Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 401–420 of 1,046 · Department for Transport
Since 1 January 2024, how many additional civil servants have been recruited into DfTO on a headcount basis; and for each quarter in the period January 2024 to the most recent quarter for which figures are available, what the net change in total civil service headcount has been at DfTO.
DFT Operator Limited (DFTO) is a public corporation. It is not a Crown employer and it does not employ civil servants.
What assessment she has made of the potential costs to port developers of setting target modal shares for rail or coastal shipping, as referenced in the draft National Policy Statement for Ports; and what further assessment she has made of how such targets would be designed to ensure that developers are not required to fund measures beyond those that are cost-effective and directly attributable to the development.
The costs of requirements and obligations for rail and/or coastal shipping can only be determined in the specific circumstances of individual applications for development consent. The draft National Policy Statement for Ports makes clear that such requirements should be directly related to the prospective impacts of the developments, and that while target modal shares may sometimes be appropriate, they are not automatically mandatory. The final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports will be published in due course.
Whether the Royal Train will be treated as a Great British Railways service for the purposes of network access, charging and operational control once Great British Railways is established.
The 2024-2025 Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve Annual Reports and Accounts, published by the Royal Household, confirmed that the Royal Train will be decommissioned ahead of the current contract expiring in 2027, following a thorough review into its use and value for money. As such it will not become part of Great British Railways (GBR).
With reference to rail fares in England, what the average percentage change was between July 2024 and the current fares period for a) Advance fares b) First Class fares c) Super Off-Peak fares, and what methodology was used to calculate these averages.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes annual statistics measuring the change in prices charged by train operating companies to rail passengers in Great Britain. The annual statistical release is presented by sector, ticket type, class and regulated status. The rail fares index statistical release includes the methodology that the ORR uses.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Rail Delivery Groups' updated fare search limits on (a) passenger choice, (b) the cost of rail fares and (c) levels of passenger demand.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) plays an important role in managing functions and services upon which train operators, retailers and passengers rely. The configuration of these systems is a matter for the RDG.
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105760, if she will provide a hyperlink to that information.
The data table showing a breakdown of fatalities in reported road traffic collisions by vehicle and propulsion type (RAS0507) is published as part of the Department’s annual road casualty statistics, and can be accessed via:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#vehicles-and-drivers-ras05 .
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105292, what funding her Department has provided directly to Community Rail Partnerships in each financial year since 2019–20; and what funding is planned for (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.
The Department does not award funding directly to Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) – funding to CRPs is awarded via the Community Rail Network (CRN) and Train Operating Companies (TOCs). The CRN provide access to grants and resources for its members (a mix of CRPs and Station Adoption Groups). The Department has granted over £800,000 of funding to the CRN in this financial year (FY 2025-2026). Funding from the Department has remained at a consistent level since 2019-20. The Department will set out the funding for 2026-27 at the start of the next financial year. As we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), the Community Rail movement will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.
What estimate her Department has made of the cost of co-funding transport infrastructure associated with port developments; and what criteria will be used to determine when such co-funding is appropriate.
The UK’s ports sector is largely privately owned and operated, with the Government’s role primarily to ensure that the policy and regulatory environment supports efficient operation and investment. The Government provides targeted support where there are clear public benefits. This includes investing in road and rail connections to ports to improve the efficient and cost-effective transportation of goods and passengers. The National Wealth Fund has committed at least £5.8 billion of its capital to five sectors, including ports. This will catalyse investment in areas which are currently struggling to attract the required volumes of private investment. As set out in the Government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, transforming the UK’s infrastructure will require significant increases in private investment to complement and maximise the value of the extensive public investment underway. Government explores opportunities to co-fund transport infrastructure associated with port development on a case-by-case basis.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 101827, if she will publish the estimates of future passenger demand being used to inform strategic planning across the Essex Thameside area, including an assessment of the potential impact of proposed housing growth in Basildon Borough on c2c and Greater Anglia rail services.
Network Rail is responsible for developing estimates of passenger and freight future demand, working closely and collaboratively with train operating companies, local authorities, freight operators and other relevant stakeholders. The Eastern region planning documents, including the Essex Thameside Strategic Advice, are made available on Network Rail’s website -https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/long-term-planning/
Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101488, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing or consolidating lower-cost rail fares as part of fare simplification reforms on fare evasion.
As part of our reforms to the railways, we are making fares easier to understand, so that passengers can buy tickets with confidence, knowing they are getting the right fare every time. Under Great British Railways (GBR), passengers will enjoy a consistent, reliable offer across the entire network. Simplifying fares is intended to improve passenger confidence and reduce the likelihood of unintentional fare irregularities. Tackling fare evasion is a priority. The Secretary of State has accepted the Office for Road and Rail’s recommendations in its June 2025 review into revenue protection practices, and the Department will respond formally in due course. In light of this wider work on ticketing and fare evasion, the Department has not undertaken a separate assessment specifically on the impact of removing or consolidating lower‑cost fares on fare evasion.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106337, what estimate her Department has made of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints required to meet the 2030 target that will be delivered by the private sector.
The Department has not made an estimate of how many electric vehicle chargepoints will be delivered by the private sector. Many chargepoints are delivered through a combination of public and private sector funding. This includes the estimated 100,000 chargepoints expected to be delivered under the Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Scheme, which is leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105746, what her planned timetable is for (a) developing and (b) consulting on regulatory proposals for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters.
As set out in our answer to question 105746, the Government has made a commitment to pursue legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows. The Government will fully assess and consult on potential regulatory requirements ahead of introducing legislation.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105302, whether the proposed primary legislation to enable the Regulated Asset Base model for the Lower Thames Crossing will be introduced before construction begins.
Construction enabling works for the Lower Thames Crossing have commenced north and south of the River Thames. At Autumn Budget 2025 the Government 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. The Government's preferred financing option at this stage is the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. New primary legislation is required to enable the RAB model to be utilised to deliver roads. We intend to bring forward legislation, when parliamentary time allows.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 104865, whether her Department plans to improve the frequency and granularity of bus passenger journey data collection, including collection by calendar month.
The Department for Transport publishes bus passenger data at a range of frequencies and levels of detail. Annual local bus passenger journey statistics are published on a financial year basis, with the latest release covering April 2024 to March 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/statisticaldata-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01. In addition to the annual statistics, the Department publishes more frequent information on bus use through two separate statistical releases. The Department publishes daily bus passenger data for Great Britain outside London and London as part of the daily domestic transport use by mode publication, which is updated monthly: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.The Department also published daily local bus passenger and trip data by Local Transport Authority as Official Statistics in Development last year: https://www.gov.uk/government/statisticaldata-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01. These are undergoing further development and testing with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Current data limitations include no data held for London and incomplete coverage for England outside London. For this latter release, the Department plans to continue developing the data source, publish an updated set in due course and move towards more regular updates in future. Decisions on the precise timing, frequency and level of detail, including the potential production of statistics monthly, will be informed by ongoing work to improve data quality, coverage and user value.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106335, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints that have been installed but are not operational due to electricity grid connection issues.
The Department for Transport does not have such an estimate.
Pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 105289, how many meetings of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce have taken place since July 2024; on what dates those meetings occurred; and who was present.
The first meeting of the reconvened Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was held on 30 January 2025, and a further meeting of the Taskforce will be convened in the near future to discuss next steps. Attendees at the 30th January meeting included representatives from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, the Port of London Authority, the London Borough of Wandsworth, Historic England and the Environment Agency, as well as local Members of Parliament attending as observers.
What progress she has made on the development of a UK draft Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Code; when she expects a draft to be published; and what engagement her Department has had with industry and international partners on the alignment of the UK framework with international standards.
The Workboat Code Edition 3, including its annex for remotely operated unmanned vessels, came into force in December 2023. This followed public consultation, during which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency engaged extensively with the industry through meetings, conferences and post‑consultation briefing sessions. This code is already informing the domestic frameworks of international partners, including some of our close collaborators and co-signatories of the North Sea MASS (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) Memorandum of Understanding. The UK has been a leading participant in international negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), coordinating several chapters of the non-mandatory IMO MASS Code expected in June 2026. The code will provide guidance for a rapidly developing autonomy industry, enabling the commercial use of autonomous ships. The UK will work with international partners and leading industry players throughout the IMO’s “experience-building phase” to shape the IMO MASS Code ahead of its anticipated enforcement in 2032.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the current level of port and bunkering infrastructure on the uptake of e-fuels by UK-operating vessels; what steps the Government is taking to help increase the domestic (a) production and (b) supply of e-fuels for maritime transport; and what steps her Department has taken to help increase investment in port and bunkering infrastructure.
The Government provides the port sector with the right regulatory environment it needs to support investment, providing targeted support where there are clear public benefits, such as decarbonisation. In September 2025 the Government announced a further £448 million to the UK SHORE research programme, the biggest ever Government investment in commercial maritime across the UK. In addition, 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. The Government has not conducted an assessment of the impact of an uptake in e-fuels on the current level of port and bunkering infrastructure in the UK, however we are taking action through policies set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. This Strategy includes a range of fuel scenarios, underpinned by a maritime emissions model, illustrating the varying ways in which the UK domestic maritime sector could transition from traditional fuels, such as heavy fuel oil, to zero and near-zero GHG emission fuels. Additionally, we intend to publish a consultation on a domestic maritime fuel regulation later this year which will help set the direction of UK maritime fuels policy and reduce uncertainty for the sector.
Whether her Department plans to differentiate between motorcycles and driver-based vehicles in the development of transport and road safety policy, including within the Integrated National Transport Strategy.
The Department for Transport already makes a differentiation between motorcycles and driver-based vehicles in the development of transport and road safety policy, including the upcoming national strategy for integrated transport. The Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January contains many measures that will directly or indirectly benefit all road users while also proposing specific measures that are distinct to motorcyclists for example the announced consultation on a package of reforms to motorcycle training, testing and licensing and for drivers for example minimum learning periods for learner drivers. The Highway Code clearly differentiates between the rules for motorcyclists and other road users, being structured with specific sections for the different road user types. In January 2022 the department updated The Highway Code and introduced the “Hierarchy of Road Users” which places the most vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists who are most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy, so that they have priority in certain situations. Motorcyclists are recognised as more vulnerable, than cars and heavy goods, vehicles drivers within this hierarchy. However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course. With consideration to the access of different vehicle types to segregated road lanes, in 2024 the Department ran a consultation on allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default, as is the case for pedal cycles. The responses did not provide a robust evidence base on which to amend the current policy. Decisions on whether to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes are a matter for the relevant local highway authority. There is also a differentiation regarding technical approval as all vehicles registered in the UK must be approved under the relevant type approval framework which ensure they meet safety requirements that are specific to their design and use. There is a dedicated type approval processes for motorcycles which is distinct to those for other vehicle types.
Whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of the Wheels to Work scheme on youth unemployment; and what steps she is taking to support that scheme.
On 10 December the Government announced £626 million for local authorities from 2026 to 2030 to deliver new active travel schemes, building on nearly £300 million already allocated for 2024 to 2026. While the Department has made no assessment of Wheels to Work schemes, which are designed and operated by local authorities, local authorities are able to use the active travel funding from Government to support the delivery of them.