DfT: All Documents

Written Question

Taxis: Vehicle Number Plates

Friday 25th April 2025

Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicles that use number plates that do not conform with regulations.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of illegal number plates as well as number plates with raised characters, commonly known as ‘4D plates’. Some 4D plates can also be described as ‘ghost’ plates where the characters are constructed from materials that are unable to be read by infrared Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems. Work is currently ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation, which would include on taxis and private hire vehicles.

Written Question

South Western Railway: Rolling Stock

Friday 25th April 2025

Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the additional time taken to introduce the South Western Railway Arterio rolling stock fleet.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Arterio delays were initially caused by manufacturing and software issues, the responsibility of Alstom. There have been a number of more recent issues including driver training and platform infrastructure readiness, the responsibility of South Western Railway, which have impacted the ability to bring further units into passenger service as envisaged. My officials are actively engaged in ensuring all appropriate actions are being taken in the interests of passengers and taxpayers.

The Rail Minister has asked FirstGroup and MTR, the current owners of SWR, to meet with me urgently to explain what they are doing to address these issues as a priority.

Written Question

Railways: Greater Manchester

Friday 25th April 2025

Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of remodelling Manchester Oxford Road railway station on rail capacity.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Improving rail capacity and performance are key aims of the Government’s investment programme for Manchester, hence the prioritisation of improvements to Oxford Road station which is a key constraint on the network. As the Oxford Road project develops over the next couple of years, further timetable and station capacity studies will be made.