Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of preventing third parties from booking driving test slots on the range and quality of services driving instructors are able to offer pupils.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.
The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly.
The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department took to communicate information regarding recent operational changes to the driving test booking system to Approved Driving Instructors ahead of those changes coming into force.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.
The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly.
The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to recruit additional driving examiners through gov.uk.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advertises for driving examiner (DE) vacancies, as well as other roles across the agency, on the Civil Service jobs website, which is part of GOV.UK.
DVSA’s latest DE campaign was advertised on its homepage on GOV.UK on 15 July. Further campaigns will also be launched using the same approach in September 2025.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects National Highways to decide on whether the lights along the M25 between Junctions 8 and 9 will be switched back on at night.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National Highways expects to be in a position to make a decision on the lighting in this location once the current evaluation is finished and the appraisal is completed, which is expected to be in January 2026.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) other stakeholders on creating a 12 car turn-back facility at Reigate train station since July 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Reigate 12 car scheme was closed by the previous Government following Spending Review 2021. No development work has taken place on the project since this point.
Officials in my Department are in regular discussions with Network Rail on opportunities to improve services across the Brighton Main Line, including the Reigate area. In preparing for Spending Review 2025 we are assessing potential transport investments, ensuring every penny spent supports our missions and the plan for growth.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to improve accessibility at Earlswood train station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme and will announce the next steps after completion of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, following the the 18 month assessment period for light switch off between junctions 8 and 9 of the M25, when she expects the TA 501 road lighting appraisal to be available.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National Highways expect the appraisal to be completed in January 2026 and the TA501 assessment will be made available from National Highways, upon request, after a decision has been made on the future of the lighting in this location.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with National Highways on its programme of (a) turning off and (b) removing lights on motorways.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department meets monthly with National Highways to discuss its performance and delivery. This includes discussions on the company’s actions to meet its Key Performance Indicator targets, one of which is Corporate Carbon reduction. Electricity used to light the strategic road network is by far the biggest contributor to National Highways’ overall carbon emissions. To meet the reduction target, National Highways has been trialling turning off some sections of lighting, where it has been assessed safe to do so, alongside its LED replacement programme.
The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent highways monitor, also meets the Department monthly to provide advice on National Highways’ plans and ongoing performance, also covering the Company’s actions to reduce its carbon emissions.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects contactless ticketing to be rolled out to Reigate train station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department announced last year that Reigate would be included in the next tranche of pay-as-you-go stations during contactless expansion. Further details on timing are not available at this stage, but Reigate Station will get contactless ticketing before the end of 2025.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) other stakeholders on transport improvements in Reigate constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Officials in my Department are in regular discussions with Network Rail on opportunities to improve services across the Brighton Main Line, including in the Reigate area. As part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, £900 million is being invested in renewing the railway across the route between 2024 and 2029. In preparing for Spending Review 2025 we are assessing potential transport investments, ensuring every penny spent supports our missions and the plan for growth.