Written questions by Dance.

What plans she has to increase local authorities' powers to inspect roads that have temporarily been reinstated by utility companies conducting roadworks more frequently.

Local highway authorities already have powers to inspect both temporary and permanent reinstatements for compliance with the DfT's technical standards (the specification for the reinstatement of openings in the highway). Since 2023, a performance-based inspections regime has been in place which means those companies who fail inspections are inspected more than those who comply. As companies pay for inspections, there is also a strong financial incentive for them to meet standards.

What steps her Department plans to take to help improve road infrastructure to respond to flooding risks in (a) Somerset and (b) the South West.

The Government takes flooding and its effects seriously, and has established a Floods Resilience Taskforce, which will enable close working between national, regional, and local government, including the devolved administrations, along with flood risk partners. The Government is providing local authorities with an additional £500 million of funding for local highway maintenance for 2025/26 compared to 2024/25, with Somerset Council receiving £44.9 million in 2025/26 for highway maintenance. It is up to local highway authorities to determine how best to spend this funding on maintaining and protecting their roads, including making them more resilient to flooding. The Department is also working with the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Adaptation, Biodiversity and Climate Board to produce best practice advice and guidance to local highway authorities to help them deal with the effects of climate change.

What steps he is taking to improve disabled access to railway stations in rural areas.

We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway for all users, including those with a range of disabilities and in rural areas. The Department for Transport recently completed an accessibility audit of all 2,577 stations across Great Britai...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of steps to improve accessibility of train stations for disabled people.

We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway for all users, including those with a range of disabilities. The Department for Transport recently completed an accessibility audit of all 2,577 stations across Great Britain. This data is bei...