero GHG emission fuels. Additionally, we intend to publish a consultation on a domestic maritime fuel regulation later this year which will help set the direction of UK maritime fuels policy and reduce uncertainty for the sector.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the TA 501 safety assessment and Scheme Appraisal Report for the removal of motorway lighting on the M4 between junctions 8 and 12; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the TA 501 methodology is applied transparently where safety infrastructure is removed.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways has a thorough, consistent and documented approach to the management of construction schemes. National Highways assessed the removal of lighting on the M4 between junctions 8 and 12 using TA49/07, which was the assessment tool before TA 501 was published in March 2020. National Highways has published the M4 J3-J8/9 and J10-J12 Road Safety Lighting Review, which included a summary of the personal injury collision data for the 5 years prior to the removal of lighting. Road casualty statistics and the underlying data are published annually by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 (a) British Board of Agrément and (b) HAPAS-approved (i) self-adhesive surfacing membranes and (ii) other patch repair products on the long-term cost and failure rate of pothole repairs carried out by local highway authorities; and whether she plans to issue any guidance to local authorities and their contractors on (A) trialling and (B) adopting such measures.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government welcomes innovations that can help local highway authorities maintain their roads more effectively and efficiently. The Department encourages and supports innovation in road surface repairs in various ways.
For example, it has started the task of updating the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure, which will include new advice on matters such as surface treatments.
The Department is also providing £30 million to the ADEPT ‘Live Labs’ research programme, enabling local authority-led consortia to trial innovative low-carbon ways of looking after their networks. One of the projects within the Live Labs programme is enabling novel resurfacing materials to be tested and evaluated through the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how Great British Railways plans to work with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on rail funding in Bradford; and what statutory role local transport authorities will have in shaping service patterns affecting the city.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Great British Railways will work closely with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, including on matters relating to rail funding in Bradford, through the statutory roles established in the Railways Bill and through a future partnership arrangement with GBR. GBR will be required to consult Mayoral Strategic Authorities where decisions on passenger services or rail infrastructure could have a significant impact on their areas. GBR will also have regard to their Local Transport Plans to ensure that local priorities – including how rail services interface with wider local transport networks – are fully considered.