Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds information on the number of road traffic accidents caused by people driving legally under non-GB issued driving licences.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The information requested is not held by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds information on the number of UK road traffic accidents caused by people driving in the UK without a valid full or provisional UK-issued driving licence.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This information is not held by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department holds information on the number of UK road traffic accidents caused by immigrants driving without a valid full or provisional UK driving licence.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This information is not held by the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigrants in the UK do not drive on public roads under a non-GB issued licence for longer than 12 months.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is responsible for issuing driving licences, enforcement of the law is a matter for the police.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of train operators since the announcement of the creation of Great British Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Great British Railways is set to be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. Establishing Great British Railways as a new arm’s length body will take time, but we must and have begun the process of fixing our railways now – improving services for our customers and taking a whole-system approach, so we deliver a more sustainable, affordable and reliable railway.
We are starting to see train reliability stabilise following a decade of decline, and cancellations are no longer rising. We have ended the national industrial dispute, bringing passenger confidence back and we are seeing passenger journeys increasing. Furthermore, we have made station-specific performance information available for the first time, as a visible sign that we are determined to improve standards.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Transport Decarbonisation Plan, published on 14 July 2021, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) people impacted by the withdrawal of the Arriva 28 bus service in Leicestershire and (b) other rural communities have adequate access to public transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows that access to reliable bus services is essential for providing access to work, education, vital services and leisure opportunities.
The Government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.
In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country of which Leicestershire County Council has been allocated £8.2 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the Government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.
Furthermore, demand responsive transport (DRT) has the potential to improve the local transport offer in rural areas. The Department has funded 17 innovative DRT pilots through the Rural Mobility Fund, including the first Fox Connect DRT service in South West Leicestershire. Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process. This will provide a strong base of evidence and good practice for DRT and a better understanding of both the role it can play in rural areas. Further Fox Connect services are being introduced to serve areas around other parts of Leicestershire such as Market Bosworth and Coalville.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce sight tests for drivers every two years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
All drivers, regardless of age, have a legal responsibility to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they develop a medical condition that may affect their ability to drive.
The Government is considering the current process of self-declaration and the challenges posed by an ageing population where certain conditions, including vision conditions, may become more prevalent. In the meantime, the current renewal at age 70 process remains as is, and drivers must legally declare any vision or medical conditions that may affect their ability to drive.
Any options for change will be subject to public consultation.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of road networks in rural areas in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of development on road networks between settlements.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.
Local government is the main delivery agent of road safety. The responsibility to implement, fund, deliver, promote and enforce local road safety initiatives remains with the Local Authorities under the 1988 Road Traffic Act. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local area to “take steps both to reduce and prevent accidents”.
Local authorities are also responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government, including setting local speed limits where the national limit would not be appropriate. Local highway authorities are bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty and it is for them to ensure they manage their roads in a way that complies with that, including assessing potential impacts of development on road networks in their area.
Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a delay repay compensation scheme for coach travel.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has not undertaken an assessment of introducing a delay repay compensation scheme specifically for coach travel. Unlike the rail industry, where delay repay schemes are a standard requirement within franchise agreements, the wider coach sector operates primarily on a commercial basis with limited regulatory intervention.
The Department continues to monitor passenger experience across all transport modes and remains committed to ensuring passengers receive appropriate consumer protections. We regularly engage with industry stakeholders, consumer groups and the public to assess whether existing compensation arrangements are sufficient.
Any proposals for new regulatory requirements would need careful consideration of the potential impacts on both passengers and operators, including the administrative burden and potential costs that might be passed on to passengers.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the annual cost of free bus passes for people over the State Pension age.
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. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually.