Department for Transport

An Appraisal of Sustainability and economic assessment were conducted before the Airports National Policy Statement was voted on by Parliament and designated in 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/heathrow-airport-expansion#appraisal-of-sustainability-and-supporting-documents

Heathrow Airport Limited will need to provide an assessment of the impacts of any proposed scheme for a third runway, and provide suitable mitigations, as part of any Development Consent Order application. The Government would carefully consider any such application in line with the relevant policies and planning processes.

As required by the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State will review a National Policy Statement when she considers it appropriate to do so.

CrossCountry has recently been placed on a formal Remedial Plan to ensure it takes action to address performance issues across its network and increases essential driver training. This is expected to result in a more reliable service following the implementation of the plan. The Department will closely monitor the progress of the plan and if CrossCountry fails to deliver, further action will be taken in line with its contractual terms.

The Government wants everyone to be able to make the switch to electric vehicles, which is why we strongly encourage chargepoint procurers and operators to adopt the British Standards Institution Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1899:2022 standard. This was sponsored by the Government and Motability, providing specifications on designing and installing accessible public electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

The Government is actively encouraging relevant parties to adopt its specifications, building on improvements already being made in the sector. It is also encouraging local authorities to incorporate accessibility into their procurement models.

The Government and Motability Foundation is working with advocacy groups, industry and other stakeholders to review the effectiveness and implementation of PAS 1899. This working group is expected to make its final recommendations in February 2025.

The Department has not directly discussed land access with Network Rail for this route but is supporting and providing funding to Sustrans and Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) to deliver a route between Cheltenham Spa Station and Lansdown Road as part of the Cycle Rail Programme. We understand that Great Western Railway, Network Rail and GCC are working closely together to progress this project. GCC is responsible for securing appropriate land access agreements with Network Rail.

The Department recognises the importance of good transport links and it is the overall aim of this government to improve connections across towns and cities. We recognise the important role the coach sector can play in making these connections across the country for education, business and leisure travel. Coaches are a deregulated sector, so decisions such as where to run services are a matter for the operator concerned. We are, however, working with the sector to hear their concerns and address the challenges they face.

The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce a Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in Aldershot.

We also plan to empower local transport authorities through reforming bus funding. By giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding they can plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities. The Department will work closely with local leaders and bus operators to deliver on the government’s ambitions.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network.

Local highway authorities, such as Cambridgeshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. They are best placed to understand local needs and priorities as well as any particular challenges caused by the local geology or topography.

The safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government. We are committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. We will set out next steps on this in due course.

As of 2 September 2024, there were 2,216 car practical driving tests booked, and 134 driving tests available to book within the 24-week booking window at Farnborough driving test centre (DTC).

The average waiting time (August 2024) for a car practical test at Farnborough DTC was 24 weeks.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards.

As of 2 September 2024, there were 552,863 car practical driving tests booked, and 94,169 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers at driving test centres, include the recruitment of driving examiners, conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners.

The DVSA also continues to deploy examiners from areas with lower waiting times into those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to the DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest.

The previous government made a number of funding commitments in the Network North Command Paper and these will be examined closely by the government in the coming months.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network.

Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) is the local highway authority for the Ashfield constituency, and it is therefore responsible for the maintenance of the local road network in its area. NCC is a part of the East Midlands Combined Authority (EMCA), and for this financial year the Department for Transport is providing EMCA with £53.9 million of capital funding for local highway maintenance across its area. It is a matter for EMCA to determine how much of this funding to allocate to each of its constituent authorities.

Funding decisions for highways maintenance beyond 2024/25 will be made at the forthcoming Spending Review.

We are committed to delivering the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, and ensure that Great British Railways (GBR) can drive innovation across the network.

As we bring a fragmented industry together, we will need to consider a range of options on the right approach for future terms and conditions, taking account of employment law requirements.

On the introduction of technological innovations, we expect a joined up industry to do more and faster in the use of technology for safety, cost reduction, revenue growth and accessibility, and we expect GBR to take a firm lead in this area. In the meantime, Network rail and train companies are working in this area, including through Shadow Great British Railways.

This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs. As my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor has set out, decisions must be made based on the assessment of the spending inheritance from the previous Government. The Department has ambitious plans for improving transport connectivity, including through the Buses Bill. The Bill aims to deliver the government’s plan for improving the bus network and ending the postcode lottery. This plan includes providing more control and flexibility over bus funding, giving local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities, and removing the ban on the creation of new municipal bus companies.

The number of reported personal injury road collisions on the A16, A17 and A151 in the last 5 years for which data is available can be found in the table below.

Since 19 December 2019 to 30 May 2024 the cost of ministerial severance payments are as follows:

19 December 2019 – 31 December 2019: nil

1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020: nil

1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021: nil

1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022: £41,575

1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023: £7,920

1 January 2024 – 30 May 2024: nil

The following Ministers received a severance payment of the following value:

Grant Shapps MP received a compensation payment of £16,876 when he left Government on 6 September 2022.

Karl McCartney MP received a compensation payment of £5,593 when he left Government on 7 September 2022.

Robert Courts MP received a compensation payment of £5,593 when he left Government on 18 September 2022.

Kevin Foster MP received a compensation payment of £7,920 when he left Government on 25 October 2022.

Katherine Fletcher MP received a compensation payment of £5,593 when she left Government on 26 October 2022.

Jesse Norman MP received a compensation payment of £7,920 when he left Government on 13 November 2023.

The Government fully supports the growth of international rail passenger services, including potential new direct connections, and recognises the socio-economic benefits that these provide for UK citizens and businesses. DfT officials regularly engage with their Swiss counterparts to discuss the potential merits of direct rail connections between the UK and Switzerland, as well as supporting the work of industry partners to explore their feasibility. The Secretary of State and the Rail Minister hope to discuss this shortly with Swiss counterparts, including exploring plans to formalise our cooperation on this matter.

The Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) is responsible for operational decision making on traffic management measures in response to disruption at Eurotunnel and/or the Port of Dover. The KMRF have well-practised tactical plans in place, including Operation Brock.

While these measures help to mitigate against the worst of any disruption, the Department still recognises the impact disruption has on local residents, businesses, hauliers, and passengers. Therefore, the Department is working with the KMRF and other local stakeholders to continually improve how traffic management plans operate.

The Department for Transport sets the legislation that governs the Blue Badge scheme and provides guidance for local authorities who are solely responsible for administering the scheme, including issuing the badges.

There are no timescales set for administering applications other than a suggested guideline that issuing authorities should aim to complete end to end applications within 12 weeks.

80% of citizens apply for a badge using the Blue Badge Digital Service (BBDS) operated by the Department for Transport. The Department has a programme of continuous improvement of the digital service with the aim of making online badge applications quicker and easier for applicants and local authorities.

With an indicative cost of ~£270m, Midlands Connect, the sub-national transport body which researches, develops and progresses transport projects in the Midlands, view electrification of this route as prohibitively expensive.

However, they are refreshing the Business Case for line speed improvements to this route, and my officials are in regular contact with Midlands Connect to support them in this work. The Minister of State for Rail expects to receive an updated Business Case later this year.

In the last year (August 2023 to July 2024) the Department spent £6,128,135 on paid communications campaigns.

The majority of this spend was for the THINK! campaign, which is a key pillar in the Department’s commitment to improving road safety. THINK! aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the road through changing attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk. The campaign focuses on priority issues including drink driving and speeding, as well as communicating key policy interventions.

In the past year, the Department ran THINK! Campaigns across paid channels in England and Wales to tackle drink driving, seat belt use and speeding and among high-risk male drivers aged 17-24.

The total spend also includes the ‘It’s Everyone’s Journey’ campaign which aims to raise awareness of the needs of disabled people among the general travelling public, and to create a more supportive travelling environment to improve confidence and increase the use of public transport by disabled people.

The decision taken in 2017 to not electrify the railway between Cardiff and Swansea was based on it not delivering significant journey time savings and this remains the case. Enhancements to the railway in Wales that deliver passenger benefits, including proposed electrification, are considered by the Wales Rail Board.

We understand that the scheme promotor is seeking to resolve legal and commercial processes with the Principal Contractor. These processes are expected to be concluded by the end of this calendar year, with a view to re-mobilising site works early 2025.

The Government is working at pace to review the position it has inherited on HS2, including options for Euston. We will set out a clear plan in due course.

National Highways was established in 2015 with a requirement to have regard to the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance when setting pay awards for its staff. National Highways must also ensure its pay deals are affordable and in line with its budget and pay control envelope agreed with the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury.

As part of their analysis of need on the Strategic Road Network, National Highways identified issues with peak period delays and unreliability on the A5 in Hockcliffe. A feasibility study has been undertaken and has identified options for improvements. This scheme is currently being considered as part of the next Roads Investment Strategy, though all future spend by National Highways is subject to the DfT’s Capital Review and the cross-government Spending Review.

The proposed M54 to M6 link road in the Road Investment Strategy was most recently assessed as high value for money and with a benefit to cost ratio of 3.17.

The information requested regarding (a) car ownership, (b) bus usage (c) light rail usage, (d) train usage and (e) active travel usage in Aldershot constituency is not available. Geographic availability of data differs depending on the data source. Where possible, information has been provided for the constituency of Aldershot. Otherwise, statistics for the local authority of ‘Rushmoor’, county of ‘Hampshire’, or the area of ‘Hampshire and Isle of Wight’ are provided where relevant.

Car ownership

According to the Department’s vehicle statistics, there were 138,805 licensed cars as at end March 2024 in the Aldershot Constituency.

Bus usage

According to the Department’s annual bus statistics, in the year ending March 2023 there were 20.8 million local bus journeys taken in Hampshire.

Train usage

The Regional Rail Usage Statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road show that in the year ending March 2023 there were 25.0 million passenger rail journeys within the South East of England that started or ended in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. There were also 15.3 million journeys that started or ended in Hampshire and Isle of Wight that started or ended from regions outside the South East of England.

Active travel usage

According to the Department’s annual walking and cycling statistics, between November 2022 and November 2023, 66.4% of adults walked or cycled, for any purpose, at least once per week in Rushmoor (Non-Metropolitan District). The equivalent figure for Hampshire (County) is 73.6%.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Hampshire County Council (HCC) is the local highway authority for the Aldershot constituency, and it is therefore responsible for the maintenance of the local road network. HCC will receive £37.7 million from this Department during 2024/25 to enable it to carry out its local highway maintenance responsibilities. Funding for future years is a matter for the Spending Review.

The Government is considering the content and timing of the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) alongside all transport infrastructure spend. We will provide an update in due course.

National Highways continues to consider the case for safety improvements to the A483 between Pant and Llanymynech through a route optimisation study. The content and timing of the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) will be considered alongside all transport infrastructure spend.

My officials were in touch with ToCs at the time. As the Minister (Ellie Reeves, Minister without Portfolio) said in her statement to the House of Commons on Monday 22 July, the transport sector will review its response and implement any learnings.

The Cabinet Office has led a review of the incident, identifying lessons. The Department has engaged with this process and will implement recommendations with the transport sector, including the rail industry and train operating companies, as appropriate.

The Department does not hold the requested data concerning journey cancellations on 14 July 2024 directly due to crew shortages.

Improving performance on the railway is a key priority, and the Rail Minister is expecting to meet Network Rail and Great Western Railway this month to discuss performance on these routes. Following the launch of Network Rail’s £140m performance improvement plan, we are starting to see improvements in performance, and we expect more in the coming months. We understand Network Rail delivered a final plan to the Office for Rail & Road by 31 August.

Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and TfL. DfT Officials work closely with TfL on a range of issues.

Officials in my department have had several meetings over the last year with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) about the Heritage Rail Association’s (HRA) plans to establish a Heritage Rail Safety and Standards Board. We understand that the HRA is progressing with its plans, and my officials will continue their engagement with the ORR as this develops.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the railway maintains the highest air quality standards to safeguard the health and well-being of passengers and rail staff. The Department for Transport already requires Network Rail and train operators to develop air quality improvement plans to address issues in stations. The Department is also working with the Rail Safety and Standards Board to explore the option of specific air quality targets for the rail network, including within stations, to ensure rail remains one of the cleanest forms of mass public transport. The Department will confirm its position in due course.

There will not be any immediate changes to how timetable adjustments are managed during and immediately after the transition of passenger train operations into public ownership. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd when current contracts end or reach their contractual break point, and timetable adjustments will be managed as they currently are.

As announced in the King’s Speech 2024, forthcoming legislation will establish Great British Railways – an arm’s length body which will act as a “directing mind”, with a relentless focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers. As outlined in Getting Britain Moving, the Government’s vision is that, within the clear strategic direction set by the Secretary of State, Great British Railways will, once established, have operational independence and be responsible for planning timetables.

Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point.

The Government will continue to set targets for public sector train operating companies on a range of measures including punctuality, reliability and quality of service as appropriate, and will continue to hold them to account for performance against these targets. Modern service agreements, currently in development, will come into force for each train operator when operations transition into public ownership.

The Government has been clear that passenger train operations will transfer to a public-sector operator as current contracts end or reach their contractual break point, avoiding the need to pay compensation to the current operators. The Secretary of State is continually monitoring performance and will not hesitate to take appropriate action when operators fall short, up to and including termination if the relevant contractual conditions are met.

The Chancellor’s statement of 29 July 2024 confirmed that the Restoring Your Railway (RYR) programme will be brought to a close. Aside from RYR projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the upcoming Spending Review. This will include reviewing the business cases of these projects. Ministers have been clear that not all proposed transport projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.

98% of local authorities have civil enforcement powers in relation to parking and are responsible for enforcement on the roads within their authority. Local authorities have powers to implement a range of parking restrictions on their networks and are responsible for deciding what restrictions may be necessary.

Officials continually monitor the performance of Great Western Railway services, including instances of overcrowding, and actively hold operators to account through their contracts when they run less capacity than agreed. The Rail Minister additionally meets with Train Operating Companies to review their performance. We work closely with Great Western Railway to match supply to demand within operational and financial constraints including the provision of additional summer services. Great Western Railway is also exploring opportunities to increase the capacity of its rolling stock fleet.