Written questions by McMurdock.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the weight of electric vehicles on the condition of the local road network.

The Government recognises that heavier vehicles can accelerate road surface wear. While we have not undertaken a specific assessment of this effect, we are actively considering the implications of introducing zero-emission heavy goods vehicles, including the potential for additional road wear. The increasing weight of all road vehicles, both electric vehicles (EVs) and their petrol and diesel counterparts, is one of many factors affecting the condition of our roads. While EVs tend to be heavier than their equivalent petrol or diesel counterpart, on average all passenger cars have been increasing in weight for many years. This trend has been driven by consumer choice and improving safety features for passengers. It is the much heavier commercial vehicles, rather than passenger vehicles, that cause the most wear and tear to road surfaces and other highway structures. More broadly, there are many reasons why loadings on local roads may change, such as commercial development increasing traffic and the number of heavier vehicles on a road. Because of this, guidance for local authorities already highlights the need for maintenance plans to account for changes in circumstances. The main guidance for local highway authorities on asset management is the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure, published by the UK Roads Leadership Group and funded by the Department for Transport. The guidance sets out a national framework for how local highway authorities should manage their networks using a risk-based, evidence-led approach, taking account of current and expected highways usage.

What milestones remain before the full funding package for the Lower Thames Crossing is confirmed.

The Chancellor committed a further £891m to complete the publicly funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing, the final tranche of Government support to enable the private sector to take forward construction and long-term operation.There are a number of key activities to complete before the project is taken forward by investors, each with its own milestones. These activities include, for example, providing the project with the necessary legislative powers, enabling the appropriate regulation and devising and running a competitive process to attract investors whilst driving value for money for users. These will take place alongside the activities on the essential early works and utilities.

What assessment she has made of the risk posed by potholes to vulnerable road users, including a) cyclists and b) motorcyclists.

There have not been specific Department for Transport assessments on the risks posed by potholes to vulnerable road users, or on the relationship between road surface conditions and road traffic accidents. However, the Government recognises that defective road surfaces, including potholes, can present significant safety risks to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. Local highway authorities have a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain their road networks and must consider the needs of vulnerable groups when planning and delivering maintenance programmes. The Government is committed to tackling the poor state of our local roads. That is why we have made available an additional £500 million for local highways maintenance this financial year, and have confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for the next four years. These funding increases will enable local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys. On Active Travel schemes where Active Travel England has been requested to inspect or assess existing layouts, available metrics can be used to score the scheme based on surface quality. It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate road safety interventions, based on their knowledge of local conditions and the needs of their communities.

Whether changes will be made to the provision of road safety campaigns under the new media strategy arrangements.

THINK! is the Government’s flagship road safety campaign that aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales.THINK! prioritises running campaigns to change attitudes and behaviours among those most at risk. There are currently no planned changes to the provision of road safety campaigns. These will continue to target priority issues such as drink driving, drug driving and speeding, as well as communicating other key policy interventions at the appropriate times.

What representations he has received from (a) Thurrock, (b) Basildon, (c) Essex County Council and (d) other south Essex councils requesting financial support to improve the strategic road network in (i) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency and (ii) Essex.

Essex County Council, Colchester City Council, Chelmsford City Council, Braintree District Council, Tendring District Council, Maldon District Council and Brentwood Borough Council wrote to the Secretary of State about the benefits of the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme, and the role it could potentially have played in any future upgrade of the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey. However, as announced on 8 July 2025, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded, therefore the Secretary of State had to take the difficult decision not to progress the A12 widening scheme. The Department will continue to work with National Highways and relevant partners to explore potential small-scale interventions that could address issues on the A12 to support housing growth.

How many road traffic accidents involved road surface defects as a contributory factor in each of the past three years.

The number of reported personal injury road collisions in Great Britain that were assigned the “Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” road safety factor (RSF) are shown in the table: YearCollisions20221,09220231,24820241,378 Data on road collisions involving personal injury are reported to the Department by police forces in Great Britain via the STATS19 system.Following the most recent STATS19 review contributory factors (CFs) are being replaced by new road safety factors (RSFs), in some police forces from late 2023 onwards. This has resulted in a break in the time series for some of the data. As a result, we are presenting all data using the RSF specification (direct), but separating out data initially recorded as CFs (converted). Because of that, the numbers presented are the combination of direct and converted numbers. Further details can be found in published road safety factors guidance. STATS19 includes all road collisions involving human death or personal injury occurring on the Highway ('road' in Scotland) and notified to the police within 30 days of occurrence, and in which one or more vehicles are involved, are to be reported. Collisions occurring on private roads (except Royal Parks) or in car parks are not included. Full details of which roads are reportable for STATS19 purposes can be found in the STATS20 guidance available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/road-accident-and-safety-statistics-guidance#data-collection

What data she collects on (a) injuries and (b) fatalities linked to road surface defects.

The percentage and number of casualties (by severity) involved in reported road collisions in Great Britain where the “Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” road safety factor was assigned for the last 10 years can be found in table RAS0701 published on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#factors-contributing-to-collisions-and-casualties-ras07

What assessment she has made of the energy efficiency of electric heavy goods vehicles.

The Zero Emission HGV Infrastructure Demonstrator programme will report on the impacts of weather, terrain, driver behaviour, and payload on efficiency and range of electric HGVs. Over 150 vehicles are now operational in UK fleets with a further 150 due to enter service by March 2026. A trial of 20 electric HGVs in public sector fleets ran between April 2022 and September 2023 and information including total miles travelled, energy consumption, and vehicle range were published and are available online at http://bett.cenex.co.uk.

What plans she has to fund infrastructure to support the logistics industry.

This Government is taking signification action on infrastructure used by logistics. National support for the road haulage industry includes joint investment with industry in lorry parking and driver welfare facilities of up to £35.7 million. This is in addition to up to £30 million joint investment by National Highways and industry to improve lorry parking on the strategic road network (SRN). The Government is also investing £25 billion in the SRN over the next 5 years. At Autumn Budget 2025, the Government committed a further £891 million to complete the publicly funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing, to enable the private sector to take forward construction and long-term operation. The most significant road building scheme in a generation, this will relieve congestion at the Dartford Crossing, improve connectivity across the UK and to major ports, improving resilience and reliability for freight. To support decarbonisation, the Government has invested up to £120 million in the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator, alongside up to £30 million in the Depot Charging Scheme. The Plug‑in Truck Grant also helps reduce the upfront cost of zero‑emission HGVs. The recent Spending Review saw average annual funding increase for the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline over the next four years which will support rail freight growth. My department is updating planning and regulatory processes for ports, including the National Policy Statement for Ports. The Government is working with the National Wealth Fund, which has committed at least £5.8 billion of its capital to five sectors, including ports.

What estimate she has made of the potential cost to users of a Regulated Asset Base model for the Lower Thames Crossing.

The road user charging regime for the Lower Thames Crossing has not yet been set. The exact level of charges that are appropriate and how this interacts with the level of private investment will be the subject of future analysis and has not yet been finalised.Charges are necessary to cover the costs of providing the infrastructure, whether funded publicly or privately. Regulatory oversight will ensure transparency, fair pricing, and performance standards throughout the life of the asset to promote financial sustainability and user interests.

What assessment she has made of the relationship between road surface condition and road traffic accidents.

There have not been specific Department for Transport assessments on the risks posed by potholes to vulnerable road users, or on the relationship between road surface conditions and road traffic accidents. However, the Government recognises that defective road surfaces, including potholes, can present significant safety risks to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. Local highway authorities have a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain their road networks and must consider the needs of vulnerable groups when planning and delivering maintenance programmes. The Government is committed to tackling the poor state of our local roads. That is why we have made available an additional £500 million for local highways maintenance this financial year, and have confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for the next four years. These funding increases will enable local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys. On Active Travel schemes where Active Travel England has been requested to inspect or assess existing layouts, available metrics can be used to score the scheme based on surface quality. It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate road safety interventions, based on their knowledge of local conditions and the needs of their communities.

What proportion of the risk of construction cost overruns for the Lower Thames Crossing would be borne by (a) taxpayers and (b) private investors under the Regulated Asset Base model.

The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, which is the preferred financing option for the Lower Thames Crossing, is designed to reduce taxpayer exposure to funding risks. Regulatory oversight ensures transparency, fair pricing, and performance standards throughout the life of the asset to promote financial sustainability and user interests. The precise risk allocation for construction cost overruns between users, private investors and contractors has not yet been finalised and is subject to further development but will be primarily based on precedents from other projects undertaken through RAB models.

If she will publish a full funding profile for the Lower Thames Crossing, including the split between plans for public and private funding.

The Chancellor committed a further £891m at the Autumn Budget 2025 to complete the publicly funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing. This brings the total public investment to £3.1bn, including spend to date. The latest cost assured estimate for the project is c.£10.6bn. The Department will continue to publish information on committed public expenditure for the Lower Thames Crossing through official reporting mechanisms.

What the total cost to date has been of Private Finance Initiative contracts for transport infrastructure projects.

The Government's Spending on Private Finance Initiative contracts is published annually by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pfi-and-pf2-projects-2024-summary-data.

Pursuant to Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 96030 on Level Crossings: Tilbury, what the longest barrier closure recorded at East Tilbury level crossing was during the most recent risk assessment; and what proportion of closures exceeded the average duration.

The Department does not hold this information in the format requested. I have asked Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager responsible for East Tilbury Level Crossing, to write to you as soon as the information is available.

If she will request that the Office of Rail and Road review Network Rail’s compliance with its statutory duties at East Tilbury level crossing in the context of a) freight-related barrier closures and b) community isolation.

ORR is the independent rail safety regulator, and we do not direct it in its role. ORR will review Network Rail’s compliance with its statutory duties at level crossings as part of any inspections of such sites and if deficiencies are found, then it will work with Network Rail to remedy them.

What proportion of level crossing barrier down time at East Tilbury is attributable to freight services; and what the average and maximum barrier down times are for freight movement compared with passenger services.

The Department does not hold this information in the format requested. I have asked Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager responsible for East Tilbury Level Crossing, to write to you as soon as the information is available.

Whether she plans to increase individual vehicle approval testing capacity.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has no specific plans to prioritise vehicles commissioned for essential purposes, but should there be a specific need, DVSA would consider this in a similar way to actions taken during the pandemic. DVSA would welcome contact from any customers who are believe they have a specific requirement in relation to essential service vehicles. DVSA understands the customer base for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) testing and continue to ensure its network supports those customers and meets their needs. In addition, DVSA is planning a network of vehicle examination facilities that are approved customer sites. This will increase the number of sites nationally where Vehicle Approvals can be conducted. DVSA is increasing the number of locations where IVA checks can be carried out and ensuring that it has flexibility to meet customer demand. When DVSA is considering the closure of its own testing facilities, DVSA will also ensure suitable service provision is still provided. The number of Specialist Vehicle Standards Assessors (SVSAs) who conduct IVA testing is shown below. Northern England and Scotland – 11 SVSAsSouthern England and Southwest – 10 SVSAsEastern England and the Southeast – 9 SVSAsWest Midlands and Wales – 12 SVSAs DVSA can deploy Specialist Standard Assessors on a national basis where required, in response to customer demand. DVSA is also in the process of recruiting a further six SVSA’s. In line with demand. DVSA keeps recruitment or multi-skilling of existing teams to increase flexibility under review.

Whether she plans to prioritise individual vehicle approval testing for vehicles commissioned for essential purposes, such as a) emergency healthcare or b) home-to-school education.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has no specific plans to prioritise vehicles commissioned for essential purposes, but should there be a specific need, DVSA would consider this in a similar way to actions taken during the pandemic. DVSA would welcome contact from any customers who are believe they have a specific requirement in relation to essential service vehicles. DVSA understands the customer base for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) testing and continue to ensure its network supports those customers and meets their needs. In addition, DVSA is planning a network of vehicle examination facilities that are approved customer sites. This will increase the number of sites nationally where Vehicle Approvals can be conducted. DVSA is increasing the number of locations where IVA checks can be carried out and ensuring that it has flexibility to meet customer demand. When DVSA is considering the closure of its own testing facilities, DVSA will also ensure suitable service provision is still provided. The number of Specialist Vehicle Standards Assessors (SVSAs) who conduct IVA testing is shown below. Northern England and Scotland – 11 SVSAsSouthern England and Southwest – 10 SVSAsEastern England and the Southeast – 9 SVSAsWest Midlands and Wales – 12 SVSAs DVSA can deploy Specialist Standard Assessors on a national basis where required, in response to customer demand. DVSA is also in the process of recruiting a further six SVSA’s. In line with demand. DVSA keeps recruitment or multi-skilling of existing teams to increase flexibility under review.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of closing test centres on businesses reliant on individual vehicle approval testing.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has no specific plans to prioritise vehicles commissioned for essential purposes, but should there be a specific need, DVSA would consider this in a similar way to actions taken during the pandemic. DVSA would welcome contact from any customers who are believe they have a specific requirement in relation to essential service vehicles. DVSA understands the customer base for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) testing and continue to ensure its network supports those customers and meets their needs. In addition, DVSA is planning a network of vehicle examination facilities that are approved customer sites. This will increase the number of sites nationally where Vehicle Approvals can be conducted. DVSA is increasing the number of locations where IVA checks can be carried out and ensuring that it has flexibility to meet customer demand. When DVSA is considering the closure of its own testing facilities, DVSA will also ensure suitable service provision is still provided. The number of Specialist Vehicle Standards Assessors (SVSAs) who conduct IVA testing is shown below. Northern England and Scotland – 11 SVSAsSouthern England and Southwest – 10 SVSAsEastern England and the Southeast – 9 SVSAsWest Midlands and Wales – 12 SVSAs DVSA can deploy Specialist Standard Assessors on a national basis where required, in response to customer demand. DVSA is also in the process of recruiting a further six SVSA’s. In line with demand. DVSA keeps recruitment or multi-skilling of existing teams to increase flexibility under review.