Written questions by Holden.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Driving innovation – 38,000 jobs on the horizon as pilots of self-driving vehicles fast-tracked, published on 10 June 2025, whether the autonomous vehicle pilot schemes supported by her Department are intended to operate on a national basis, and what consideration has been given to the inclusion of towns, cities, and rural areas across all regions of the UK.

The government intends to launch the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme in Spring 2026; this scheme applies to Great Britain. The scheme will allow developers and potential operators to evaluate different areas for pilot deployments and test the commercial viability of this new mode of transportation. This includes in towns and rural areas where there may be a lack of transport provision. Through this scheme, the government aims to create the right enabling framework for services to be able to deploy across a range of locations.

How her Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending pothole funding.

The Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending highways maintenance funding through a combination of transparency requirements, incentive funding and rating mechanisms, enabling the provision of targeted support. The Department published a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. These ratings are designed to promote good asset management and encourage a preventative approach to highways maintenance. For the 2025/26 financial year, 25% of the £500 million funding increase was contingent upon local highway authorities demonstrating how they were complying with certain criteria aimed at driving best practice and improvement of highways maintenance. This included publishing transparency reports setting out how they are spending their highways maintenance funding and how they are complying with best practice, including preventative maintenance. Looking ahead, a proportion of highways maintenance funding will continue to be allocated as incentive funding, linked to authorities’ transparency and performance, to support continuous improvement across the network. The Department is also providing dedicated support to authorities, including a peer review offer for red-rated authorities. This is alongside the extension of Live Labs 2, the Department’s highways innovation programme.

Whether trains carrying Greater Manchester Bee Network branding or livery will remain rail assets of Great British Railways or the Secretary of State, rather than assets of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Livery reflects who is responsible for the service, not who owns the trains. Aside from some devolved services, where there are instances of ownership by the devolved authority, rolling stock is leased from rolling stock companies and managed day-to-day by the train operator. There is currently one Northern unit in temporary promotional Bee Network livery operating on Manchester‑area services, highlighting the forthcoming tap‑and‑go contactless integration on local rail; this is a branding exercise only and does not change ownership or leasing arrangements. As there are currently no rail services devolved to Greater Manchester, any trains operating on the GBR network would carry GBR livery rather than Bee Network branding. Through partnerships with GBR, there could be opportunities for external co-branding of rolling stock where Mayoral Strategic Authorities take a financial stake in service provision.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104872, when her Department expects to conclude its assessment of Transport for London’s proposal for Great Northern inner services.

The Department is continuing to review the proposal and is working with Transport for London to assess its benefits and wider implications, including the financial and operational impacts. No timeline for a decision has yet been set, but this work is continuing. This assessment will not affect preparations to bring Govia Thameslink Railway services into public ownership on 31 May 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Court of Appeal judgment in Maritime and Coastguard Agency v Groom [2026] EWCA Civ 6 and (b) Employment Rights Act 2025 on the operational model, recruitment and retention of Coastguard Rescue Officers; and whether she plans to make changes to the (i) status and (ii) funding of HM Coastguard.

The Department and Maritime and Coastguard Agency is currently evaluating the judgment of the court of appeal and is carefully considering next steps to agree the future operational model for the Coastguard Rescue Service. This includes extensive consultation with all members of the Coastguard Rescue Service and other interested parties to determine the status and future funding model of HM Coastguard, in line with the determination. The welfare and safety of all Coastguard Rescue Officers remain our priority, and the MCA will continue to support and work with all members of the Coastguard Rescue Service recognising the impact on individuals while assessing any potential liabilities and impacts of the judgement.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78707, whether her Department has made a recent updated estimate of the additional cost per passenger per flight arising from the requirement for airlines to use 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answers I gave on 20 October, 23 October and 5 November 2025 to PQs UIN78707, UIN83374 and UIN85910. The estimated costs of the requirement were assessed and published prior to the introduction of the SAF mandate in January last year. We will monitor the market to update our assumptions where necessary and to inform formal reviews.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 101850, if she will publish the British Transport Police’s crime-screening policy for pedal-cycle theft at railway stations.

The British Transport Police (BTP) Crime Screening Policy is an operational document owned by the BTP. Any decisions to publish the document are for BTP, as an operationally independent police service.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of uninsured motorcycles on UK roads in each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold this information.

How she plans to determine whether appropriate bodies are assigned responsibility for the adoption and long-term maintenance of Sustainable Drainage Systems under development consent orders for port developments; and whether she has made an estimate of the cost of those requirements for applicants and public bodies.

The proposal for a revised National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP) contains extensive guidance on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). The final version will be published in coming weeks.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the collection and analysis of data on level-crossing barrier down-time, including average duration and frequency of extended closures, on the safe operation of level crossings.

Network Rail considers available information on barrier down time as part of the risk assessments it routinely carries out for level crossings with barriers. The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent rail safety regulator for Great Britain, is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Network Rail’s management of its level crossings, including the risk assessments it undertakes, to ensure their continued safe operation.

What estimate she has made of the annual cost of extending the statutory concessionary bus travel scheme UK-wide to include all residents aged 19 and under.

The Government knows how important affordable bus services are in enabling young people to access education, work and vital services. Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement costs to operators. Any changes to the statutory obligations, such as expanding the eligibility criteria to include under 19’s, would need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across England to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. Essex County Council will be allocated £59.3 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £17.8 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.

What guidance will be issued to decision-makers on the application of paragraphs 4.7.34–4.7.35 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, including how “acceptable levels” of residual transport impact will be defined; and whether these provisions represent a change in policy from the 2012 Ports National Policy Statement.

We are currently considering the views received from consultation on, and Parliamentary scrutiny of, the draft revised NPS for Ports, and will lay a final text in due course.

What internal data Network Rail collects on level crossings, including a) barrier activation and down-time duration, b) complaints or reports from road users relating to barrier down-time, and c) overruns caused by incidents, failures, or timetable disruption; and whether any such data is shared routinely with her Department.

Network Rail collects a range of data regarding level crossings on its network, which helps inform the management of risk at each location. If there are complaints or feedback from members of the public in relation to level crossings, Network Rail has processes in place to respond to these. However, as the safety and management of level crossings are the legal responsibility of Network Rail, this information is not routinely shared with my department.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of community rail partnerships on local rail services; what funding her Department has allocated to community rail partnerships in this financial year; and what steps her Department is taking to promote and expand community rail activity.

Community Rail delivers projects which bring benefits to local rail through social, environmental, and economic growth. Work carried out by Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) includes projects to establish community hubs in underused station spaces, creation and maintenance of gardens at stations, and supporting all members of the community to travel with confidence, for example by improving station environments to accommodate all members of the community. These projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.The Department has granted over £800,000 to the Community Rail Network (CRN) via core and project funding in this financial year (FY 2025-2026). The CRN provide access to grants and resources for its members (a mix of CRPs and Station Adoption Groups). Whilst the Department does not directly fund CRPs, financial support is provided directly via the train operating companies.The Department continues to support the community rail sector, and as we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to work closely with the Community Rail Network to identify opportunities to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 99932, whether the estimates referred to in that Answer are held in a form that allows net Government support per passenger journey to be calculated, and whether she will publish those estimates and the underlying calculations.

The Department does not intend to publish estimates and underlying calculations.  The Department does not routinely publish forecasts of passenger revenue due to the level of uncertainty inherent in those forecasts.  The ORR publish data that enables this information to be derived on a backwards looking basis.

What the kerbside airport drop-off charges were at each of the major UK airports in (a) July 2024 and (b) today; and whether her Department has issued guidance on airport drop-off charges.

The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Government expects fees to be set in a way that is both fair and transparent for consumers.

What assessment her Department has made of the risks associated with hybrid vehicle battery fires following road traffic collisions; and whether she plans to commission guidance for manufacturers and emergency services.

The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review. Insurance industry analysis suggests that hybrid vehicles are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. Nevertheless, existing regulations covering vehicle construction include requirements to safeguard against the novel risks and potential concerns associated with hybrid-electric vehicles, including fire. In addition to the Department for Transport’s published guidance for road recovery operators, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs Council have produced guidance for their staff on dealing with hybrid and electric vehicles.

Whether she has received a proposal for a community rail partnership for the C2C rail franchise; what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a community rail partnership for C2C services; and what steps she is taking to support the establishment of a community rail partnership for the C2C network.

Officials have not yet received a proposal for a community rail partnership from c2c. We understand the operator will be sharing a proposal in 2026/27 and officials will consider how this might best be facilitated.In terms of merits, Community Rail Partnerships bring benefits to local communities through social, environmental, and economic growth. Projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101851, if she will publish any information held by her Department in whatever format it is held.

As set out in our answer to question 101851, the Department does not hold the data requested in a readily available form.

How decision-makers should interpret the requirement for applicants to assess the implications of port developments for Shoreline Management Plans, marine plans and coastal defence capital programmes; and whether applicants may be required to fund mitigation or adaptation measures beyond the direct impacts of the proposed development.

A final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP) will be published in due course.