Written questions by Morello.

Whether her Department plans to introduce stricter penalties for mobile phone use while driving.

Government keeps motoring offences under review, and is considering possible interventions.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.

Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.The guidance suggests that while government policy is that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm through villages, it may be appropriate to consider 20mph limits in built-up village streets that are primarily residential in nature, or where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, where there is a safety case and local support.The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph limits or zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.

What criteria her Department uses to determine speed limits in villages.

Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.The guidance suggests that while government policy is that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm through villages, it may be appropriate to consider 20mph limits in built-up village streets that are primarily residential in nature, or where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, where there is a safety case and local support.The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph limits or zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of mobile phone usage while driving on the number of road accidents in the past five years.

Statistics on road collisions are available based on data reported to the Department by police forces via the STATS19 data collection system. Within STATS19, reporting officers can record up to 6 factors which they consider may have contributed to the collision occurring. The number of reported road injury collisions in Great Britain where a police officer attended and assigned ‘driver using mobile phone’ as a contributory factor are shown in the table for the last 5 years for which data are available. YearNumber of collisions with ‘driver using mobile phone’ as a contributory factor20194202020368202144020224682023463

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting driving instructors with operational costs.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does not employ driving instructors and so has no power or control over what they charge for their services, including lessons. Fees charged by Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) for driving lessons anywhere in the country, including rural areas are a commercial business arrangement. The department has not offered any form of financial support to ADIs since the register's inception and there are no plans to change this.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) support Community Speed Watch schemes and (b) deter (i) antisocial driving and (ii) street racing in rural areas.

Community Speedwatch schemes are initiatives coordinated by the police working with local volunteers to target speeders, and decisions on whether to operate local schemes are operational matters for the police.  The Department for Transport agrees that these schemes can be a useful way of monitoring speeds and encouraging drivers to stay within speed limits.  However, it has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the programmes in the West Dorset constituency. Turning to the deterrence of antisocial driving and street racing in rural areas, the Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to Parliament in February, includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the recent £2 million Bus Service Improvement Plan funding allocated to Dorset Council is effectively utilised to enhance bus services in underserved rural communities within West Dorset.

The Government is committed to seeing better, more reliable bus services delivered right across England, including in West Dorset and other rural communities. Local transport authorities are encouraged to use funding for Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) on schemes that they, and local operators, believe will deliver the best overall outcomes in growing long term patronage, revenues and therefore maintaining service levels, whilst ensuring essential social and economic connectivity for local communities. This will be different for each area. We believe local leaders know their areas best and so are best placed to make decisions about how to improve services to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken to consider the revised Lyme Regis and Bridport Harbour Order (revision of October 2022) on Dorset Council.

The department does not manage the process of Harbour orders, as this process is led by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO is unusually busy with Harbour orders at present but is working continuously to process all harbour orders. While the Department is keen to work with the MMO to understand how we can support more sustainable efficiencies in the longer term, no assessment has been made of the impact of time taken for this order or any other. For an accurate status update of the harbour order in question, we suggest the Council contacts the MMO directly.

What discussions her Department has had with farming communities on the potential impact of rural road infrastructure on farming operations.

Local highway authorities are responsible for their local roads, in both rural and urban areas. It is up to them to engage as necessary with relevant stakeholders, including farming communities, on matters of this sort.

Whether the revised Lyme Regis and Bridport Harbour Order (revision of October 2022) for Dorset Council will include provisions to allow the granting of longer leases; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the revised order on potential leaseholders.

The department does not manage the process of Harbour orders, as this process is led by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO is unusually busy with Harbour orders at present but is working continuously to process all harbour orders. Whilst the department is a consultee of all HROs, the department does not comment on the content of orders unless it affects the position or powers of the department. As such, no assessment has been made on the impact of the order on leaseholders. For an accurate status update of the harbour order in question and for an update as to its content, we suggest the Council contacts the MMO directly.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of moving to multi-year funding settlements for local authorities to support long-term transport infrastructure investment.

This government is committed to providing greater stability to local government by giving councils multi-year funding settlements and ending wasteful competitive bidding. Funding to local authorities for transport in future years is being considered as part of the current Spending Review, the outcome of which will be confirmed in due course.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of spare parts for ageing rolling stock operated by Great Western Railway.

The average age of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) rolling stock is 15 years, as published on the Office of Rail and Road website as at 31 March 2024. My officials receive regular updates on GWR’s train fleet. Detailed maintenance arrangements are a matter for GWR, its maintenance providers and the rolling stock owning companies. GWR works closely with its maintainers and the supply chain to source parts to maintain the trains as required. The age of rolling stock is one of the factors that can impact on reliability and service quality. GWR and Network Rail have been working together to develop plans to replace ageing rolling stock with trains that will better meet the needs of passengers in the future. Any specific proposals are subject to both business case approval and funding being available.

How many instances of missing driving licence entitlements have been reported to the DVLA in the last five years; and what steps she has taken to help tackle these cases.

Updates to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) systems are rigorously planned and assessed so that impacts and risks are understood. The DVLA has recorded 176 instances where drivers claimed they were missing entitlement between 2020 and 2024. These mainly relate back to when the DVLA was established and driving records were computerised. The DVLA undertakes a full investigation in each case including a search of existing and archived records. If no information is held, the driver will be asked to supply any information they may have to evidence previous entitlement.

What recent discussions her Department has had with Great Western Railway on the (a) maintenance and (b) servicing of older rolling stock.

The average age of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) rolling stock is 15 years, as published on the Office of Rail and Road website as at 31 March 2024. My officials receive regular updates on GWR’s train fleet. Detailed maintenance arrangements are a matter for GWR, its maintenance providers and the rolling stock owning companies. GWR works closely with its maintainers and the supply chain to source parts to maintain the trains as required. The age of rolling stock is one of the factors that can impact on reliability and service quality. GWR and Network Rail have been working together to develop plans to replace ageing rolling stock with trains that will better meet the needs of passengers in the future. Any specific proposals are subject to both business case approval and funding being available.

What recent discussions her Department has had with equestrian organisations on improving (a) infrastructure and (b) safety measures for horse riders on rural roads.

This Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads and my Department works with a broad range of stakeholders, including the British Horse Society, to help us achieve our aim. In 2022, The Highway Code was updated to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse-riders. THINK!, the Government's flagship road safety campaign, plays an important role in raising awareness of, and encouraging compliance with, new road safety legislation. This includes the recent changes to The Highway Code. THINK!, ran campaigns to alert road users of the changes as they came into effect, and broader behaviour campaigns to encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Results from the last campaign showed that by September 2023, 93% of drivers agreed it was their responsibility to give space to vulnerable road users. We will continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations. Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a 'statutory duty' on local authorities to provide a safe local road network. This includes road construction, accident investigation and analysis, traffic calming and setting speed limits.

What steps she has taken to prevent the loss of driving licence entitlements during DVLA system updates, and how frequently these measures are reviewed for effectiveness.

Updates to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) systems are rigorously planned and assessed so that impacts and risks are understood. The DVLA has recorded 176 instances where drivers claimed they were missing entitlement between 2020 and 2024. These mainly relate back to when the DVLA was established and driving records were computerised. The DVLA undertakes a full investigation in each case including a search of existing and archived records. If no information is held, the driver will be asked to supply any information they may have to evidence previous entitlement.

Whether her Department will provide funding to Dorset Council to improve parking facilities at Dorchester South station.

This Government recognises the importance of sufficient parking provision at railway stations. Decisions on specific projects are a matter for the relevant local authority. However, we have recently announced that Dorset Council will receive nearly £2 million as part of the Integrated Transport Block which can be used to support a wide variety of schemes and make transport more accessible. In addition, the Council has been allocated over £3.8 million to make improvements to their local bus services. This funding gives Local Authorities an opportunity to consider whether it would be viable to integrate public transport provision with local railway stations, offering an alternative mode of transport for people to travel to those locations.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of recent changes to the Highway Code at improving safety outcomes for horse riders.

This Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads and my Department works with a broad range of stakeholders, including the British Horse Society, to help us achieve our aim. In 2022, The Highway Code was updated to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse-riders. THINK!, the Government's flagship road safety campaign, plays an important role in raising awareness of, and encouraging compliance with, new road safety legislation. This includes the recent changes to The Highway Code. THINK!, ran campaigns to alert road users of the changes as they came into effect, and broader behaviour campaigns to encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Results from the last campaign showed that by September 2023, 93% of drivers agreed it was their responsibility to give space to vulnerable road users. We will continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations. Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a 'statutory duty' on local authorities to provide a safe local road network. This includes road construction, accident investigation and analysis, traffic calming and setting speed limits.

Whether her Department plans to issue (a) further guidance or (b) an awareness campaign to drivers on how to safely share the road with horse riders.

This Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads and my Department works with a broad range of stakeholders, including the British Horse Society, to help us achieve our aim. In 2022, The Highway Code was updated to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse-riders. THINK!, the Government's flagship road safety campaign, plays an important role in raising awareness of, and encouraging compliance with, new road safety legislation. This includes the recent changes to The Highway Code. THINK!, ran campaigns to alert road users of the changes as they came into effect, and broader behaviour campaigns to encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Results from the last campaign showed that by September 2023, 93% of drivers agreed it was their responsibility to give space to vulnerable road users. We will continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations. Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a 'statutory duty' on local authorities to provide a safe local road network. This includes road construction, accident investigation and analysis, traffic calming and setting speed limits.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of multi-year funding settlements on (a) service improvements and (b) long-term planning by South Western Railway.

The Government is committed to delivering a unified and simplified governance structure for the railways, alongside passenger train services under public ownership. This will provide improved services for passengers, better value for money for taxpayers and ensure decisions across infrastructure and operations are aligned. A multi-year funding settlement will better enable delivery of these outcomes. This will include on South Western Railway, following its transition to public ownership on 25th May 2025. Officials are also developing a financial framework under which Great British Railways will be expected to operate.