Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025 to Question 96696 on Roads: Biodiversity, what estimate she has made of the average cost for each Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project of (a) voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain (BNG) prior to May 2026, (b) delivering BNG on a compulsory basis during the third Road Period and (c) delivering BNG overall for schemes (i) currently under construction or (ii) in the delivery pipeline.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department does not estimate the average cost of voluntary biodiversity net gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects on the Strategic Road Network. Biodiversity net gain provisions are determined on a project by project basis and assessed as part of the consenting process where relevant. The Roads Period 3 pipeline has not yet been finalised, and currently no schemes fall within the scope of mandatory biodiversity net gain requirements; therefore, no overall estimate has been made.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus passenger journeys were taken in (a) London and (b) England outside London in each month from January 2023 for which data is available.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold information on bus passenger journeys operated by calendar month in London or England outside London.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2025 to Question 99925, what assumptions were used to estimate that the funding increases described will enable local authorities to fill an additional one million potholes per year, including assumptions on (a) the average cost of a pothole repair, (b) the proportion of funding allocated to reactive pothole repairs rather than other maintenance activity, and (c) regional variation in repair costs.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The estimate is based on the industry assumption that the national average cost of repairing a pothole is approximately £70. Using this figure, the £7.3 billion of funding from 2026/27 - 2029/30 would enable local authorities to fix millions of additional potholes each year when compared to previous funding levels.
Alongside funding to support local authorities in repairing potholes, the Government has also taken action to prevent them from forming in the first place. A share of the increased investment that the Government made available in this financial year and in future years is contingent on local highway authorities demonstrating how they are complying with best practice in highways maintenance, including the greater adoption of preventative maintenance. These requirements are intended to incentivise local authorities to adopt more preventative maintenance and other best practice to ensure roads are kept in good condition for longer, fewer potholes form in the first place and that this funding is spent as effectively as possible in improving the condition of local roads.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the funding for the infrastructure upgrade programme on South Western Railway has been spent to date.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The most recent infrastructure upgrade programme for South Western Railway was completed in 2020. The Government keeps future investment requirements under review.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned completion date is for the Barking station upgrade being delivered by c2c.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The estimated completion date for the Barking station upgrade is autumn 2026. The right-hand side gateline and lift are now complete and open to the public.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) mandatory registration and (b) identification plates for e-scooters on road safety.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under current legislation, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can be used but only as part of the Government’s national rental e-scooter trials.
The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which will include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows.
The impact of potential regulatory requirements such as the need for registration or identification plates, will be fully assessed as regulation is developed. The Department for Transport will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which schemes are included in the Department’s longer-term rail infrastructure pipeline; what the status is of the Ely–Haughley junction improvements within that pipeline; and what criteria are used to determine when schemes are considered for funding.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State updated Parliament on 8th July 2025 regarding those rail and road infrastructure projects which will progress following completion of SR25The previous government had announced a number of schemes that were unfunded, including Ely Area Capacity Enhancement.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for bringing forward legislation on micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has made a commitment to pursue legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) up-front and (b) ongoing costs are for the corporate initiatives underpinning the projected efficiency saving by 2028–29; and how much of those costs relate to (i) AI, (ii) digital tools and (iii) shared services programmes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan, the forecast efficiencies of £199m in 28/29 from corporate initiatives will come from a wide range of activities such as workforce reform, estate reform, greater use of AI and digital tools and de-duplication in processes, enabled in part by the establishment of Great British Railways.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the projected efficiency saving from corporate initiatives by 2028–29 represents cash reductions in Departmental expenditure, as opposed to productivity improvements, cost avoidance or spending reclassification.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport’s published Departmental Efficiency Plan states that £199m in corporate initiatives efficiencies are forecast to be delivered in 2028/29. These efficiencies are considered cash releasing efficiencies (i.e. they reduce our expenditure requirements) in line with the definition in the Government Efficiency Framework.