Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 118041 on Airports: Cars, whether her Department provides guidance to airports on the development, content, and monitoring of Surface Access Strategies.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The expectations around the development and monitoring of airports’ surface access plans were first set out in the Department’s “Guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies” in 1999. It is for the airport operator, working with local stakeholders through its Airport Transport Forum to create the strategy, taking into consideration national and local policy guidance and frameworks, planning conditions and local infrastructure considerations.
Recent approvals by this government on airport expansion projects at Gatwick and Luton also highlight specific surface access targets which must be met such as through the Green Controlled Growth Framework at Luton and mode share targets at Gatwick.
Asked by: Jerome Mayhew (Conservative - Broadland and Fakenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the first East West Rail services are expected to operate from Bicester to Winslow.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first East-West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Winslow. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. Winslow Station also needs to be fully handed over, and future staffing arrangements also remain to be agreed. Appointment of Chiltern Railways as operator was delayed by the sudden General Election in July 2024, and consequently they were not appointed until March 2025.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to end the PSO route to Cornwall on the economy.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The decision not to proceed with the Public Service Obligation (PSO) was a matter for Cornwall Council. The Department continues to work with Cornwall Council to explore commercial options for the route. It is important to note that connectivity continues to be preserved with flights operating between Newquay to London Stansted with additional services to London Gatwick being introduced in June.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve road safety for children near schools.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department recognises the importance of safety for children near schools and the Road Safety Strategy (published January 2026) sets a goal of reducing the number of children under 16 killed or seriously injured on roads by 70% by 2035 in Great Britain.
Active travel is a devolved matter for national governments. In England, the Department for Transport uses Active Travel England (ATE) to support authorities to develop a wide range walking and cycling schemes. ATE have developed and published specific guidance on how to improve safety around schools through implementation of School Streets.
The Government is providing £626 million to local authorities in England for walking and cycling schemes for 2026/27 onwards across the spending review period, which may also be used for safety measures around schools amongst a range of other measures.
More information on School Streets, the road safety strategy, and available funding can be found at the following links:
The Road Safety Strategy, published earlier this year, has also committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance Setting local speed limits - GOV.UK which gives local authorities clearer, more up‑to‑date best‑practice standards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 Heathrow Airport expansion on the number of flights from a) London Gatwick, b) Manchester Airport, c) London Stansted, d) London Luton, e) Edinburgh Airport, f) Birmingham Airport, g) Glasgow Airport, h) Bristol Airport and i) Cardiff Airport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government supports airport expansion where it is in line with the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations.
The Government has requested proposals for expansion at Heathrow to provide the capacity boost needed to support connectivity and growth. As part of this we are undertaking a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), the modelling for which will consider the impacts of expansion at Heathrow, including on other UK airports. Any updates to the ANPS will be consulted on in the summer.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111456, what mechanisms are available to airports to meet surface access environmental targets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In order to meet surface access environmental targets, airport operators and their local stakeholders are responsible for determining the specific interventions that are best-suited to their unique operational contexts taking into account local infrastructure, planning considerations and obligations, and regional transport policies.
The Government welcomes the significant investments airports are making in sustainable surface transport options for staff and passengers, from zero-emission bus fleets to improved cycling facilities, which are vital to balancing aviation sector growth with our environmental commitments.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to report on the newly commissioned assessment of the HS2 project, including the new budget and timescale needed to complete the railway.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
On 23 March 2026, we published this government’s latest report to Parliament on HS2, which updated on delivery progress. It also outlined the commission for HS2 Ltd to assess how much taxpayers’ money and construction time could be saved by adopting a specification for HS2 that is more in line with the high-speed railways successfully delivered by the rest of the world.
The Secretary of State has asked Mark Wild to report back to her before the summer recess. The government will reflect on the early outcomes of this work, alongside progress on engagement with HS2 Ltd’s main suppliers, ahead of publishing the new cost and schedule estimates. We are taking the time to ensure the updated estimates are robust, rather than rush the process and risk publishing figures that we do not trust. We will publish the new estimates shortly once they have been fully assured and approved.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Stewart Review on major transport projects governance and assurance, published on 18 June 2025.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The government accepted all 89 of James Stewart’s recommendations in June last year and is working on their full implementation. 31 recommendations have now been fully implemented. The Department, HS2 Ltd and other government partners are on track to fully implement the remaining recommendations, which are being addressed as part of the reset of the HS2 programme. This will be concluded by April 2027. Delivering the principles of the review will be an enduring endeavour for the lifetime of the HS2 programme and beyond to ensure that the learning is constantly applied to all relevant projects.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in disposing of land and property purchased in connection with the HS2 Phase 2b eastern leg.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The department has appointed a delivery agent who is developing a disposal programme for the former Phase 2b eastern leg of HS2. The programme will be delivered over several years, to avoid disrupting local property markets, take into account the impact on local communities, and ensure value for money can be achieved for taxpayers. We expect open market sales to begin in 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the initial assessment carried out by Mark Wild about the current status of the HS2 project.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We published Mark Wild’s initial assessment as HS2 Ltd CEO of HS2’s current position regarding cost and schedule on 18 June 2025.
On 23 March 2026, we published this government’s latest report to Parliament on HS2. This outlined that Mark has been asked to assess how much money and time could be saved by adopting a specification for HS2 that is more in line with the high-speed railways successfully delivered by the rest of the world. The Secretary of State has asked Mark Wild to report back to her before the summer recess. The government will reflect on the early outcomes of this work, alongside progress on engagement with HS2 Ltd’s main suppliers, ahead of publishing the new cost and schedule estimates once they have been fully assured and approved.