Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of transport for disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
From 1 April 2027, people who hold a disabled bus pass will be able to travel on buses for free in England, no matter the time of day. Currently, disabled bus passes are only valid for travel between 9.30am to 11pm during weekdays, unless local authorities choose to fund an extension.
We’re removing these time restrictions across the whole of England, so that disabled bus pass holders can travel for free whenever they need, where they live, improving access to jobs, education, training, and other opportunities. This brings England into line with equivalent arrangements in Scotland and Wales.
We have also expanded eligibility for the Disabled Persons Railcard in March 2026, making it available to a wider range of disabled people. The Railcard provides a one-third discount on most rail fares and costs just £20 a year, compared with £35 for most other railcards. Eligibility will expand further this month to include additional disabilities and conditions, helping make rail travel more affordable for more disabled people.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review legislation and guidance designed to (i) prevent fires involving electric vehicles (EVs) on ferries and ships and (ii) mitigate risks arising from fires involving EVs on ferries and ships.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Fire safety, including electric vehicle (EV) fire safety, on ferries and ships is kept under continuous review by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The MCA work closely with the Government, industry and international organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation on this issue.
There is no evidence to suggest that fires in EVs are more likely to occur than in petrol or diesel vehicles. International testing of EV fire scenarios found that the water-drench fire suppression systems installed on vehicle decks of UK roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferries, and international Ro-Ro vessels serving the UK, are capable of containing EV fires. These systems can extinguish combustible materials common to all vehicle types while containing battery fires and thermal runaway incidents.
Additionally, the MCA, is engaging in work regarding the safety of vehicle transporter ships, known as Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs).
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many instances of cars being illegally unclamped have been reported to the Police by the DVLA since 1st March 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold a record of instances reported to the police. However, since 1 March 2025, just under 28,000 immobilisation devices were unlawfully removed from a vehicle before the wheelclamping company returned to impound it and the vehicle was no longer present.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the DVLA is taking with local councils and police to remove abandoned vehicles (a) without road tax and (b) that are SORN registered from public roads.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) operates a comprehensive package of measures to tackle unlicensed vehicles. These range from automatic number plate recognition cameras, wheelclamping and the removal and impounding of unlicensed vehicles.
The DVLA works closely with the police and local authorities to address such vehicles at local levels and to share intelligence. As well as any enforcement action that may be taken by the DVLA, the law also allows local authorities and police forces to work in partnership with the DVLA to tackle unlicensed vehicles by giving them the power to immobilise or impound unlicensed vehicles identified in their areas. These are known as devolved power partners.
The DVLA’s database highlights every unlicensed vehicle that is not subject to a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) and automatically recognises when a keeper becomes non-compliant so that enforcement action can take place.
The DVLA’s wheelclamping contractor also provides ANPR services that provide enforcement coverage across every district in the UK. The DVLA also uses its own fleet to locate unlicensed vehicles and take direct action where appropriate. Members of the public can report unlicensed vehicles to the DVLA online at https://www.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle .
The removal of abandoned vehicles is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. The police also have the powers to remove immediately any vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is likely to cause danger or is broken down or abandoned without lawful authority.