Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent potholes in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fixes to proactive, preventative maintenance. South Shropshire sits within Shropshire Council, which is eligible to receive £101,041,790 in highways maintenance funding over the next four years.
To improve accountability and drive better outcomes, all local highway authorities are now required to publish annual transparency reports on the condition of their networks and their maintenance plans. These reports are publicly available. The Department has also introduced a traffic‑light rating system, under which authorities are assessed annually and rated red, amber or green based on road condition, levels of investment and adoption of best practice, including the adoption of preventative maintenance to prevent potholes. The ratings are intended both to highlight where improvement is needed and to support continuous progress, with targeted assistance available to authorities to help strengthen capability and performance.
Shropshire Council received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing amber for condition, amber for spend and amber for best practice.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing skills bootcamps for the public service vehicles sector that mirror those available to HGV drivers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that the bus and coach sector has had issues recruiting and retaining drivers in recent years and is considering a number of measures to support driver recruitment.
We are taking time to fully assess the challenges around driver recruitment and identify potential mitigations, including the role skills bootcamps could play. Options are still under consideration, and next steps have not yet been finalised.
The Government is also committed to improving bus services more widely, and is providing significant investment in this regard. We have committed over £3 billion over the next three years from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including around £240 million a year for bus operators, and nearly £700 million a year for local authorities. Local authorities can use this funding however they wish to improve bus services for passengers, which could include measures locally to support driver recruitment. It is up to local authorities to decide how best to prioritise funding to achieve positive outcomes for passengers.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve road safety in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. This aims to improve road safety at a national level, so improvements should be seen in South Shropshire.
The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65%, and 70% for children under 16, by 2035. These targets and delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board, which I will chair.
Road safety is a shared responsibility, and this strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives, making our roads safer for everyone.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of accessible and funded training routes for Public Service Vehicles.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the critical role that Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers play in keeping passengers and communities connected, and we are committed to supporting a sustainable and skilled workforce.
We are supporting access to training through employer-led schemes, including apprenticeships, which enable individuals to earn while they train. Bus operators are able to use the apprenticeship levy to fund driver training, including for those new to the sector.
The Department is working closely with bus operators and representative bodies to understand workforce challenges, reduce barriers to entry and ensure training routes are accessible to a diverse range of entrants.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the effect of the THINK campaign on the number of road deaths of young people aged 17 to 25.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The primary audience for the THINK! campaign is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. In recognition of this, THINK! works with a wide range of road safety behavioural experts and stakeholders to design and execute campaigns that have the best chance of changing attitudes and behaviours amongst this highly at risk group.
Against a backdrop of consistent long-term funding for THINK! campaigns, the number of killed or seriously injured casualties involving a young car driver has fallen 61% in the last 20 years, from 12,190 in 2004 to 4,740 in 2024.
Whilst it is not possible to directly attribute changes in road deaths to any single factor, research shows high levels of self-reported action amongst young people as a result of seeing a THINK! campaign with 9 in 10 reporting frequently taking an action, including changing their own driving behaviour.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is available for community transport schemes in rural areas.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the vital role community transport operators play in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services such as healthcare, including in rural areas.
The Department makes up to £3.8 million available each year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to community transport operators. An uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2026. This means community transport operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.
The Government is also providing over £3 billion for bus services from 2026/27 over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes nearly £700 million per year for local authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG). The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services.
Shropshire Council will be allocated £13.1 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £4.5 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. This could include supporting some community transport services.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to improve road safety for older drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all road users including older drivers. Alongside the strategy, we launched a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.
We will also develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers, recognising that people’s fitness to drive can deteriorate as they get older. These measures aim to reduce deaths and injuries involving older drivers, without unnecessarily restricting their mobility and personal freedom.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps have been taken to improve the accessibility of the high street for wheelchair users.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is the responsibility of local authorities to manage their streets and to ensure this is done in a way which allows them to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
The Department provides good practice guidance on designing accessible streets in Inclusive Mobility: A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure.
This is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-mobility-making-transport-accessible-for-passengers-and-pedestrians.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding is available to increase options for active travel involving schools in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 10 December, the Department announced over £626 million of funding to support active travel across England, including walking and cycling to schools. Of this funding, Shropshire Unitary Authority, of which South Shropshire is a part, has been allocated £2,004,847 over 2026/27 to 2029/30.
In addition, Active Travel England provided £191,121 to support Bikeability cycle training in Shropshire over 2024/25, with a similar level expected for 2025/26. The Bikeability programme delivers a range of cycle training activities aimed at giving school children the skills and confidence to cycle on the road. Future funding for Bikeability will be announced in early 2026.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve rural road safety.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
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 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!