Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the prohibition on local authorities transferring Blue Badges between councils when a badge holder moves area on badge users, and whether she has plans to review this policy.

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

There is no such prohibition. When a badge holder moves to a different council area, they can inform their new local authority which is able to request the information from their previous local authority. This information can be securely transferred via our Blue Badge Digital Service.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many non-military flights landed at (a) Heathrow (b) RAF Northolt in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

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

Data on aircraft movements at UK airports is collected and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). CAA aircraft movement data includes a ‘military’ category, but a split between arriving and departing flights is not provided.

Although Royal Air Force (RAF) Northolt does handle some civil flight movements, this is an RAF establishment, and data on aircraft movements at RAF Northolt is not collected by the CAA.

Data on the total number of aircraft movements at Heathrow, split by military and non-military, is provided in Table 03_1 of the annual CAA airport data publication and reproduced as Table 1 below. The last three complete years for which figures are available are 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Table 1: Aircraft movements at Heathrow Airport split by military and non-military

Note: Non-military category includes commercial, test and training, private, official and business aviation movements.

Source: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/airports/uk-airport-data/

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 discrepancy between traffic regulations that encourage drivers to use lay-bys for rest breaks to improve road safety and caravan site licensing regulations that require caravans to be sited at prescribed distances apart for fire safety and planning compliance on car and caravan drivers; and whether her Department plans to issue guidance to motorists using caravans or motorhomes on using lay-bys for rest periods.

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

The Department has no such plans. Provision of lay-bys is a matter for local highway authorities. Advice to drivers on the safe use of roads, including taking appropriate breaks, is given in the Highway Code. There are no traffic regulations that encourage drivers to use lay-bys for rest breaks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department had with Hammersmith and Fulham Council on the reconvening of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce.

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

My Department regularly hold discussions regarding the viable engineering options for the next stage of works on Hammersmith Bridge with their counterparts at both the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London. The Government intends to convene a further meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce in the near future to discuss next steps for the project. My Department’s officials will be in touch with key local stakeholders to arrange this in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to reconvene the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce prior to the Spring Statement.

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

The Government intends to convene a further meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce in the near future to discuss next steps for the project. My Department’s officials will be in touch with key local stakeholders to arrange this in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the European Commission and EU member states on the recognition of UK-issued Blue Badges for disabled drivers.

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

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.

The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.

The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UK

The Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).

Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to (a) publish guidance and (b) pursue agreements to help improve certainty for UK Blue Badge holders driving in EU member states.

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

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.

The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.

The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UK

The Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).

Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on disabled drivers of levels of recognition of UK Blue Badges across EU member states.

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

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.

The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.

The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UK

The Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).

Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to seek mutual recognition of UK Blue Badges for disabled drivers when travelling in EU member states.

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

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.

The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.

The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UK

The Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).

Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that road user charges for the Lower Thames Crossing are proportionate for local residents.

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

The charging regime for the Lower Thames Crossing has not yet been set. Many crossings in England, including the Dartford Crossing, already have a charge, and this will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing. Charges are necessary to cover the costs of providing the infrastructure, whether funded publicly or privately. Under the Government's preferred financing option, the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, it is envisaged that there would continue to be a discount for local residents once the transfer to the regulated private entity has completed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidential basis her Department has concluded that the majority of passengers benefit from the long-distance simplified ticketing trials.

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

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded.

The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) Notices to Improve and (b) written instructions her Department issued to train operating companies for which the Department is the operator in relation to (i) service performance and (ii) financial control in December 2025.

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

The Department has not issued any Notices to Improve on any of the DfT Operator train operating companies in December 2025 because none have been in breach of their formal contractual terms.

The DfT regularly engages with all operators on service performance and financial management, aligned with this Government's priorities on improving performance and reducing subsidy.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of the Department for Transport’s report, Road Safety Strategy on 7 January, what steps they are taking to make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

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

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 and a 70% reduction in the number of children (under 16) killed or seriously injured on roads in Great Britain by 2035, using a 2022-2024 baseline. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to improve road and vehicle design, protect vulnerable road users, and review motoring offences. All of this will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board chaired by the Minister for Local Transport.

Road safety is a shared responsibility, and this strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives. By investing in infrastructure, education, and enforcement, we are taking decisive steps to make our roads safer for everyone.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with major airports on tackling noise pollution.

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

Ministers and officials engage regularly with airports on a range of issues including noise pollution.

Major airports are required to produce noise action plans every five years. Current plans cover the period 2024-2028 and have been published on airports’ websites.

The government also sets noise controls at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. At other airports, appropriate noise controls should be set locally through the planning system.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Mobility as a Service (MaaS) apps are in development using public funding; and which locations they cover.

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

The Department is aware of several ‘Mobility as a Service’ apps at various stages of development and implementation across the country through regular engagement with local authorities. However, we do not maintain a comprehensive list of these. The geographic scope and funding models of such apps are a matter for local authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to carry out an assessment of rolling stock as part of the move to Great British Railways to ensure that new trains meet passenger needs and the required speed of travel.

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

The Government is developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, for the first time in over 30 years, and we expect to publish it this summer. The strategy will pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction, passenger comfort and accessibility that can unlock jobs, opportunities and economic growth right across the country. The strategy will outline our expectations for our future rolling stock needs, including consideration of capacity and reliability, and how these can best be met.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to help tackle the cost of ferry journeys between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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

Ferry services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland operate in a commercial and competitive market without intervention from the Government. The Department for Transport has no plans to subsidise ferry services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements with union safety representatives during (a) insolvency and (b) restructuring on the ability of aviation workforces to raise collective safety concerns with the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

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

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures are in place to ensure the Civil Aviation Authority retains operational independence when it holds a (a) financial and (b) commercial interest in an aviation organisation undergoing (i) insolvency and (ii) restructuring.

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

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of aviation safety assurance arrangements when an approved maintenance organisation becomes insolvent.

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

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assess and monitor the quality of revenue protection services provided by publicly managed train operators; what assessment they have made of whether railway byelaws and the British Railways Act 1989 are being used proportionately and appropriately; and what training they are providing to publicly run train operators to ensure consistency and appropriate use of those regulations.

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

Our priority is to ensure that fare evasion is addressed, with passengers treated fairly and in accordance with the correct procedures. DFT Operator (DFTO) has reviewed the revenue protection practices of its operators to ensure they are acting consistently and in accordance with legislation. Before an operator enters public ownership, DFTO reviews their practices and prepares to take any action that is required to align activity as appropriate. The Office for Rail and Road carried out a review of revenue protection, and we have accepted all of their recommendations. The Department will publish an update on this in due course which will outline the actions we and industry are taking to ensure revenue protection is addressed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the reliability of bus services in England.

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

The Department for Transport publishes data on bus reliability and punctuality in England. This can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#bus-reliability-and-punctuality-bus09.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to raise awareness about new Highway Code rules.

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

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the road safety strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

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 speed camera anomaly on the numbers of commercial drivers where the incorrect enforcement of speeding has resulted in the [a] loss of employment, or [b] compromised the ability for prospective drivers to gain driving opportunities.

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

This anomaly resulted in a very small number of people incorrectly facing enforcement action for speeding offences and the Police have begun the process of redress.

Anybody affected by the anomaly will be contacted directly and, where appropriate, be reimbursed and/or have points removed from the licence. Steps will be taken to remedy any incorrect prosecutions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of motorcycle crash notification systems on (a) emergency service response times and (b) the number of motorcyclist (A) casualties and (B) fatalities.

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

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by motorcycle riders and the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain.

While there is no mandatory requirement for motorcycles to be fitted with collision notification systems, aftermarket products exist that are promoted as being compatible with motorcycle riding.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she is having with National Highways to determine how many drivers are impacted by the speed camera anomaly and rectify the issue to prevent the anomaly from occurring in the future.

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

As set out in the 16 December Written Ministerial Statement, National Highways has confirmed that this technical anomaly has occurred approximately 2,650 times on the impacted cameras over four years since 2021 and National Highways are now looking back to 2019. To place this in context, fewer than 0.1% of activations since 2021 were impacted by this anomaly and not all of the erroneous activations will have resulted in enforcement action.

A Home Office approved solution has been developed which National Highways are now working with the police to implement. It is important that road users have confidence in the technology on our roads and that is why I have committed to an independent investigation into how this anomaly came about to prevent this reoccurring in the future.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents of pilot fatigue have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority in each of the past 10 years.

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

Where a fatigue issue may have led to a safety incident, the UK CAA's Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) scheme requires that operators send a report to the UK CAA. However, these reports can only be used to improve aviation safety, and the CAA cannot release occurrence information on pilot fatigue events.

The risk of flight crew fatigue is managed under regulations which limit the number of hours pilots can be on duty over a given period of time. The CAA monitors and oversees UK Airlines’ management of flight time to ensure that airlines have appropriate and effective systems in place to manage fatigue.

Although the UK CAA do interact with the HSE on matters of mutual interest, it should be noted that the HSE has no remit in regard to the FTL (Flight Time Limitations) regulations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of (a) trends in the level of regional disparities in the location of electric vehicle charging points and (b) the potential impact of those trends on the Government’s environmental objectives.

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

The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transition is crucial to the UK meeting its climate change obligations, as well as improving air quality and supporting growth.

The Government closely monitors regional deployment and the disparities in the location of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, as detailed in statistics released in October 2025. Chargepoint availability is increasing across the country.

The Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund has been allocated to all highest tier local authorities in England to ensure equitable chargepoint rollout across the country. In total, it is expected to support the rollout of at least 100,000 EV chargepoints.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support renters with electric vehicles whose landlords refuse to install electric vehicle charging points.

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

The Government recognises the difficulties that people renting or leasing properties can sometimes face when looking to install chargepoints.

In October 2025, the Government announced that it will consult on ways to ensure more people have an ability to charge. This includes removing barriers to those in rented and leasehold properties. We continue to incentivise renters, leaseholders, and landlords to install charging infrastructure through our domestic chargepoint grants and, additionally, new build residential properties have been required to install a chargepoint since June 2022.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of hybrid trains and the reliability of those trains for long distance journeys, following recent reported issues with generator units on Great Western Railway trains.

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

Hybrid trains play an important role in providing connectivity across the UK. Great Western Railway (GWR) has been working with its supplier Hitachi, which manufactured and maintains GWR’s Intercity Express Trains, to understand and address the significant recent and current issues with generator units. The Government expects all rail industry partners to work together urgently to deliver reliable services for passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the long-distance simplified fares trials on passengers.

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

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by London North Eastern Railway and is available at: https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many occasions in the last year the Health and Safety Executive has discussed the issue of pilot fatigue with the Civil Aviation Authority.

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

Where a fatigue issue may have led to a safety incident, the UK CAA's Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) scheme requires that operators send a report to the UK CAA. However, these reports can only be used to improve aviation safety, and the CAA cannot release occurrence information on pilot fatigue events.

The risk of flight crew fatigue is managed under regulations which limit the number of hours pilots can be on duty over a given period of time. The CAA monitors and oversees UK Airlines’ management of flight time to ensure that airlines have appropriate and effective systems in place to manage fatigue.

Although the UK CAA do interact with the HSE on matters of mutual interest, it should be noted that the HSE has no remit in regard to the FTL (Flight Time Limitations) regulations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Office of Rail and Road on the pricing of fares on cross-Channel routes.

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

International Rail services operate on an open access basis, with fares set in line with commercial strategy by the private companies involved. The Government engages regularly with the independent Office of Rail and Road to discuss its regulatory activities, which for international rail services include competition and consumer protection matters.

The Government is committed to supporting the growth of our international rail connections with Europe and is working to establish a thriving and competitive market, which could deliver more competitive fares and greater choice, supporting industry to tackle capacity constraints and signing landmark agreements with Germany and Switzerland to pave the way for new routes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how well prepared the UK transport sector is to combat espionage activity.

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

The Government takes its commitment to national security extremely seriously, including for the transport sector. The National Security Act 2023 overhauled previous espionage laws and created a suite of measures designed to enable our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to deter, detect and disrupt the full range of modern-day state threats.

The Department will continue to work with partners across government and industry to ensure the transport sector is an even harder target for those states who seek to conduct hostile acts against the UK, making full use of the levers available to combat espionage and other state threat activity.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps National Highways is taking to record the potential impact of historic drainage networks associated with major roads on (a) downstream flooding and (b) river pollution.

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

National Highways’ (NH) standard practice is to report all flood events on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). This includes flood events within 200 metres of the SRN, or within 500 metres of a NH drainage asset. All such flood events are recorded in NH’s drainage data management system (DDMS). NH also maintain drainage and water quality records on its DDMS.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 98632, how many visits the DVSA has made to retailers selling e-scooters; and how many incidences the DVSA have recorded of e-scooters being sold illegally or without proper guidance of legal restrictions.

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

The table below shows the number of retailers the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has checked from March 2022 to April 2025.

The table below shows many incidents DVSA has recorded of e-scooters being sold illegally or without proper guidance of legal restrictions, for the same time period.

Please note, high level of non-compliance found in 24-25 FY is due to poor levels of compliance being found in the on-line marketplace. In that year DVSA’s market surveillance unit (MSU) looked into higher proportions sold in on-line markets due to apparent shifts in the way such items are sold.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what interactions the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has had with food delivery companies in reference to vehicles used by delivery drivers.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises that last-mile delivery, including food delivery services, presents specific safety and compliance challenges. To address these challenges, DVSA has engaged with representatives from the sector and continues to collaborate on the development of guidance and best practice, including hosting a last mile delivery summit.

Operational enforcement activity is also undertaken where appropriate, particularly in relation to light commercial vehicles used within this segment.

In addition, DVSA does support police investigations – for example, by conducting technical assessments of modified “last-mile” fast-food delivery bicycle fitted with electric motors.

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 removal of advance ticket discounts on affordability on the c2c rail line.

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

c2c serves a mostly short distance turn up and go market, with around 95 per cent of all daily ticket sales made within a week of the date of travel. Affordability is therefore primarily determined by walk-up fares.

c2c reduced its single fares in December 2023 to always be half the equivalent of a return fare, a change made in readiness for the roll out of contactless Pay As You Go (PAYG) ticketing.

c2c is the first TOC in Britain to offer contactless PAYG ticketing on its whole network and advises that it has the lowest walk-up fares per mile of any train company in the southeast.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase the availability of driving tests at Preston test centre.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests that will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

In the coming months, DVSA will:

• Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests
• Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.
• Make use of MOD driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including for Preston driving test centre, to provide as many tests as possible. One new entrant driving examiner is currently awaiting checks and will be placed on a training course as soon as possible. An additional new entrant driving examiner is currently undertaking training, upon successful completion, the new entrant will be joining Preston from February.

A full-time driving examiner can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made about the potential risk of (a) domestic and (b) international espionage activity impacting transport infrastructure.

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

The Department for Transport takes national security extremely seriously. We work with partners across government, internationally, and with industry to understand, mitigate and respond to the full range of threats to the transport sector, including espionage. We will not hesitate to take action if necessary, with policy options continuously kept under review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contingency measures the Government has in place for instances of major power outages impacting people’s ability to travel by (a) personal private car transport and (b) public transport.

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

The Department for Transport considers the risks and potential impacts from power outages through ongoing robust resilience assessment and planning processes. The challenges presented by a range of different vehicle types and modes of transport, including electric vehicles, are considered as part of this. Our assessments are kept under continual review.

The Department works with the transport sector, local authorities, and other government departments to put in place measures to plan and prepare for acute power outage risks. Many transport providers work in conjunction with Local Resilience Fora as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004. This includes contingency planning to deal with local and regional emergencies, including power outages.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made about the potential impact of power outages on the ability of people the travel, in the context of the transition to electric cars.

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

The Department for Transport considers the risks and potential impacts from power outages through ongoing robust resilience assessment and planning processes. The challenges presented by a range of different vehicle types and modes of transport, including electric vehicles, are considered as part of this. Our assessments are kept under continual review.

The Department works with the transport sector, local authorities, and other government departments to put in place measures to plan and prepare for acute power outage risks. Many transport providers work in conjunction with Local Resilience Fora as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004. This includes contingency planning to deal with local and regional emergencies, including power outages.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment they have made about the potential impact of power outages on public transport networks using electric vehicles.

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

The Department for Transport considers the risks and potential impacts from power outages through ongoing robust resilience assessment and planning processes. The challenges presented by a range of different vehicle types and modes of transport, including electric vehicles, are considered as part of this. Our assessments are kept under continual review.

The Department works with the transport sector, local authorities, and other government departments to put in place measures to plan and prepare for acute power outage risks. Many transport providers work in conjunction with Local Resilience Fora as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004. This includes contingency planning to deal with local and regional emergencies, including power outages.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve reliability on the railways.

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

Improving performance is one of this Government’s strategic priorities for transport, we are determined to enhance services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer. In response to our challenge to improve performance, the rail industry has set out a Performance Restoration Framework, with five clear areas of focus to recover performance to acceptable levels, including timetable resilience, staffing and how to keep trains moving during disruptive events.

The Department has been clear with operators and Network Rail about its expectations on performance, and how operators and Network Rail will deliver for passengers and meet their needs - this includes cancellations. The Department expects train operators to mitigate disruption and provide reliable services for passengers wherever possible.

To improve reliability and reduce traincrew related cancellations, we have developed a seven-point plan for traincrew, which we have built into business plan requirements. Operators have provided a concise, data-driven and evidence-based plan for how they will deliver the seven-point plan as part of their Business Plan responses, which were submitted in early December. These plans cover staffing levels, recruitment, training, overtime and planning efficiency to improve reliability.

The Rail Minister is continuing to meet with the Managing Directors of all train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the increase in haulage costs for transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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

Hauliers play a very important role in supporting trade within the UK. The Government meets regularly with stakeholders involved in trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, such as representatives of the road haulage and wider logistics industry, including to understand cost pressures.

Hauliers transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are supported by measures such as the extension of the 5 pence cut in fuel duty until the end of August 2026 and for Great Britain, discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks are available thanks to an additional £18m to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until the end of March 2026. Existing rates apply to Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how her Department will monitor and evaluate the effects of the DVSA’s move to individualised booking of driving tests.

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

Measures were announced on 12 November that will restrict the booking and management of practical car driving tests to learner drivers, and limit test swaps and location changes.

This decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to. These measures take into account the views of those who responded to the consultation and are designed to make the test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continually monitor the effectiveness of these measures.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of measures taken to raise public awareness of changes to the Highway Code made in 2022, and whether increasing understanding of those changes will be reflected in the implementation of the Road Safety Strategy.

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

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran a THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes. This was followed by broader behaviour change campaigns in 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance.

The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to over 50% in August 2022 and 70% in September 2023, with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by that time.

The Government's new road safety strategy identifies that more work is needed to continue embedding these changes.

The THINK! campaign will continue to run three radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

The Road Safety Strategy also sets out further actions to enable safer active travel including supporting councils to provide high-quality, easily accessible active travel schemes across England, and the development of its third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 3).

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety.

To support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity.

Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

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 British Transport Police’s crime-screening policy for pedal-cycle theft at railway stations on (a) public confidence in policing and (b) the delivery of a joined-up national transport network.

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

Ensuring the railway remains safe for passengers and staff, and creating a hostile environment for criminals on the network is a priority for both the Department for Transport and the British Transport Police (BTP). Decisions on the use of resource and deployment of officers across the railway are for the BTP, as an operationally independent police service.

The BTP’s screening policy, introduced in August 2024, takes into account factors including the possible time window an incident could have taken place in, but also the availability of witnesses and CCTV, the realistic prospect of a successful outcome, and a range of other factors. In some instances this may mean that an investigation is not progressed, but there is no blanket ruling and each case is assessed individually. BTP have not taken the decision to stop investigating bike theft that cannot be narrowed to a two-hour window.

BTP work closely with train operating companies and their counterparts in Home Office forces to run events at stations across the network, which provide practical crime prevention advice and services such as free bike marking to passengers. There was a 23% decrease in cycle theft recorded between 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how she plans to distribute the £24 billion funding to improve motorways and local roads which the Government announced on 8 January 2026.

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

The 2025 Spending Review allocated £24 billion of capital funding between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country.

The Department will confirm in the Third Road Investment Strategy, to be published in March 2026, how much capital funding will be invested in the Strategic Road Network over the five-year period 2026/27 to 2030/31, including annual funding profiles.

The Department has already announced £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance over the four years in question and details of how this funding will be allocated and local authority funding allocations can be found on gov.uk.

The Department will also announce the outcome of its review of MRN schemes shortly, as well as next steps on the new Structures Fund.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will consider the potential merits of increasing funding for pavement parking enforcement in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Department for Transport recognises the importance of safe and accessible pavements for all road users. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing pavement parking restrictions under existing civil parking enforcement powers, and statutory guidance advises that these operations should be self-financing.

While we keep enforcement policy under review, there are currently no plans to provide additional central funding for pavement parking enforcement in Surrey or Surrey Heath.

New devolved pavement parking powers were announced on 8 January 2026 and we will work with local government to develop the approach to implementation.

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 investigation by London Centric into Lime Bike accidents.

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

Road safety is a top priority for this Government. That is why the licensing regime for shared cycle schemes which we are bringing forward through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will include minimum standard conditions to ensure a national baseline of safety.

We will consult in depth before implementing licensing, with safety being a core consideration. Licence conditions could include reporting and maintenance requirements.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with shared cycle operators, local authorities, and other groups to understand the challenges and opportunities these schemes can present.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to monitor the maintenance of Lime Bikes by rental companies.

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

Road safety is a top priority for this Government. That is why the licensing regime for shared cycle schemes which we are bringing forward through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will include minimum standard conditions to ensure a national baseline of safety.

We will consult in depth before implementing licensing, with safety being a core consideration. Licence conditions could include reporting and maintenance requirements.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with shared cycle operators, local authorities, and other groups to understand the challenges and opportunities these schemes can present.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase public awareness of changes to the Highway Code made in the last 4 years.

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

Following changes made to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran THINK! Campaigns in 2022 and 2023 to raise awareness of the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the new guidance, with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by September 2023.

The Government's new road safety strategy identifies that more work is needed to continue embedding these changes.

The THINK! campaign will continue to run three radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

The Road Safety Strategy also sets out further actions to enable safer active travel including supporting councils to provide high-quality, easily accessible active travel schemes across England, and the development of its third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 3).

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety.

To support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much is received annually in rental income from the 782 properties purchased along the route of HS2.

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

In financial year 2024/25, a total of 1,723 properties were managed within the HS2 Managed Property Portfolio along the route of HS2 Phase 1 and the former Phase 2. This included residential, commercial, agricultural, forestry and wayleave interests, which collectively generated an annual rental income of £24 million. This income was fully used to offset the costs of managing properties acquired for HS2. Annual rental income naturally fluctuates as the proportion of tenanted properties changes over time.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will assess the potential merits of long-term reform to (a) vehicle identification systems and (b) enforcement systems in tackling number plate crime.

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

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

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

Efforts are underway to strengthen application and audit processes for number plate suppliers. DVLA enforcement officers work with the police and Trading Standards to conduct compliance visits to number plate suppliers, inspecting practices and records as necessary.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the fatal incident on the Valaris 121 jackup drill rig on 14 November 2025, whether the Maritime Accident and Investigation Branch (a) registered the UK as a Substantially Interested State and (b) provided assistance to the Liberian Shipping Registry.

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

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is aware of the accident on the Valaris 121 jack-up drilling rig that occurred on the 14 November 2025. The MAIB has been in contact with the Liberian Ship Registry and received confirmation that the registry is conducting a preliminary assessment into the incident, which is in the evidence gathering phase.

As Valaris 121 was jacked-up, immobile and carrying out drilling operations, its operations fall under the purview of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore. The MAIB has received confirmation that HSE (Offshore) has commenced an investigation into the accident, and HSE’s contact details have been passed to the Liberian Ship Registry.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in light of the fatal incident on the Valaris 121 jackup drilling rig on the UK Continental Shelf on 14 November 2025, if she will provide an update on the Liberian Ship Registry’s investigation into its causes.

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

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is aware of the accident on the Valaris 121 jack-up drilling rig that occurred on the 14 November 2025. The MAIB has been in contact with the Liberian Ship Registry and received confirmation that the registry is conducting a preliminary assessment into the incident, which is in the evidence gathering phase.

As Valaris 121 was jacked-up, immobile and carrying out drilling operations, its operations fall under the purview of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore. The MAIB has received confirmation that HSE (Offshore) has commenced an investigation into the accident, and HSE’s contact details have been passed to the Liberian Ship Registry.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2025 to WPQ 94153, what steps she is taking to help reduce insolvencies in Road Freight Transport companies.

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

Department for Transport officials regularly meet representatives of the road haulage industry, including through the Freight Council and the Road Freight Industry Engagement Group. These discussions are wide ranging and include the market conditions for road freight and cost pressures.

Government measures that support the road freight sector include the extension of the 5 pence cut in fuel duty until the end of August 2026 and for Great Britain, discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks are available thanks to an additional £18m to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until the end of March 2026. Existing rates apply to Northern Ireland.

The Small Business Plan outlines how the Government will support small and medium sized businesses to grow and thrive across the UK through reforms to tackle late payments; finance to support start-ups and scale ups; removing unnecessary red tape and delivering growth boosting support for Digital and AI Adoption. The new Business Growth Service makes it easier for SMEs to access the right support for any stage of their growth journey.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many speed cameras on motorways and major A roads in England have been replaced for being faulty in each of the past five years.

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

The management of speed cameras on the strategic road network is split between National Highways and the Police, so the Department does not hold this data.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve public awareness and understanding of changes to the Highway Code as part of the new Road Safety Strategy.

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

I would like to make clear that improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 103084, if she will publish policy proposals to implement the practice of collection of data of non-injury road traffic accidents in order to make an assessment of the risk at rural junctions.

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

There are currently no plans to collect non-injury collision data from road traffic collisions to make an assessment of risk at rural junctions.

As announced in the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the department is exploring the possibility of breaking down rural roads into several subcategories to better define their purpose. This segmentation will help target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact. We have also announced the establishment of a data-led Road Safety Investigation Branch, which will investigate collisions on a thematic basis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the logistics sector of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

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

We have launched an open consultation on potential options for a future regulatory framework to decarbonise HGVs in the UK and support delivery of phase out dates for new non-zero emission HGVs. This consultation closes on 17 March 2026.   We will publish a cost benefit analysis alongside any proposals for future legislation, which will assess the costs and benefits of transitioning to zero emission HGVs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of closing Junction 38 of the M6 during the Lune Gorge bridge replacement works on local businesses.

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

This Government, working in close partnership with National Highways, is fully committed to this project being delivered in a way that minimises disruption to road users, businesses and local communities. National Highways has undertaken assessments to understand the impact this work will have on the region including an assessment of the impact on traffic flows of the proposed traffic management arrangements. National Highways is also reviewing a detailed feasibility report of proposals for Junction 38 which was provided last year. The review is expected to conclude in January 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many instances of ANPR failure linked to tampered or unreadable number plates have been recorded by (a) police forces and (b) National Highways in the past three years.

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

The Government does not collect data on instances of ANPR failure recorded by police forces.

National Highways (NH) holds data from 27 July 2023 onwards with regard to the Dartford Crossing, since the introduction of the new Dart Charge service. As part of NH’s administration of the Dart Charge service ANPR monitors all vehicles which make the crossing on this route. A very small proportion of crossings cannot be charged due to a range of factors, including environmental conditions, dirt on number plates, or deliberate obscuring or tampering.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he will instruct National Highways to meet with BWB Consulting and Kier in an engineer-to-engineer review of proposals for temporary slip roads at Junction 38 of the M6.

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

National Highways has facilitated discussions between BWB Consulting and Kier engineers, including a meeting held on 17 December 2025 to review proposals for temporary slip roads at Junction 38. A further update on temporary slip roads will be provided at the Stakeholder Engagement Group meeting at the end of January 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage landlords to install electric vehicle charging points on their properties in (a) Broxtowe constituency, (b) the East Midlands and (c) England.

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

The Government understand that renters and leaseholders sometimes have barriers to installing EV chargepoints. In October 2025, the Government announced that it will consult on ways to ensure more people have an ability to charge from home. This includes removing barriers to those in rented and leasehold properties.

There are Government grants for landlords to install EV chargepoints and supporting infrastructure. We continue to consider what policy interventions are suitable in supporting the rental sector in the transition to EVs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Off-Road Machinery Decarbonisation Strategy will be published.

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

The Department is working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the development of the Off-Road Machinery Decarbonisation Strategy. Further details of which, including publication timeline, will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her forthcoming Freight and Logistics Plan will identify (a) a National Freight Network, (b) key transport routes and (c) main transport bottlenecks for freight movements across transport modes; and what steps her Department is taking to integrate increased use of data and analytics as part of that Plan.

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

The forthcoming new plan for freight is informed by the broad range of information the Department holds on the freight and logistics system. This includes information that helps us understand key transport routes, like our published road traffic and maritime statistics, and information to help us understand network bottlenecks, such as our congestion statistics and stakeholder intelligence.

The plan will also reflect the importance of continually improving our data and analytical capabilities and strengthening our associated understanding of the freight and logistics system as an integrated multimodal network. Further detail on the measures and overarching approach we are taking forward to do so will be provided in the plan.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the efficiency savings attributed to regulated settlements arise from regulatory funding constraints imposed by the Office of Rail and Road.

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

The Office of Rail and Road has a key role in providing assurance to Government on the regulated settlements for National Highways and Network Rail, this includes assuring what is to be delivered against the available funding as well as what is an appropriate efficiency target.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the efficiency savings attributed to executive agency reform will be permanent.

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

The Department for Transport efficiencies quoted in the Departmental Efficiency Plan are in line with the Government Efficiency Framework. In particular, the Government Efficiency Framework states that efficiencies “… should be sustainable (recurring)” and “exist in the year they are realised and remain in all subsequent years at equal or greater value.”

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what work they are undertaking towards the electrification of railways lines, in particular the Midland Main Line, and what is the timescale for that work.

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

The Midland Main Line (MML) is now electrified as far as Wigston, south of Leicester, which has enabled the phased introduction of East Midland Railway’s new bi-mode intercity trains to begin. As part of Spending Review 2025, however, the decision was taken to pause electrification of the remainder of the route to Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby.

Continued electrification remains part of this government’s approach to decarbonising our railways and this includes electrification of the MML. Although it is not currently funded within this Spending Review period, further electrification of the MML will be kept under active review and consideration, as part of our longer-term pipeline of proposed rail investment schemes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of parts 2 and 3 of the driving instructor test.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continually recruiting in to fill its ADI examiner vacancies and increase the capacity for additional part two and part three tests.

DVSA has recently undertaken a campaign to recruit an additional 10 examiners this financial year with additional campaigns planned for 2026-27.

DVSA recommends trainee instructors use the ‘Book to Hold’ service. All tests must be paid for at the time of booking, including where tests are booked to ‘hold’. This gives DVSA an accurate picture of where demand is, and it can then ensure that it deploys its examiner resources in the right areas. Once approved driving instructor examiner programmes have been finalised, DVSA will contact those on the hold list in the order they booked their test to hold to arrange a test whilst also mindful of regulatory deadline for the qualification process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.

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

Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.

Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements. We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many jobs were created in the past twelve months through the Support for Maritime Training fund.

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

We are strongly supportive of the Support for Maritime Training fund (SMarT). 680 new cadetships were supported by SMarT in the financial year 2023/24. There are approximately 1500 cadets currently in training.

Statistics for the 2024/25 financial year are expected to be published on 25th February. The Department for Transport does not hold data on the number of jobs created through SMarT.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the availability and quality of facilities for HGV drivers, including secure parking, welfare facilities and overnight rest areas; and what assessment has she made of the implications of the current provisions for driver welfare.

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

The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in: HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. The scheme is supporting truck stop operators across 30 counties in England.

Through the MFGS the Department and industry partners are projected to deliver up to £35.7m of joint investment to enhance truck stops across England. This significant investment is in addition to joint investment by National Highways and industry of up to a further £30 million, aimed at improving lorry parking facilities along the strategic road network.

The National Survey of Lorry Parking, which was published on 29 September 2022, is the Department for Transport’s primary evidence base on the availability of HGV parking facilities. The survey showed an average shortage across England of around 4,500 HGV parking spaces for the month of March 2022 and identified driver concerns with the quality of welfare facilities and security of lorry parks. A further National Survey of Lorry Parking is planned for 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of nationalising the M6 Toll road.

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

There are currently no discussions underway about nationalising the M6 Toll. The M6 Toll sits outside of the Strategic Road Network managed by National Highways and is owned and operated by private entity Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the powers conferred by the Harbours Act 1964, as amended by the Transport and Works Act 1992, allow Ministers to amend the text of primary legislation by Harbour Revision Order.

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

Harbour Revision Orders (HROs) are normally initiated by a harbour authority, but the Secretary of State can seek to impose a HRO under the Harbours Act 1964. The department is consulted on all HRO applications, but the Secretary of State does not have the power to directly amend orders that have been applied for by a harbour authority.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government reconsider the national concessionary fares scheme to reflect pressures on tourist areas like Bournemouth, where local authorities must fund concessionary travel for tourists who are eligible bus pass holders.

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

Under the statutory elements of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), Travel Concessionary Authorities (TCA) must reimburse bus operators for all concessionary journeys starting within their boundaries, irrespective of whether the concessionary passholder making the journey is resident in the TCA area. ENCTS funding is part of the non-ringfenced Local Government Finance Settlement provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. A daytime population metric, which includes domestic tourists, is included in the allocation formulae.

The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement costs to bus operators and any changes to the statutory obligations would need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

The Government is investing in bus services long-term and has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will be allocated £17 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £6 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including helping to fund concessionary travel locally.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suitability of the HS2 order of 8-carriage trains with 504 seats and no tilt ability compared to the current Pendolino trains, particularly in regard to journey times between London and Scotland.

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

High-speed services will provide more reliable and faster end-to-end journeys to Birmingham, the Northwest and Scotland using the new, dedicated high-speed infrastructure despite the train's inability to tilt on the west coast Mainline. Moving long distance trains onto HS2 will create opportunities for additional services on the West Coast Mainline. No decisions have been made on the timetable which will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be made nearer the time and be subject to consultation.

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 July 2025 (HL9776), what recent progress they have made towards ensuring that every platform has level boarding at the new Old Oak Common station.

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

Old Oak Common station will provide full street to platform step-free access, with HS2 platforms designed to offer full level boarding. Platforms serving the Elizabeth Line and conventional rail services have been designed to accommodate different kinds of rolling stock that have different boarding heights. Work to establish the feasibility and safety of deviating from standard 915mm platform heights on the relief line platforms (platforms 5-8, which will predominantly serve the Elizabeth Line) is continuing. Completed assessments to enable a final decision on this issue are expected by Spring 2026, with an announcement expected by the end of the year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many fuel recovery claims are made each year by operators of petrol stations in England, where a motorist has not paid for fuel.

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

Neither the Department for Transport nor the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency hold information about how many fuel recovery claims are made each year by operators of petrol stations in England, where a motorist has not paid for fuel.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the up-front technology and systems investment costs required for Network Rail and National Highways to deliver the efficiency gains assumed in the regulated settlements.

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

Technology and systems investments are integral to delivering efficiencies within Network Rail’s plan for Control Period 7. Significant investments have been made in specific technology and systems programmes, for example £930 million on Digital Signalling, £215 million on Electrical Safety and Delivery, and £185 million on Project Reach which aims to secure external investment to upgrade Network Rail’s telecoms infrastructure through utilising private sector funding. These investments are made to drive Network Rail's delivery against its overall strategic objectives, one of which is efficiency.

For National Highways, the upfront technology and system costs required to support efficiency delivery and performance outcomes will form part of the overall investment plan to be confirmed when RIS3 is published in March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department expects to reach a decision on Transport for London’s proposal for Great Northern inner services before any change to the current operating model takes effect.

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

The Department is working with TfL to assess the benefits of the proposal, including housing growth opportunities such as the potential development of 21,000 homes at Crews Hill.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to support low-income earners with transport to and from London following (a) the introduction of pay as you go ticketing in Dorking and Horley constituency and (b) price increases of between 3% and 24%.

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

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to written question 103034 answered on 8 January 2026, when she will conduct this post-delivery evaluation.

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

The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of Pay as you go roll out in the South East, following the launch of phase one stations last year. Once evaluation is complete, we will make the final reports public.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of changes in LNER ticket prices since the introduction of simpler fares for long-distance travel.

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

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2026 to Question 103034 on Railways: Tickets, if she will make an assessment of the impact of cancelling evening out return fares between Dorking and London on commuters.

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

For stations in Dorking and Horley, we have simplified the complicated web of tickets by having one Peak and one Off-Peak price, with some fares changing and others being removed as part of improvements to ticketing via pay as you go with contactless expansion.   This will allow passengers greater flexibility in their choice of tickets, with some seeing a reduction in their ticket price.

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that regulated rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to be affected by this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze.

The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of Pay as you go roll out in the South East. Once evaluation is complete we will make the final reports public.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the comparative capital costs of including discontinuous and full electrification on East West Rail.

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

In its autumn announcement, EWR Co set out proposals for the discontinuous (partial) electrification of the line. Discontinuous electrification can enable net zero services through the use of hybrid battery-electric trains for reduced upfront capital costs compared to full route electrification. Exact costs will depend on the location and extent of electrification, and updated proposals will be provided at the next consultation on EWR later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expect to publish details of each implementation project arising from the publication of the cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce.

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

The cross-government taskforce’s final report highlights the wider range of areas in which government is taking action; including taking steps to address vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. The government will continue to deliver against the actions set out in this report. The departments leading on specific actions are responsible for providing updates on the work being undertaken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the implementation costs are for the DVSA, DVLA and VCA reform programmes underpinning the projected £39 million per year efficiency saving by 2028–29.

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

The forecast efficiencies of £39m in 28/29 set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan from reform of the Executive Agencies is the net position and were based on forecasted efficiencies of £52m and forecasted costs of £13m.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help address safety risks from the abandonment of e-bikes on pavements.

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

We understand that e-bikes parked obstructively on pavements are not just an inconvenience but a real safety risk, particularly for vulnerable pavement users.

That is why 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 by local leaders and will include minimum standard conditions to ensure a national baseline of safety. This will provide local leaders with greater powers to combat street clutter and misuse of shared vehicles.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of current statutory consultation requirements for introducing parking restrictions on main roads, and whether she plans to review these requirements.

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

No such assessment has been made. We have not identified a need for change but will continue to monitor their impact as part of wider traffic management reviews.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many pothole damage claims there were in 2025.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of pothole damage claims in 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve public transport provision in rural areas.

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

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable public transport services are in keeping communities connected.

We introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 to put power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. East Midlands Combined Authority will be allocated £65.5 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £21.7 million they are already receiving this year.

On 1 January 2025, the Government introduced a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London, and in the Spending Review announced that this would be extended until March 2027. The £3 cap replaced the £2 cap, and without action, the cap would have ended and fares would have returned to their previous levels. Local authorities can also use their LABG funding to introduce local fares initiatives to further reduce travel costs

Rail services in East Midlands Combined Authority are supported by requirements on train operators to plan services and design timetables to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The government commitment to public ownership through Great British Railways will also help to deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality and efficient transport services, whilst also ensuring safety and accessibility. Under public ownership, passenger services can be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help make public transport more affordable.

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

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable public transport services are in keeping communities connected.

We introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 to put power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. East Midlands Combined Authority will be allocated £65.5 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £21.7 million they are already receiving this year.

On 1 January 2025, the Government introduced a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London, and in the Spending Review announced that this would be extended until March 2027. The £3 cap replaced the £2 cap, and without action, the cap would have ended and fares would have returned to their previous levels. Local authorities can also use their LABG funding to introduce local fares initiatives to further reduce travel costs

Rail services in East Midlands Combined Authority are supported by requirements on train operators to plan services and design timetables to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The government commitment to public ownership through Great British Railways will also help to deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality and efficient transport services, whilst also ensuring safety and accessibility. Under public ownership, passenger services can be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the annual efficiency savings projected for 2028–29 depends on efficiencies from National Highways’ Road Investment Strategy 3 which have not yet been finalised.

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

The forecasted efficiencies for 28/29 set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan do not currently assume any efficiency savings from National Highways. National Highways’ efficiency target for the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS) will be confirmed when the RIS is published in March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her oral contribution of 8 January 2026, Official Report, column 420, on what evidential basis she said that the majority of single tickets under the extension of contactless ticketing will be the same price or lower than under the previous fares structure.

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

As part of our fares simplification to expand Pay As You Go (PAYG) with Contactless ticketing, we introduced single leg pricing. The Department worked with the rail industry to ensure that as much as possible, single fares will cost roughly half the price of a return. The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of PAYG rollout, in the South East, following the launch of phase one stations last year. This will measure the impact of both PAYG technology and fares reform on passenger experience. Once the evaluation is complete, we will make the final reports public.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the Road Safety Strategy will (a) improve drivers’ understanding of cyclists’ rights and (b) promote safer interactions between drivers and cyclists on the roads.

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

On 7 January 2026, the Government published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to protect vulnerable road users, update vehicle safety technologies and review motoring offences.

The Strategy also set 17 safety performance indicators (SPIs) which will be monitored to provide an understanding of performance against the commitments made in the strategy. One of these SPIs will monitor the rate of cyclists/pedestrians killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions per billion miles walked/cycled.

Advances in vehicle safety technology also offer a significant opportunity to prevent collisions, reduce casualties and protect the most vulnerable road users. As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we are currently consulting on proposals to mandate a range of vehicle technologies including Emergency Braking for cyclists. This technology is designed to warn the driver and automatically activate the vehicle brakes when a frontal collision with a cyclist is imminent.

The Government's THINK! road safety campaign currently runs two year-round radio adverts encouraging safer behaviours among drivers to protect cyclists. These promote use of the Dutch Reach for opening car doors and raise awareness of safe passing speeds and distances for motorists when overtaking cyclists.

We will continue to encourage safer road user behaviours, including to improve safety for those cycling via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will consider increasing funding to improve the (a) security and (b) enforcement of vehicle registration marks.

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

On 7 January 2026, the Government published its Road Safety Strategy, which sets out plans to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads, including through a focus on robust enforcement.

The Strategy also sets out the Government’s intention to consult on addressing the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ number plates. The Department for Transport has published a consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including the use of illegal number plates designed to evade detection. Separately, the DVLA has been engaged in work to strengthen the relevant number plate standard and officials are considering options to support more robust application and audit processes for number plate suppliers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of Advance tickets previously available on LNER routes remain available following the introduction of long-distance simplified fares.

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

LNER does not publish data on the proportion of Advance/Fixed tickets sold before and after the commencement of the trial.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of NHS Trusts terminating contracts for driving mobility assessment services, where Department for Transport grant funding does not cover the full cost of delivery, on disabled people and people with medical conditions who cannot access driving mobility assessment services when contracts are terminated; and what steps she is taking to ensure continuity of provision where such contracts end.

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

We take this issue very seriously and the department is committed to supporting everyone to travel safely. The Department for Transport provides grant funding to mobility centres that have been accredited by Driving Mobility in England. Where a mobility centre is closed by its provider, including where this is the NHS, we work with the wider mobility centres network and Driving Mobility to help maintain geographical coverage. Our priority remains safeguarding patient safety and continuity of assessments.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on (a) purchasing and (b) installing soundproof meeting pods for its headquarters in London since 17 October 2024; and how much of this relates to meeting pods for the Ministerial private office.

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

No further funds have been spent on purchasing or installing soundproof meeting pods beyond that detailed in the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71266.

Found: Commencement No.4 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025Appendix 3: Memorandum from the Department for Transport

Found: parliament.uk/eacom The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport, Department for Transport

Found: For example, how can DBT, DFE and the DfT coordinate in a way than improves matters at a local level

Found: appointing a single senior official as a cross-Whitehall ‘account manager’ to coordinate work across DBT, DfT

Found: pro-growth policies, so too does the Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS, the Department for Transport

Found: For example, clean hydrogen policy spans multiple departments including DESNZ, DBT, DfT, DEFRA, and

Found: DHL would like to see this strategy led by DBT, with input from DFT and DESNZ as key enabling departments

Found: Current DfT modelling suggests SAF will cost airlines $3- $4 billion in 2030, with the majority picked

Found: In particular, the Department for Transport runs the “Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport (CSRGT

Found: across the Ministry of Defence, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Department for Transport

Found: Cover how the Department for Business and Trade, working with DfT, Cabinet Office and the Treasury,

Found: For example, how can DBT, DFE and the DfT coordinate in a way than improves matters at a local level

Found: particularly at a time when you are making decisions about the resourcing of overseas posts and the DfT

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: That is something that the Department for Transport is looking at as part of its investment plans and

Found: As an example, there have been a number of high-profile announcements from the Department for Transport

Found: As an example, there have been a number of high-profile announcements from the Department for Transport

Found: and we have benefited from Department of Health and Social Care funding, DFE funding and Department for Transport

Found: If you look at the DfT stats for Dover, they have seen a significant decrease in the number of accompanied

Found: Some excellent work was done, with not just us but the UK Space Agency, the Department for Transport

Found: presume the 20 Environment Agency, lots of local planning authorities and I presume the Department for Transport

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Department for Transport guidance entitled Cycle infrastructure design (LTN 1/20), published on 27 July 2020, whether he plans to revise (a) the National Planning Policy Framework and (b) guidance to require new residential and mixed-use developments to provide high-quality permeability for walking and cycling.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, using a vision-led approach to identify transport solutions that deliver well-designed, sustainable, and popular places. This should involve identifying and pursuing opportunities to promote walking and cycling.

The Framework also outlines that when assessing sites that may be allocated in local development plans, or specific development applications, it should be ensured that sustainable transport modes are prioritised taking account of the vision for the site, the type of development and its location, and that safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users. Within this context, applications for development should give priority first to pedestrian and cycle movements, both within the scheme and with neighbouring areas, and should create places that are safe, secure, and attractive and which minimise scope for conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles.

We are currently consulting on changes to the Framework, including updated policies on sustainable transport which seek to further embed a vision-led approach to transport planning. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the ambulance costs from road collisions in Surrey in the past five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No specific estimation has been made. Data on the number of road traffic collisions is collected and published by the Department for Transport.

Ambulance services do not routinely report costs at the level of individual incident types. However, the most recent National Cost Collection indicates that the average cost of an ambulance ‘see, treat and convey’ response is approximately £489.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support police forces in reducing serious and fatal road traffic collisions.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The safety of all road users is a priority for this Government. While the operational enforcement of road traffic laws is a matter for individual police forces, the Home Office is committed to supporting them in reducing serious and fatal collisions.

The Government is strengthening police powers to enforce traffic law, through measures in the Crime and Policing Bill which will enable officers to seize vehicles without having to serve a notice and to tackle dangerous driving more effectively.We support police forces in targeting speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use while driving and failure to wear seatbelts, through enforcement campaigns and educational schemes such as BikeSafe and the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme.

The Home Office is also working closely with the Department for Transport on the recently published Road Safety Strategy which sets an ambitious target to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035. This includes measures to strengthen enforcement, improve vehicle safety and enhance collision investigation capability.

Through these combined efforts, we are ensuring that police forces have the tools, powers and partnerships needed to make our roads safer and reduce the tragic toll of serious and fatal collisions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question, 90238, on Government Communications Service: Staff, if he will publish the number of (a) headcount and (b) FTE Government Communication Service staff in each government department, central public body and Arm’s Length Body, including NHS, according to information collated in the most recent Government Communications Service audit; and what are the aggregate figures.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Please see the table below that contains the full-time equivalent figures for departments. These figures incorporate the ALBs, which are grouped under their respective sponsoring organisations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance is issued to local authorities on recording and recovering costs incurred during environmental clean-up operations following maritime incidents; and whether such guidance allows for costs incurred by organised charity, conservation, or wildlife groups supporting those clean-up efforts to be included within claims made against responsible commercial parties.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department provides to local authorities responding to maritime incidents that result in environmental contamination or significant shoreline clean-up operations.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance exists on public communication and safety messaging by local authorities during environmental incidents affecting coastal communities.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ghost plates pose on (a) national security and (b) the ability of hostile or organised criminal actors to evade detection by ANPR technology; and whether she has commissioned a cross-government review on the potential impact of the use of illegal plates on investigative leads, including those related to violent crime, terrorism, and serious organised criminal activity.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Under the new Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January by the Department for Transport, the Government has announced firm action to tackle illegal or ‘ghost’ numberplates. This includes consulting on tougher penalties, including penalty points and vehicle seizure, more robust checks on number plate suppliers, and higher industry standards for numberplates. We also intend to commission targeted research to explore the potential use of artificial intelligence to identify illegal plates.

In addition, the Government has pledged £2.7m for each of the next three years to support a roads policing innovation programme. As part of this innovation programme, the Department for Transport and Home Office are working in collaboration with National Police Chiefs' Council and others to consider new approaches to tackling the issue of illegal plate usage.

Linda Snelling and the Somerset Bus Partnership

Found: £616 million since 2026-27 in active travel infrastructure, with investment led by the Department for Transport

Found: initiatives are on track.9 9 These departments were the Department for Business & Trade, the Department for Transport

Found: UK0012734 Avon Gorge Woodlands SAC Portishead Branch Line- MetroWest Phase 1 Department of Transport (DfT

Found: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 10/09/2024 62 days earlier 10/07/2025 Department for Transport

Found: As detailed in FRAB 135 (02-1) paragraphs 28-30, HMT spoke to DCMS, DfT and DfE who supported an adaptation

Found: Department for Transport: 14.1. Maritime and Coastguard Agency; 14.2.

Found: part of the UK government's strategy to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). 18 DfT

Found: DfT publication Local Transport Note (L T N) 1/24 provides more information on designing for bus services

Found: subject not only to HS2 Ltd’s internal assurance and governance checks;  but then from the Department for Transport

Found: the UK, with a research centre for connected and autonomous vehicles established by the Department for Transport

Found: run-off have on our water environment, we will also continue to work in partnership with the Department for Transport

Found: run-off have on our water environment, we will also continue to work in partnership with the Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: -26 Report Title Page Fiftieth report: Local Bus Services in England 2 Department for Transport

Found: the UK, with a research centre for connected and autonomous vehicles established by the Department for Transport

Found: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and delivers a range of functions on behalf of the Department for Transport

Found: Government - Clacks and Falkirk combined: Regional Collaboration bid 2.000 0.000 2.000 Transfer from DfT

Found: Traffic Counters CAFS Cleaner Air for Scotland CERC Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants DfT

Found: .• Statisticians within the Department for Transport have devised a method for adjusting the road casualty

Found: Government departments (Department for Energy and Net Zero, His Majesty’s Treasury and Department for Transport

Found: It is sponsored by the Department for Transport. 2.

Found: It is sponsored by the Department for Transport. 2.

Found: 5200667998 -1918618.8 XK50 F2EET Public & Int Trans Current Grants to Central Government bodies DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT

Found: In 2024,road traffic estimates published by the Department for Transport, show that the traffic volume

Found: area in the data year, excluding vessels employed in supply, dredging, or dumping at sea (Department for Transport

Found: TransportSouth Wales Metro (Core Valley Lines)1050105020172028Funding includes EU and Department for Transport