Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support charities providing community transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the vital role community transport operators play in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services such as healthcare.
The Department makes available up to £3.8 million each year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to community transport operators. An uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2026. This means community transport operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to reduce the (a) regulatory and (b) administrative requirements placed on transport-focused charities.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is committed to reducing unnecessary administrative burdens across the transport sector, both in our own work and in our engagement with other parties.
The Charities Commission (and its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland) often explore ways to reduce the administrative burdens faced by charities and simplify the regulatory landscape in which they operate.
The Department is also supporting the government’s Regulatory Action Plan.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure that temporary conditions are properly considered under the Blue Badge application process.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Local authorities (LAs), in their capacity as the traffic authority for their area, are already free to consider setting up locally determined temporary parking concessions that could assist the recovery of residents who have recently undergone major surgery or suffered serious illness. The cost and nature of any concession would be for the local authority to decide.
LAs already have powers under Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to mark out bays for specific purposes, issue local parking permits, and use Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to reserve spaces for specific purposes.
The primary focus of the Blue Badge on-street parking scheme is to help people who have an enduring and substantial disability that affects their mobility to park closer to their destinations, goods, and services. The Department routinely monitors the scheme to see how it may be improved, to ensure that it continues to serve those who need it most.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) online and (b) written Blue Badge application process.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport provides an online application through the Blue Badge Digital Service on GOV.UK and works closely with its supplier to identify any possible improvements to the online application and renewal process as part of its continuous improvement programme.
It is for each individual local authority to decide on the application route and to produce application form(s) for their area. To assist them in deciding whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria, the DfT has produced a model application form with accompanying guidance notes for applicants on how to complete the form.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2025 to question 95755, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of lamp columns as speed limit repeaters.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has made no recent assessment of the adequacy of lamp columns as speed limit repeaters. The presence of street lighting in a 30 mph limit acts as the speed limit repeater, this has been law for over 70 years and all drivers are required to learn this in order to pass their driving test.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase compliance with 30mph speed limits.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Enforcement of the speed limit is a matter for the police. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners are operationally independent and policing of our roads and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual chief officers, taking into account the specific local issues.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to question 95755 of 1 December on 30mph speed limits, what assessment she has made of changes in the levels of adherence to 30mph speed limits over the past 70 years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport produces an annual publication on speed compliance here: Vehicle speed compliance statistics for Great Britain: 2024 - GOV.UK based on speeds recorded at Automated Traffic Counter sites.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 86345 on Whitchurch Station: Access, if she will announce the timeline for completion of Access for All construction at Whitchurch Railway Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Since 2006 the Access for All programme has installed accessible, step free routes at over 270 stations plus a range of smaller scale access improvements at around 1500 stations.
In May 2024, the previous government published a list of 50 additional stations selected for initial feasibility work, which included Whitchurch railway station.
Network Rail have now completed all 50 feasibility studies and we will shortly be announcing which of those stations will progress.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 86345 on Whitchurch Station: Access, when she plans to announce her Department’s decision regarding the stations selected for Access for All funding.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Since 2006 the Access for All programme has installed accessible, step free routes at over 270 stations plus a range of smaller scale access improvements at around 1500 stations.
In May 2024, the previous government published a list of 50 additional stations selected for initial feasibility work.
Network Rail have now completed all 50 feasibility studies and we will shortly be announcing which of those stations will progress.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ensure income generated from speed enforcement is spent on roads maintenance and roads policing.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport currently has no plans to bring forward proposals that would allow income generated from speed enforcement to fund specific road maintenance or road policing measures. Money from fines and penalty receipts, including those for speeding, is paid to the Treasury and goes into the Consolidated Fund.
The Consolidated Fund supports general expenditure on public services, which includes services that benefit motorists, such as policing, local government grants, and transport.