Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of paragraph 4.43 of the Office of Rail and Road's Rolling Stock Maintenance Market Review interim report, published on 29 October, which train operating companies and rolling stock fleets were involved in maintenance contract renewals resulting in increases in charges of up to 300 per cent.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Office of Rail and Road’s interim report does not identify the individual train operating companies or rolling stock fleets to which the increases in maintenance charges cited in paragraph 4.43 relate.
The ORR collected evidence at fleet level from industry participants as part of its independent market review and has presented the findings on an aggregated basis. The Department is therefore unable to identify the operators and fleets concerned from the information published.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to coordinate and rationalise the procurement of buses and trams by local authorities in order to ensure a steady and manageable flow of orders for manufacturing companies.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
At the final meeting of the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel in March 2026, Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) agreed a set of commitments. These included applying a minimum 10% social value weighting in all future bus procurement exercises. This means that, when procuring buses, MCAs will consider the positive impact that a manufacturer has on society, the environment, and local communities as part of their decision-making process.
It was also agreed that the 10-year zero-emission bus order pipeline will be reviewed and updated regularly to provide a forward view of expected demand, helping UK bus manufacturers to plan effectively and compete for future orders.
We will continue to engage with and work alongside the industry to support a competitive UK bus manufacturing sector.
With regard to trams, light rail is devolved in England, where each local authority owns and is responsible for the design, operations and financial sustainability of its system, as well as for the specification and procurement of its fleet.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, published on 28 September, whether the procurement process for rolling stock and services will be open to non-UK companies to tender and whether the appraisals of tenders submitted will comply with competition law.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy does not alter the legal framework governing procurement or competition. Rolling stock and rail service procurements will continue to be conducted in accordance with the relevant procurement legislation and other applicable legal requirements, including non-discrimination against treaty state suppliers, with the aim of securing the best value for passengers and taxpayers.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration she has given to the use of blue light at railway stations.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail has considered the use of blue lighting at stations, including its potential application to trespass, anti-social behaviour and suicide prevention. Previous trials and wider research have produced mixed results, and there is currently insufficient robust evidence to demonstrate that blue lighting is an effective standalone measure for reducing trespass or anti-social behaviour.
Blue lights were trialled by Network Rail at only a few stations, including Gatwick Airport station, over a decade ago, with some positive results in respect of reducing trespass and vandalism. However, when this trial was expanded to other stations, the train operators were not able to demonstrate any direct benefits, therefore the initiative was closed.
There is currently limited demand for a further trial of blue lighting given the significant challenges in demonstrating direct correlation between the introduction of the technology and any effect that may then occur in reductions of trespass and vandalism.
Network Rail therefore does not currently advocate its widespread deployment for these purposes, although targeted use could be considered where justified by local risk and appropriately evaluated.
Our approach remains to use evidence-based and proportionate interventions alongside established station safety, security and lighting standards, and we continue to work with international partners through the International Union of Railways to consider the evidence base for blue lighting.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department made an assessment, as part of its decision to remove time restrictions on the use of disabled persons’ concessionary bus passes from 1 April 2027, of the potential merits of extending the statutory concession to (a) local rail, (b) light rail, (c) tram and (d) metro services; and whether she has made an estimate of the cost of such an extension.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has not formally assessed the merits or cost of extending the statutory concession to local rail, light rail, tram or metro services as part of the decision to remove the existing off-peak time restrictions on disabled persons’ bus passes from 1 April 2027.
The Government's decision relates specifically to the statutory entitlement under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), which provides free bus travel for eligible older and disabled people in England. Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, including on other modes of transport. Decisions on such discretionary concessions are a matter for individual local authorities, taking account of local needs and priorities.
West Northamptonshire Council will be allocated £18 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) extending the forthcoming national £2 bus fare cap to tram services and (b) providing funding to local transport authorities and tram operators to enable tram fares to be capped at the same level as the bus fare cap.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As buses are the most widely used form of public transport in England, the Department is prioritising support for lowering bus fares as part of the Government's plan to give families more breathing space. Given the finite funding available, the Government has focused its investment where it can have the greatest impact for the largest number of passengers.
Responsibility for light rail, including tramways, is devolved in England. Local authorities own and are responsible for the operation and financial sustainability of their systems, including the setting of fares. Local transport authorities have received significant Government funding settlements to support local transport priorities and may choose to use this funding to support tram services or reduce tram fares where that aligns with local priorities.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if there are plans to extend the £2 bus fare cap to tram networks such as Sheffield's Supertram.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As buses are the most widely used form of public transport in England, the Department is prioritising support for lowering bus fares as part of the Government's plan to give families more breathing space. Given the finite funding available, the Government has focused its investment where it can have the greatest impact for the largest number of passengers.
Responsibility for light rail, including tramways, is devolved in England. Local authorities own and are responsible for the operation and financial sustainability of their systems, including the setting of fares. Local transport authorities have received significant Government funding settlements to support local transport priorities and may choose to use this funding to support tram services or reduce tram fares where that aligns with local priorities.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of re-opening the railway line from Heathfield to Newton Abbot for passenger services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Newton Abbot to Heathfield line is currently out of use, having last carried freight traffic in 2015 and passenger traffic in 1959. Network Rail consider it important to safeguard the line in case it is restored for passenger and/or freight services in the future, subject to any viable future business case.
Network Rail has previously examined the case for reintroducing passenger services between Newton Abbot and Heathfield. While improved connectivity could deliver benefits, forecast demand was relatively low and was not considered sufficient to justify the significant costs of upgrading and operating a conventional rail service. The business case could, however, change in future if costs reduce or demand increases.
Interest has emerged in using the route as a trial corridor for battery powered Very Light Rail (VLR) vehicles. This could provide a lower-cost way of reintroducing passenger services while also testing innovative low-carbon transport technology. Before any decision could be made, further engineering, commercial and economic assessments would be needed to confirm whether a VLR scheme is viable. This work would need to examine funding and operating arrangements, technical and regulatory requirements, and the potential impact on any future plans to reinstate heavy rail freight services.
Network Rail considers that further work on the VLR option would help establish whether it could offer a practical and affordable means of restoring passenger services on the route.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 introducing a tram network within Heywood and Middleton North constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Between 2022-23 and 2026-27, the government is providing £1.07bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding to Greater Manchester to deliver transformational change to Greater Manchester’s transport infrastructure. Beyond that, we have confirmed a £2.5bn Transport for City Regions settlement for Greater Manchester from 2027-28 to 2031-32. It is for the Mayor of Greater Manchester to prioritise transport projects within that funding. As light rail is devolved in England, this includes considering the potential merits of any future tram proposals in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will extend the capped £2 bus fare to trams.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As buses are the most widely used form of public transport in England, the Department is prioritising support for lowering bus fares as part of the Government's plan to give families more breathing space.
Responsibility for light rail, including tramways, is devolved in England. Local authorities own and are responsible for the operation and financial sustainability of their systems, including the setting of fares.