Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the long-term (a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) operational costs of pausing the next phase of the electrification of the Midland Main Line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Midland Main Line electrification was considered as part of the Spending Review, which prioritised investment across all government spending, taking account of business cases and affordability. Continuing electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield is lower value for money, due to rising costs and as a consequence of the environmental and operational benefits already delivered through electrification of the route. Electrification between Kettering and Wigston was completed earlier this year and, together with enhancements south of Bedford, will enable the bi-mode intercity services being introduced by East Midlands Railway to operate using electric traction.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to (a) improve rail capacity and (b) reduce railway-related emissions in the East Midlands.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
East Midlands Railway (EMR) will introduce new bi-mode Class 810 Intercity ‘Aurora’ trains with a phased rollout running through 2026. These new trains will support greener travel making use of the Midlands Main Line electrification between London and Leicester, significantly reducing emissions compared to the diesel Class 222 trains they replace. When fully operational the Class 810 trains will provide a 46 per cent increase in capacity to passengers through a combination of more seats and train carriages.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish guidance on cross-pavement electric vehicle charging solutions.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In December 2024, the Government published cross-pavement guidance to help local authorities understand what they need to consider for the roll-out of cross-pavement solutions. This includes relevant permissions, minimum existing standards, responsibilities and case studies.
In addition to the guidance, in July 2025 Government announced the £25 million Electric Vehicle Pavement Channels Grant to further support local authorities to adopt pavement channels as part of their local charging strategies.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve safety for (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, and (c) other road users, in the context of the increase in the use of electric bikes and scooters.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government understands that perceived safety can be a barrier to more people choosing to walk, wheel or cycle. This is why the Department has recently announced almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6. While it is for local authorities to make decisions on investment in their active travel networks, Active Travel England works with officers to help support compliance with best practice when delivering walking, wheeling and cycling schemes.
Additionally, The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse-riders.
No policy decisions on micromobility or e-scooter regulations have yet been made. The Department will consult on any new proposed regulations before they come into force. Until changes are made, private e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements and rental e-scooters can only be used as part of the Government’s rental e-scooter trials. Enforcement is a matter for the police.
The government is making our streets safer, by introducing new cycling offences to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cyclist behaviour.
This will ensure that all road users, whose behaviour results in the death or serious injury of another road user will face the same penalties.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle litter along (a) motorways and (b) dual carriageways.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National Highways is responsible for litter collection on motorways and some ‘A’ roads whilst the relevant local authorities manage litter collection on the rest of the roads in England.
National Highways is committed to keeping its roads predominantly free from litter, without compromising safety and delivering affordably. National Highways pick litter on a section of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) every day and is consistently working to deliver an improved and more rapid clean up using innovative interventions such as industrial vacuums, as well as undertaking a number of anti-littering interventions to influence behaviours and attitudes of road users towards litter. These include anti-littering messaging through social media, trialling AI enforcement cameras to capture those throwing litter on the SRN, using geofencing to send targeted anti-littering messages to mobile devices around identified litter hotspots, as well as putting up anti-littering posters and signs and installing car and lorry height bins at motorway service areas, to encourage drivers and passengers to dispose of their litter appropriately.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing national restrictions on pavement parking on pedestrians with a visual impairment.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. The consultation asked specific questions about impacts on people with protected characteristics and we will use the information to undertake an equality analysis of the chosen policy option, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty. Our plan is to publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.
The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish guidance on cross-pavement EV charging solutions.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government is committed to accelerating the roll out of charge points for electric vehicles. Guidance for local authorities to develop policies on the safe use of cross-pavement solutions will be published in due course.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing English National Concessionary Travel Scheme bus passes to be used before 9.30 am.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the times at which concessionary passes can be used.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of electric vehicle charge points for people who do not have off street parking.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is committed to making EV charging infrastructure more affordable and accessible, particularly for those without off-street parking. The Local EV Infrastructure Fund is supporting local authorities in England to install tens of thousands of EV chargepoints. In addition, the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant is supporting flat owners, renters, and those with on-street parking to install chargepoints on domestic premises.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) trainee pilots accessing one standardised training course and (b) allowing new pilots to use their UK licence in EU countries without undertaking another course.
Answered by Mike Kane
No assessment has been made as to the standardisation of training, as the training that an individual receives is dependent upon which licence they are seeking - such as a Private Pilots Licence (PPL) or Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL). The competencies required to be demonstrated may differ depending on the licence type being issued but are standardised within each licence type.
The decision on whether to unilaterally allow UK licenced pilots to operate EU registered aircraft is entirely a decision for the European Union (EU) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Article 445(1) in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement outlines the areas in which both the UK and EU may cooperate in aviation safety. Under these terms, any future mutual recognition of personnel licencing would require an expansion to the TCA.