Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review the effectiveness of penalties for drivers who fail to stop when directed to do so by police; and whether her Department has assessed the potential road-safety benefits of legislative reforms adopted in Queensland and Western Australia to deter motorists from evading police pursuits.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Drivers are required by law to stop when directed to do so by a police officer in uniform. Failing to do so is an offence.
Drivers who drive dangerously while evading police can also be prosecuted for dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and obligatory disqualification from driving. The sentencing guidelines treat evading police as a ‘high-culpability’ factor. This means the driver’s actions attract a greater degree of blame, which is taken into account when the court decides the sentence. We are not currently considering introducing a separate offence combining failure to stop for police and dangerous driving, but we keep the motoring offences framework under review.
The police and Crown Prosecution Service decide whether to bring charges, and the courts decide the sentence in each case.
The Department has not assessed the road-safety benefits of the legislative reforms adopted in Western Australia and Queensland. However, alongside the Road Safety Strategy, the Government consulted on changes to motoring offences, including introducing penalty points for failing to stop for police and requiring drivers to switch off their engines when stopped. The consultation closed on 11 May 2026 and responses are being analysed.
The decision to commence, continue or terminate a police pursuit is an operational matter for the officers involved.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered introducing a specific criminal offence for motorists who fail to stop for police and engage in dangerous driving while attempting to evade pursuit; and if she will review international approaches to strengthening penalties for such offences.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Drivers are required by law to stop when directed to do so by a police officer in uniform. Failing to do so is an offence.
Drivers who drive dangerously while evading police can also be prosecuted for dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and obligatory disqualification from driving. The sentencing guidelines treat evading police as a ‘high-culpability’ factor. This means the driver’s actions attract a greater degree of blame, which is taken into account when the court decides the sentence. We are not currently considering introducing a separate offence combining failure to stop for police and dangerous driving, but we keep the motoring offences framework under review.
The police and Crown Prosecution Service decide whether to bring charges, and the courts decide the sentence in each case.
The Department has not assessed the road-safety benefits of the legislative reforms adopted in Western Australia and Queensland. However, alongside the Road Safety Strategy, the Government consulted on changes to motoring offences, including introducing penalty points for failing to stop for police and requiring drivers to switch off their engines when stopped. The consultation closed on 11 May 2026 and responses are being analysed.
The decision to commence, continue or terminate a police pursuit is an operational matter for the officers involved.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals are not subject to (a) penalties, (b) enforcement action, and (c) adverse decisions as a result of Royal Mail delivery delays affecting correspondence from the DVLA (i) in the Stourbridge constituency and (ii) elsewhere.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is not aware of any delays by the Royal Mail that are adversely impacting the delivery of the DVLA’s mail.
Any processes which may be time bound already factor in delivery timescales to allow individuals sufficient time to respond ahead of any deadline. Where there is evidence of a severe delay, the DVLA would consider the case on its own merits. The DVLA would also consider any mitigation where it was appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of which rail fares offered by DfT managed train operating companies are not available to purchase from ticket offices.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The move to Great British Railways will enable passengers to receive a more consistent offer across the network, and we are already taking steps to overhaul the complex fares and ticketing system and make it easier and simpler for passengers to trust they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare for their journey.
As modern ticketing and payment methods roll out more widely on the railways, we will ensure that all passengers, including those who need to use cash or do not have access to smartphones or the internet, are able to buy a ticket across the different retail options.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if it is her policy that under GBR all rail fares including discounted fares will be available to purchase from ticket offices.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has set out that Great British Railways will have a broad retail function, using all available channels to serve passengers. The Railways Bill will deliver the statutory basis for this function.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if it is her policy that under GBR all railcards will be available to purchase and renew at ticket offices.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has set out that Great British Railways will have a broad retail function, using all available channels to serve passengers. The Railways Bill will deliver the statutory basis for this function.
For various operational and technical reasons, it is not possible to sell certain railcards at station ticket offices.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the West Midlands Railway student season ticket is not available to purchase from ticket offices.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Due to the complexities of the discount, the three different sales cycles throughout the year, the customer service involved, student verification and the level of product knowledge needed, this has to be managed by a specialist team at West Midlands Trains’ (WMT) Head Office.
The tickets are sold via a separate E-commerce platform. All orders are then checked, processed, and fulfilled by this team. All customer service tasks, including those around refunds, are also managed in house at WMT Head Office.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which types of railcard are currently unavailable to purchase or renew at ticket offices.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Railcards currently unavailable to purchase at stations are 16-17 Saver, 26-30 Railcard, Disabled Persons' Railcard, Veterans Railcard and the HM Forces Railcard.
In the case of the Disabled Persons' Railcard, Veterans Railcard and HM Forces Railcard station staff are not able to verify the eligibility of passengers.
The 26-30 Railcard is only available in digital format.