Submit Evidence (by 16 Oct 2026)

The Transport Committee is examining how transport issues can act as a barrier to young people finding, taking up and remaining in employment or training.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total capital investment of Network Rail in the train operating companies in the financial year 2024–25.

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

The Office of Rail and Road sets out Network Rail's expenditure for the financial year 2024-25. Network Rail does not invest capital in train operating companies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of South Western Railways' passenger carriages to meet the publicised numbers for services on the mainline between Salisbury and Exeter.

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

The Department monitors South Western Railway’s (SWR) performance and fleet availability through its regular contractual and operational oversight arrangements, including services on the Salisbury to Exeter route. SWR plans its West of England services on the basis that some Class 158 and 159 trains will be unavailable for maintenance, overhaul or faults, with availability also affected by unplanned repairs and the availability of replacement parts. SWR seeks to mitigate any resulting impact on passengers through train formation changes where possible and continues to work with suppliers and maintenance teams to improve fleet availability and reliability.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the total cost of injuries caused by e-bikes and e-scooters in each of the past three years for which figures are available.

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

Statistics on road collisions and casualties are published on the government site which include data on the overall cost of prevention of road casualties and collisions. However, the published figures do not provide a breakdown of the costs attributable to a particular vehicle type.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch Collision between two passenger trains near Talerddig, Powys, published on 18 June, whether questions relating to dynamic passing were considered as a factor causing or worsening the consequences of the crash.

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

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is the independent body responsible for investigating rail accidents and determining their causes. In its report on the collision between two passenger trains near Talerddig, Powys, RAIB did not identify dynamic passing, dynamic loops or their absence as a cause of the accident, nor as a factor that worsened its consequences.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) desks, and (2) civil servants, are assigned to the Department for Transport office at 33 Horseferry Road.

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

As of 30th June 2026, there are: 1) 1,261 desks; and, 2) 2,180 civil servants assigned to the Department for Transport office at 33 Horseferry Road.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport on 29 June (HC12808), when they estimate they will deliver a full North-South new line between Birmingham and Manchester.

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

The Northern Growth Strategy set out the Government’s long-term intention to build a new line between Birmingham and Manchester, following the delivery of HS2 Phase One and Northern Powerhouse Rail. In the meantime, we are learning lessons from HS2 and undertaking feasibility work with local partners before decisions on specification and delivery timescales are made.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 2 June (HL335), how many rail trespass incidents were recorded in each of the last 30 years; and what estimate they have made of the long-term revenue loss arising from those incidents in each of those years.

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

Data supplied by Network Rail indicates that the volume of trespass incidents increased from 6,415 in 2014/15 to 13,921 in 2025/26 (an increase of 117 per cent).

Over the same time, when adjusted for inflation, the estimated cost of delays associated with trespass incidents rose from £46.7 million to £85.5 million (an increase of 83 per cent).

When adjusted for inflation, the average estimated cost per trespass incident has reduced over time, from approximately £7,300 in 2014/15 to around £6,100 in 2025/26.

Volume of trespass related incidents and estimated costs of associated delays, annual, Great Britain, 2014/15 to 2025/26

Notes:

1. Incidents are delay causing incidents attributed to XA,VA reason codes

2. An incident can appear in more than one rail period if delay was suffered in more than one period

3. Costs are an internal Network Rail estimate of the long-term revenue loss due to those incidents (based on the economics behind the Schedule 8 performance regime)

Source: Network Rail

4. Delay & Cancellation metric dashboard

5. Process for Performance Improvement (PfPI) Costs are from the Performance System database Business Objects attribution universe

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 19 June (HL718), what was the total value of Schedule 8 compensation payments made by Network Rail to Train Operating Companies resulting from rail trespass incidents in each of the last 30 years.

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

Network Rail holds data on the estimated Schedule 8 costs arising from rail trespass incidents from 1 April 2014 onwards. The total value of the payments during this time can be found in the following table:

Volume of trespass related incidents and estimated costs of associated delays, annual, Great Britain, 2014/15 to 2025/26

Notes:

1. Incidents are delay causing incidents attributed to XA,VA reason codes

2. An incident can appear in more than one rail period if delay was suffered in more than one period

3. Costs are an internal Network Rail estimate of the long-term revenue loss due to those incidents (based on the economics behind the Schedule 8 performance regime)

Source: Network Rail

4. Delay & Cancellation metric dashboard

5. Process for Performance Improvement (PfPI) Costs are from the Performance System database Business Objects attribution universe

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has withdrawn driving licences after receiving notification that the licence holder was medically unfit to drive in the last 5 years.

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

It is vital for road safety that, when the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is made aware of a condition that could affect an individual’s ability to drive safely, they ensure that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

The table below shows the number of Group 1 (car and motorcycle) and Group 2 (bus and lorry) driving licences that were revoked or an application refused between 2021 and 2025. Driving licences can be revoked or an application refused following a medical investigation carried out when the DVLA is informed of a medical condition by either the licence holder or a third party. A licence holder who had both Group 1 and Group 2 driving entitlements revoked or refused will be included in the figures for both groups.

Please note that the figures for 2025 are currently incomplete. The figure in the table above reflects those cases that can currently be accurately categorised as revoked or refused in 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) Transport for London, (b) the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and (c) the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames have, individually or jointly, submitted (i) an expression of interest and (ii) an application to the Structures Fund in relation to Hammersmith Bridge; and whether officials in her Department have held discussions with any of those bodies on a potential Structures Fund application for Hammersmith Bridge in advance of any formal submission.

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

As the asset owner and project lead, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is responsible for submitting any application to the Structures Fund. Local highway authorities have until 3 August 2026 to put forward proposals for investment.

My Department engages regularly with London local highway authorities on matters related to their local highways networks, including the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The technical advisory body to the Structures Fund is also having conversations on behalf of my Department about projects that local highway authorities may put forward to the fund; including Hammersmith Bridge.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on how much revenue each local authority in England received from traffic enforcement in each of the last three financial years.

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

This information is not held by central government.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the use of roadside evidential drug testing devices in other countries; and whether she plans to introduce comparable technology in England and Wales.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Transport has consulted on the potential use of alternative specimens, including oral fluid, saliva and sweat, in drug-driving forensic analysis. We are considering the responses received and will set out next steps in the usual way. No decision has been taken on whether to introduce roadside evidential drug-testing devices in England and Wales.

The Department works very closely with the Home Office, policing partners and scientific advisers on drug-driving enforcement and emerging testing technologies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Mass Transit Taskforce working with the devolved governments to help ensure the benefits to the UK supply chain are maximised.

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

The independently-led Mass Transit Taskforce welcomes views from members of the public, experts, operators and academics from across Britain. The call for evidence is now open and as part of its research, the Taskforce will also draw on knowledge and experience from existing mass transit systems in each of the four nations and from examples abroad.

The Taskforce will identify practical reforms to planning, financing and delivery models and make targeted recommendations to government. Decisions on where and how to deliver mass transit systems will remain entirely local. However, the Taskforce will support devolution by sharing evidence, guidance and lessons learned, including the role of UK supply chains.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Mass Transit Taskforce's remit includes tram-train projects.

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

The independently-led Mass Transit Taskforce will consider all modes of mass transit and emerging technologies. This includes Tram-train projects and other mass transit modes, including bus‑based, light rail‑based and hybrid systems.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many FTE equivalent staff in (a) their Department and (b) each Arm's Length Body it sponsors are dedicated to fulfilment of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED); what the (i) annual employment and (ii) total annual cost incurred is as a result of PSED and compliance with PSED for each of those bodies; what the outputs are from the work of PSED teams and personnel dedicated to PSED; and if they will publish an assessment of their Department's compliance with PSED.

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

Compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is embedded into departmental policy-making and decision-making processes and is the responsibility of all those developing and taking decisions. DfT and its Arm’s Length Bodies do not have staff who work solely on PSED, although there is a small central team within the Department for Transport that supports equality policy and compliance alongside a portfolio of other work.

Given that responsibility for the duty sits across the department, the outputs vary between teams. It is not possible to identify a discrete FTE figure or calculate the overall cost of PSED compliance. The department does not publish an overall assessment of our PSED compliance.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026, to Question 13237, on Department for Transport: Public Relations, and with reference to the answer of 30 January 2025, to Question 25857, on Written Questions: Government Responses, if she will provide relevant hyperlinks to each of the live contracts in this area of spending.

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

Details of all live contracts in this area of spending for the Department and its arm’s length bodies (that are above the relevant thresholds) are published on the Government’s Contracts Finder service and/or Find a Tender Service.

Links to these sites are below.

Contract Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Home Office on the introduction of roadside evidential drug testing devices for drug driving offences since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Transport has consulted on the potential use of alternative specimens, including oral fluid, saliva and sweat, in drug-driving forensic analysis. We are considering the responses received and will set out next steps in the usual way. No decision has been taken on whether to introduce roadside evidential drug-testing devices in England and Wales.

The Department works very closely with the Home Office, policing partners and scientific advisers on drug-driving enforcement and emerging testing technologies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to help prevent accidents resulting from drug driving.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government takes the dangers of drug driving seriously. In January 2026, we published our Road Safety Strategy, which includes robust enforcement to protect all road users as one of its four core themes.

Alongside the Strategy, we consulted on measures including suspending licences for suspected drink or drug drivers while cases progress, the use of alternative samples in drug-driving forensic analysis, vehicle seizure following arrest, and whether existing disqualification periods remain appropriate. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed.

We have also relaunched THINK!’s ‘Don’t Put Drugs in the Driving Seat’ campaign to raise awareness of the risks and consequences of drug driving.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) transport funding and (b) infrastructure investment are allocated equitably to cities that are not part of a mayoral combined authority or city region, including Leicester.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is providing local leaders in England with £21bn of local transport funding until 2029/30, through consolidated, multi-year settlements, including £9.6bn in non-mayoral areas, which they can use to deliver their local transport priorities, including transport infrastructure. The majority of local transport funding is allocated by formula to give a fair share of funding for all areas.

Leicester City Council has been awarded £148 million transport funding to invest in their local transport priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total cost of their payments to the rail industry in the financial year 2024–25.

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

In their annual report on rail industry finance in the UK, the Office of Rail and Road set out a total government support figure of £21.6 billion in financial year 2024-25.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of South Western Railways since it entered public ownership on 25 May 2025.

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

The Department is closely monitoring South Western Railway’s (SWR’s) performance following its transfer into public ownership on 25 May 2025 through a range of measures, including punctuality, cancellations, and passenger experience.

When SWR entered public ownership, eighty-four out of ninety of the new Arterio trains had not entered service. The new Arterio fleet is being rolled out and will support more reliable services over time, providing modern, higher capacity trains with improved performance and reduced maintenance requirements.

SWR also inherited a shortage of train drivers when it moved into public ownership, which contributed to high levels of driver-related cancellations.

South Western Railway is subject to bespoke and rigorous performance standards, and the Department continues to work with the operator to improve reliability, capacity, and service quality for passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ask the Office of Rail and Road to re-evaluate the open access application by Hull Trains to operate services between London King's Cross and Sheffield, in light of the reductions to East Midlands Railway’s Intercity timetable.

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

Hull Trains’ previous application to operate services between London and Sheffield was rejected by the Office or Rail and Road (ORR) in July 2025 due to concerns over capacity, performance and financial impacts. We respect the ORR’s decision on this.

Any Open Access operator may apply to operate new services, but this would be a commercial decision for the operator to take. Under the current system, any new application would be subject to full and independent review by the ORR. In the future, Great British Railways will be able to decide the best use of network capacity and take decisions as a directing mind.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 28 May (HL40), whether they have now made an estimate of the capital and ongoing operating costs of developing, launching and maintaining the proposed Great British Railways ticketing website and mobile application.

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

Potential estimates will not be published in advance of the launch and completion of the procurement process, as these are commercially sensitive.

We have recently communicated to the supplier market our target of launching the procurement process in late Summer/early Autumn.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission research on securing level access to trains in the UK (1) by lowering the track bed where it is possible to do so, (2) by rising the platform height where it is not possible to lower the track bed, and (3) by acquiring trains with low level access between the bogie wheels.

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

The Government is committed to improving accessibility across the rail network and recognises that level boarding is an essential ingredient of this. We are developing a long-term integrated rolling stock and infrastructure strategy for the first time in over 30 years. The strategy will place the needs of passengers at its heart and set out Great British Railways' expected future rolling stock requirements and how they can best be met and delivered. We anticipate the strategy will set out how we move forward with level boarding. It will then be for Great British Railways to determine the specific design and engineering solutions to deliver this.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, the Secretary of State for Transport has had with Great Western Railway regarding recent disruptions to its services, particularly in terms of reliability and over-crowding.

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

I maintain regular engagement with Great Western Railway on operational performance matters, including service reliability, disruption management and passenger experience. The Department holds the operator to account for meeting its contractual obligations, including addressing reliability issues and managing passenger crowding where services are disrupted or demand is high. Great Western Railway’s transfer into public ownership on 13 December 2026 will further enable improvements in reliability, performance, accountability, and the overall customer experience.

Launch a review into motorcycle access to bus lanes, which looks into requiring councils to publish safety data and justifications for restrictions, and introducing consistent national guidance that improves safety, reduces conflict and supports predictable road layouts for all riders.

Pass a law to make it mandatory for all Heavy Goods Vehicles to have a fully working Parking Air Conditioning unit installed. HGV drivers’ lives can be at risk when parked up due to record breaking temperatures and we believe existing laws are not sufficient to prevent this.

Introduce Australian-style roundabout signage to clearly map lane routes in advance for drivers approaching a roundabout. Conduct trials and allow these kinds of diagrams.

Create legislation to ensure future delivery vehicles are created with a maximum working temperature in mind, and cooling to achieve that goal.

Ban the use of cameras with AI capability within any works vehicle. We find this tool to be very intrusive, and are concerned about breaches of data protection laws. Most companies use the argument of driver safety over driver privacy but we disagree.

Give citizens the legal right to opt out of having your personal information processed by AI when accessing services or products that contain or are designed by AI, which includes health records and purchases. Clear warnings which explain possible exploitation or harm should be added.

The Government must introduce regulations to prohibit filtering or lane-splitting by 2- or 3-wheeled vehicles, along with clear liability rules, to deal with such vehicles that often navigate aggressively between lanes of moving or stationary traffic.

Create a badge system similar to the blue badge that will allow families with children up to 12 years old or pregnant mothers to be the only ones allowed to use parent parking. Introduce fines for individuals who break the rules and park there without a child or who aren't pregnant.

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