Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of days taken by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to reach a licensing decision was in cases where a medical condition required investigation, in each month from January 2024 to April 2026.

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

The table below shows the average number of days to make a licensing decision for driving licence applications where a medical condition required investigation before a licence could be issued in each month from January 2024 to March 2026. The final figures for April 2026 are not yet available.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer than applications where there is no medical condition as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications, increasing waiting times for some customers. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system and launched a new medical services portal, so most customers can now apply online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. Details on how to sign up for an account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.

These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the timetable and key stage points are for each commitment set out in Better Connected: a strategy for integrated transport, published on 2 April.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Better Connected sets this Government’s vision for people-focussed transport, supported by 40 new commitments to be delivered during this Parliament. Timescales and delivery milestones vary by commitment and will be monitored through the Department's internal governance process.

The strategy also sets out a framework for monitoring progress using headline metrics linked to the eight priorities. Baseline measures for these metrics are being developed to ensure they are robust and aligned with local transport authority outcome frameworks, where possible, drawing on a combination of existing national data sources and new primary data collection.

Further detail will be provided through a progress update in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what they intend the baseline measures to be for each of the headline metrics in Better Connected: a strategy for integrated transport, published on 2 April.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Better Connected sets this Government’s vision for people-focussed transport, supported by 40 new commitments to be delivered during this Parliament. Timescales and delivery milestones vary by commitment and will be monitored through the Department's internal governance process.

The strategy also sets out a framework for monitoring progress using headline metrics linked to the eight priorities. Baseline measures for these metrics are being developed to ensure they are robust and aligned with local transport authority outcome frameworks, where possible, drawing on a combination of existing national data sources and new primary data collection.

Further detail will be provided through a progress update in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the statutory guidance Implementing low traffic neighbourhoods, published on 17 March 2024, is current government policy.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The guidance was published in draft in March 2024 but never brought into force. The Government is considering next steps and more information will be made available in due course.

As is longstanding policy, local authorities are best placed to decide what traffic management schemes are appropriate, including low-traffic neighbourhoods, but they should always be developed through engagement with local communities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, pursuant to the HS2 Project Update, published on 25 March, which states “We must slow or pause some work while other sites catch up. This includes … secondary work supporting London’s tunnel network” and “We’ve deferred some works outside this area, including … secondary works on the London tunnels network”, what is the scope of that secondary work.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

HS2 Ltd has extended the deferral of works between Birmingham and Handsacre, in place since spring 2023, to focus efforts on the cost-efficient delivery of the opening stage of HS2 between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street. The scope of secondary works on the tunnels include construction activity relating to tunnel vent shafts, headhouses and walkways.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of gaps in East-West rail connectivity in the West Midlands and Stafford; and what steps her Department is taking to improve links between communities that are well-served by North-South rail corridors but poorly connected laterally.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department recognises the importance of East–West rail connectivity alongside North–South routes in supporting travel across the West Midlands and Staffordshire.

Connectivity is kept under review, and the Department is currently working with the rail industry to consider further improvements to East–West connectivity at weekends on the North Staffordshire Line.

This work is being taken forward with operators as they develop demand‑led timetables that can adapt to passengers’ evolving needs, whilst also making the running of the railways financially sustainable, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used in the most efficient way.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of electric vehicle charging infrastructure availability in Basildon on consumer uptake of electric vehicles.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As of 1 January 2026, there were 97 public EV chargers in Basildon.

South Basildon and East Thurrock is benefitting from over £10 million allocated to Essex County Council and Thurrock Council through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. LEVI funding and private investment will significantly scale the number of public charge points near to homes, giving residents confidence to switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Under LEVI, Thurrock Council has awarded a contract to deliver up to 4,000 public EV chargers. Essex County Council are currently procuring a supplier.

Essex and Thurrock have also received over £450,000 through the EV Pavement Channels Grant, which will support residents without off-street parking to conveniently charge their vehicles at home.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Basildon.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As of 1 January 2026, there were 97 public EV chargers in Basildon.

South Basildon and East Thurrock is benefitting from over £10 million allocated to Essex County Council and Thurrock Council through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. LEVI funding and private investment will significantly scale the number of public charge points near to homes, giving residents confidence to switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Under LEVI, Thurrock Council has awarded a contract to deliver up to 4,000 public EV chargers. Essex County Council are currently procuring a supplier.

Essex and Thurrock have also received over £450,000 through the EV Pavement Channels Grant, which will support residents without off-street parking to conveniently charge their vehicles at home.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) reliability and (b) maintenance of public electric vehicle charge points.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Since November 2024, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (PCPR) have required charge point operators (CPOs) to achieve an average annual reliability of 99% across their network of public charge points of 50kW and above, to publish reliability compliance information, and to submit an annual reliability report to the Secretary of State and the enforcement authority.

The first reliability reports were provided to the enforcement authority, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in January 2026. The OPSS are reviewing these reports.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what fiscal steps her Department is taking to encourage careers in aviation.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport encourages careers in the aviation industry through its Generation Aviation programme. The Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, a part of the Generation Aviation programme, administered by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), funds outreach activity with the aim of showcasing career paths, boosting skills and futureproofing the aviation sector.

The Department also funds the CAA’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme. The STEM programme is aimed at growing interest in aviation careers through identifying and addressing barriers and growing and diversifying the talent pool.

Since the inception of both programmes, the Department has committed close to £6 million in funding, reaching over one million young people.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to produce a long-term investment plan, alongside any relevant authorities, to ensure the cost-effective and safe maintenance of vital transport infrastructure such as bridges.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

On 15 April 2026, the Department for Transport launched the Structures Fund to inject cash into repairing critical local highway structures across England, ensuring transport infrastructure is more resilient to extreme weather, whilst making every-day journeys safer, smoother and more dependable. This is in addition to the record investment of £7.3 billion the Department for Transport is providing for local highways maintenance between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve local roads across the country.

The Government’s recently published third Road Investment Strategy also includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment into renewing assets on the strategic road network including bridges and other structures.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take in response to the figures reported by fire brigades indicating an increase of 38 per cent in the number of fires associated with e-bikes and e-scooters.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 provides the Government with powers to update and replace outdated product safety legislation.

The Department for Business and Trade, though the Office of Product Safety and Standards, are consulting on reforms to modernise the product safety framework, strengthen enforcement and improve consumer safety, including in relation to high-risk products and online sales. This includes consideration of lithium-ion batteries for e-bike and e-scooter batteries, which can present a fire risk where they do not comply with product safety legislation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their expected timetable for the rollout of the National Parking Platform.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The National Parking Platform was launched in 2021 and is live now. Each Local Authority will make its own decision on whether, and when, to sign up and implement the service in its area. We are encouraging local transport authorities in England to support roll out of the platform.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the role that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could play alongside electric vehicles in achieving net zero transport, particularly in light of vehicle weight, raw material availability and grid capacity constraints.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is technology neutral in its approach to road decarbonisation. Road transport accounts for 90% of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions, making the transition to zero emission vehicles essential to achieving our climate obligations.

The market will decide which zero emission technologies are ultimately successful, and it is likely that battery electric vehicles will be the most cost effective and practical in the majority of applications. Battery electric vehicles with vehicle to grid capability are likely to play an important role in managing grid capacity, providing grid flexibility. However, hydrogen technology may be adopted in some cases where it makes sense to do so.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the danger, if any, caused by cyclists using headphones on roads.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

No such assessment has been made, and it is not an offence to use headphones while cycling. However, if this is done in such a way as to put other road users in danger, the police may choose to bring a prosecution for careless or dangerous cycling.

Rule 66 of the Highway Code states that people should “avoid any actions that could reduce control of your cycle” and Rule 67 says that people should “be aware of traffic coming up behind you, including other cyclists”. Wearing headphones could indirectly affect a person’s ability to comply with either of these rules.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the minutes of the meetings of the Airspace and Noise Engagement Group which have taken place since May 2022; and if so, when.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government does not intend to publish the minutes of the meetings of the Airspace and Noise Engagement Group (ANEG) that have taken place since May 2022. ANEG is chaired by DfT at official level and Ministers are not in attendance.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been made available to South Eastern Railway to undertake outline designs to improve car park provision at Paddock Wood station.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I can confirm that there has been no funding from the Department to Southeastern to improve car park provision at Paddock Wood train station. The Rail Minister has asked the Managing Director of South Eastern Railway to contact the MP about this matter.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to undertake feasibility studies into cross-Thames public transport between Essex and Kent.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has no plans to undertake feasibility studies into cross-Thames public transport between Essex and Kent. Local councils will retain the ability to use funds allocated by the Department flexibly to meet their local needs and reflect priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that port infrastructure has access to affordable energy for shore-side power projects.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is taking action to reform the grid connections process to ensure port infrastructure, such as shore power, can access the energy they need for maritime.

In addition, the Government is currently considering policy options to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, such as critical port sites, to ensure access to grid connections are not a blocker to growth and decarbonisation.

We also ran a Call for Evidence about ports’ energy needs to inform future maritime emissions policy, a summary of which will be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Lincolnshire.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As of 1 January 2026, there were 889 public electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Lincolnshire.

Lincolnshire County Council were awarded almost £6.4 million funding through the Government’s LEVI Fund to increase the number of local chargepoints across the area. LEVI funding and private investment will significantly scale the number of public charge points near to homes, giving residents confidence to switch to an EV. Under LEVI, Lincolnshire and other collaborating local authorities are currently procuring a supplier.

Lincolnshire will also benefit from over £400,000 awarded to the Greater Lincolnshire County Combined Authority through the £25 million EV Pavement Channels grant, which will support residents without off-street parking to conveniently charge their vehicles at home, accessing cheaper tariffs through their domestic energy supplies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the danger, if any, caused by cycling on roads with one hand on the handlebars while using a mobile phone with the other.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Nobody should hold a mobile phone while cycling as this could affect their concentration and situational awareness. While no assessment of the dangers caused by this has been made, and it is not an offence to cycle and use a mobile phone, cyclists could be prosecuted by the police for careless or dangerous cycling.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the DVLA webchat.

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

In 2025-2026, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s contact centre answered 8,929,400 customer contacts, of which 964,576 were answered via webchat. The webchat service provides customers with an online option to support them when they are using one of the DVLA’s digital services or if they have a general enquiry.

The DVLA’s webchat also incorporates a chatbot function which automatically answered 498,780 customers in 2025-26 without any human intervention. The chatbot function is available constantly, allowing the DVLA to answer some customer enquiries outside of its standard opening hours.

In 2025-26, the average time taken to handle an enquiry via the webchat channel was around 90 seconds quicker than the telephone option.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many sanctioned shadow fleet vessels have transited UK waters since 25 March 2026.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 20 April 2026, to Question 125435.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits to the effectiveness of highway maintenance of mapping underground water infrastructure.

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

Responsibility for the management and maintenance of local roads, including associated assets such as drainage, rests with local highway authorities. Local decision‑making allows authorities to reflect local conditions, risks and priorities when planning and delivering maintenance activities.

To support local highway authorities in the maintenance of their highway networks, the Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, which gives local highway authorities the flexibility to invest in data, maintenance and preventative interventions in line with local needs and best practice.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of ageing water infrastructure on road surfaces.

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

Effective management of surface water is an important part of maintaining the road network. Poor drainage can accelerate the deterioration of road surfaces and structures, increase the need for reactive maintenance, and contribute to the undermining of earthworks and other highway assets. This is why drainage is treated as a core component of highway asset management, and why the Department supports a whole‑life, risk‑based approach to maintaining highway infrastructure.

The Government is providing record levels of funding for local roads maintenance. Between 2026‑27 and 2029‑30, the Government is investing £7.3 billion in local highways maintenance, giving local highway authorities the certainty and flexibility to plan preventative maintenance, including for drainage and other associated assets.

In addition, the Department recently launched the Structures Fund, which will support local highway authorities to repair or replace large transport structures such as bridges, tunnels, retaining walls and other critical assets. This will help protect the resilience of the local road network and reduce the longer‑term impacts of asset deterioration, including those linked to water and drainage.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of uninsured drivers in (a) Stockport and (b) Greater Manchester.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the number of uninsured drivers in Stockport and Greater Manchester.

Across the country, the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) estimates that about 300,000 cars are being driven every day without insurance.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039 on Department for Transport: Aviation, what the purpose was of each flight to Tanzania; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.

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

The Department for Transport (DfT) has supported the protection of UK nationals, UK economic interests and the resilience of global maritime trade by strengthening maritime security overseas, particularly in relation to terrorism and major security threats. DfT has acted to build and enhance international maritime security capacity by working collaboratively with partner states to improve compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, thereby reducing risk to the UK’s supply chains, energy routes and the UK‑registered and wider Red Ensign Group shipping fleet. In March 2025 two DfT officials (1 x Higher Executive Officer and 1 x Senior Executive Officer) visited Tanzania to deliver capacity development workshops, undertake port security surveys and participate in a Women in Maritime symposium.

The visit was approved by a Deputy Director (Senior Civil Servant) in DfT’s Transport Security Division in line with departmental policy. The total cost of the visit was £8,584.42.

As part of the planning process, consideration was given to whether the engagement could be conducted remotely or combined with other official travel. While some preparatory and follow up activity was undertaken virtually, aspects of the engagement required on site delivery and therefore could not be fully conducted remotely.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 29687 on Traffic Officers, how many National Highways traffic officers were employed on 15 March in (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.

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

The number of traffic officers employed by National Highways on 15 March in 2025 and 2026 were as follows:

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of ANPR misreads occurred in each of the last five years of the DfT's roadside surveys.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department does not readily hold figures on the percentage of ANPR misreads from vehicle excise duty evasion statistics roadside survey. Misreads are managed through quality assurance and correction processes, with any remaining uncertainty reflected in the confidence intervals published alongside Vehicle Excise Duty evasion estimates.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of ADI part 2 and ADI part 3 tests in Oxfordshire.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is aware that demand for approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 and part 3 tests is high in some areas across the country and recognises the time constraints this may place on trainee driving instructors.

As ADI examiners are deployed across multiple test centres, understanding when and where candidates wish to take tests helps DVSA deploy examiner resource appropriately. Consequently, DVSA does not publish waiting times for ADI tests. DVSA has recruited, and continues to recruit, additional ADI examiners and has increased its capacity to train new examiners.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of driving test appointment capacity in (a) Leicester, (b) Leicestershire and (c) the East Midlands; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for practical driving tests in those areas.

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

The table below shows the March 2026 average waiting time for a car practical driving test. This data is based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available. The table also shows the number of tests booked and available at the driving test centres (DTCs) serving the East Midlands as of 20 April 2026.

Between June 2025 – March 2026, at the DTCs above, DVSA conducted 10,036 additional car practical driving tests in overtime, when compared to the equivalent overtime scheme between June 2024 – March 2025. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme the agency introduced in June 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data their Department holds on (a) collisions and (b) injuries involving e-bikes operated through hire schemes in each of the last three years.

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

The Department does not currently collect data on collisions or injuries involving e-bikes operated through hire schemes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions they have had with e-bike hire operators on compliance with minimum age policies and user safety requirements.

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

The Government is introducing a licensing regime for shared cycle services and this will be implemented through a combination of regulations and detailed guidance, following in-depth consultation.

In the meantime, Ministers and officials continue to discuss a range of matters with e-bike rental operators, including potential measures which may be included in the future licensing framework.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that rural local authorities, such as North Yorkshire, are able to access the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund on equal terms with urban areas.

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

The £165 million Growth and Housing Acceleration Fund (GHAF) in the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) will bridge funding gaps for critical transport works on or near the Strategic Road Network to unblock stalled housing and employment sites across England. National Highways launched the GHAF on the 21 April 2026, inviting eligible authorities to register potential developments for consideration.

The fund is open to applications from across England, including in rural areas such as North Yorkshire. To ensure rural authorities can access the fund on equal terms, National Highways has published eligibility and assessment criteria and will operate a fair and equitable process, applying those criteria consistently to all proposals.

The fund website can be found here:- Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund - National Highways

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will support stalled housing developments in rural areas such as North Yorkshire; and what criteria National Highways will use to ensure that rural communities receive equitable levels of that funding.

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

The £165 million Growth and Housing Acceleration Fund (GHAF) in the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) will bridge funding gaps for critical transport works on or near the Strategic Road Network to unblock stalled housing and employment sites across England. National Highways launched the GHAF on the 21 April 2026, inviting eligible authorities to register potential developments for consideration. A continuous rolling programme of delivery will be published from the end of 2026/27.

The fund is open to applications from across England, including in rural areas such as North Yorkshire. National Highways published the eligibility and assessment criteria at launch and will apply them consistently, with a focus on proposals where a specific transport constraint is preventing development and where there is evidence of a genuine viability gap, strong deliverability, and value for money.

The GHAF will support targeted, smaller-scale interventions and complements, rather than replaces, wider strategic investment programmes. As such, National Highways expects the GHAF to support both rural and urban communities, with the pipeline developed through developments submitted by eligible authorities and assessed against the published criteria.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to require e-bike hire operators to hold public liability insurance as a condition of operating on the public highway.

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

The licensing regime for shared cycle schemes which we are bringing forward through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will create a legal requirement for shared e-cycle schemes to be licensed, which will be implemented through a combination of regulations and detailed guidance, following in-depth consultation.

No final policy decisions have yet been taken, but licence conditions could include a requirement for age verification of users or public liability insurance for operators.

Safety will be a priority when considering future policy in this area.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce minimum standards for age verification for e-bike hire operators.

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

Licensing for shared cycle services will be implemented following in-depth consultation through a combination of regulations and detailed guidance.

No decisions taken yet on final policy design etc. Safety will be a priority when considering future policy in this area.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026 to Question 118274 on M1: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the roadworks on the M1 northbound between junctions 12 and 13 have been completed.

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

Repairs to the central reservation drainage on the M1 (Northbound) between junctions 12 and 13 have been completed. All traffic management was removed on 30 March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120036 on the Highway Code, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals were represented on the expert stakeholder group; and how many times that stakeholder group met during the drafting of Rule H1.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The expert stakeholder group convened by the previous government when it determined the new rule could be introduced included individuals from The Automobile Association (AA), British Horse Society (BHS), BRAKE, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Cycling UK, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), First Car – representing Younger Road Users, Institute for Transport Studies Leeds – Representing Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Living Streets, Phil Jones Associates, Road Safety Foundation – representing Older Road Users, TMS Consultancy – representing Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Transport for London (TfL), Transport Scotland and Welsh Government.

The expert stakeholder group met five times during the drafting of updates to the Highway Code to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including Rule H1.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000, what recent assessment she has made of the future viability of (a) parent funded school transport schemes and (b) spare seat schemes.

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

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set minimum accessibility requirements for buses and coaches, designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. They support millions of disabled people, including young people and children, to make the journeys important in their lives.

PSVAR have applied to certain home-to-school (HTS) services for 25 years. In response to widespread non-compliance in the sector, including HTS services where spare capacity is sold, the government issued exemptions to enable these essential services to continue operating whilst operators procured compliant coaches. The current Medium-Term Exemptions (MTE) for HTS and rail replacement coach services expire on 31st July.

In 2023 the previous Government began a review of PSVAR, including inviting feedback from local authority commissioners, providers and users of transport services, through a Call for Evidence, with a view to understanding the extent to which the Regulations remained appropriate and continued to serve disabled passengers. We continue to work with partners to understand the best way forward and we will announce our proposed next steps on PSVAR, including a decision on the future of the MTE scheme and its implications for HTS services, soon.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans are there to ensure, under the ten-year zero emission bus order pipeline, that UK based manufacturers are best placed to produce the new vehicles.

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

The Government has supported the UK bus manufacturing industry through the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, which ran from March 2025 to March 2026.

Long-term funding for local transport authorities, including through the £15.6 billion Transport for City Regions funding, will enable LTAs to purchase zero emission buses (ZEBs) for their areas and support wider investment.

The zero emission bus order pipeline was published in March 2026 and provides greater planning certainty to the sector as they develop future decarbonisation strategies.

At the final meeting of the Expert Panel, Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) agreed to a minimum 10% social value weighting in future bus procurements. This will help to enable UK-based manufacturers to plan and invest with confidence, taking full advantage of the opportunities ahead.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant expiry on investment confidence and jobs in the UK motorcycle and L-Category vehicle sector.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders.

The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of loss of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on the UK electric motorcycle market.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders.

The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to highway authorities on how the place before movement principle should be operationalised in rural transport assessments, particularly where multiple developments exert cumulative impacts across neighbouring settlements.

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

My officials work closely with counterparts in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on national planning policy, including how transport is considered in plan‑making and decision‑taking for new development.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, requires transport to be considered from the earliest stages of planning, using a vision‑led approach to support well‑designed, sustainable places. This includes integrating movement, streets and parking into scheme design, including in rural areas. The Government consulted on further changes to the NPPF between December 2025 and March 2026 and will publish its response in due course, alongside updated planning guidance.

The Department for Transport has also developed the Government’s Connectivity Tool, which combines land‑use and transport data to provide a consistent measure of access to jobs and essential services. This tool can support authorities and in understanding connectivity and potential changes to connectivity when assessing new development.

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 availability of quality roadside facilities on recruitment and retention of HGV drivers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Through the Rapid Evidence Assessment published in October 2023, the Department has assessed the potential impact of the availability and quality of roadside facilities on HGV driver recruitment and retention, finding that inadequate facilities can act as a deterrent to entering and remaining in the profession.

In addition, the Department also published the National Survey of Lorry Parking in September 2022, which identified shortages in HGV parking and concerns about the quality and security of welfare facilities. In response, the Department launched the HGV Parking Match Funding Grant Scheme to improve driver welfare and increase secure parking provision, delivering up to £35.7 million of joint 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 Department is currently undertaking a new National Lorry Parking Survey, which will provide up to date and comprehensive evidence on the availability and quality of lorry parking in England. The survey is scheduled to be published in autumn 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to establish a measurable framework for assessing when traffic materially undermines a village’s function as a place, rather than solely assessing vehicle capacity.

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

The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance includes a qualitative methodology for assessing the impacts of transport schemes on townscape, defined as the physical and social characteristics that contribute to a sense of place.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, requires a vision‑led approach to transport from the earliest stages of planning, ensuring movement, streets and parking are integral to place‑making. Where significant impacts on the transport network or highway safety are identified, mitigation should be considered to an acceptable degree through this approach. The Government consulted on further changes between December 2025 and March 2026 and will publish its response in due course. Forthcoming updated Planning Practice Guidance on transport assessments will support local authorities in applying these policies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of removing support for electric motorcycles relative to the cost of the scheme.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders.

The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work her Department is undertaking to develop a long-term policy framework to support the uptake of zero emission L-Category vehicles.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Decarbonising transport is critical to ensuring that the UK meets its net zero commitment by 2050 and all road vehicles have a part to play in this. The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant has now ended after supporting over 15,500 vehicle purchases since 2016. We will continue to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further policy interventions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is available to help the cold chain and general haulage industry to manage cost increases across the supply chain, including to help stabilise costs for businesses and consumers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Department fully recognises the need to maintain the continuity of critical supply chains and is actively monitoring any potential impacts. The Department continues to work and meet regularly with industry, including representatives of the cold chain industry, to understand the pressures and options to mitigate any risks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the cold chain and general haulage industry given recent changes in the price of fuel.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Department fully recognises the need to maintain the continuity of critical supply chains and is actively monitoring any potential impacts. The Department continues to work and meet regularly with industry, including representatives of the cold chain industry, to understand the pressures and options to mitigate any risks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the cold chain industry on changes in the level of fuel prices.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Department fully recognises the need to maintain the continuity of critical supply chains and is actively monitoring any potential impacts. The Department continues to work and meet regularly with industry, including representatives of the cold chain industry, to understand the pressures and options to mitigate any risks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of strengthening efforts to sustain a green roads network in (a) Somerset (b) England and (c) the United Kingdom.

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

Local highway authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of public rights of way. They are required to keep a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) to plan improvements to the rights of way network in their area for all users. These are available on the authority’s website. This must include an assessment of the local rights of way including the condition of the network.

Local authorities are best placed to understand local priorities and allocate funding for rights of way activities accordingly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the delay to repairs at Bransty Tunnel on the Cumbrian Coast Line, including (a) the reasons why no works have commenced eight months after closure, (b) the status of environmental permitting with the Environment Agency, and (c) the expected timetable for the start of works and full reopening of the line.

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

Network Rail is responsible for the delivery of works at Bransty Tunnel, and my officials are supporting Network Rail on this matter.

The issue at Bransty Tunnel was identified when Network Rail, as part of routine planned maintenance and renewals, undertook ground investigations that revealed unstable conditions within the tunnel resulting from historic mining activity in the area. This is linked to the ochreous water discharge at Whitehaven harbour.

Given the remnants of the mining activity, and large amounts of flowing water, a much larger, more complex package of work than was originally anticipated is needed to rectify these poor conditions, leading to the extended closure of the tunnel.

A dedicated Network Rail Whitehaven Recovery Taskforce is now in place to address the flooding and structural issues at Bransty Tunnel linked to the historic mining activity. Detailed inspections are complete, and a permanent £49 million repair solution has been independently verified and is ready to be delivered. This includes water management, tunnel stabilisation, and subsequent track and drainage renewal.

Although Network Rail has agreed to progress, agreement is needed with the Environment Agency and the Mining Remediation Authority before on-site work can commence due to environmental and regulatory requirements. DfT Operator’s rail environment team is supporting this.

Network Rail is working closely with the Mining Remediation Authority and the Environment Agency to align the necessary environmental consents so that water contamination issues can be addressed alongside the repairs.

Network Rail will provide a further public update once work can begin. Delivery is expected to take six to nine months.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time is for DVLA medical licence renewals where the applicant's condition has been clinically stable for two or more consecutive years.

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

In 2025/26, the DVLA received 1,003,453 driving licence applications, renewals and notifications where a medical condition needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued. Of these, 15 per cent were made via the DVLA’s online service.

Until the end of March 2026, only a limited number of single medical conditions could be notified via the online DVLA’s Fitness to Drive Service. These included diabetes, Parkinsons, epilepsy, stroke, visual impairments or heart conditions. Notifications or renewals of all other medical conditions required applications to be submitted by post.

However, the DVLA’s new online medical services portal was launched on 31 March 2026 and most customers can now notify or renew online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The information requested about the average processing time for licence renewals where the applicant’s condition has been clinically stable for two or more consecutive years is not available as the DVLA is not required to hold information about periods of clinical stability. In 2025/26, the average processing time for all driving licence applications where a medical condition needed to be investigated was 56.66 working days.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of DVLA medical licence applications are processed digitally rather than by post.

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

In 2025/26, the DVLA received 1,003,453 driving licence applications, renewals and notifications where a medical condition needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued. Of these, 15 per cent were made via the DVLA’s online service.

Until the end of March 2026, only a limited number of single medical conditions could be notified via the online DVLA’s Fitness to Drive Service. These included diabetes, Parkinsons, epilepsy, stroke, visual impairments or heart conditions. Notifications or renewals of all other medical conditions required applications to be submitted by post.

However, the DVLA’s new online medical services portal was launched on 31 March 2026 and most customers can now notify or renew online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The information requested about the average processing time for licence renewals where the applicant’s condition has been clinically stable for two or more consecutive years is not available as the DVLA is not required to hold information about periods of clinical stability. In 2025/26, the average processing time for all driving licence applications where a medical condition needed to be investigated was 56.66 working days.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 121208 on A14: Trees, whether the work to remove redundant biodegradable and plastic tree guards along the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has commenced; and what the expected completion date is.

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

National Highways has commenced work to remove redundant biodegradable and plastic tree guards along the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme. To date, around 36,000 redundant tree guards have been removed, and the work is expected to be completed by May 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to introduce a cap on the fees charged by app providers to local authorities for operating the National Parking Platform.

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

The National Parking Platform is intended to support greater competition and choice by enabling multiple parking app providers to operate across participating local authorities.

While the Government is keen to see this system make parking easier for all, pricing decisions relating to the operation of the National Parking Platform are commercial matters for the National Parking Platform, app providers and local authorities. Both local authorities and app providers are represented on the Board of the National Parking Platform as a part of its not-for-profit governance structure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122307, whether her Department plans to collect data from local authorities on roads awaiting adoption.

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

The Department does not currently plan to collect data from local authorities on roads awaiting adoption. However, it has commissioned research to improve understanding of adoption rates and is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which has consulted on related issues, to support a coordinated cross‑government approach.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking following the trial of higher parking penalty charge notices in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in August 2025.

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

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has published a report on their month‑long trial of higher PCNs. The Department is reviewing the findings of this trial.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department ahs provided dedicated support has been provided to West Northamptonshire Council in the context of the Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026; and whether a peer review has been commissioned.

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

As part of the publication of the local road maintenance ratings for 2025/26, the Department for Transport confirmed that it will provide red-rated authorities with a dedicated support programme to help improve local outcomes. This is in the form of expert-led peer reviews, through which sector experts will work collaboratively with authorities to identify areas where performance could be enhanced. The Department has commissioned the Local Government Association to deliver these reviews.

West Northamptonshire received an overall red rating under the Departments’ road maintenance rating system, with underlying scorecards showing red for condition, amber for spend, and red for best practice. The authority is therefore eligible for this support offer. The Department has written to all red-rated authorities to arrange the peer reviews and the review for West Northamptonshire will be conducted during the 2026/27 financial year.

The Department recognises that historic levels of investment have made it difficult for authorities to maintain their roads in the way that they would want to. Therefore, alongside providing this dedicated support to red-rated authorities, the Department has also confirmed a record, £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance for the next four years. This will allow local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road and local highways network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 117050 on A34: Safety, whether the road marking renewal works on the A34 from Chieveley to the M40 have now been completed; and if she will provide an updated timetable for completion if those works remain ongoing.

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

The programme of road marking renewal works on the A34 between Chieveley and the M40 is largely complete. One remaining closure is still required to complete the final element of the works, and National Highways is working with the local highway authority to minimise disruption. All remaining works should be complete by the summer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.

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

The Department for Transport published the Transport AI Action Plan in June 2025 which sets out the Department’s approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI). The action plan represents the start of a step-change for AI in our transport system, recognising its power to increase resilience, productivity and turbo-charge innovation across the private and public sectors.

Over the last 12 months, the Department for Transport has continued to use AI for operational purposes and has taken part in a pilot of the Microsoft Copilot AI product with approximately 1,300 staff, to assess its potential benefits.

However, the Department does not centrally use AI in legislative or policy decision‑making. Where such tools have been used, this has been on an assistive basis only (for example, summarising information or improving readability), and not to generate policy or legislative content. Responsibility for the substance, accuracy and final drafting of all departmental policy and legislation remains with civil servants.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121903 on Driving Tests: Vacancies, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of holding centrally a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month.

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

Monthly driving examiner vacancy figures have limited value because numbers change frequently due to demand, training, turnover and capacity. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency manages its workforce flexibly, matching examiner numbers to demand and using a test centre level view to support recruitment and deployment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the level of parking penalty charge notices in deterring nuisance parking.

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

The British Parking Association, the Local Government Association and other key stakeholders have been collaborating to gather comprehensive evidence on the effectiveness of current PCN levels in England outside London. Their findings and recommendations have been submitted to the Department for Transport which will be carefully considered before any decisions are taken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration is given within national transport assessment guidance to cumulative and cross boundary impacts in rural areas, including rat running, school run congestion, and early network stress occurring prior to full occupation of approved developments.

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

The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance provides a technical framework for assessing network‑wide transport impacts, including cumulative and cross‑boundary effects. Through its requirements on scenario testing, forecasting and appraisal of social impacts, Transport Analysis Guidance enables local authorities and developers to identify issues such as rat‑running, congestion at sensitive locations including villages and schools, and early network stress occurring before full occupation or mitigation is in place.

Alongside this, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Planning Practice Guidance on transport assessments makes clear that cumulative impacts from committed development should be taken into account where these affect the same parts of the transport network. MHCLG are currently updating this guidance and this will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the contract tender will be published to construct the M54 M6 Link road.

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

The M54 to M6 Link Road was procured using the Regional Delivery Partnership framework, leading to a detailed design and build contract awarded by National Highways to Skanska Construction UK LTD on 23 October 2025. No future tendering exercises are scheduled on this scheme, given there is a contract in place.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test centres are in operation; what their maximum testing capacity is; what the utilisation rate is of each centre; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to booking arrangements on (i) waiting times and (ii) test slot utilisation.

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

Answers to written questions 101471 of 6 January, 104860 of 22 January, 122532 of 25 March, and 124195 of 17 April 2026, respectively provide data on how many full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) employed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were (a) in post and (b) delivering practical car driving tests for each month from July 2024 to March 2026.

In March 2026, DVSA provided car practical driving tests from 318 driving test centres (DTC). The national average utilisation figure was 75.74% in that month. The attached spreadsheet (WPQ-00066952) provides the utilisation figures for all DTCs in the same period. The capacity of each DTC will vary depending on the services it provides and whether DEs work full or part-time.

DVSA takes a view of the number of DEs it needs, based on demand at a national level, then split down to test centre. The agency is working on a detailed view of DE requirements, based on demand forecast modelling at test centre level, rather than nationally. DVSA expects to have that view in summer 2026.

Utilisation of DE time measures how much of a DE’s available deployable working time is used to deliver driving tests, rather than individual effort or productivity.

The intention of the forthcoming changes to practical test booking arrangements will make the system fairer for genuine learners by reducing exploitation and churn. Other measures DVSA is deploying (such as recruiting more examiners and carrying out more overtime) are designed to improve waiting times and utilisation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2026 to Question 126073, when the forthcoming guidance from Active Travel England will be published.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

On 25 March, Active Travel England set out the intention to publish guidance during 2026 to help authorities design safer streets for women and girls.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the opportunities presented by Great British Railways to improve access to rail‑side infrastructure for mobile connectivity, including by addressing historic barriers related to trackside deployment and in‑carriage signal penetration.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department provided funding to Network Rail as part of its 'open for business' initiative:

• to look at the suitability of using Network Rail's existing trackside infrastructure (including operational GSM-R masts and overhead line stanchions) for use by mobile network operators or private 5G providers; and
• to publish guidelines for the telecommunication industry wishing to use such infrastructure. Under Great British Railways, the Department expects this to continue.

The Department has secured funding as part of the Spending Review to deploy low earth orbit satellite to improve on train Wi-Fi on our mainline trains, and we have also asked Network Rail to explore how passenger mobile connectivity can be improved through its upgrade from the existing system, GSM-R, to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the travel agent sector on the processing of refunds where an airline has cancelled a flight and confirmed that passengers are entitled to a refund without a penalty fee.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has had discussions with travel agents and airlines on a range of issues.

In the UK, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (“Regulation 261”) sets out the rights of passengers in the event of flight cancellations.

Where UK law applies, if a flight is cancelled by the airline, passengers are entitled to a choice between a full refund or re-routing.

Where a flight booking has been made through a travel agent, passengers should, in the first instance, contact the agent in cases such as flight cancellations.

The Department’s Air Passenger Travel Guide provides passengers with information on their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air, including a dedicated section on cancellations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has issued guidance on the application of the ‘Act of War’ clause for customers of travel agents and airlines; and whether there are regulatory protections in place to ensure passengers receive appropriate refunds.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In the UK, Regulation 261/2004 sets out the rights of passengers in the event of cancellations, long delays and denied boarding.

Where UK law applies, if a flight is cancelled by the airline, then passengers would be entitled to a choice between a full refund or to be re-routed. These rights would apply if disruption were linked to war.

Information on air passenger rights is already available in the Department’s Air Passenger Travel Guide, and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently provided specific advice to passengers in response to the Middle East disruption.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 112445 on Shipping and with reference to section 4 of her Department's publication entitled Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry: 2025, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) level of the availability and (b) uptake of ratings apprenticeships.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 112445 on Shipping, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the (a) availability and (b) uptake of ratings apprenticeships in England and Wales.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the recommendations in the independent review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training, published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 13 April 2026.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of new car registrations that will be zero emission vehicles in 2027 under (a) central, (b) low and (c) high uptake scenarios.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department regularly updates its projections of zero emission vehicle (ZEV) uptake. The latest published projections were included in the Cost Benefit Analysis accompanying the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025, which outlined three scenarios for ZEV uptake following the updates to the legislation, which include projections covering the period 2025 to 2030. It included three scenarios: central, low, and high. The Cost Benefit Analysis has been published at the following link: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1101/pdfs/uksiod_20251101_en_001.pdf

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 123516, whether her Department plans to begin holding data on average or individual replacement battery costs for electric vehicles.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has no plans to collect and hold the data on average or individual replacement battery costs for EVs, but will closely monitor this issue through continued engagement with industry and consumer groups.

The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate regulations require manufacturers to provide a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles on EV batteries. During the warranty period, if battery capacity drops below 70% for cars or 65% for vans, the manufacturer must provide a replacement battery. Additionally, eligibility for the Government’s Electric Car Grant requires manufacturers to offer customers a 2-year extension on the warranty to 10 years, ensuring vehicles and their batteries have long useable lives.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 123517 on Electric Vehicles: Costs, when her Department expects to conclude its exploration of regulatory options on battery state of health information; and whether she plans to lay proposals before the House.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 13 April 2026, the Department launched a public consultation on updating the minimum emission standards for new road vehicles to Euro 7. As part of these proposals, manufacturers would be required to fit electric vehicles with accurate, accessible and comparable battery health monitors. The consultation will remain open until 25 May 2026.

The Government is seeking views on these proposals through that consultation. No final decisions have been taken. Should the proposals be taken forward, they would be laid before the House.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the future role of the Railway Benefit Fund under Great British Railways.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railway Benefit Fund (RBF), which is the working name of the ‘Railway Benevolent Institution’, is an independent non-membership charity, supported by charitable fundraising and donations, and regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. We recognise the value of the RBF and the important work that it does. The future role of the RBF, whether now or when Great British Railways (GBR) is established, is a matter for the charity. However, we do not anticipate the establishment of GBR to have any adverse effect on the RBF.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121469 on Electric Vehicles: Prices, whether her Department plans to update its projections for when zero emission vehicles will reach price parity with internal combustion engine vehicles.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

DfT continues to monitor evidence on prices and projections.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current concessionary travel scheme in areas experiencing reductions in local bus services; and what steps she is taking to ensure that pensioners can access essential services where public transport provision is limited, including through travel tokens.

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

The Government is committed to delivering better bus services and ensuring that everyone in England, including concessionary pass holders, can access the services they need. Our Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding current bus provision.

The statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides eligible older and disabled people with free off‑peak local bus travel, and this entitlement is enshrined in law. In addition, local authorities have the power to provide alternative concessionary schemes. Where they choose to do so, an individual eligible for the statutory concession may surrender their free bus pass in return for concessions under an alternative local scheme, such as travel tokens. Decisions on whether to offer such schemes are a matter for individual local authorities, reflecting their local circumstances and priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to encourage local authorities to take action against engine idling, particularly outside of schools.

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

All Local Authorities already have powers available to them to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to drivers who are idling unnecessarily. Local Authorities are best placed to determine where to carry out enforcement against idling. Guidance on enforcement issued by the Department for Transport encourages Local Authorities to consider enforcement at sensitive sites, which could include outside schools, hospitals or other sites where unnecessary idling is a persistent issue.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for the issuing of medical driving licences.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

Some medical cases take longer because the DVLA often needs information from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before it can make a licensing decision. The DVLA has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications, increasing waiting times for some customers. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system, and launched a new medical services portal so the majority of customers can now apply online through the DVLA driver and vehicle account.

These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121577 on Roads: Carbon Emissions, how much is the total additional cost to the public purse of the one-year extension to the Live Labs 2 programme; and if she will set out how that cost is being funded.

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

The Department for Transport will provide up to £300,000 to support a one-year extension to the Live Labs 2 innovation programme. This will help councils access and adopt more innovative approaches to highways maintenance, including uptake of longer-lasting, low-carbon materials for repairing roads more quickly, more efficiently and less often.

This will be funded from departmental budgets agreed at the Spending Review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council's document entitled BCP Council: Increased Penalty Charge Notice and Associated Charges Trial, published around February 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that report's recommendations on motorists and local authorities; and whether her Department plans to adopt the recommendations of that report.

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

The Department is reviewing the findings of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council month‑long trial of higher PCNs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 121006, when the planned review of the funding formula for highways maintenance will commence.

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

Any review would be conducted to align with the end of the period for which highways maintenance block allocations have already been made.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122287 on Motor Vehicles: Hire Services, how many category M1 and N1 vehicles are exempt from the Government Fleet Commitment by default; and if she will provide a breakdown of that number by vehicle type.

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

Data for the Greening Government Commitments framework for 2021-25, including the Government Fleet Commitment (GFC), was collected by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and published on GOV.UK, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greening-government-commitments-april-2021-to-march-2024-report.

Reporting for the GFC was required for in-scope vehicles only. Neither DEFRA nor the Department for Transport holds further data on vehicles that are exempted by default across Government fleets.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department expects to publish the findings of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Higher Penalty Charge Notice trial; and whether she will make a statement on the timetable for reporting its outcomes.

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

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) has published a report on its month‑long trial of higher PCNs. The Department is reviewing the findings of this trial which will be carefully considered before any decisions are taken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the private hire vehicle licensing framework in supporting traditional private hire operators and app-based platforms operating across multiple local authority areas.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department plans to review or update the statutory framework for private hire licensing to reflect changes in technology and operating models since the legislation was introduced.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms exist to help ensure consistency in the application of private hire licensing rules across local authorities.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the effect of the THINK campaign on the number of road deaths of young people aged 17 to 25.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The primary audience for the THINK! campaign is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. In recognition of this, THINK! works with a wide range of road safety behavioural experts and stakeholders to design and execute campaigns that have the best chance of changing attitudes and behaviours amongst this highly at risk group.

Against a backdrop of consistent long-term funding for THINK! campaigns, the number of killed or seriously injured casualties involving a young car driver has fallen 61% in the last 20 years, from 12,190 in 2004 to 4,740 in 2024.

Whilst it is not possible to directly attribute changes in road deaths to any single factor, research shows high levels of self-reported action amongst young people as a result of seeing a THINK! campaign with 9 in 10 reporting frequently taking an action, including changing their own driving behaviour.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March to Question 121936, when her Department expects work to be completed on the transport poverty tool.

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

The Department for Transport is actively working with other government departments, local authorities and academics to undertake the necessary development work for the transport poverty tool and to understand where it could be most effective in decision-making. A decision on a release date has not yet been taken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 118920, if she will develop new Outline Business Cases for a) the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and b) Haughley Junction upgrades and c) whether she has plans to undertake a BCR assessment for the dualling of single sections of the Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria line.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government’s commitment to a significant programme of railway investment was announced as part of Spending Review 2025. We will set out our plans for further investment in rail infrastructure in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122316, whether the Government plans to resume the York Area Capacity and Performance Project.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Following the conclusion of the Spending Review, the Department is working closely with Network Rail and key stakeholders to develop a sustainable long-term strategy for the East Coast Main Line, aligned with emerging plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail. This work will consider potential investment opportunities at key locations across the route, such as York.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120879 on DfT Operator: Training, whether her Department plans to provide funding through DfT Operator Limited to increase the number of rail training places.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

There are no plans to provide funding to DfT Operator Limited specifically for rail training places as part of the Department’s funding of train services. It is up to the train operating companies to establish their own training requirements and fund these through the budgets agreed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 908536 on Road Works: Compensation, if her Department plans to approve further lane rental schemes in 2026.

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

Legislation is being laid shortly to bring seven new lane rental schemes into force. We are also devolving approval powers to mayoral authorities, with further applications continuing to be assessed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s processes for drivers with medical conditions; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an online system for submitting medical information or tracking applications.

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

In the interests of road safety, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) must be satisfied that the required medical standards for driving are met before a licence is issued. The DVLA’s processes are designed to ensure that licensing decisions are informed by appropriate medical evidence, while enabling individuals to continue driving where it is safe to do so.

The DVLA aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, some medical cases take longer because the DVLA often needs information from third parties, including doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licensing decision can be made.

The DVLA has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications, increasing waiting times for some customers. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system and launched a new medical services portal, so the majority of customers can now apply online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. In time, this will also allow customers to track their applications in a way they have not been able to previously. Details on how to sign up for an account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.

These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the answer of 18 September 2025 to Question UIN 76304, what progress has been made since that date towards to help enable the commencement of passenger services on each phase of East West Rail; what delivery milestones and indicative dates is her Department is working to; and when she expects to be in a position to publish a final timetable for the project.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern and other partners to confirm a start date for the first stage of services. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. East West Rail Company published its consultation on the remaining stages of the scheme on 14th April 2026 as part of preparations for its application for a development consent order in 2027. The consultation sets out timelines for delivery of services along the route.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what expenditure has Network Rail undertaken on public affairs companies, and for what purposes, since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

From July 2024 to March 2026, Network Rail spent £372,914 on its Stakeholder Engagement Services contract.

This contract supports Network Rail's duties as a public body to ensure that a wide range of statutory consultees, national and regional representatives are informed of the work to operate and improve the rail network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is her Department taking to ensure those renewing short-term medical driving licences are kept up to date with the progress of their application.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) writes to drivers to advise of any action taken on their case, for example where medical information has been requested from their healthcare professional or when a reminder has been issued and no response has been received.

The DVLA is also enhancing its online service to provide clearer application progress updates via the driver and vehicles customer account. Details on how to sign up for an account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the condition of local roads in Staffordshire.

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

The Department published a new traffic light rating system for all local highway authorities in England on 11 January which rates authorities red, amber or green based on the condition of their roads, how effectively they spend their record Government funding, and whether they do so using best practice. This system allows the Government to identify where authorities need to improve and to provide them with support to ensure road conditions improve nationwide.

Staffordshire County Council received an overall amber rating. Its three scorecards show amber for condition, green for spend, and amber for wider best practice.

The Government recognises that the condition of local roads has been affected by historic underinvestment. To address this, it has committed a record £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, in addition to £1.6 billion provided in the last financial year. This longer-term funding provides authorities with greater certainty to plan ahead and move from short-term repairs to more proactive and preventative maintenance.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review the level of Penalty Charge Notices for parking offences outside London.

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

The Department for Transport recognises that there is a published report from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, following its August 2025 trial of higher PCN levels, as well as research carried out by the British Parking Association, the Local Government Association and other key stakeholders. The Department is looking into the issue and these findings and recommendations will be carefully considered before any decisions are taken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of public transport connectivity between Grays and Ebbsfleet.

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

The Government is investing in bus services and has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers.

To support public transport connectivity between Grays and Ebbsfleet, the department has allocated Kent County Council £78.3 million and Thurrock Council £6.5 million between 2026 and 2029. They will have the flexibility to use this funding to meet local needs and reflect local priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of traffic congestion on the a) A13 and b) A127 on commuter journey times.

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

Most of the A13, other than a short stretch near the M25, and all of the A127 are roads for which the relevant local highway authorities are responsible. This includes monitoring overall network performance and addressing congestion issues.

The Department publishes statistics annually on gov.uk on the average speed, delay and reliability of travel times on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and local 'A' roads. These are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/average-speed-delay-and-reliability-of-travel-times-cgn.

Motorways and trunk roads in Essex are the responsibility of National Highways. The Government has recently published the third Road Investment Strategy, its £27 billion 5-year plan for the Strategic Road Network. This includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment in renewing the network, as well as investment in key enhancement schemes such as the Lower Thames Crossing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what minimum English language proficiency requirements apply to (a) approved driving instructors and (b) driving examiners; and whether her Department or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has conducted any audits or assessments in the last five years of the ability of non-native English-speaking instructors and examiners to communicate effectively in English with learner drivers.

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

As with other civil service roles, driving examiners must meet the requirements of the post, including being able to communicate effectively to conduct the driving test safely and to the required standards.

To be registered as an approved driving instructor in Great Britain, individuals must meet the statutory requirements for registration and pass the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) qualifying examinations such as the Theory Test, which is only conducted in English or Welsh.

DVSA monitors performance through supervision, standards checks and quality assurance processes and will take appropriate action where required standards are not met.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the current average distance between emergency refuge areas on All Lane Running Smart Motorways.

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

National Highways has completed construction of 151 additional emergency areas across the All Lane Running smart motorway network, through the National Emergency Area Retrofit programme. Across every All Lane Running motorway, the average distance between places to stop in an emergency is now less than a mile (around 0.9 miles), compared to around 1.2 miles before the retrofit.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce congestion on key commuter routes in Essex, such as the a) A13 and b) A127.

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

Most of the A13, other than a short stretch near the M25, and all of the A127 are roads for which the relevant local highway authorities are responsible. This includes monitoring overall network performance and addressing congestion issues.

The Department publishes statistics annually on gov.uk on the average speed, delay and reliability of travel times on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and local 'A' roads. These are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/average-speed-delay-and-reliability-of-travel-times-cgn.

Motorways and trunk roads in Essex are the responsibility of National Highways. The Government has recently published the third Road Investment Strategy, its £27 billion 5-year plan for the Strategic Road Network. This includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment in renewing the network, as well as investment in key enhancement schemes such as the Lower Thames Crossing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) falsely-flagged and (b) non-flagged vessels that have passed through the English Channel and are linked to the Russian state since July 2024.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 20 April 2026, to Question 125435.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) falsely-flagged and (b) non-flagged vessels have passed through the English Channel since July 2024.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 20 April 2026, to Question 125435.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his her Department taking to ensure all driving licence applications are processed in a timely manner.

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

Specific information on the average time to process driving licence applications where the applicant is over the age of 70 and applied online is not available. The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process non-medical driving licence applications made online between January and 14 April 2026.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence and customers should receive their driving licence within a few days following a successful online application.

However, driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated can take longer as in the interests of road safety the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and has launched a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA has also launched a new digital medical services portal. These enhancements, along with the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

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Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to item 105 of the letter sent from Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee to Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories regarding the UK-Overseas Joint Declaration, published 17 April 2026, which Ministers have (a) designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters and (b) attend the cross-governmental Ministerial group on the Territories by Department.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers who currently hold designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters are: the Cabinet Office Minister of State; Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Ministry of Justice Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice and International; Home Office Minister of State (House of Lords); Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Climate); Ministry of Defence Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces); Department of Business and Trade Minister of State (Minister for Trade); Department for Culture Media and Sport Minister of State (Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts); Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Minister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature); Department of Health and Social Care Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety; Department for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation); Solicitor General; Department for Education Minister of State (Minister for Skills); Secretary of State for Scotland and one of the Wales Office Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State.

All these Ministers are invited to attend the cross-governmental Ministerial Group on the Overseas Territories.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on energy costs associated with the electrification of commercial heavy goods vehicle fleets.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government recognises the importance of electrification of transport, including heavy goods vehicles, in delivering transport decarbonisation targets, and is aware of the impact that energy costs are having on different sectors, including logistics.

Government is addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages across Government, including with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Transport, on matters relating to the cost of the electrification of transport. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his ministerial team will continue to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues on energy costs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support his Department provides to cold-storage logistics providers to manage peak-time energy tariffs.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government recognises the importance of electrification of transport, including heavy goods vehicles, in delivering transport decarbonisation targets, and is aware of the impact that energy costs are having on different sectors, including logistics.

Government is addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages across Government, including with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Transport, on matters relating to the cost of the electrification of transport. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his ministerial team will continue to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues on energy costs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to 'Public Procurement: Growing British industry, jobs and skills Government response to consultation' on the 26th of March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising bus manufacturing as an industry critical for National Security.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The package I announced commits the government to publishing new guidance for departments on the appropriate use of the national security exemption in the Procurement Act 2023 when procuring from the AI, steel, shipbuilding and energy infrastructure sectors.

These four pathfinder sectors were selected based on their status as critical industries where disruptions in international markets have exposed vulnerabilities that threaten national interests and overall stability. We are initially focussing on these sectors because we believe that sovereign supply chain resilience is a critical factor in supporting national security.

I want to reassure that while bus manufacturing is not one of the sectors initially envisaged for the national security guidance, the wider package of procurement measures can benefit this sector, including, where relevant, changes to social value and its focus on jobs and communities. You will also be aware that Mayoral Transport Authorities have agreed to a minimum of 10% social value weighting in all future bus procurement tenders and a social value procurement working group has been set up to work with Mayoral Transport Authorities to share best practices on social value.

I am also in discussion with the department for transport on what further steps we can take to support British bus manufacturers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the most frequently used European airports by UK travellers between January and April 2026.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office has not made an estimate of the most frequently used European airports by UK travellers between January and April 2026. Border Force’s systems are designed to manage arrivals to the UK and do not routinely record or report the European airport used by UK travellers when departing for Europe. Official statistics on passenger movements are published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, an arm’s‑length body of the Department for Transport, including monthly UK airport statistics for 2026.

UK airport data January 2026 | UK Civil Aviation Authority

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