Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking to secure an exemption for UK professional HGV and coach drivers from the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule.

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

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries.

The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers.

The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of non-compliant number plates on the ability to trace and prosecute hit-and-run drivers.

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

Under the new Road Safety Strategy, the Government has announced firm action to tackle non-compliant 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 AI to identify illegal plates.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to expand the Highway Code awareness campaign beyond London; and what plans her Department has to help ensure similar campaigns are extended to (a) Somerset, (b) rural areas and (c) any other areas where road users may have less exposure to targeted messaging about transport.

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

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

Local authorities are responsible for delivering road safety education and have a statutory duty to take steps both to reduce and prevent collisions. THINK! Highway Code campaign resources are available for local authorities to download from the THINK! website and are free to use for educational purposes: https://www.think.gov.uk/campaign/highway-code-changes/

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts across England and Wales encouraging compliance with the Highway Code 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.

In addition to the Highway Code activity, THINK! also runs paid advertising campaigns focused on the priority issues of speed, drink driving and drug driving. The primary audience for these campaigns is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. All THINK! campaigns are run nationally, therefore Somerset and rural areas are included.

As set out in the Road Safety 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.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has has made of trends in the level of public awareness of updated 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, with the percentage of road users reporting they knew a little or a lot about the changes going from 36% in January 2022 to over 50% in August 2022 and 70% in September 2023. By that time 86% of road users reported having heard 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, what recent assessment she has made of the potential safety and operational benefits of converting the Thatcham level crossing from manually controlled barrier with CCTV to manually controlled barrier with obstacle detection.

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

Network Rail is responsible for assessing and managing the safety risk at level crossings on the mainline railway in Great Britain, including at Thatcham. It routinely reviews the most appropriate safety measures, taking into account local risk, user behaviour and operational requirements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule on UK professional drivers and the businesses that depend on them.

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

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries.

The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers.

The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with her EU counterparts on the potential impact of the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule on UK professional drivers.

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

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries.

The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers.

The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration has been given to the effects of her proposed road safety policies on people from both (a) younger and (b) older age demographics.

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

In Great Britain, 17 to 24-year-olds remain one of the highest fatality risk groups, especially young men, both as car drivers and passengers. While drivers aged 17 to 24 represent a high proportion of collisions in Great Britain older car drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured per licence held, at least in part due to their frailty.

We know we need to get the balance right for our younger and older drivers, to support young people’s access to work, education, and social activities. and to ensure that older people can actively participate in society and retain their independence, while also keeping both younger and older drivers safe on the roads.

That is why, as part of the Road Safety Strategy, we launched consultations on the 7 January 2025 on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers and introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.

Government policies are developed with due regard to protected characteristics as outlined by law. To ensure this an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) will be carried out in line with PSED throughout the policy development process. As part of the EIA, the impact of policy options on people with protected characteristics will be considered proportionately and appropriate measures will be taken where a negative impact of policy is identified.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of road safety policy on older people's (a) mobility and (b) independence.

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

In Great Britain, 17 to 24-year-olds remain one of the highest fatality risk groups, especially young men, both as car drivers and passengers. While drivers aged 17 to 24 represent a high proportion of collisions in Great Britain older car drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured per licence held, at least in part due to their frailty.

We know we need to get the balance right for our younger and older drivers, to support young people’s access to work, education, and social activities. and to ensure that older people can actively participate in society and retain their independence, while also keeping both younger and older drivers safe on the roads.

That is why, as part of the Road Safety Strategy, we launched consultations on the 7 January 2025 on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers and introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.

Government policies are developed with due regard to protected characteristics as outlined by law. To ensure this an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) will be carried out in line with PSED throughout the policy development process. As part of the EIA, the impact of policy options on people with protected characteristics will be considered proportionately and appropriate measures will be taken where a negative impact of policy is identified.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the speed limit on rural single carriageway roads.

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

The Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, commits the Government to exploring whether the proposed rural roads categories are appropriate at a local level and to assessing their potential for national application. Developing a much clearer and more consistent definition of what constitutes a ‘rural road’ could 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.

The strategy has also committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance Setting local speed limits - GOV.UK which outlines how local authorities may introduce lower limits on rural roads where appropriate. The most recent publicly accessible version of this guidance emphasises that Local traffic authorities have the power to introduce speed limits lower than the national limit where local conditions justify this.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that road freight trade associations will be included on the road safety Expert Advisory Panel.

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 sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16). Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair. This will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel, which will provide insight from those working directly with road users and communities.

The Board and Expert Advisory Panel are currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria will be used to determine membership of the road safety Expert Advisory Panel.

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 sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16). Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair. This will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel, which will provide insight from those working directly with road users and communities.

The Board and Expert Advisory Panel are currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made 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 extent to which business rates relief and other fiscal support provided to Heathrow and Gatwick is available to regional airports; and what steps she is taking to ensure regional airports are not placed at a competitive disadvantage.

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

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector, however this government recognises the crucial role regional airports play in supporting thousands of local jobs, connecting communities to global opportunities, and strengthening social and economic ties across the four nations.

My department regularly engages with regional airports including through the Aviation Council, which includes a Regional Connectivity Working Group chaired by industry.

At the Budget, the Government announced a £4.3bn business rates support package. This includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme worth £3.2 billion to provide more generous support for those paying higher tax rates (such as the new high-value multiplier), including airports.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Written Statement HCWS1232 on 12 January 2025, what steps she is taking to minimise disruption to road users as a result of additional highways maintenance.

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

The Government has provided a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years. Investing into improving the condition of local roads is crucial to reduce disruption to motorists, for whom potholes can pose a safety risk or lead to damage to vehicles.

Local highway authorities themselves are responsible for maintaining their network and for the delivery of maintenance works. By providing them with long-term funding certainty, the Department enables them to move away from reactive repairs towards planned and preventative maintenance approaches. These keep roads in good condition for longer, prevent potholes from forming, and reduce the need for unplanned emergency repairs which can often lead to the greatest disruption.

In addition, the Department has introduced an incentive element to its highways maintenance funding. To gain access to their full funding allocation, local highway authorities will have to publish highways maintenance transparency reports and set out how they comply with best practice, including in relation to minimising disruption to road users. This is also considered by the Department’s recently published rating system for local highway authorities. The ratings will be updated annually to provide an incentive to local highway authorities to adopt best practice, and to enable the Department to identify where they need to improve and to support them. Further guidance on minimising disruption from maintenance works is also available in the Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming local roads funding.

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

The Government has reformed local roads funding by increasing the available funding, providing greater funding certainty to local highway authorities, and introducing new performance based incentives and a rating system to ensure this investment is used effectively and in line with best practice in highways maintenance.

At the Autumn Budget, the Government confirmed a record £7.3 billion for local highway maintenance over the next four years. By providing long-term funding certainty, local highway authorities will be able to better plan ahead and move away from expensive and reactive repairs and to instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance, which keeps roads in good condition for longer and prevents potholes from forming in the first place.

Earlier in January, the Department introduced a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. These ratings are designed to promote good asset management and encourage a preventative approach to highways maintenance. As in the 2025/26 financial year, a proportion of highways maintenance funding will continue to be allocated as incentive funding linked to authorities’ transparency and performance.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106337, what estimate her Department has made of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints required to meet the 2030 target that will be delivered by the private sector.

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

The Department has not made an estimate of how many electric vehicle chargepoints will be delivered by the private sector. Many chargepoints are delivered through a combination of public and private sector funding. This includes the estimated 100,000 chargepoints expected to be delivered under the Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Scheme, which is leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106335, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints that have been installed but are not operational due to electricity grid connection issues.

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

The Department for Transport does not have such an estimate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to promote community engagement on the new Air Navigation Guidance.

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

The Department for Transport consulted on potential changes to the statutory guidance (The Air Navigation Guidance) it provides to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This guidance is used by the CAA to inform its airspace change process. The consultation closed on 26 January 2026 and responses are now being reviewed.

The consultation was open to everyone and a number of groups representing local communities, as well as individuals and companies, responded.

Engagement and consultation has always been part of the airspace change process. The proposals in the draft Guidance aim to retain and enhance the principle that anyone potentially affected by an airspace change should have the information they need and the ability to feed in their views before final decisions are taken. The sponsor for an Airspace Change will be responsible for ensuring this happens effectively as a key part of the airspace change process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the London Borough of Bexley's news story entitled Bexley's Roads 7th best in England, published on 12 January 2026, if her Department will publish the data cited in that story.

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

The Department published a new traffic light rating system on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The ratings can be found online, at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-road-maintenance-ratings/local-road-maintenance-ratings-2025-to-2026.

The full methodology and data sources used to produce the ratings has also been published online. This includes a table setting out methodological detail on the individual metrics and scores used to calculate local authorities' ratings. Further detail can be found online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/methodology-used-to-calculate-ratings-for-local-road-maintenance.

Bexley received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing green for condition, green for spend and amber for wider best practice.

Bexley received a green rating for their road condition. This rating was worked out based on the road condition statistics for the financial year ending 2024. Detail about these statistics can be found online, at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-network-size-and-condition. Rankings are not published as part of these road condition statistics.

The ratings are not designed to provide a ranked list of local highway authorities, but instead assign authorities a rating within the broader categories of red, amber, or green.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the number of drink driving incidents in Yeovil constituency.

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

The Government takes road safety very seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.

On 7 January 2026, the Department for Transport published the Government’s Road Safety Strategy alongside an open consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including drink and drug driving. The consultation closes on 31 March 2026. It includes proposals to consult on lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, including consideration of a lower limit for novice drivers; reviewing penalties and options such as alcohol interlock devices; and considering powers to suspend the driving licence for those suspected of drink and/or drug driving pending court attendance or, where relevant, forensic analysis.

Alongside this work, the Department for Transport (DfT) is working with partners, including the National Police Chiefs Council and Police and Crime Commissioners, on operational pilots to assess opportunities for enhancing the roads policing approach to drink and drug driving. These will feed into the Roads Policing Innovation Programme announced under the Road Safety Strategy, which is scheduled to begin in 2026.

The enforcement of road traffic law and how resources are deployed locally, including in Yeovil, is an operational matter for the police.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure the review conducted by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority into the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme, issued to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on the 19 September 2025, is placed into the public domain.

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

On 18 December, Mayor Brabin announced a revised plan for development and delivery of Mass Transit, following an independent peer review by NISTA in September 2025. The changes aim to strengthen delivery and reduce risk, and do not result from any delay by the Department for Transport. All major project reviews undertaken by NISTA are treated as confidential, in the interests of ensuring that everyone involved is able to share their honest feedback. This has been standard practice across successive governments.

The Department for Transport continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to ensure the programme remains firmly on track for successful delivery.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has held discussions with Transport for London on the potential impact of delays in issuing private hire licences on private hire drivers.

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

The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date her Department first raised with the BBC that the announcement on Graduated Driver Licensing scheme could be made on the BBC’s day of road safety coverage.

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

The Department for Transport has not made an announcement on a Graduated Driving Licensing scheme.

Whilst we are not considering further restrictions on newly qualified drivers such as carrying passengers or driving at night, as announced on the 7 January, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test, and on a lower drink drive limit for novice drivers..

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a public awareness campaign to promote the new Highway Code rules.

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

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, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) and staff costs have increased at the Civil Aviation Authority since April 2017.

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

Since 2016, the CAA’s regulatory perimeter has expanded significantly. Following EU Exit, the CAA developed new rulemaking and regulatory oversight functions to replace those delivered by the European Aviation Safety Agency until 2020, including the creation of a UK state of design function. As a result of the Space Industry Act 2018, the CAA became the UK Space Regulator in 2021. At the same time, the CAA has grown to respond to the development of novel aviation technology (including drones, air taxis and future propulsion such as hydrogen), setting regulatory frameworks and standards to enable tomorrow’s aerospace to innovate and grow. The Future of Flight technologies have the potential to contribute up to £103 billion to the UK economy over the next 25 years.

Reflecting its strategic objectives and the government’s priorities, the CAA has created additional capacity in five areas; in economic regulation and consumer enforcement to manage increased ambition and expectations; to fulfil CAA’s expanded remit in relation to airspace modernisation; to deliver new cyber security oversight responsibilities for the aviation sector; and to deliver the CAA’s sustainability roles, including those it took on from the Independent Commission for Civil Aviation Noise; together with increases in back-office areas supporting these teams. All of this has been delivered with a focus on efficiency and efficacy, enabling increased investment in CAA services to its customers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, whether she has had conversations with optometrists on mandatory eye testing for drivers.

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

My officials have met with various optometrist organisations (including the College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists) while developing the proposed changes to eyesight testing for older drivers, and we will continue to engage with optometrist organisations as our policies develop further.

The consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers was published on 07 January. We welcome responses from optometrists and optometrist organisations.

The consultation can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 101827, if she will publish the estimates of future passenger demand being used to inform strategic planning across the Essex Thameside area, including an assessment of the potential impact of proposed housing growth in Basildon Borough on c2c and Greater Anglia rail services.

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

Network Rail is responsible for developing estimates of passenger and freight future demand, working closely and collaboratively with train operating companies, local authorities, freight operators and other relevant stakeholders.

The Eastern region planning documents, including the Essex Thameside Strategic Advice, are made available on Network Rail’s website -https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/long-term-planning/

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of road signs used by local authorities to help prevent road causalities among (a) hedgehogs and (b) other small mammals.

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

The Department has made no such assessment. Local authorities are responsible for the installation of the small wild animal road signs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the progress of the Transport Research and Innovation Board's 2023 Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035.

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

The Transport Research and Innovation Board provides regular oversight on the progress against the Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035, as part of regular operations for all its areas of activity.

DfT has met all key government-owned milestones in digital twins, including working with the National Digital Twin Programme, enabling funding to research organisations, and providing a clear vision for the strategic case and benefits for digital twins in transport and adjacent sectors.

A key milestone was to provide clear evidence and guidelines on the benefits of digital twins, and DfT has published its Economic Benefit Analysis (2024) showing that this emerging technology can enable better integration of traffic management and deliver £1.85bn of benefits to the UK over a decade.

Additionally, DfT is working with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to develop guidance on data interoperability and integration across transport.

The work is ongoing, and DfT committed in the recent Climate Adaptation Strategy for Transport (Dec 2025) to a long-term digital twin programme that aims to support network management, resilience planning and climate response.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the extent to which enforcement authorities, when rejecting challenges to parking contravention notices during the discount period, re-offer the discount for a further 14 days in line with statutory guidance issued under section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold this data as local authorities do not share this with the Department.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that private parking companies provide adequate notice to individuals served with a fine regarding the period in which they must (a) pay or (b) appeal.

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

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with her cabinet colleagues on this matter. Private parking companies are the policy responsibility of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99588, when her Department plans to publish the evaluation of the £3 bus fare cap.

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

The Department for Transport is currently undertaking an evaluation of the £3 single bus fare cap and its impacts, with the full report expected to be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on a strategy for integrating bus ticketing in England.

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

The Government recognises the value of greater integration between public transport modes, including in relation to ticketing, and will continue to work with local transport authorities, operators and passengers to improve the fares and ticketing offer for passengers across England.

Programmes currently under development in England recognise the aspiration for smart, multi-modal ticketing. This includes the Department for Transport working with representatives from the bus industry, Transport for West Midlands and Midlands Connect to develop a national technology solution to facilitate multi-operator ticketing on buses and trams, focusing on contactless bank card payments and enabling fares capping outside of London.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the disabled persons bus pass is only valid after 9:30am on weekdays.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, between 9.30am and 11.00pm on weekdays and all day at weekends and on Bank Holidays. The duration of the concessionary period was set out in the Transport Act 2000. The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement to operators. Any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the times of use, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the travel times for disabled passholders.

The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across England 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. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will be allocated £64.2 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £22.5 million they are already receiving this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, which could include extending discretionary concessions locally.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to replace the number-plate eyesight test with a standardised, clinically validated vision assessment.

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

There are no plans to replace the number‑plate eyesight test.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to pages 30 and 31 of the Government's report entitled Motor Insurance Taskforce: final report, published on 10 December 2025, whether the Department has concluded its consideration of penalties for the offence of driving a vehicle without motor insurance; and whether she has plans to increase the fixed penalty fine for this offence.

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

The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.

The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will commission a specific inquiry into the motorcycle insurance market to examine underwriter withdrawals, geographic exclusions and pricing anomalies.

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

The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.

The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has measurable targets for helping to reduce average motor insurance premiums.

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

The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.

The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of current eyesight standards for driving; and whether her Department plans to review the regulations governing driver vision requirements.

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

All drivers, regardless of age, have a legal responsibility to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they develop a medical condition that may affect their ability to drive.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of the strategy, we launched a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over.

Once the consultation has concluded, we will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce a requirement for all drivers to have their eyesight tested by a qualified optometrist when applying for or renewing their driving licence.

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

All drivers, regardless of age, have a legal responsibility to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they develop a medical condition that may affect their ability to drive.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of the strategy, we launched a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over.

Once the consultation has concluded, we will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency were (a) in post and (b) delivering practical car driving tests in January 2026.

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

The national average waiting time for a practical car driving test in January 2026 was 21.2 weeks.

Data for January 2026 on the number of full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), that are in post and delivering practical car driving tests, will not be available until later in February.

As of 30 December 2025, there were 1,618 full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) in post. Of those, 1,542 FTE were available to deliver practical car driving tests.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time for a practical car driving test was in January 2026.

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

The national average waiting time for a practical car driving test in January 2026 was 21.2 weeks.

Data for January 2026 on the number of full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), that are in post and delivering practical car driving tests, will not be available until later in February.

As of 30 December 2025, there were 1,618 full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) in post. Of those, 1,542 FTE were available to deliver practical car driving tests.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy that the Road Safety Investigation Branch (a) record and (b) publish data on collisions involving illegally modified e-bikes separately from those involving standard pedal cycles.

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

The Road Safety Investigation Branch will be data-led and provide thematic investigations based on robust evidence and linked data. The work of the branch is currently being scoped out and further details will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether Great British Railways will assume responsibility for the construction of the tunnels between Old Oak Common and Euston, and if so, when.

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

HS2 Ltd is the non-departmental public body responsible for delivering the HS2 programme. This includes responsibility for HS2’s Main Works Civils Construction, which in turn includes the construction of all tunnelling between Old Oak Common and Euston. Great British Railways will not assume this responsibility.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide, for each driving test centre in Great Britain, the car practical driving test waiting time in weeks in January 2026.

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

The attached Excel document shows the average waiting time in weeks, in January 2026, for a car practical driving test at all driving test centres (DTC) in Great Britain.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many practical car driving tests were conducted in (a) July 2024 and (b) each subsequent month up to the most recent month for which data is available.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) publishes data on the number of practical driving tests conducted on GOV.UK.

The number of practical driving tests conducted by month, including from July 2024, is available on report DRT121G This data is updated monthly and currently shows data to January 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time was for a practical car driving test at Swindon Test Centre in the most recent month for which data is available.

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

For January 2026, the average waiting time for a car practical driving test at Swindon driving test centre was 18.8 weeks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with London North Eastern Railway about the December 2025 timetable changes and its impact on the experience of passengers travelling to and from Peterborough and Kings Cross in the peak morning travel period.

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

The Department is aware of local concerns regarding Peterborough-London services in the morning peak, following the December 2025 timetable change. Following continued collaboration between the Department for Transport and LNER, and informed by passenger feedback, I am pleased to confirm that an additional LNER fast train to London Kings Cross will stop at Peterborough at 0743.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to introduce legislation on driving licence requirements for motorcycle and moped delivery riders; and what timetable she envisages for bringing forward such legislation.

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. This includes a consultation on proposed reforms to the training, testing and licensing for motorcycles and mopeds. Further steps will be announced after the consultation closes on 31 March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 104865, whether her Department plans to improve the frequency and granularity of bus passenger journey data collection, including collection by calendar month.

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

The Department for Transport publishes bus passenger data at a range of frequencies and levels of detail.

Annual local bus passenger journey statistics are published on a financial year basis, with the latest release covering April 2024 to March 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/statisticaldata-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01.

In addition to the annual statistics, the Department publishes more frequent information on bus use through two separate statistical releases.

The Department publishes daily bus passenger data for Great Britain outside London and London as part of the daily domestic transport use by mode publication, which is updated monthly: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.

The Department also published daily local bus passenger and trip data by Local Transport Authority as Official Statistics in Development last year: https://www.gov.uk/government/statisticaldata-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01. These are undergoing further development and testing with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Current data limitations include no data held for London and incomplete coverage for England outside London.

For this latter release, the Department plans to continue developing the data source, publish an updated set in due course and move towards more regular updates in future. Decisions on the precise timing, frequency and level of detail, including the potential production of statistics monthly, will be informed by ongoing work to improve data quality, coverage and user value.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government about restructuring funding of railways and train services that (1) operate in Wales, or (2) serve Wales.

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

The UK Government has held constructive discussions with the Welsh Government throughout the development of the UK Railways Bill, focusing on restructuring governance and funding arrangements for rail services in Wales and on cross‑border routes. This work includes jointly developing a Memorandum of Understanding to classify devolved responsibilities, funding structures, and shared objectives for the Wales and Borders rail network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to improve the reliability of rail services that have been returned to state ownership.

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

Public ownership is a vital step towards rebuilding trust and pride in our railways. On average, publicly owned DfT train operators perform better on punctuality and cancellations than those yet to come under DfT ownership. The department expects all operators, public and private, to deliver good performance for passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve Weymouth train station.

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

Southwestern Railway is empowered to make sure its stations are well-maintained and meet customer expectations. Southwestern Railway must prioritise urgent and safety related maintenance, but there are some improvements at Weymouth Station in the pipeline, such as netting and spiking to deter seagulls.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Network Rail and Northern Trains in the refurbishment of Sunderland station.

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

Network Rail has apologised for the frustration and inconvenience caused to the people of Sunderland. It has conducted an investigation of the issues raised, and I am aware that Northern is working with the honourable member to improve various aspects of the station.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 4.3.2 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, what guidance will be available to decision-makers to support their interpretation of the terms compensation for as a last resort; and what guidance will be provided on the scale and proportionality of any compensation required.

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

The Government provides guidance on Habitats Regulations Assessments, including compensatory measures, from time to time. We are considering the Transport Committee’s report and responses to the consultation and will shortly lay a final text of the NPSP alongside a response to the Committee.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure the affordability of essential transport services to the Isles of Scilly.

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

Air and sea services to and from the islands are commercially operated without public subsidy. The department recently awarded £750,000 through our Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Fund towards a feasibility study, exploring whether new low-carbon technology provides a viable solution for a future passenger service to the Isles of Scilly from the mainland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a railcard for adults over the age of 30 who rely on regular rail travel for work in (a) the north and (b) other areas of England; and whether her Department plans to amend existing railcard schemes to support working age passengers.

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

Adults aged over 30 may be eligible for a number of national and regional railcards. Train operating companies also offer a range of products, such as season tickets, which can be used to support better value regular travel to work.

The Government has no current plans to review existing concessionary discounts. However, the Railways Bill gives Great British Railways the flexibility to update and expand concessionary offers as passenger needs change.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of rail journeys used fully digital tickets in January 2026.

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

The approximate proportion of tickets fulfilled as Digital Tickets for January 2026 are:

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the final National Policy Statement for Ports..

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

The final text of the revised National Policy Statement for Ports will be laid in Parliament in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the maritime sector.

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

The Government strongly supports the sector, including £448m of funding for maritime decarbonisation, updating the National Policy Statement for Ports, fostering an environment for port investment, backing maritime skills and seafarers’ rights. We will shortly publish a Maritime Growth Strategy with our priorities for sustainable sector growth, people, environment, and safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she will take to assess passenger affordability when setting rail fares.

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

Passenger affordability is a top priority for this Government when setting rail fares. That is why this year we have taken the historic step of freezing regulated rail fares for the first time in 30 years, putting money back in hard working people’s pockets and delivering savings for passengers across billions of journeys.

It is important that we strike the right balance between affordability for passengers and reducing the burden on taxpayers. As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the Railways Bill, future fares policy under Great British Railways (GBR) will be guided by strategic parameters and guardrails, set by the Secretary of State and aligned to GBR’s financial settlement, providing GBR with greater autonomy and flexibility compared to today. These will reassure passengers that their fares will remain affordable, while ensuring sustainable use of taxpayer money on the network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of battery-electric trains for passenger rail lines.

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

The Government recognises the potential for battery-electric trains to reduce the long-term operating costs of the railway, to improve the service it provides for passengers and to meet our environmental obligations. We have committed to develop a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, the first in thirty years, which will place the needs of passengers at its heart and will pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction, passenger comfort and accessibility. As we develop this strategy, we will carefully consider the opportunity presented by battery-electric trains, and the associated infrastructure requirements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government’s view, as set out in paragraph 4.5.10 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports dated 4 June 2025, that there is no national resilience case for requiring climate resilience standards beyond those needed for commercial viability, will be applied consistently by decision-makers when considering development consent for port infrastructure.

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

Section 104(3) Planning Act 2008 requires the Secretary of State to decide an application in accordance with any relevant national policy statement, except to the extent that one or more of subsections (4) to (8) applies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department collects on the reasons given for the issuing of Penalty Fares on the rail network.

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

Deliberate fare evasion reduces the revenue needed to support the railway and disadvantages passengers who pay the correct fare. We are making fares easier to understand, so that passengers can buy tickets with confidence, knowing they are getting the right fare every time.

The Department does not collect data on reasons given for the issuing of Penalty Fares on the rail network; however, Train Operating Companies are required to conduct surveys to determine the percentage of passengers carrying a valid ticket. This data enables the Department to understand revenue at risk.

The Department will shortly be publishing its formal response to the Office of Rail and Road’s review of revenue protection practices.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Railways Bill will set out the duties of the Great British Railways.

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

The Railways Bill includes a range of duties which will apply across the activities of GBR. Clause 18 sets the general duties which will apply to GBR, the ORR, the Secretary of State for Transport, and Scottish and Welsh Ministers.

The general duties include promoting the interests of passengers, and promoting high standards of rail service performance. They set the foundation for how GBR will operate, guided by the public interest, and empowered to deliver a railway that works for its users, taxpayers and the wider public.

The Government has published a collection of fact sheets relating to the Railways Bill which can be found on the Gov.uk website. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railways-bill

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Railways Bill will support improved connectivity for communities currently without such links.

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

The Railways Bill will streamline the current fragmented system by establishing Great British Railways (GBR) as a new ‘directing mind’ for the industry, unifying track and train under one public body to deliver better services for passengers and customers, and better value for money for taxpayers.

GBR will work collaboratively with devolved leaders and local stakeholders to support local rail needs and improved integration with other modes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will implement a mechanism for people to report delays and overcrowding on Great British Railway trains.

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

Great British Railways will have a duty to promote high standards of performance, and will be relentless in delivering for passengers, freight customers and taxpayers across the country. If passengers encounter any issues, they will be able to raise these with GBR in the first instance. The Passenger Watchdog will ensure all passengers have access to a fair and independent alternative dispute resolution service (the Rail Ombudsman) to resolve disputes with operators where passengers have been let down.

For the first time, we have made station-specific performance information available to passengers. This shows reliability and punctuality at each station, rather than aggregated averages by operator or region. Providing this transparency allows the public to hold us to account and will help rebuild trust as we tackle the root causes of delays and cancellations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 105289, how many meetings of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce have taken place since July 2024; on what dates those meetings occurred; and who was present.

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

The first meeting of the reconvened Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was held on 30 January 2025, and a further meeting of the Taskforce will be convened in the near future to discuss next steps. Attendees at the 30^th January meeting included representatives from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, the Port of London Authority, the London Borough of Wandsworth, Historic England and the Environment Agency, as well as local Members of Parliament attending as observers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104872, when her Department expects to conclude its assessment of Transport for London’s proposal for Great Northern inner services.

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

The Department is continuing to review the proposal and is working with Transport for London to assess its benefits and wider implications, including the financial and operational impacts. No timeline for a decision has yet been set, but this work is continuing. This assessment will not affect preparations to bring Govia Thameslink Railway services into public ownership on 31 May 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Great British Railways will record and publish standardised data on the causes of Penalty Fares.

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

This Government’s vision for the railways will see the creation of a unified and simplified rail system with a single public rail body, Great British Railways (GBR) focused on delivering for passengers. Under GBR, passengers will enjoy a consistent, reliable offer across the entire network.

The Department cannot confirm whether GBR will publish standardised data on the causes of Penalty Fares.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that roads categorised as requiring maintenance are repaired promptly by local authorities.

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

The Government recognises that historic underinvestment has made it difficult for authorities to maintain their roads in the way that they would want to. The Government has therefore confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new, four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government's investment of £1.6 billion this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift away from short-term fixes to proactive and preventative maintenance to stop potholes from forming in the first place. The Department has recently released new road condition statistics, which show that in 2025 the percentage of roads receiving maintenance treatment increased, following gradual decreases in the years before then.

In addition, the Department recently announced a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The ratings will be updated annually and provide an incentive to highway authorities to further adopt best practice. They enable the department to identify where councils need to improve and to support them. As part of this, the Department is providing £300,000 worth of development support to help councils adopt best practice and to improve their rating and the condition of their roads.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to question 91075, how much has been spent on the display of (1) on-screen human interpreters and (2) artificial intelligence creations of British Sign Language at railway stations.

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

The Department and its public bodies have not yet directly taken steps to develop or use artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to British Sign Language. However, as described in both our Transport artificial intelligence action plan - GOV.UK and our DfT science, innovation and technology plan 2025 - GOV.UK, the Department has used its First of a Kind funding programme to support innovative AI projects like Signapse Ltd’s mobile app that uses AI to turn timetable and station information into British Sign Language for deaf customers.

The Department’s Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme provides early‑stage funding for proof‑of‑concept transport innovations. To date, only one TRIG project has focused specifically on British Sign Language and passenger communications: the 2022 Luna Personal Sign Language Avatar Assistant, which developed a prototype enabling passengers to access wayfinding and journey information in BSL on their own devices. This project received a £30,000 grant from the Department.

The Department does not hold information on the amounts spent by train operating companies or other station operators on these systems. Network Rail have advised that they currently use pre‑recorded British Sign Language (BSL) videos rather than AI‑generated signing, following feedback from the Deaf community. Network Rail has also indicated that it has invested in providing BSL content in stations; however, the Department does not hold verified figures for this expenditure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her proposed timeline is for publishing her Department's response to the consultation and evidence-gathering exercise on removing the 50km restriction for 18 to 20-year-old bus and coach drivers.

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

In April 2024, the previous government launched a consultation to help support driver recruitment, including a measure to amend licensing restrictions which would enable 18 to 19-year-olds to drive a bus and coach over 50km when driving a regular service, aiming help to increase the number of available bus drivers, particularly for longer, more rural routes.

Following the change of government, the Department has re-engaged with industry to better understand the likely effect of removing the current restrictions.

Once all responses have been gathered, they will be considered alongside contributions from other stakeholders. This combined evidence base will be used to determine our next steps.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time was for driving licence applications in December 2025.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January to question UIN 103613.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing DVSA testing centres on driving standards.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing an effective and efficient driving test service for its customers and keeps its estate under continual review.

DVSA strongly encourages learners to drive on a variety of different roads and not just near to the location where a test centre is based. The driving test is designed to assess a driver’s ability to drive independently without instruction, taking into account the road and traffic situation at the time. Traffic situations change constantly, and road networks and layouts differ, therefore, exposing learner drivers to as many scenarios as possible will provide them with the skills and knowledge they require to drive on their own, and not just for the test.

Learner drivers should be taught transferable skills that allow them to identify, plan and safely navigate hazards that they have not had the opportunity to encounter previously.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Minister plans to respond to the email from the hon. Member for Christchurch dated 26 November 2025 on the use of civil enforcement powers by local authorities.

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

Following a search, I can confirm that the Department holds no record of receiving this email. If a copy can be forwarded a response will be provided.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken with local authorities to improve road infrastructure in (a) Havering and (b) the M25 junction 29 Romford area.

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

As transport in London is devolved, it is up to Havering to work with the Mayor of London and Transport for London to make decisions on investment in local roads. The Government is committed to supporting local highway authorities to maintain their local roads effectively, and to this end Havering is eligible to receive over £13.9 million of highways maintenance funding between 2026/27 and 2029/2030. The Government has also provided the Greater London Authority with £53.5 million of funding for the Gallows Corner scheme, which is being delivered by TfL and expected to be completed by Spring 2026.

The operation and maintenance of Junction 29 of the M25 is the responsibility of National Highways, which regularly monitors the performance of the junction and surrounding strategic road network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what schemes and programmes her Department has in place to help support zero-emission in (a) shipping and (b) aviation.

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

The Government recognises the potential decarbonisation and growth benefits that new forms of zero-emission maritime vessels and aircraft could provide.

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, published in March 2025, sets out our policies and commitments to decarbonise the sector. We are already meeting these commitments through the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to domestic maritime from July 2026, and we will consult on maritime fuel regulations later this year.

We have announced a further £448 million of funding of the UK SHORE programme, the biggest government investment ever in the UK’s commercial maritime sector, which will unlock innovation and investment potential in UK technologies, ports and shipyards.

We will continue to work closely with maritime industry partners to help the sector unlock the investment it needs to transition to zero, and near-zero, emission fuels and technologies.

We have already made significant progress on aviation decarbonisation, with considerable support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), airspace modernisation and development of new technologies.

Alongside other measures, zero emission flight has a role to play in decarbonising the sector. In January, we announced up to £43m of R&D funding for aviation decarbonisation, including confirming our continued support of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge. This is informing the development of a regulatory framework for zero-emission hydrogen aircraft. Also, the Department for Transport (DfT) will publish shortly a report into the barriers and opportunities to commercialising hydrogen in aviation, completed by a Jet Zero Taskforce Task and Finish Group.

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 expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime on (a) the international competitiveness of the UK’s cruise sector, (b) Liverpool Cruise Port and (c) other British ports.

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

The domestic expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will only include emissions from international voyages, including cruises, produced while at berth in UK ports. This means there is no net loss of competitiveness for international cruise visits to UK ports relative to ports in the European Economic Area (EEA), where these emissions are already in scope of the EU ETS. As such, the impact is expected to be minimal. This is also the case for UK ports in general, and whilst the specific impacts on Liverpool Cruise Port have not been assessed, the impact on UK ports is not expected to be significant, as neighbouring competing ports in the EEA face equivalent regulations under the EU ETS.

In September 2025, we announced a further £448 million of funding for the UK SHORE programme. This funding will continue to support clean maritime solutions, including the decarbonisation of ports and vessels at berth.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to collect information from on-board vehicle diagnostics systems at the point of (a) an MOT and (b) vehicle servicing to guide measures.

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

The Department for Transport and DVSA keep the content of the MOT test under continuous review. This includes considering how on-board diagnostics could be used in future to monitor systems such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

The Department does not regulate the content of servicing as every driver is responsible for maintaining their vehicle to a roadworthy standard. In practice most drivers rely on a garage servicing regime that can include the use of on-board diagnostics software.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104866, what is the expected month and year of publication of the new Plan for Freight.

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

The Government intends to publish the plan in spring this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the written Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 108043 on Roads: Wildlife, if she will amend Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to reclassify cats to ensure drivers are required to stop and report a collision.

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

I understand the distress of owners who lose beloved pets and it is a great source of worry and uncertainty when they are lost.

There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats.

Having a law making it a requirement to report road collisions involving cats would be very difficult to enforce and we have reservations about the difference it would make to the behaviour of drivers, who are aware that they have run over a cat and do not report it.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with transport operators, including Eurostar, on the provision and availability of guidance for the carriage of specialist equipment, including musical instruments.

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

The carriage of specialist items like musical equipment is down to the discretion of transport operators. Most operators have information available on their websites regarding the provision and availability of services to carry specialist items, for example the National Rail Conditions of Travel (NRCOT) which are available on the National Rail Enquiries website states that musical instruments exceeding 30 x 70 x 90 cm are only permitted at the discretion of individual train companies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the planned minimum learning period for drivers will apply to learner drivers of all ages.

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

We are consulting on introducing a Minimum Learning Period for learner drivers and the consultation includes questions on what age of learner driver any mandatory requirements should apply to.

Once the consultation has concluded, we will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of passenger demand and capacity on Great Western Railway services between Kemble and London Paddington, and what steps are being taken to ensure that service provision reflects demand on this route.

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

Great Western Railway (GWR) is responsible for ensuring sufficient allocation of capacity to meet demand on its rail services. Departmental officials monitor this carefully using available industry data. Officials hold regular discussions with GWR to ensure service levels and capacity provision is optimised to accommodate demand between Kemble and London Paddington. GWR has experienced an increase in short formations on services across its intercity train fleet in recent periods, including on services between Kemble and Paddington, due to issues with the diesel engines. These issues have now stabilised, with a noticeable reduction in recent weeks, and the Department continues to monitor this closely.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101488, what information her Department holds on revenue lost due to fare evasion by individual train operating companies.

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

Deliberate fare evasion reduces revenue needed to support the railway and disadvantages passengers who pay the correct fare. The Department does not hold data on revenue lost to fare evasion at the level of individual train operating companies. Industry estimates from the Rail Delivery Group indicate that fraud and ticketless travel result in at least £350–£400 million in lost revenue annually.

In June 2025, the Office for Rail and Road published its independent review of revenue protection practices. The Department has accepted the review’s recommendations in full and will publish its formal response shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 Janaury 2026 to Question 104987, what forms of legislative modification a Harbour Revision Order is capable of making.

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

Harbour Revision Orders can amend, repeal, or consolidate existing harbour legislation.

These take the form of works orders or non-works orders. Works orders authorise a project, starting works or other installations or schemes. Non-works orders typically alter harbour boundaries, modernise governance arrangements, borrowing powers, or management structures to improve efficiency.

Any changes that are proposed must be consulted on and then must be considered and approved by the Marine Management Organisation, which is the body in that oversees this process in England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has included the foregone Dartford Crossing toll revenues in the Lower Thames Crossing project’s cost–benefit analysis.

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

In line with departmental guidance, cost-benefit analysis for the Lower Thames Crossing is ongoing and incorporates potential impacts at the Dartford Crossing. These include the loss of toll revenue and the transfer of operations, maintenance and renewal costs to a new regulated private sector entity under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support, including business rates relief, direct financial assistance, or other fiscal measures, is being offered to regional airports in England; and how this compares to the support provided to Heathrow and Gatwick.

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

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. It is not possible for the Government to quantify, and therefore keep a record of, support received by airport, given different airports are subject to different regulatory and policy measures and vary greatly in size.

The government recognises the crucial role regional airports play in supporting thousands of local jobs, connecting communities to global opportunities, and strengthening social and economic ties across the four nations.

My department regularly engages with regional airports including through the Aviation Council, which includes a Regional Connectivity Working Group chaired by industry.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the length of delays in the DVLA medical licensing process, particularly the time taken for applications to be reviewed by medical caseworkers after receipt; what steps her Department is taking to improve capacity and processing times; and whether (a) service standards and (b) target timeframes are in place for medical licence decisions.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as they vary widely in complexity and the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. This will be fully implemented by March 2026 and will provide improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication. The DVLA is also increasing the number of staff to help reduce application processing and call waiting times.

The DVLA’s most recent annual report and accounts for 2024/25 showed that the DVLA achieved 85 per cent against its customer service measure to make a licensing decision in 90 days in 90 per cent of medical driving licence cases.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the costs to port developers of the requirement in paragraph 4.7.23 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports to provide infrastructure to support alternative fuels and zero-emission HGVs.

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

The costs of providing appropriate infrastructure will be determined on a case-by-case basis as applications progress. The final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to require in-vehicle CCTV in licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.

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

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations national minimum standards for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords. Should Parliament enable the setting of standards, mandating CCTV in vehicles will be considered as part of that process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 100958, whether her Department (a) receives or (b) reviews data on the proportion of rail journeys using fully digital tickets for each train operating company owned or operated by DfT Operator Limited.

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

The Department does not receive or review data for journeys using digital ticketing for train operating companies owned or operated by DfT Operator Limited. The Department does have data for all industry digital ticketing but not broken down by journeys on specific train operating companies or owning groups.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential merits of introducing a Graduate Driving License scheme in Wales.

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

Graduated Driving Licences and how these are implemented around the world vary, there is not one standard type.

Whilst we are not considering further restrictions on newly qualified drivers such as carrying passengers or driving at night, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test.

Additionally, we are considering further post-test measures as part of the motoring offences consultation, where views are being sought on a lower blood alcohol limit for novice drivers in England and Wales.

My officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Authorities, including those in Wales.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to help ensure airports have the capital investment to transition to net zero carbon emissions (a) on their estate and (b) in airport operations.

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

Airport operators are primarily in the private sector and therefore responsible for their own capital investment decisions, including those affecting the decarbonisation of their estates and operations. However, we are working closely with the aviation sector to unblock key barriers to reaching net zero carbon emissions, including through the Jet Zero Taskforce.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that contracts for Trinity House multi-function vessels are awarded to UK shipyards.

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

Trinity House is the contracting authority for this contract. It is following the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 which include a fair, open and transparent competition allowing all eligible suppliers to compete on an equal basis.

This competition is the perfect opportunity for UK yards to demonstrate their strengths, skills and competitiveness on an international stage.

Regardless of which supplier is ultimately awarded the contract, this programme will also generate significant value for the UK through ongoing maintenance, support services and sub-contracting opportunities.

We are continuing to support the growth of the UK shipbuilding industry through the excellent work of the National Shipbuilding Office.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential costs to port developers of setting target modal shares for rail or coastal shipping, as referenced in the draft National Policy Statement for Ports; and what further assessment she has made of how such targets would be designed to ensure that developers are not required to fund measures beyond those that are cost-effective and directly attributable to the development.

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

The costs of requirements and obligations for rail and/or coastal shipping can only be determined in the specific circumstances of individual applications for development consent. The draft National Policy Statement for Ports makes clear that such requirements should be directly related to the prospective impacts of the developments, and that while target modal shares may sometimes be appropriate, they are not automatically mandatory. The final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of higher electric vehicle repair costs on insurance premiums, and by when it expects its proposed battery health measures to reduce those costs for consumers.

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

The Government works closely with the insurance sector to ensure the transition to zero emission vehicles is sustainable and affordable. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and the Government does not seek to control the market.

The Government is exploring options to adopt battery health regulations which would provide consumers with clearer information on an electric vehicle’s remaining battery capacity. These measures would aim to raise consumer confidence in second-hand electric vehicle purchases.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to engage with Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories on the impact of proposals to expand the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to international maritime voyages.

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

Officials from my department and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero recently ran consultation engagement sessions with Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories following the publication of the consultation on expansion of the UK ETS to international maritime voyages.

Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories were also encouraged to submit a written response to the consultation. The consultation closed on the 20 January, and officials are now analysing responses.

We will continue to engage with Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories and use their input to inform policy developments.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount spend on railway flood defences and embankment maintenance by (1) South Western Railway, and (2) Great Western Railway, in each of the past five years.

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

The Government has not carried out any assessments as described in the Noble Lord’s questions. Train Operating Companies, including South Western Railway and Great Western Railway, are not responsible for managing or maintaining railway infrastructure and have not incurred any expenditure on flood defences or embankment maintenance.

Network Rail has robust plans in place to improve and maintain infrastructure. The Wales & Western Region will see a £2.6 billion asset renewals programme and £1.6 billion invested to maintain existing assets and the Southern Region will see an investment of over £3 billion in infrastructure during the current Control Period to 2029.

It is also addressing severe weather events through comprehensive weather resilience and climate change adaptation plans, focusing on safeguarding assets, embedding resilience into daily operations, and adapting to climate change impacts across both the Wales & Western and Southern routes.

An example is the extensive works being implemented at Chipping Sodbury on the Great Western Main Line to mitigate the impact of flooding from both surface water and groundwater. The work already completed has improved the level of resilience from closure due to rainfall. Network Rail is funding further work at this location during the current Control Period to 2029.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will meet with Network Rail to discuss funding for the final phase of the South West Resilience Programme in the context of storm Ingrid.

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

Departmental officials meet with Network Rail regularly to discuss and review investment proposals across the Western route. While the cliffs at Teignmouth were not affected by storms Ingrid and Chandra, officials are monitoring progress with the drainage and ground investigations work we have funded so far on Phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, which will inform options for a longer-term solution. The investment made to date in storm resilience around Dawlish after storms in 2014 has significantly improved resilience in this area and held up well despite the frequency of recent storms and their intensity. Nevertheless, Network Rail will continue to plan for similar events and pursue actions to keep the railway running reliably.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resilience against flooding and landslips on embankments along the railway lines of (1) South Western Railway, and (2) Great Western Railway.

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

The Government has not carried out any assessments as described in the Noble Lord’s questions. Train Operating Companies, including South Western Railway and Great Western Railway, are not responsible for managing or maintaining railway infrastructure and have not incurred any expenditure on flood defences or embankment maintenance.

Network Rail has robust plans in place to improve and maintain infrastructure. The Wales & Western Region will see a £2.6 billion asset renewals programme and £1.6 billion invested to maintain existing assets and the Southern Region will see an investment of over £3 billion in infrastructure during the current Control Period to 2029.

It is also addressing severe weather events through comprehensive weather resilience and climate change adaptation plans, focusing on safeguarding assets, embedding resilience into daily operations, and adapting to climate change impacts across both the Wales & Western and Southern routes.

An example is the extensive works being implemented at Chipping Sodbury on the Great Western Main Line to mitigate the impact of flooding from both surface water and groundwater. The work already completed has improved the level of resilience from closure due to rainfall. Network Rail is funding further work at this location during the current Control Period to 2029.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the ability of autonomous systems to correctly interpret traffic signals at complex or partially obscured junctions in dense urban environments.

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

Self-driving vehicles will be expected to operate safely and legally on GB's road infrastructure as it currently exists, just as human drivers do now. Although not essential for safe self-driving, adaptations to roads and other infrastructure have the potential to bring benefits to both conventional and self-driving vehicles. Some functions for Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) technology, for example routing services, will require connectivity. Road authorities may choose to develop their networks to maximise the benefits of new technologies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement on Local roads and highways, published on 12 January 2026, HCWS1232, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government before the publication of the statement.

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

Department for Transport ministers and officials regularly engage with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues including in relation to local roads maintenance.

At the Autumn Budget, the government confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local authorities over the next four years to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes. Earlier in January, the Department published a new traffic light rating system. Under this system, every local highway authority in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, the level of investment into maintaining roads, and whether they do so using best practice.

The ratings are designed to enable the public to gauge how well each council is maintaining its local roads. They also provide an incentive to local highway authorities to continue to adopt best practice and they enable the department to identify where councils need to improve and to support them to ensure road conditions improve nationwide.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how her Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending pothole funding.

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

The Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending highways maintenance funding through a combination of transparency requirements, incentive funding and rating mechanisms, enabling the provision of targeted support. The Department published a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. These ratings are designed to promote good asset management and encourage a preventative approach to highways maintenance.

For the 2025/26 financial year, 25% of the £500 million funding increase was contingent upon local highway authorities demonstrating how they were complying with certain criteria aimed at driving best practice and improvement of highways maintenance. This included publishing transparency reports setting out how they are spending their highways maintenance funding and how they are complying with best practice, including preventative maintenance.

Looking ahead, a proportion of highways maintenance funding will continue to be allocated as incentive funding, linked to authorities’ transparency and performance, to support continuous improvement across the network. The Department is also providing dedicated support to authorities, including a peer review offer for red-rated authorities. This is alongside the extension of Live Labs 2, the Department’s highways innovation programme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what timeline they have set for implementing changes to the fixed penalty for uninsured driving following the conclusion on 31 March 2026 of the consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences.

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

Once the Motoring Offences Consultation concludes, any changes the Government brings forward will be set out in the response.

The timelines for bringing forward any changes, including on the fixed penalty for uninsured driving, will then depend on legislative time.

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Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK Port Waste Reception Facilities regime in supporting the disposal of fishing gear; and whether he plans to strengthen or standardise requirements across ports.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra engages with ports, the fishing sector and Devolved Governments on a range of marine litter and waste issues. Defra has not made an assessment of UK Port Waste Reception Facilities, which are managed by the Department for Transport and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The international Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) sets international regulations covering the various sources of ship-generated waste pollution within individual Annexes of the Convention. To protect the marine environment further and to strengthen the prohibition requirement under the Merchant Shipping Regulations implementing MARPOL, the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003 set requirement for ports and terminals to provide adequate reception facilities for the delivery of ships-generated waste.

The UK is working collaboratively at the International Maritime Organisation to address actions that have been identified under its 2025 Action Plan and 2021 Strategy on marine plastic litter from ships, in particular abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much capital funding has the Welsh Government received for highway maintenance up to 2030.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Department for Transport received additional funding for highway maintenance at Spending Review 2025, and the Barnett formula was applied in the usual way in line with the funding arrangements set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. At Spending Reviews, because the Barnett formula is not applied to the individual programmes driving the change in a UK department’s DEL budget, the Barnett consequentials associated with highway maintenance funding cannot be identified.

The Block Grant Transparency publication includes a breakdown of changes in the devolved governments’ block grant funding. The most recent report was published in October 2025.

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