Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the 30-year contract to Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) the A1(M) has cost the public finances during each financial year of the concession up to 31 March 2026, and to provide these costs in terms of actual spending in pounds for each year, rather than normalised to any other year.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The costs associated with the A1(M) Alconbury to Peterborough DBFO contract vary by year and reflect actual payments made during the concession. Annual expenditure ranged from £5.8 million in 1996‑97 to a forecast £30.6 million for 2025‑26, with a total forecast cost to public finances of approximately £709.5 million over the 30-year concession period.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local authorities have any flexibility to use capital funding allocated either through the Local Authority Bus Grant or the Transport for City Regions fund as revenue funding for related bus operations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the importance of local authorities having funding to support bus operations. However, improving the infrastructure that underpins these services is essential to delivering better and more affordable services. This can only be achieved through the effective use of capital grants. Investment in infrastructure is intended to improve the attractiveness, affordability, and reliability of bus travel, helping to reduce long-term reliance on Government support.
For this reason, capital funding is intended for long-term investment and is not designed to meet ongoing operational costs, which should be covered through revenue funding. Capital and revenue funding may be used alongside one another to support delivery, but the Government expects both to be used as allocated and in line with the terms and conditions agreed with each Local Authority.
However, there is an exception for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities that receive an Integrated Settlements from Government. For these authorities, transport funding is no longer provided directly by the Department for Transport but is instead managed by MHCLG as part of the wider settlement. In agreement with HM Treasury, MHCLG has converted 10% of this funding from capital to resource, as revenue funding can be spent either on revenue or on capital. This gives these areas greater flexibility to meet local priorities. This applies to Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, North East, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Active Lives survey measure of engaging in active travel at least twice in the last 28 days as an indicator of levels of regular walking and cycling in the Local Government Outcomes Framework; and whether her Department plans to develop a different measure to assess and drive increases in active travel.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Active Lives survey collects physical activity data in England and therefore provides a consistent way of measuring changes in active travel over time. The large sample size generates a robust annual measure for each local authority. The National Travel Survey has recently been expanded to provide data at the level of strategic authorities, and the Department is continuing to develop and invest in existing and alternative data sources.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to address the Disability Transport Gap, as described in the December 2023 report entitled Are we there yet, from Transport for All.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to work closely with disabled people and representative organisations, like Transport for All, to ensure their voices are heard, that the challenges are understood and that we are actively working together to drive the change to make transport and travel increasingly accessible and barrier-free.
We recognise the challenges and issues identified in Transport for All’s report both in terms of transport-mode specific issues as well as the cross-cutting themes of financial burden, information provision and inability to take up green transport options due to accessibility barriers.
Collectively, the Department is committed to a transport network that puts disabled passengers at its heart, removing barriers and promoting opportunity. Recent measures to deliver this include improving accessibility and personal safety at bus stops and stations through the Bus Services Act, publishing the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group’s recommendations, and launching the Rail Accessibility Roadmap.
To specifically drive strategic and legislative change, accessibility will be a core theme of the forthcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy. We will also shortly be publishing an Accessible Transport Vision to set out the key priorities for accessible travel for this Government. Later this year, we will publish an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter will set clear expectations for transport providers to implement accessibility best practice - not as another layer of regulation, but as a clear articulation of the commitments for accessible transport that every operator should meet.
The department is also continuing its work to build accessibility into electric vehicle charging points and the future provision of connected and autonomous vehicles. We will also be publishing the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy and are consulting upon changes to mobility device legislation recognising the importance of personal mobility specifically and as part of the end-to end journeys that disabled people want and need to make.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on transparency and corporate capture detailed in the InfluenceMap report entitled Corporate Capture and the UN International Civil Aviation Organization, published in September 2025; and if she will make representations on that issue ahead of the ICAO Council meeting on 23 March 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The United Kingdom is an active and influential member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The UK sits on the elected ICAO Council and participates in committees and working groups across the organisation, as we seek to maintain and improve the safety, security and sustainability of international aviation.
The UK, in our capacity as a Council member, has been actively involved in ICAO’s transformation programme which seeks to improve the accountability and transparency of the organisation.
With regard to the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), this is an expert body which provides ICAO with technical analysis and advice on environmental measures. Representatives of a range of industry groups and other stakeholders participate as observers, in support of the Committee’s membership of States. CAEP has a long history of collaboration to deliver strong technical outcomes, including standards for aircraft CO2, noise and pollutant emissions. In February 2025, CAEP recommended an updated CO2 standard requiring new aeroplane designs to reduce emissions by 10% after 2031, following an analysis that relied on industry data and expertise.
CAEP operates with enhanced safeguards due to the handling of commercially sensitive technical data, however the UK fully supports improving CAEP’s transparency where possible and further strengthening of governance arrangements.
The UK appreciates the collaborative working relationship between States and industry at ICAO, as we collectively seek to decarbonise the aviation sector.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Natural Environment Research Council Open Research Archive Storms and Waves update entitled Climate Change Impacts on Storms and Waves Relevant to the UK and Ireland, published in May 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the mean significant wave height increase in southern UK waters on (a) the incidence of marine pollution incidents, and (b) seafarer safety.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has not conducted any specific research of the potential of a change in mean significant wave height to the incidence of marine pollution in the UK.
We are also not aware of any discussions or research into the potential impact of the mean significant wave height increase on seafarer safety. However, the MCA reviews specific categorised waters, for significant wave height changes, on a case-by-case basis when supported by data which indicates a discernible change to significant wave height at that location. The report indicates that any such changes to wave height in either direction will be slow, and thus the impacts slow to develop, which will help us to introduce any changes that might be required in future to continue to ensure safety.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve transport accessibility for disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government is committed to improving public transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.
Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff and requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan.
We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established. The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog, protecting the rights of disabled passengers by monitoring service delivery, investigating persistent issues, and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme and have completed a programme to install platform edge safety tactiles on every platform in the country.
We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help prevent regional inconsistencies in pavement parking enforcement policy; and when statutory guidance for local authorities to enforce against unnecessary obstruction of the pavement will be published.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 8 January 2026, the Secretary of State announced the publication of the government’s formal response to the 2020 public consultation 'Pavement parking: options for change' which sets out the legislative measures to tackle pavement parking. The government will publish statutory guidance by end of 2026 to assist local authorities in carrying out enforcement in a fair and proportionate manner.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to reduce the cost to (a) the public purse, and (b) farepayers of the cost of maintaining payments to the current Rolling Stock companies (ROSCOs).
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We expect that, once established, Great British Railways (GBR) will continue to lease rolling stock where this offers value for money. The private-sector rolling stock market has brought significant benefits to passengers and taxpayers, with private investment worth over £20 billion since 1995. However, we are determined to work with the market to ensure it delivers best value for passengers and taxpayers in the future. That is why, even before establishing GBR, we are now developing a comprehensive long-term strategy for rolling stock and associated infrastructure – the first in more than thirty years. We intend to publish this next summer.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how she is engaging with aviation workers and their unions about increasing the sustainability of aviation policy, including through the the Airports National Policy Statement review (ANPS) and its review of the Jet Zero strategy; and will she consider deliberative and participatory consultation methods such as a Workers' or Citizens' Assembly.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government is committed to delivering greener transport and we are making significant progress in supporting aviation to become more sustainable. The government engages with the aviation sector and trade unions on aviation decarbonisation, including via the Jet Zero Taskforce. The Taskforce aims to identify, and advise on, unblocking key barriers to delivering greener aviation.
On 4 December 2025, I met the aviation sector Trade Unions and made clear my support for decarbonisation and addressing the skills gap.
Any proposed changes to policy in the Airports National Policy Statement as a result of the ongoing review will be subject to public consultation in summer 2026, providing the opportunity for aviation workers and their unions to respond. We have also recently published our approach to stakeholder engagement which sets out how we intend to gather a broad range of views as part of the review, which can be found here: Engagement during the Airports National Policy Statement review - GOV.UK