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 561–580 of 1,251 · Department for Transport
What the average grant-supported cost per bus was under each bus procurement scheme in each of the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social value weightings on tendered prices.
My Department is not responsible for the procurement of buses and so does not hold this information.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers.
Surface access strategies give airports the tools they need to stay connected, cut congestion and meet environmental targets. The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers. We continue to engage with operators to ensure that, where airports do choose to charge, they do so in a way that is fair and transparent.
With reference to the provision of central reservation barriers on the National Highways motorway and trunk road network, how many crossover accidents, where vehicles have breached the central reservation, occurred in 2024 and 2025 on sections equipped with a) steel barriers, and b) rigid concrete barriers; and what is the total length and number of assets of life expired steel central reservation barrier on that network that require replacement.
Data on road traffic casualties on the roads in Great Britain is collected via the STATS19 process. The most recently available STATS19 dataset is for 2024 and was published by DfT in September 2025:https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/cb7ae6f0-4be6-4935-9277-47e5ce24a11f/road-safety-data. STATS19 does not record the barrier type and so it is not possible to ascertain the answers to points (a) and (b). Based on the available asset data, there are approximately 10,400km of vehicle restraint barriers on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) operated by National Highways, which is made up of barriers in the central reservation and verges. This comprises 9,300km of steel barrier, 870km of concrete barrier and 230km of wire barrier. 1% (equivalent to approximately 100km of barrier) is categorised as the worst condition banding (i.e 'severely corroded / unserviceable / at end of life'). National Highways prioritises for intervention those assets in the worst condition and barriers in higher risk locations, such as the central reservation.
Pursuant to the Answers of 1 December 2025 to Questions 93461 and 93459, if she will publish the locations, route sections and lengths for a) the 52.6 km of rigid concrete barrier installed in each of the periods 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, b) the 14 km of forecast steel to concrete barrier replacement projects proposed for the Interim Settlement period 2025-26, and c) the projected total length of steel to concrete barrier replacement during RIS3 (2026 to 2030), including any year by year profile held.
The data requested in parts (a) and (b) is currently undergoing verification and will be supplied to the Rt. Hon Member shortly. With respect to part (c), the projected total length of steel to concrete barrier replacement has not yet been finalised for Road Period 3.
When her Department plans to publish the updated Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of recommending that local authorities permit motorcycles to use bus lanes.
The Department for Transport does not currently have plans to update Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24.The Department for Transport undertook a consultation on the potential merits of recommending that local authorities permit motorcycles to use bus lanes in 2024. The responses received to the consultation did not provide a robust evidence base on which to amend the current policy that it is for local authorities to determine whether to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes in their areas.
With reference to paragraph 4.5.12 of the draft amended National Policy Statement for Ports, published on 4 June 2025, what guidance will be available to decision-makers to support them interpreting the term economically reasonable; and what factors will be taken into account in assessing economic reasonableness.
The Department for Transport does not intend to publish supplementary guidance on the interpretation of this paragraph. The concepts of technical feasibility and economic reasonableness are generally well established, and encompass costs not being disproportionate to benefits. Technical guidance on flood risk assessment is published from time to time by the Environment Agency.
Whether estimates of net Government support per passenger journey are used internally by her Department for (a) budgeting, (b) business planning and (c) performance monitoring purposes; and in which internal documents such estimates are recorded.
As explained in response to Question 89632, the reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy over the Spending Review period will be primarily driven by passenger ridership and revenue continuing to recover post COVID-19 and efficiencies and savings being made through public ownership. Net Government support per passenger journey is a relevant metric when considering the affordability and acceptability of proposed business plans, and when monitoring performance against those plans.
What assurances she has had from Network Rail on steps being taken to minimise unnecessary barrier down-time at level crossings, while maintaining safety; and how such assurances will be monitored.
Network Rail is responsible for the safe operation of level crossings across the rail network. The safety measures it puts in place are informed by risk assessments which include, where relevant, available information on barrier down-time. Network Rail is overseen in this by the independent rail safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, which requires duty holders to ensure that the safety mitigations they put in place are reasonably practicable and do not expose passengers, the public or workforce to risk at level crossings.
Pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 106604, whether growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers carry equal priority in the rollout of Great British Railways branding.
As set out in the answers to the questions 100962 and 106604, both growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers are priorities Ministers have set industry leaders delivering the rollout of the Great British Railways brand. These are not mutually exclusive. Industry leaders will balance revenue growth with value for money as we move towards a railway that delivers better for customers and taxpayers.
How many full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency were (a) in post and (b) delivering practical car driving tests in January 2026.
The national average waiting time for a practical car driving test in January 2026 was 21.2 weeks.Data for January 2026 on the number of full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), that are in post and delivering practical car driving tests, will not be available until later in February.As of 30 December 2025, there were 1,618 full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) in post. Of those, 1,542 FTE were available to deliver practical car driving tests.
Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101484 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, what estimate she has made of the average amount of public funding provided per chargepoint.
Information on the average amount of public funding per public chargepoint is not available. Most public chargepoints have not received any public subsidy.
With reference to her Department's report entitled Rail customer experience survey pilot report, published on 25 April 2024, what plans she has to use the survey findings to inform performance standards for public sector rail operators.
The Department uses customer insight data, including emerging findings from the newly introduced Rail Customer Experience Survey, to inform performance management of all train operating companies, including those which are publicly-owned. The Services Agreement for publicly owned operators also states that performance will be measured using the new survey when data allows.
What assessment has she made of requiring (a) regulatory and (b) policy frameworks to be in place before the Heathrow third runway project can proceed to its next phase.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as the independent economic regulator, is currently considering options for the future regulatory framework for Heathrow, including how costs are controlled and risks are allocated, with a decision on a preferred regulatory model for expansion expected in the summer. The government is aware of the need for a clear direction of travel to enable investment.In parallel, the Government launched a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) on 22 October which is the policy framework that any future development consent order for expansion at Heathrow will be examined against. The Government expects to consult on any proposed amendments to the ANPS by the summer, alongside Parliamentary scrutiny in line with statutory processes.
Whether the Government’s view, as set out in paragraph 4.5.10 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports dated 4 June 2025, that there is no national resilience case for requiring climate resilience standards beyond those needed for commercial viability, will be applied consistently by decision-makers when considering development consent for port infrastructure.
Section 104(3) Planning Act 2008 requires the Secretary of State to decide an application in accordance with any relevant national policy statement, except to the extent that one or more of subsections (4) to (8) applies.
How many (a) Notices to Improve and (b) written instructions her Department issued to train operating companies for which the Department is the operator in relation to (i) service performance and (ii) financial control in January 2026.
The Department has not issued any Notices to Improve on any of the DfT Operator train operating companies in January 2026 because none have been in breach of their formal contractual terms. The Department regularly engages with all operators on service performance and financial management, aligned with this Government's priorities on improving performance and reducing subsidy.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 104858 on Roads: Biodiversity, what information her Department holds on the (a) estimated cost, (b) estimated cost range and (c) modelling of the biodiversity net gain for (i) existing and (ii) planned projects related to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project on the Strategic Road Network.
DEFRA’s forthcoming biodiversity net gain impact assessment, which is expected to be published shortly, will set out the impact of applying biodiversity net gain to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
With reference to pages 30 and 31 of the Government's report entitled Motor Insurance Taskforce: final report, published on 10 December 2025, whether the Department has concluded its consideration of penalties for the offence of driving a vehicle without motor insurance; and whether she has plans to increase the fixed penalty fine for this offence.
The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums. The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences
Whether her Department has measurable targets for helping to reduce average motor insurance premiums.
The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums. The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences
If her Department will commission a specific inquiry into the motorcycle insurance market to examine underwriter withdrawals, geographic exclusions and pricing anomalies.
The Government does not intend to commission a specific review into the motorcycle insurance market, as motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. It is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver or rider poses including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and their driving or riding experience. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not seek to control the motor insurance market.The Motor Insurance Taskforce focused on identifying actions that address the factors that contribute to the cost of claims and consequently, the cost of insurance premiums paid by drivers. Given the number of factors involved in pricing motor insurance, the government has not sought to estimate figures for individual consumer savings. However, the government is confident that the taskforce’s collective actions will help to reduce claims costs and, by extension, premiums. The Government’s Road Safety Strategy was published on 7 January. Alongside the strategy, five consultations have been launched, one of which proposes reforms to motoring offences, including introducing tougher penalties for driving without insurance: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences
What the average waiting time for a practical car driving test was in January 2026.
The national average waiting time for a practical car driving test in January 2026 was 21.2 weeks.Data for January 2026 on the number of full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), that are in post and delivering practical car driving tests, will not be available until later in February.As of 30 December 2025, there were 1,618 full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) in post. Of those, 1,542 FTE were available to deliver practical car driving tests.