Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 June 2025 on Dart Charge, HCWS708, what estimate she has made of the number of vehicles using the Dartford to Thurrock Crossing in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24, (c) 2024-25, (d) 2025-26, (e) 2026-27 and (f) each of the next five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:
Year | Total | Of which during chargeable hours: |
2024/25 | 56,691,385 | 49,613,955 |
2023/24 | 57,498,960 | 50,266,519 |
2022/23 | 56,528,526 | 49,098,480 |
The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.
My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.
Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.
The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 June 2025 on Dart Charge, HCWS708, what were the total revenues from Dart Charge in (a) 2022/23, (b) 2023/24, and (c) 2024/25; and if she will estimate the total revenues from Dart Charge in each of the next seven financial years, commencing with 2025/26.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:
Year | Total | Of which during chargeable hours: |
2024/25 | 56,691,385 | 49,613,955 |
2023/24 | 57,498,960 | 50,266,519 |
2022/23 | 56,528,526 | 49,098,480 |
The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.
My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.
Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.
The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 June 2025 on Dart Charge, HCWS708, what estimate she has made of the additional revenues from the increase in charges in each of the next seven financial years, commencing with 2025/26.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The number of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing in the years 2022/23-2024/25 is set out below:
Year | Total | Of which during chargeable hours: |
2024/25 | 56,691,385 | 49,613,955 |
2023/24 | 57,498,960 | 50,266,519 |
2022/23 | 56,528,526 | 49,098,480 |
The impact of the charge increase on the number of vehicles using the Dartford crossing will be monitored for the remainder of 2025/26, and subsequent years.
My Department does not routinely publish revenue forecasts for individual budget lines such as the income from the Dart Charge.
Information about previous revenues for the Dartford Crossing are available in the annual accounts which are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-highways-annual-reports-and-accounts . For 2022/23 road user charge income was £126.6m and for 2023/24 £130.1m.
The Crossing’s full revenue is higher for each year owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income. This is also shown in the accounts. Accounts for 2024/25 will be published by the end of January 2026.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for announcing (a) future funding and (b) plans for (i) ticket offices on the Greater Anglia franchise, (ii) implementation of step-free access through redevelopments at (A) Greater Anglia and (B) Marks Tey railway stations and (iii) the redevelopment of Witham railway station, in the context of the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the context of the Spending Review 2025 there are no plans to make specific announcements in relation to the Greater Anglia rail operator in relation to (a) future funding and (b) plans for (i) ticket offices on the Greater Anglia franchise, (ii) implementation of step-free access through redevelopments at (A) Greater Anglia and (B) Marks Tey railway stations and (iii) the redevelopment of Witham railway station.
While some key schemes have already been referenced by the Chancellor, we will now be working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.
As part of the ongoing Spending Review, a period of business planning is continuing to take place and announcements on individual schemes and projects will be made in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38988 on Transport: Infrastructure, whether the Capital Review has been completed.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Capital Review has now closed. It was established to provide rapid, independent advice on the Department’s capital portfolio. The Panel offered an external perspective to support the Secretary of State’s considerations during the second phase of the Spending Review.
The Secretary of State closed the Panel ahead of the conclusion of the Spending Review. The Department is grateful for the voluntary contributions of its members and the expertise they brought to the review.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, and pursuant to the Answers of 12 December 2024 and 26 March 2025 to Questions 18360 and 38989 on Transport: Infrastructure and A12: Repairs and Maintenance, if she will make funding available for the (a) A12 widening scheme and (b) A120 dualling scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 11 June 2025, this Government will deliver notable improvements to people’s everyday travel by providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve roads across the country. We will provide updates on specific schemes in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's planned timetable is for announcing (a) overall funding, (b) rail fares, (c) funding for rail infrastructure and (d) funding for rolling stock on the Greater Anglia rail network, in the context of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the context of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025 there are no plans for any specific announcements in relation to the Greater Anglia rail network.
For the past five years changes to regulated rail fares have happened in March. Any future changes will be announced in due course.
Since 2019 the operator has introduced 191 brand new trains into traffic; this full fleet replacement has improved performance and transformed the passenger experience.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of trends in the level of threats to (a) freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and (b) British (i) vessels and (ii) personnel in 2025.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The majority of international shipping ceased operating through the Red Sea after Houthi attacks began in November 2023 and has not returned. My Department continues to provide advice to UK-flagged shipping in the region, and this is kept under regular review.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, If she will assess the (a) economic and (b) road safety impact of delaying the (i) implementation and (ii) construction of the A12 widening scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It was announced in the Autumn Budget that Phase 2 of the Spending Review will conclude in late spring 2025. Until this time, it is not possible to assess the full impact of the extremely challenging financial inheritance this Government received on the A12 widening scheme and in turn its impact on (a) the economy and (b) road safety.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34245 on Transport: Infrastructure, if she will publish Capital Review Panel's (a) terms of reference, (b) the dates it has met and (c) its budget; whether members of the Panel receive (i) remuneration, (ii) expenses and (iii) other financial recompense; and if the Panel has considered the (A) A12 widening scheme; and (B) the A120 dualling scheme proposals.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Capital Review is an internal review, therefore the Panel’s terms of reference and proceedings are internal to the Department. Panel members are providing their time voluntarily and have not received any expenses or other financial recompense. The Panel has no allocated budget and the only costs incurred are through a small official secretariat.
The Capital Review’s primary aim is to provide the Secretary of State with strategic advice, not to provide advice on individual schemes.