Department for Transport

The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first EWR services between Oxford and Milton Keynes. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. Winslow station also needs to be fully handed over, and future staffing arrangements also remain to be agreed. Appointment of Chiltern Railways as operator was delayed by the General Election in July 2024, and consequently they were not appointed until March 2025.

As noted in my previous answer, a number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps. It is not possible at this stage to give a precise date for this work.

DfT worked with local authorities and the wider highways industry to develop the PAS 2161:2024 Road condition monitoring (RCM) data specification which was published in September 2024, and is available online, at: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/road-condition-monitoring-rcm-data-specification.

In 2025 DfT carried out the process to approve road condition monitoring technologies for use against PAS 2161 for reporting the condition of the local classified road network in England to DfT. The list of PAS 2161 approved technologies was announced in September 2025 and can be found online, at: https://ukrlg.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/guidance/road-condition-information/data-collection/pas-2161/. The report on the approval process can be found at: https://www.trl.co.uk/publications/pas-2161-road-condition-monitoring-trials-2025-report.

As of April 2026, local authorities will be required to use a PAS 2161 approved technology on their classified road. PAS 2161 compliant data will be collected by DfT for the first time in Spring 2027, upon completion of the surveys for the financial year ending March 2027. Further details of the timeline can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/road-condition-monitoring-standard-pas-2161/road-condition-monitoring-standard-pas-2161

PAS 2161 will enable local authorities to collect more comparable and consistent condition data on their classified road network. A range of technology types have been approved for use against PAS 2161. Local authorities will be able to choose any PAS 2161 approved technology allowing them to collect the evidence they need to effectively maintain their roads and meet national reporting requirements.

The Department has not made a formal national assessment of the impact of long-term road or bridge closures on small businesses. These impacts vary significantly depending on the scale of works, local travel patterns, and the mitigation measures put in place by the local highway authority. However, we expect highway authorities to plan and coordinate works in line with their duties under the Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Co‑ordination Code of practice including ensuring works are properly coordinated and communicating clearly with affected residents and businesses.

There is no general entitlement to compensation for loss of trade arising from properly executed road or street works. This position has been maintained by successive governments. Limited statutory compensation exists only for gas and water companies under sector specific legislation; there are no equivalent duties for electricity or telecoms. Any discretionary support is a matter for local authorities or utilities.

We continue to encourage authorities and works promoters to maintain clear, proactive engagement with local businesses during extended works, supported by recent regulatory steps to improve coordination and reduce avoidable disruption.

For campaigns up to November 2025, The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used the data available from the civil service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For direct communications from DVSA to subscribers to DVSA job alerts, over the last 12 months the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed applications.

DVSA displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres (DTC) have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. Posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

The table below shows how many full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs were in post, and out of those, how many were available to deliver practical car driving tests in January and February 2026.

* - Includes those who are in training to be a driving examiner

A DE is a paid DVSA employee from the point at which they start their training. The available number is only those who are qualified and who are working at DTCs doing tests. The in-post figure therefore includes those who are in training.

For campaigns up to November 2025, The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used the data available from the civil service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For direct communications from DVSA to subscribers to DVSA job alerts, over the last 12 months the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed applications.

DVSA displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres (DTC) have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. Posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

The table below shows how many full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs were in post, and out of those, how many were available to deliver practical car driving tests in January and February 2026.

* - Includes those who are in training to be a driving examiner

A DE is a paid DVSA employee from the point at which they start their training. The available number is only those who are qualified and who are working at DTCs doing tests. The in-post figure therefore includes those who are in training.

For campaigns up to November 2025, The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used the data available from the civil service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For direct communications from DVSA to subscribers to DVSA job alerts, over the last 12 months the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed applications.

DVSA displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres (DTC) have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. Posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

The table below shows how many full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs were in post, and out of those, how many were available to deliver practical car driving tests in January and February 2026.

* - Includes those who are in training to be a driving examiner

A DE is a paid DVSA employee from the point at which they start their training. The available number is only those who are qualified and who are working at DTCs doing tests. The in-post figure therefore includes those who are in training.

For campaigns up to November 2025, The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) used the data available from the civil service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.

For DVSA social media advertising the current click through rate as of February 2026 was 1.4%. For direct communications from DVSA to subscribers to DVSA job alerts, over the last 12 months the average click through rate was 4%. It is not possible to say what number of these click throughs resulted in completed applications.

DVSA displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres (DTC) have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. Posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

The table below shows how many full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs were in post, and out of those, how many were available to deliver practical car driving tests in January and February 2026.

* - Includes those who are in training to be a driving examiner

A DE is a paid DVSA employee from the point at which they start their training. The available number is only those who are qualified and who are working at DTCs doing tests. The in-post figure therefore includes those who are in training.

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 permits the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details from its vehicle record where the requester can demonstrate reasonable cause to receive it. The fee payable by private sector organisations, including private parking companies, seeking the contact details of the registered keeper of a vehicle is £2.50. The fee is set to recover the cost of providing the information and ensures that the cost is borne by the requester, not passed on to the taxpayer. In line with Managing Public Money, the DVLA reviews its fees regularly to ensure that they are set to recover the costs of providing the service. Any changes would be subject to public consultation and Parliamentary approval.

The number of electronic requests for information for this purpose is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/who-dvla-shares-data-with. Vehicle keeper information is only made available to private parking operators who are members of an appropriate Accredited Trade Association (ATA). The ATAs are responsible for setting and enforcing codes of practice for their members. No analysis is undertaken in respect of the volume of requests made.

The Information Commissioner provided an opinion in 2022 confirming the release of DVLA data for private parking management is lawful and my Department maintains regular contact with the ICO on these matters.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advertises all driving examiner vacancies on Civil Service Jobs (opens in a new tab) on GOV.UK. Over the last 12 months, DVSA has used the following online job sites to reach a wider pool of applicants:

• DfT Careers [careers.dft.gov.uk] – Driving Examiner role page
  The page explains role duties, skills, and recruitment process.
• GOV.UK [gov.uk] – Working for DVSA recruitment area
• DVSA professions page on DfT Careers
  Lists Driving Examiner roles and links users to the appropriate recruitment routes; used during active campaigns.

The agency also displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. However, posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

For campaigns up to November 2025, DVSA used the data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, the agency introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. The data will be crossed referenced, however DVSA currently has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign. This survey might contain some data about how effective posters are in generating applications for driving examiner roles, but it is too early to say.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advertises all driving examiner vacancies on Civil Service Jobs (opens in a new tab) on GOV.UK. Over the last 12 months, DVSA has used the following online job sites to reach a wider pool of applicants:

• DfT Careers [careers.dft.gov.uk] – Driving Examiner role page
  The page explains role duties, skills, and recruitment process.
• GOV.UK [gov.uk] – Working for DVSA recruitment area
• DVSA professions page on DfT Careers
  Lists Driving Examiner roles and links users to the appropriate recruitment routes; used during active campaigns.

The agency also displays posters in driving test centres as part of a wider mix of recruitment activity. All driving test centres have access to a centrally produced recruitment campaign poster to be displayed in their waiting rooms. However, posters are displayed only if DVSA is actively recruiting in the area.

For campaigns up to November 2025, DVSA used the data available from the Civil Service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information is limited and does not give 100% coverage.

In December 2025, the agency introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. The data will be crossed referenced, however DVSA currently has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign. This survey might contain some data about how effective posters are in generating applications for driving examiner roles, but it is too early to say.

The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) who left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in each month from July 2024 to February 2026. This data includes all DEs who have left including, for example, new DEs that were unsuccessful in completing the training process.

The above figures of course do not account for the number of driving examiners who have joined in the same time period.

Examiner capacity is rising, with 1,556 FTE examiners now in post supported by ongoing recruitment and training changes. The 1,556 FTE DEs in February 2026 is an increase of 108 when compared to the number of DEs in February 2025 (1,448 FTEs). These figures do not include potential new DEs who are currently in training.

The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) reported a net deficit of £8.8m in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. Potential fee increases, if implemented would support the managing down of the deficit, with any remaining deficits are expected to be covered by efficiencies and additional income in other areas.

A consultation on the proposed fee increases has recently been completed, and the outputs are currently being evaluated.

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.

Statistics on factors contributing to fatal collisions in Great Britain are summarised within the Department’s annual road casualty statistics published on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2024/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2024#factors-contributing-to-fatalities

In 2024, 59 per cent of fatal collisions had a speed-related factor assigned.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets out the Department’s intention to establish a data-led road safety investigation branch to learn lessons from road incidents, by taking a strategic, thematic approach, focusing on patterns of collisions, injury trends, and systemic safety issues. It will adopt a test-and-learn approach, using real-world evidence to inform targeted safety interventions, data-driven policies, and proactive prevention and enforcement strategies.

The Department has also committed to updating its guidance to local authorities on setting local speed limits and on the deployment of speed and red‑light cameras.

In 2024/25, schools in the Lincolnshire County Council area booked 6,867 Bikeability training places, of which 6,168 were attended. This included 5,116 children receiving level 2 on-road training; equivalent to 60% of year 6 pupils in that area.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

The Government published its Road Safety Strategy on 7 January, setting out its vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, the Department for Transport has published a consultation which seeks views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate. The consultation can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences and is open until 11 May 2026.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

Rail North Partnership reviews Northern’s Train Formation Capacity Plans twice a year, in line with preparations for the May and December timetable change dates, with Northern required to prepare a plan that best matches available capacity to forecast passenger demand. It is then Northern’s responsibility to manage capacity on a day-to-day basis across its entire network.

This information is available from external industry sources such as Zapmap, who estimate that the current average cost of rapid/ultra rapid public charging is around 76p/kWh, as of February 2026. This price level has remained broadly constant over the past year. Average public charging price data is produced and published by Zapmap here: https://www.zapmap.com/ev-stats/charging-price-index.

Travel surveys can provide vital evidence to enable better targeting of investments to improve transport for people and businesses across the country. The cost of conducting travel surveys will vary by the methods, scope and other factors involved.

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in keeping communities connected, including in rural areas. The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year.

East Midlands Combined County Authority will be allocated £65.5 million of this funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £21.7 million they have received in 2025/26. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish, to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability.

The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, acknowledging the challenges of running services in rural areas, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services.

On 7 January 2026 the Department for Transport published the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

The Government expects the employers or engagers of anyone driving or riding for work to ensure that they are as safe as possible on the roads. Working with industry we will pilot a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them, including considering the use of HGVs. The Charter will aim to help employers to reduce work-related road risk and improve safety for all road users by promoting good practice, and to improve compliance with current legislation and guidance.

The total amount of government funding contractually committed to improvement projects for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme, as of 19 March 2026, is £13,599,303.45.

The scheme held three application windows. The table below sets out awards and spending to date per window as of 19 March 2026. Projects that were cancelled by operators after notification of an award are not included in these figures.

There are no plans for further windows of the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme.

Funding for further lorry parking improvements is planned for the third road investment strategy (RIS3) as part of the Customer and Community Designated Funds, subject to confirmation of the National Highways RIS3 settlement.

The taskforce worked across government, bringing together departments and independent regulators to understand the complexities of the market and to agree a set of actions. Government departments and regulators are acting to address the broader factors that contribute to the cost of claims, such as vehicle theft and the cost of repairs.

With regards to the work of my Department, on 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have launched a consultation on reforms to motoring offences, including lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales and introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance or without a licence.

Furthermore, the Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30.

In addition to increasing the available funding, the Department has confirmed allocations for the next four years, providing greater funding certainty to local authorities. This enables them to better plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and to instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance so that roads can be fixed properly and kept in good condition for longer, preventing potholes from forming in the first place.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate fraud and non- compliance, including the potential harm it can cause. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is committed to working with partners including the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

Information on the number of penalties issued for driving with non-compliant plates is not held by the DVLA. Penalties are typically issued as part of on-road enforcement by the police.

The government published its new Road Safety Strategy on 7 January, setting out its vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, the Department for Transport is reviewing motoring offences and has published a consultation which seeks views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate. Following this consultation, consideration will be given to whether legislative changes are required.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. This includes reviewing the joining fee, scheme structure, resources, and funding.

DVLA enforcement officers also work with the police and Trading Standards to conduct compliance visits to number plate suppliers, inspecting practices and records as necessary.

The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) does not receive the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which is made available to eight of England’s largest city regions. Other areas, including the CPCA, receive different funding streams, which from 2026/27 will be consolidated to provide greater flexibility. This funding includes Highways Maintenance, Local Transport Grant and bus funding. Details of this funding was provided to places in December 2025.

Following the launch of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy in March 2025, the Government has extensively engaged with shipping operators, ports, and the wider maritime sector. This includes engagement on shore power availability, grid capacity constraints and alternative fuels. We ran a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports that gathered evidence on current and future grid capacity at ports, as well as drivers of that future energy demand, and will continue working with industry to understand their needs.

This Government has worked with the National Energy System Operator and Ofgem to implement bold new reforms to the grid connections process. We are committed to ensuring ports future energy needs are taken into account as part of reforms and future planning of the network, and to working with industry to understand wider challenges such as energy costs.

Including emissions at berth in the UK ETS targets a major source of maritime pollution. In 2019, vessels over 5,000 GT produced 1.9 MtCO₂e at berth in UK ports, around 58% of domestic maritime emissions, so bringing these emissions into scope drives operators to cut them now. This also aligns with the EU ETS approach, therefore providing operators a predictable and consistent framework.

A national survey of lorry parking is underway to provide a fresh baseline on the availability of secure lorry parking and HGV driver welfare provision throughout England. This will include region by region analysis of overnight lorry parking, utilisation rates and distribution of sites.

The national survey was last conducted in 2022 and provided the evidence base for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme which will provide up to £37.5 million investment from government and industry in 30 counties across England. This is on top of up to £30 million investment in lorry parking by National Highways and industry in lorry parks along the strategic road network in England.

The government is prioritising improvements to the planning system. Strengthened policy on freight and logistics has been proposed in the recent consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to improve the consideration of freight, including lorry parking, in the planning system.

As Transport in London is devolved to TfL, it is for the Mayor of London to assess and manage the impact of any strike action on London’s transport network. The Government understands, however, that the RMT union has suspended its planned industrial action between Tuesday 24 March and Friday 27 March.

While some national aviation authorities have begun to explore operational colour vision assessments, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is not aware of any peer‑reviewed evidence demonstrating their validation or safety equivalence to established testing methods.

The UK CAA does liaise with other regulators that have implemented operational colour vision assessments. This includes discussions on their experience with these assessments, which will be taken into consideration to inform future UK CAA policy.

The Department for Transport’s view is that compliance with any legislation is a relevant consideration in assessing the suitability of a holder of any taxi and private hire vehicle licence.

National Highways is responsible for assessing noise associated with individual road schemes as part of the planning process, alongside managing noise from the Strategic Road Network more generally. The Department sets out its expectations on what National Highways must do to mitigate noise from the Strategic Road Network as part of its Road Investment Strategies, and will shortly be publishing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3).

In the case of transport noise, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for assessing noise across England and conducts noise mapping as part of implementing the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006. National Highways’s noise mitigation work is focused on those areas defined by Defra as Noise Important Areas, within its Noise Action Plans.

The Government recognises that communities rely on Cross-Solent ferry services for accessing jobs, education and healthcare. However, these operate in a commercial environment without intervention from the Government.

The Department has regular discussions on the Isle of Wight ferry services.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the potential risks to supply chains of inadequate roadside facilities.

The National Survey of Lorry Parking was last conducted in 2022 and provided the evidence base for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme which will provide up to £37.5 million investment from government and industry in 30 counties across England. This is on top of up to £30M investment in lorry parking by National Highways and industry in lorry parks along the strategic road network in England.

A new National Survey of Lorry Parking is underway, which will provide a fresh baseline on the availability of secure lorry parking and HGV driver welfare provision throughout England. The Survey is scheduled to be published in the autumn.

To strengthen the UK’s supply chain security, the Government is launching a new Supply Chain Centre based in the Department for Business and Trade. This marks a change in government’s approach to protecting the UK’s economy and security in turbulent geopolitical times. It will take a more assertive, strategic and data-led approach, and lead a targeted programme of work to ensure the UK can access the goods it needs to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Data on vehicles used by Government departments are collected as part of the Government Fleet Commitment. This includes vehicles hired for 6 days or more. The Government Fleet Commitment data are fed into the Greening Government Commitments, and the most recent published data can be found online at Greening Government Commitments April 2021 to March 2024 report - GOV.UK. However, the data does not break down owned fleet and hired vehicles.

Railcard schemes are run by the Rail Delivery Group, and scheme costs are covered by the revenue generated.

The Department routinely monitors delivery of zero-emission bus (ZEB) programmes through engagement with Local Transport Authorities (LTAs). The main risks identified include: (i) securing timely grid connections and working with Distribution Network Operators; (ii) technical integration of charging infrastructure and depot upgrades; and (iii) programme governance and communications across partners.

Oversight of projects by LTAs is retained and assurances given by operators through the use of a grant funding agreement (GFA) which sets out specific outputs in order for the operator to receive grant funding and that each project is completed as anticipated.

The lessons learnt from each project will be provided by the monitoring and evaluation process once projects have concluded.

The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first EWR services between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Winslow. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. Winslow station also needs to be fully handed over, and future staffing arrangements also remain to be agreed.

Public ownership will save taxpayers up to an estimated £110-150 million every year on fees currently paid to privately-owned train operating companies, once all services currently delivered under contract with the Department have transferred.

The increase in total payroll costs at DfT Operator Limited between 01/01/24 to 28/02/26 was:

Salary - £6,160,470.90

NI - £869,225.19

Pension - £621,414.96

Total - £7,651,111.05

Between 16 September 2024 and 16 March 2026, 35.5 per cent of Northern services on the Clitheroe-Manchester line had two carriages, while 64.5 per cent had four carriages.

In the same period, Northern ran 16,149 services, of which 3,430 (21.2 per cent) had fewer carriages than planned.

While most train services between Clitheroe and central Manchester are scheduled to be operated by four-carriage trains, unfortunately there may be occasions when this is not possible due to more trains than usual requiring repair, in large part due to the age of the rolling stock.

To address this, Northern has begun discussions with train manufacturers to procure around 250 new train sets to replace the oldest trains in its fleet. Approximately two-thirds of its existing fleet is targeted to be replaced in the next ten years. The initial order, which is due to enter service in 2030-31, will consist of 130 units: 92 diesel-hybrids to replace its Class 15Xs (of the kind that serve Clitheroe and Blackburn), 30 electric and diesel-hybrid trains to support the TransPennine Route Upgrade and 8 battery-powered trains to test their potential as an alternative to diesel-hybrids.

In the meantime, Northern is talking to other operators to identify any suitable rolling stock that could be cascaded to provide additional capacity or replace trains that have reached the end of their lives. Where any such additional stock is used is an operational matter for Northern, based on the demands on its services and the capacity of its depots and staff.

For the period 2 February 2025 – 31 January 2026, 8.8 per cent of trains planned in Great Britain were either cancelled, part cancelled or arrived at their destination at least ten minutes late.

The two main causes for cancellations using established industry categories for delays and cancellations were fleet (21 per cent) and traincrew (20 per cent).

Non-Track Assets (e.g. signal failures, points failures, overhead line problems) and Network Management and other (e.g. unexplained delays, Network Rail operations, vegetation management) each caused 17 per cent of the delays, with fleet accounting for another 16 per cent.

Below is a table showing the percentages of the causes of delay and cancellations:

Note: all figures rounded to 1 decimal place and may not add up to exactly 100% as a result.

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.

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.