Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to accelerate the installation of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure in suburban and rural communities; and what support is available to local authorities to address gaps in charging provision.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The £480 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry to leverage private investment and transform the availability of electric vehicle charging for drivers without off-street parking. LEVI is expected to support the installation of at least 100,000 local charge points across the country, including in suburban and rural residential areas.
Additionally, £25 million was made available to all local authorities in England to support residents without access to off-street parking to charge their electric vehicles on the street outside their homes and benefit from cheaper, domestic tariffs.
Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the improvement of bus services in suburban and rural communities, including Gedling, Burton Joyce, Lambley, Woodborough and Bestwood Village; and what steps she is taking to support local transport authorities to improve bus service frequency and reliability.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the vital role of buses in connecting people with jobs, education, healthcare, family and friends.
Earlier this year, the Government confirmed funding through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) for the remainder of the Spending Review period. The formula takes account of the needs of each local transport authority and specifically includes rurality. East Midlands Combined Authority will receive £67 million under the LABG. To support affordability, on 22 July, we also announced that single bus tickets will be capped at £2 from 1 January 2027. This is particularly important in rural areas where uncapped single fares can be higher.
Alongside this funding, the Government recognises that there are different ways of improving bus services and the needs of urban and rural areas differ. The East Midlands Combined Authority uses the Enhanced Partnership (EP) model to deliver their local bus services. This allows Local Transport Authorities to work with their bus operators to deliver improvements to bus services in their area.
Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) can play an important role in ensuring communities can access transport services in areas where more traditional, regular stopping services may not be viable. This includes funding and supporting local transport authorities to deliver DRT services, such as Nottsbus On Demand. We published DRT best practice guidance in December 2025 which provides local authorities with a guide to setting up and deploying DRT schemes.
Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the adequacy of the number of wheelchair spaces on (a) buses and (b) other public transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
99% of buses providing local services comply with accessibility regulations that cover the design of vehicles and incorporate a designated space to accommodate at least one wheelchair user. We recognise that in some circumstances such provision may be inadequate, and we welcome efforts by individual operators to provide a second wheelchair space. We also continue to consider the efficacy of existing bus and coach accessibility regulation, and will announce our next steps in due course.
Trains are required to have at least two wheelchair spaces, to meet legal requirements, and each train operator must ensure they are kept clear for wheelchair users. Light rail vehicles (including trams, metros and London Underground) also have wheelchair spaces in compliance with similar legal requirements. The current refurbishment of London Underground’s oldest Tube trains includes the creation of wheelchair spaces where these do not already exist.
Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, how much of the £500 million funding for pothole repairs will be awarded to each local authority.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. Each local highway authority is responsible for the condition of its local network. Highway maintenance funding allocations for all local highway authorities for the current financial year are available on gov.uk. The Government will confirm funding allocations for the 2025/26 financial year shortly, and will publish them on gov.uk.
Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total allocation given to each Local Authority is for pothole repairs.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. Each local highway authority is responsible for the condition of its local network. Highway maintenance funding allocations for all local highway authorities for the current financial year are available on gov.uk. The Government will confirm funding allocations for the 2025/26 financial year shortly, and will publish them on gov.uk.
Asked by: Michael Payne (Labour - Gedling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve road (a) maintenance and (b) conditions in (i) Gedling constituency and (ii) Nottinghamshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government takes the condition of local roads seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing our road network as a priority, on which Ministers will say more in future.
Maintenance of the local highway network within Nottinghamshire, including the constituency of Gedling, is the responsibility of Nottinghamshire County Council. For 2024/25, Nottinghamshire County Council has been allocated over £20 million to help it maintain its local highway network. Future funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the next Spending Review.