Written questions by Stafford.

What plans she has to (a) bring forward legislative and (b) amend existing legislation to tackle noise pollution caused by (i) motorcycles and (ii) modified vehicle exhaust systems.

The Department does not have plans to amend existing vehicle noise legislation.The Department takes the impact of noise pollution on health, wellbeing and the natural environment seriously. Strict noise regulations for motorcycles are harmonised at an international level and require vehicles to demonstrate compliance before being placed on the market. Replacement exhaust systems that are to be used on the road must also meet strict noise limits that are aligned with those of the original vehicle.The police have powers to deal with noisy vehicles on an ongoing basis. Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 they can take action if they suspect a vehicle is being driven in a manner that makes excessive noise which is avoidable through reasonable driver care. In the same Regulations, vehicle exhaust systems are required to be maintained in good working order and not altered so as to increase noise.

With reference to her Department's reports entitled Roadside Vehicle Noise Measurement - Phase 2 Final Report, published August 2021, and Work Order T0218 Roadside Vehicle Noise Measurement – Phase 3 Parts A to C, published March 2024, what assessment she has made of noise camera trials in (a) controlled and (b) real-world conditions in (i) detecting and (ii) identifying excessively noisy vehicles.

The Department conducted controlled and real-world trials of noise camera technology between April 2022 and February 2023. Reports of these trials, including detailed assessment of the technology’s performance and potential merits, were published on 17 March 2024.Overall, the trials demonstrated that noise cameras currently have the potential to detect and identify excessively noisy vehicles, but only when accompanied by human review of the recorded evidence, which is likely to lower the cost effectiveness of deploying the technology in many circumstances.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of rolling stock contract renegotiations on the nationalisation of South Western Railways.

South Western Railways services will transfer into public ownership on 25 May 2025, as its National Rail Contract with the Department expires. New rolling stock leases will be in place prior to the date of transfer. The expected cost of renewing leases were already recognised in the expected future budget requirements.

What long-term investment her Department is making in cycling and walking infrastructure within the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Future government investment in cycling and walking is being considered alongside all other transport priorities as part of the Spending Review. On 28 March, I informed Parliament of my intention to publish a third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy following the conclusion of the Spending Review. This will allow us to say more on the long-term funding for active travel, as required by the 2015 Infrastructure Act.

With reference to her Department's document entitled Local highways maintenance: additional funding from 2023 to 2034, updated on 23 January 2025, whether the £132 million of Network North funding for Hampshire County Council will be provided between the 2023-24 and 2034-35 financial years.

This Government is determined to help local authorities such as Hampshire County Council tackle the poor state of our roads. The previous Government made a series of questionable funding promises in its Network North plan, and this Government has had to review their affordability. We have already announced a £500 million funding uplift for local highway authorities for 2025/26 and will say more on future years’ funding after the conclusion of the Spending Review. Hampshire County Council will benefit from an additional £14.1 million in 2025/26, an increase of around 36% on top of the Network North uplift in 2024/25, to help it carry out vital preventative maintenance works across the county.

Whether the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport will be privately funded.

The Government is clear that Heathrow expansion will be financed by the private sector.Heathrow costs are regulated by the independent CAA, who are set up to ensure costs balance between airlines and the consumer. The specifics would need to be considered at the point proposals came forward.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Heathrow Airport (a) expansion and (b) increased flight traffic on reducing emissions to meet net-zero targets.

The government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and meeting our climate change obligations, as set out in the Climate Change Act. Delivering greener transport to help make Britain a clean energy superpower is a Department for Transport priority. DfT analysis shows that we can achieve net zero 2050 for aviation under a range of assumptions about future technology development. We have been clear that any airport expansion proposals will need to demonstrate they contribute to economic growth and can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments, as well as meeting strict air quality and noise standards.

What steps she is taking to (a) support British companies bidding for electric bus contracts and (b) ensure that (i) BYD, (ii) Yutong and (iii) other foreign companies do not have a disproportionate share of Government electric bus (A) contracts and (B) grants.

The transition to zero emission buses represents a great opportunity for UK bus manufacturers, both to supply the zero emission buses needed here in the UK and to win export orders abroad as other countries upgrade their bus fleets. On 8 October, the Department announced plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. This panel will bring together industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. More details on this will be set out in due course.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989.

All manufacturers must demonstrate that their vehicles and equipment comply with international vehicle approval requirements before they are permitted to offer their products for sale, and these include detailed provisions for vehicle lighting. The approval requirements are complemented by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 to ensure that vehicles operating on the roads of Great Britain continue to have effective and safe lighting systems whilst in service. All vehicle lighting requirements, including the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, are kept under review and amended as necessary to account for advances in vehicle lighting technologies and emerging evidence to ensure regulatory effectiveness is maintained.

What steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in rural areas.

The government is committed to delivering better, more frequent and more reliable bus services for passengers. We have already made significant progress, introducing the Bus Services Bill to help give local leaders the powers they need to take control of their local services if they choose to do so, and announcing investment of over £1 billion to support and improve bus services.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of raising the bus cap to £3 on pensioners.

Those of state pension age, currently sixty-six, have access to free off-peak bus travel under the terms of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

If he will bring forward legislative proposals to require drivers to report cat killings under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats. Although there is no obligation to report all collisions with animals on roads, Rule 286 of The Highway Code advises drivers to report any collisions involving an animal to the police, and if possible, they should make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals and advise them of the situation. Since June this year, all cats in England over 20 weeks of age must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, unless exempt or free-living. This will increase the likelihood that cats can be reunited with their owners.