Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on whether to undertake a (a) consultation and (b) safeguarding assessment in the context of the application of vehicle plate-exemption powers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The best practice guidance issued by the Department to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England advises that private hire vehicles should only exempt the display of a licence plate by a private hire vehicle in exceptional circumstances. This might include vehicles used for ‘executive hire’ services which are services licensed as private hire vehicles and licensing authorities should assure themselves that there is sufficient justification to exempt these vehicles from a requirement to display a plate or disc and that there is an effective means to prevent the vehicle being used for ‘normal’ private hire work.
In relation to the requirement to consult, the guidance sets out that licensing authorities should consult on proposed changes in licensing rules that may have significant impacts on passengers and/or the trade. Such consultation should include not only all taxi and private hire vehicle licensees but also groups likely to be the trades’ customers.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce train delays on the West Coast Mainline.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Improving rail performance is one of this Government’s strategic priorities for transport. We are determined to deliver more punctual and reliable services as well as better value for money for the taxpayer.
In response to our challenge to improve performance, the rail industry has set out a Performance Restoration Framework, with five clear areas of focus to recover performance to acceptable levels, including timetable resilience, staffing and how to keep trains moving during disruptive events.
Avanti West Coast (AWC) is beginning to see consistent and steady performance improvements on the network. However, there is still more to do with punctuality behind the industry average and Network Rail infrastructure reliability continuing to be a leading cause of passenger disruption on the West Coast Mainline.
The Rail Minister is in regular contact with the AWC Managing Director and Network Rail, to challenge poor performance and demand immediate action to deliver urgent improvements.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with her Scottish counterpart to help prevent issues on the railways in Scotland that cause northbound trains on the West Coast Mainline to terminate at Preston rather than continuing up to Carlisle.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State is aware of difficulties passengers face during disruption in the North-West of England with limited options to keep services moving on the West Coast Mainline north of Preston.
The Rail Minister has strongly pressed Network Rail and Avanti West Coast, requesting that they urgently work together to come up with solutions for passengers during disruption.
Network Rail is undertaking an upgrade programme on the West Coast Main Line north of Crewe to improve the performance and reliability of the railway. This section of the route was last upgraded in the 1970s and suffers from performance issues today.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to improve accessibility at Staveley railway station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since 2006, the Access for All (AfA) programme has delivered step free access at more than 270 stations across Britain.
In 2022, the previous government sought nominations from train operators and transport authorities for potential upgrades through the AfA programme. Staveley station was not nominated.
The hon member may wish to engage with Northern Trains and the local transport authority to make that case that Staveley station is a priority in any future rounds of funding.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to extend the (a) 38.4 and (b) 44 tonne limits for lower carbon construction vehicles after 2028.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025.
VCMs will continue to be permitted on our roads, but as planned, a temporary weight limit exemption for this type of vehicle (via vehicle special orders) will end on 31 March 2028, after which VCMs must operate at the legal weight limits applicable to other heavy good vehicles. This is not a ban or change in policy.
There are no plans to extend the 38.4 or 44 tonne weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers beyond 2028.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her department has instructed Thameslink to recruit more train drivers since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since July 2024, the Department has continued to press Govia Thameslink Railway to deliver its on-going train driver recruitment programme which will increase Thameslink drivers by nearly 100 (circa 8 per cent). Training new drivers typically takes around 18 months. There are over 30 new drivers set to qualify this year.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to include the Lakes Line Passing Loop in the next Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline announcement.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 8 July, the Secretary of State announced the road and rail schemes which have been prioritised over the next four years following the Spending Review. The Lakes Line scheme has not been progressed at this time. We remain committed to working with Westmorland & Furness Council, should the business case be further developed locally.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has taken recent steps to implement a passing loop on the Lakes Line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 8 July, the Secretary of State announced the road and rail schemes which have been prioritised over the next four years following the Spending Review. The Lakes Line scheme has not been progressed at this time. We remain committed to working with Westmorland & Furness Council, should the business case be further developed locally.
Asked by: Jerome Mayhew (Conservative - Broadland and Fakenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether franchised bus networks in combined authorities are reliant on (a) emergency and (b) extraordinary Government funding support.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No. In England outside London, the only franchised bus services in combined authorities operate in Greater Manchester. Since franchised bus services were first introduced in Greater Manchester in September 2023, no emergency or extraordinary funding for franchised bus networks has been announced by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) RMT and (b) Cross Country Trains to seek a resolution to avoid strike action and no service on the (i) Birmingham, (ii) Leicester, (iii) Cambridge and (iv) Stansted Airport line through Hinckley station on (A) Saturday 18 October and (B) Saturday 1 November 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is for CrossCountry, as the employer, to negotiate terms and conditions with their staff. Officials have been kept advised of the situation with the dispute.
On Thursday 16th, sufficient progress had been made and RMT suspended strike action on Saturday 18th October, but unfortunately too late for many services to re-instated in a meaningful way. We understand CrossCountry talks continue with RMT on the remaining issues to resolve the dispute without further strikes.