Oral Answers to Questions

Lilian Greenwood Excerpts

Thursday 26th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

Potholes and poor road surfaces are a nuisance for drivers, cause damage to vehicles and can pose a real danger to road users. To tackle the poor state of our roads following a decade of decline, this Government will provide £24 billion of capital funding over the spending review period to maintain and improve local roads and motorways across the country, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

[Jim Dickson]

I thank the Minister for her answer, and for reassuring residents in Swanscombe and the surrounding areas that, two years after the collapse of Galley Hill Road, hope for a solution is in sight, thanks to the structures fund announced as part of the comprehensive spending review. Can the Minister confirm the likely timescale for the structures fund being up and running and open for bids? Will she undertake to ensure that her officials in the Department are working closely with Kent county council to maximise the chances of a successful bid to the structures fund, as I am sure she will for other parts of the country?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I thank my hon. Friend for his steadfast advocacy for people and businesses in his constituency, which I know has been blighted by the collapse of the A226 at Galley Hill. It was visiting places such as Galley Hill that led us to invest £1 billion to enhance the road network, and create a new structures fund that will repair rundown bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels. Details on how that fund will be allocated will be announced in due course.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

The Minister is familiar with the campaign that I and neighbouring colleagues have been running for many years to improve the A180. When will she have some good news for us?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I can already give the hon. Member the good news about the £24 billion allocated in the spending review for improving our nation’s roads, and as he knows, National Highways is looking closely at what can be done on the road that leads to his constituency.

[Chris Ward (Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven) (Lab)]

Peacehaven in my constituency is a growing town, but it remains a one-road-in, one-road-out town. The daily gridlock and frequent roadworks on the A259 is the single biggest frustration and barrier to opportunity for my constituents. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can unlock that and provide a real boost to Peacehaven and neighbouring towns?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I appreciate how frustrating the situation is for my hon. Friend and his constituents. My officials are continuing to discuss details of the business case for the scheme with East Sussex county council, and I would of course be happy to meet him to discuss that further.

[Josh Babarinde (Eastbourne) (LD)]

The Rapid Transition Alliance tells us that we can improve the quality of our roads if we support more people to use rail as a form of public transport. That is one reason why I am campaigning to restore the direct train between Eastbourne and London Bridge that was discontinued during the pandemic. Will the Minister back my campaign, with a view to helping to improve our roads and improve economic growth for Eastbourne too?

[Lilian Greenwood]

That was a creative way of asking about railways in a question about roads. This Government are committed to improving all forms of transport, so that people have a real choice about the best mode to use for their journey. We are keen for people to have the choice of sustainable transport modes, including rail, walking and cycling, as well as driving and travelling on buses. As the hon. Member will see, the Government are investing huge amounts to support our rail industry, just as we are doing to support the state of our roads.

[Luke Taylor (Sutton and Cheam) (LD)]

10. How much funding she plans to provide to increase the frequency of trains from stations in Sutton and Cheam constituency.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) (Con)]

11. What steps she is taking to reduce the backlog for driving tests.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

I know that many learners are still struggling to book a driving test. We are working hard to reduce driving test wait times and help more people get on the road. In April, the Secretary of State announced further measures, including doubling examiner training capacity and offering overtime pay incentives. In May, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency launched a consultation on improving car driving test booking rules, which currently has over 30,000 responses. Over 630,000 learners now have a test booked. That number will rise as the DVSA increases test availability.

[Lincoln Jopp]

The post-covid backlog in driving tests was trending down under the last Government. At the time of the general election, it had got to 521,000, which was still too high, but it was coming down. Since this Government took over, the number has rocketed up to 600,000, a new record high, meaning that constituents like Oliver, in my Spelthorne constituency, have had to wait six months for a driving test. The increasing delays in driving tests are putting a handbrake on growth and productivity, so whatever the Government are doing, can they do more of it and faster please?

[Lilian Greenwood]

We recognise that demand for driving tests has grown not just because of a covid backlog, but due to a long-term change in behaviour and demand for driving tests. I am pleased to report that the changes we have introduced, particularly on overtime pay incentives, are making a difference. The DVSA expects to deliver thousands of additional tests this month and is working to increase test availability further over the coming year, so that constituents like the hon. Gentleman’s can obtain a test as soon as possible. I understand how important this is, particularly to young people, and we do not want to curtail their life chances.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

--- Later in debate ---

[Steve Yemm (Mansfield) (Lab)]

T2. In a recent survey I conducted in Mansfield, local and minor roads were among the worst affected by poor maintenance. The A60 in Warsop, Chesterfield Road in Mansfield and Old Mill Lane in Forest Town were highlighted as particular problems. What is the Department doing to improve local roads in my constituency and in Nottinghamshire as a whole?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

My hon. Friend is a great champion for his local constituents. We have provided an extra £500 million for councils this year to end the pothole plague, and the East Midlands combined county authority will receive almost £20 million extra, taking the total to £76 million. For Nottinghamshire to unlock its full uplift, it needs to show that it is following best practice and publish a report on its highways maintenance activities by the end of this month.

[Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)]

T3.  After years of broken promises by the Conservatives, this Government have finally confirmed this week that the Camelford bypass project will not go ahead. Having anticipated that for some time, I have already started working with local stakeholders on a plan B. Will the Roads Minister meet me to discuss an alternative way forward?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I am aware that at least the certainty of a decision was welcomed by the hon. Gentleman, and I appreciate that. The Department is happy to discuss any alternative plans with him and with Cornwall council. We have met before, and I am very happy to meet him again.

[John Grady (Glasgow East) (Lab)]

T6.   First Bus is axing the critical 65 bus, which runs through Dalmarnock, Bridgeton and the Gorbals in my seat and into the seat of my hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Michael Shanks). Without the 65, Dorothy, who is in her 90s, will not be able to visit family and friends. That is a loss for everyone, because Dorothy is brilliant company. Does the Minister agree that bus operators must take into account the needs of people such as Dorothy before axing critical bus services?

--- Later in debate ---

[Martin Wrigley (Newton Abbot) (LD)]

The Dawlish sea wall collapsed in 2014, causing a devastating loss to the south-west’s economy of about £1.2 billion. It was not the break in the sea wall that closed the railway for eight weeks; it was the collapse of the cliffs. Will the Minister prioritise the project to secure those cliffs, which is yet to be carried out, or will she meet me? Perhaps she could even visit Dawlish to see how important this fix is going to be.

[Lilian Greenwood]

I know how important that rail line is to the people of the south-west, including the hon. Member’s constituents. We are working to determine which rail enhancement projects will be taken forward following the Chancellor’s spending review statement on 11 June. More information will be made available shortly, and I am sure that my colleague, the Rail Minister, will write to the hon. Member in due course.

[Antonia Bance (Tipton and Wednesbury) (Lab)]

Following the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson), last week the Casey review showed us yet again that private hire vehicles are a dangerous place for many children and young people. Nationally in 2023, 96% of taxi licences were issued in one local authority—Wolverhampton, one of my neighbouring local authorities—yet only 10% of the applicants lived there. What action is the Minister going to take to ensure local taxi licensing is done locally and to high standards?

--- Later in debate ---

[Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)]

The Minister may be aware that the outline business case for improvements to the A31 at Hickley’s Corner in Farnham will come before her in a couple of months’ time. While I understand that she cannot make any promises now, will she at least agree to look kindly on that application and meet me to discuss it?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I look forward to seeing that business case when it comes forward, and I will of course be happy to discuss it with the hon. Member at the appropriate time.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Select Committee.

--- Later in debate ---

[Aphra Brandreth (Chester South and Eddisbury) (Con)]

My constituent Paul cycles more than 1,000 km a month all across the country, but he tells me that Cheshire’s roads are among the worst. Poor roads are dangerous for all road users, so does the Minister agree that national guidance for pothole repair policy must properly reflect the needs of cyclists alongside motorists? We must urgently improve road conditions for everyone.

[Lilian Greenwood]

I absolutely agree that the poor state of the roads that has been left to us after 14 years of under-investment poses a serious risk to cyclists. That is precisely why we have given that extra £500 million to councils across England, and it is precisely why we are holding them to account and asking them to follow good practice in roads maintenance.

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

As the Secretary of State knows, I welcome the £445 million being invested in Welsh rail over the next five years, but will she help me to secure a meeting with the Rail Minister, so that we can discuss the need to start off building the Burns stations with the Magor and Undy station in Monmouthshire?