Written questions by Holden.

How many miles of wire rope safety barriers are installed on roads managed by National Highways; and in which years they were installed.

National Highways has approximately 143 miles of wire rope safety barrier on its network. For context, the total length of Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) on National Highways’ network is approximately 6462 miles, of which wire rope safety barrier is one type. National Highways does not hold the data on when all wire rope safety barriers were installed.

Pursuant to the Written Statement of 23 February 2026 on Update on disclosed documents for AC-2025-LON-003837, which official was responsible for the incorrect application of fuel efficiency measures within the Department’s Aviation Model; and what grade that official was.

The Department does not name individual members of staff. Such updates are always quality assured, which involves checks from various analysts who are not directly involved in the work. The Department’s quality assurance processes are fully aligned with the Government’s AQuA Book (the quality assurance guidance), but I have asked my officials to strengthen our practices further.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the alignment of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU scheme on the costs of the operation of passenger ferries in Great Britain.

Linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and EU Emissions Trading Scheme is about making life easier for operators. It should minimise the administrative burden for operators and unlock greater access to a larger market, supporting economic growth and decarbonisation. Ongoing negotiations will determine the details and extent of alignment.

With reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, whether the updated Setting Local Speed Limits guidance will encourage lower speed limits.

Decisions on the most appropriate speed limits will continue to rest with local traffic authorities, working with the police who enforce them.

With reference to her Department's publication entitled Local highway authority highways maintenance ratings and underlying metric scores, 2025, of 11 January 2026, when she plans to update the road condition datasets with (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 data.

The Department will update the local road maintenance ratings on an annual basis. Each update will use the most recent road condition data available at the time of publication. The current ratings already incorporate road condition statistics for the financial year ending 2024. Future ratings will incorporate datasets from the financial year ending 2025 and, if available at the time of publication, from the financial year ending 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of kill switches in Chinese-made (a) cars and (b) buses on cyber security.

Modern vehicles – including cars and buses - are increasingly using software to support safer driving, to improve diagnostics and to provide a host of other services such as navigation and entertainment. The Government takes national security extremely seriously and recognises the systemic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. The National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance to help organisations understand and manage the associated risks, ensuring that system connectivity is approached in a way that balances security with the significant benefits it provides. The department introduced two new regulations: one to strengthen vehicle cybersecurity and one on software updates (UN Reg 155 and UN Reg 156). The cybersecurity regulation sets out requirements to mitigate potential threats in vehicle construction, to monitor emerging threats and to respond to cyber-attacks. We are aware of recent reports from Norway concerning an electric bus manufacturer and officials are looking into this, and the Transport Secretary will update the Transport Committee once the work is complete.

With reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published January 2026, whether the updated Manual for Streets will encourage an increase in the amount of road and parking space for cars.

Decisions on how to allocate road space between different modes remain for local authorities, designers and practitioners.

With reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, whether proposed new penalties for not wearing a seat belt will apply to passengers in a Hackney Carriage black cab in London.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, the Department for Transport has published a public consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including seat belt usage. The consultation seeks views on strengthening sanctions for non‑compliance with seat belt requirements, including the potential introduction of penalty points, and additional penalty points for drivers who do not ensure child passengers are appropriately restrained. No decisions have been taken, including on the detailed scope of any changes or how they would apply in practice. The consultation closes on 11 May 2026. Policy decisions will be taken after the consultation has closed and stakeholders’ views have been considered.

Whether the growth duty will apply to the Civil Aviation Commission.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is covered by the current Growth Duty set out in Section 108 of the Deregulation Act 2015. This requires specified regulators to have regard to the desirability of promoting economic growth when delivering their regulatory functions; and to consider the importance for the promotion of economic growth of exercising regulatory functions in a way which ensures action is only taken when it is needed, and that any action taken is proportionate. The CAA voluntarily reports each year on its work to meet the Growth Duty. The Secretary of State laid the latest such report in both Houses of Parliament alongside the CAA’s Annual Report and Accounts in July 2025.

Which councils applied to the July 2025 tranche of applications for moving traffic offence enforcement fining powers.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities. A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps. The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

What her timetable is for the Government response to the consultation on restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities. A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps. The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

Whether her Department plans to undertake a national review of penalty charge levels for municipal parking.

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities. A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps. The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 99932 on Railways: Government Assistance, what the estimated level of support is for the contracted operators and Network Rail in each year from 2023-24.

The Department’s support for the 14 contracted operators and Network Rail was £9.60 per passenger journey in 2023/24.  As explained in the response to Question 96260, this support reduced to £8.47 per passenger journey in 2024/25, and it is estimated that it will continue to steadily decrease each year of the Spending Review period.

How much funding has been allocated to railways in Wales in each year of the Spending Review 2025.

The 2025 Spending Review determined the allocation of railway enhancement funding over the financial years 2026/27 to 2029/20.The currently assumed annualised allocations for the £350 million committed for Wales rail enhancements within that period are as follows: Wales Rail Enhancements (£ million) 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 Total SR period UK Government Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP)82 88 83 49 302 Core Valley Lines enhancement funding paid to the Welsh Government1212121248Total (£ million)941009561350 This investment marks the beginning of a long-term UK Government commitment to modernise Welsh railways as announced by the Prime Minister on 18 February. Further UK Government funding allocations for rail enhancements in Wales will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews. Funding for the operation, maintenance, and renewal (OMR) of railways in Wales is separately determined under the Office for Rail and Road Periodic Review process. Funding to support passenger services operated by Transport for Wales (TfW) is a matter for Welsh Government (with the Department providing c.£20 million - £25 million p.a. in respect of TfW services operating in England, TfW's participation in Pay As You Go Fare schemes in England and to cover changes in Control Period Charges).

With reference to the regulated public appointment, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) - Chair, with application deadline of 22 September 2025, who the Advisory Assessment Independent Panel Member was.

The Assessment Independent Panel Member was Jacob Meagher.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) regulatory and (b) fiscal environment on the car-sharing market.

The Minister for Local Transport met with the car sharing sector in November to discuss challenges, opportunities, and how Government can help create a supportive environment for car sharing services for people across the UK. The Department is actively considering the experiences shared by stakeholders along with the wider evidence base to develop appropriate measures to support the sector.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 54870 on Parking: Fines, whether her Department holds a list of the 43 local authorities.

The Effectiveness of current civil parking penalty charge levels report, which has been deposited in the Library of the House, contains the full list of the 43 local authorities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 92911 on Driving under the Influence: Drugs, whether the figures for 2024-25 are the budgeted figures after the July 2024 reductions in communications spending.

The figures previously given for the total budgeted spend on publicity for drug driving in 2024-25 reflect the July 2024 reductions in communications spending across government departments.

With reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, whether her Department will make additional financial contributions to the European Union as a consequence of the new provisions on cooperation on maritime security and safety.

Although we have still to agree the detail of any provisions on maritime security and safety with the European Union, we do not anticipate that any such arrangements will require the United Kingdom to make additional financial contributions to the European Union.

With reference to her Department's document, the Methodology used to calculate ratings for local road maintenance, published on 11 January 2025, why was metric 9 on decarbonisation of road maintenance deemed relevant to fixing potholes and road conditions; and what assessment has been made of the reliability of electric battery powered highway maintenance vehicles in very cold weather.

Metric 9 considers both whether a local highway authority has plans to decarbonise its maintenance operations and whether it has plans to increase climate resilience. In relation to decarbonisation, lower carbon approaches to road maintenance, such as a greater focus on preventative treatments, are associated with better whole-life asset management. By treating roads preventatively before they require end-of-life replacement, local highway authorities can keep roads in good conditions for longer and prevent potholes, while also reducing costs and carbon emissions. In relation to climate resilience, extreme weather events such as the heavy rainfalls of the beginning of this year or the heatwaves experienced over recent summers can accelerate road deterioration. Adapting roads so they better withstand these stresses, for example by improving drainage systems and using heat-durable materials, helps to maintain good road conditions. It is for each local highway authority to determine which vehicles to use as part of its maintenance operation. As part of the Department's highways innovation programme, Live Labs 2, local authority-led consortia are trialling innovative road maintenance techniques and this includes the use of battery electric powered machinery. The delivery of Live Labs 2 is coordinated by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) and they will publish the programme's findings once trials have concluded.