Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2026 to Question 38531 on Roads: Construction, what the monetised greenhouse gas emissions impact was for each of the four cancelled schemes in their final economic appraisals.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The monetised greenhouse gas emissions impact of each of the four cancelled schemes, as assessed in their latest economic appraisals are as follows:
Scheme Name | Monetised Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Date of latest assessment |
A1 Morpeth to Ellingham | -£61,558 | 28/03/2024 |
A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down | -£87,694 | 14/09/2023 |
A12 Chelmsford to A120 | -£150,051 | 20/11/2024 |
A47 Wansford to Sutton | -£18,102 | 25/04/2025 |
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the budget is for the rail infrastructure costs review chaired by Rachel Skinner CBE; and when she expects its final report and recommendations to be published.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Funding for the Review is being drawn from existing Department for Transport budgets. The Review is expected to conclude within six months and publication arrangements will be confirmed nearer the time.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2026 to Question 38365, whether her Department has provided the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero with electricity price forecasts for use in its modelling of the cost of ownership of electric heavy goods vehicles.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Future energy price forecasts as produced by DESNZ, such as the supplementary guidance to the Green Book, are used by DfT to estimate the future costs of ownership for electric HGVs. These can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuation-of-energy-use-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-for-appraisal.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2026 to Question 35233 on Road Works: Utilities, what estimate her Department has made of the number of occasions on which the same section of highway has been excavated by different utility companies within a 12-month period; and whether she plans to take steps to reduce repeated excavations.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold an estimate of the number of occasions on which the same section of highway has been excavated by different utility companies within a 12‑month period. The Government is committed to minimising disruption from street works and reducing unnecessary repeat excavations. Existing measures, including permit schemes, lane rental schemes and statutory coordination duties, are intended to reduce repeated works. The Department will continue to work with local authorities and industry to improve planning and coordination and maximise opportunities for collaborative working wherever practicable.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2026 to Question 33979, how many manufacturers did not achieve zero-emission vehicle sales targets for (a) cars and (b) vans in each year since 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The industry as a whole exceeded the 2024 ZEV Mandate headline targets of 22% for cars and 10% for vans. Around 20% of cars and 7% of vans sold in 2024 were zero emission. Industry took advantage of in-built flexibilities, as targets can be met through means other than just ZEV sales. Individual manufacturer compliance information is available here: Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS) 2024 final compliance information.
The 2025 scheme year is currently being administered.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 37036 on Parking: Taxation, whether it is her Department's policy to encourage local traffic authorities to introduce workplace parking levies.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Decisions on whether to introduce a workplace parking levy are for local leaders.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 37216 on Railways: Investment, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Clause 71 of the Railways Bill on private investment; and if so, whether she will publish that assessment.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 37216.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered the potential merits of introducing an exemption from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for island ferry services comparable to that available under the EU scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, emissions pricing and the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a vital policy to decarbonise the sector. A uniform carbon price applied consistently ensures that emissions reductions are delivered at the lowest overall economic cost and market distortions are minimised.
Exemptions apply to ferry services to Scotland’s islands and certain peninsular communities. These are based on the unique and pressing challenges faced by these communities due to exceptional reliance on ferries for essential goods, healthcare, education, and employment, as well as additional legal duties under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. We have assessed that these criteria are not met for other UK islands.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2026 to Question 32105 on High Speed 1, what the (a) financial value and (b) nature of the other incentives offered by HS1 Ltd on each of the two occasions to extend its concession beyond 2040 were.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
These are commercially confidential. Disclosure could prejudice the commercial interests of HS1 Ltd and the Department.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine dualling scheme; and in which financial year she expects the scheme to be completed.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The estimated total cost of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project cannot be disclosed at this stage due to commercial sensitivities associated with future procurement activity. The project is being delivered through a nine-year construction programme, with main construction commencing in November 2026. The full scheme is currently forecast to open to traffic in financial year 2035-36, with some sections expected to open earlier as construction is completed in phases.