Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing national regulations on bus lane fines for volunteer motorcycle riders delivering emergency medical supplies.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Decisions on which other vehicles may use bus lanes are for local traffic authorities to take. They are best placed to manage their networks and can grant exemptions through Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) where appropriate. Exemptions can include emergency service vehicles, such as volunteer motorcycle riders delivering emergency medical supplies.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle illegal driving instructors; and what steps he is taking to increase public awareness on the requirement for driving instructors to be approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) takes matters of illegal driving instruction extremely seriously. DVSA strives to stamp out illegal driving instruction by targeting offenders and working in conjunction with the local Police force to identify and ultimately, when appropriate, prosecute those involved in this type of criminality.
DVSA’s Counter Fraud and Investigation team thoroughly investigate allegations of illegal driving instruction and always looks to validate any information it is provided with during any investigations. Depending on the information available, DVSA may proceed directly to an investigation or conduct targeted roadside checks, often involving the police, to identify ongoing illegal instruction. The outcomes of DVSA’s investigations can range from issuing a warning to pursuing prosecution.
Information for those wanting to start driving lessons is available on DVSA’s ‘Ready to Pass?’ website on GOV.UK. DVSA advises candidates that anyone teaching them to drive for payment must be either a qualified and approved driving instructor or a trainee driving instructor. There is also further information for candidates on how to find your nearest driving instructors.
DVSA advises candidates to check that their driving instructor is displaying their badge in their windscreen, which shows they are registered with DVSA, this could either be a green badge if they are fully qualified or a pink badge if they are a trainee instructor.
Individuals who have not been through the approved driving instructor process pose a very real threat to road safety. It also damages the reputation and credibility of the driver training industry. DVSA recommends that anyone with concerns about a possible illegal driving instructor follow the advice on GOV.UK: Report an illegal driving instructor.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to expand protections for British seafarers employed by companies registered outside of the UK.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is acting through the Employment Rights Bill to improve protections for seafarers by providing powers to protect the working conditions of those working aboard international services frequently calling at UK ports. The Bill will also close a loophole that prevented prosecution of employers who failed to provide notification of proposed collective redundancies aboard ships registered outside of the UK. These protections will benefit seafarers working aboard services in scope, including when they are employed by companies registered outside of the UK.
My Department will also continue to work internationally to improve protections for seafarers, including through implementing the amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention agreed in April by representatives of shipowners, seafarers and governments at the International Labour Organization in Geneva. The new provisions include measures that will help to protect seafarers against violence and harassment, strengthen their rights to repatriation and improve access to shore leave. It is expected that these amendments will come into force internationally on 23 December 2027.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the (a) misuse (b) abuse and (c) theft of blue badges in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Local authorities have powers under the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000, for local authorities to withdraw a badge if the holder consistently misuses it or allows it to be misused by others. Similarly, authorities have the power to withdraw the badge if the holder ceases to be eligible, for example because their impairment has improved or because they obtained the badge by false representation.
The Department provides non-statutory guidance to local authorities on operating the scheme, including advice on enforcing the scheme, and regularly engages with local authority stakeholder groups to help share best practice.
It also works closely with organisations such as the British Parking Association (BPA) and Disabled Motoring UK (DM:UK), who advocate for stronger enforcement powers and better data sharing between councils. These efforts have led to increased penalties and prosecutions for misuse, and the confiscation of fraudulent or stolen badges.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to invest in upgrades to (a) the M60 and (b) other national highways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is currently developing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), which will span the five-year period from April 2026 to March 2031. The Strategy is scheduled for publication in March 2026 and will outline the funding settlement allocated to National Highways for operating, maintaining, renewing, and enhancing the Strategic Road Network (SRN) during RIS3.
A draft version of the Strategy was published in August, setting out the overall funding envelope and the key objectives that National Highways is expected to achieve. RIS3 will build on the progress made since the first Strategy (RIS1) was introduced in 2015, continuing efforts to:
Deliver a long-term programme of capital renewals for ageing roads and structures
Implement committed enhancement schemes
Advance long-term performance targets
An Interim Settlement is currently in place for National Highways for the 2025–26 financial year.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42868 on Railways: Stockport, whether her Department has made an assessment with North Rail Partnership of the potential merits of implementing proposals to improve passenger services at Reddish South railway station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We expect train operators to develop timetables that best match the capacity and frequency of their services to passenger demand in a way which is operationally sustainable and delivers value for taxpayers.
Current demand at Reddish South has not signalled a need to review the service patterns there. Rail North Partnership (RNP) will assess and assist with any proposal around services based on local or regional priorities put forward. For example, by Stockport Council or Transport for Great Manchester.
Any proposal must balance the economic and social benefits of any enhancement with the performance of existing services and the financial impact on taxpayer subsidy.
I have asked RNP to contact the Hon Member to discuss any proposals he wishes to present.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of ticket office opening hours at (a) Brinnington Station and (b) Heaton Chapel Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Heaton Chapel ticket office is currently open 0605-1820 weekdays, 0700-1830 Saturdays and 0910-1630 Sundays, while Brinnington is open 0620-2105 weekdays and 0710-1440 Saturdays. These hours are compliant with section 17 of the Ticketing & Settlement Agreement, which sets out the various arrangements between operators relating to the sale of tickets.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce legislation to provide UK seafarers with equivalent (a) redundancy, (b) dismissal protections and (c) other employment rights to onshore workers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, and the Employment Rights Bill includes measures to improve protections for seafarers facing collective redundancy, and powers to protect the working conditions of seafarers aboard frequent international services. My Department will continue to engage with the maritime trade unions and the sector more broadly about the application of employment rights to seafarers, as well as working with like-minded states and social partners to drive up international standards.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58271 on Driving Tests: Stockport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the average waiting time at the Bredbury driving test centre.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is aware that car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this is having on learner drivers. All staff at the agency are working tirelessly to reduce waiting times at all test centres, including at Bredbury.
There are currently 13 driving examiners at Bredbury test centre. This has risen from 9 examiners in 2022. Bredbury test centre is part of a cluster of test centres, including West Didsbury and Sale, that serve customers in Stockport.
DVSA continues to deploy examiners within the cluster to test centres based on demand.
Within the cluster of test centres from recruitment campaigns, one potential new driving examiner (DE) started their training course on 23 June for West Didsbury. A further potential new DE for Sale will start their course on 25 August. DVSA has made three further offers, with applicants scheduled for courses in the late summer/early autumn.
DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns, including for this cluster of test centres. DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.
DVSA continues to offer overtime incentives to its driving examiners, including those in this cluster.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) Avanti West Coast on the quality of public toilets at Stockport station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department meets with Avanti West Coast (AWC) regularly to discuss issues impacting passengers, such as this and to ensure they are addressed as soon as possible. The Rail Minister will also make sure that AWC arranges a meeting with you directly to discuss improvements that can be made for passengers.
AWC is responsible for day-to-day management of Stockport Station, including facilities management and cleaning. To help monitor performance and drive high standards of customer experience, the Department requires train operators to employ the Service Quality Regime, which consists of regular inspections of the condition and availability of assets such as toilets, as well as the cleanliness of stations and trains. Responsibility for repairs to the structure of the property lies with the station’s landlord, Network Rail. AWC works with Network Rail seeking improvements on behalf of passengers where this is required.
Responsibility for repairs to the structure of the property lies with the station’s landlord, Network Rail. AWC works with Network Rail, seeking improvements on behalf of passengers where this is required.