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 861–880 of 1,056 · Department for Transport
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77643 on London Underground: Strikes, whether she plans to meet with other regional transport authorities impacted by industrial action.
Where transport matters are devolved, it is for the devolved authority to deal with any industrial action which may arise. The government would always encourage all sides to work together to resolve any issues as quickly as possible, in the interests of keeping Britain moving.
How much her Department has spent on drug-driving (a) enforcement and (b) communications campaigns in each year since 2023; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of those campaigns.
The Department for Transport does not hold responsibility for enforcement, this is a matter for police forces. The last paid THINK! drug driving campaign ran in 2015, to coincide with a change in drug driving legislation. To address an increase in drug driving casualties over the last decade, THINK! are finalising a new drug driving campaign to launch later this year. Please find drug driving campaign expenditure since 2023 below: Total spend to dateFinancial year 2024/25£35,000Financial year 2025/26£339,719.71 All campaigns are rooted in insight and will use pre and post campaign tracking to measure effectiveness, including immediate impact on recognition, recall, engagement and planned or considered behaviour change. These learnings are used to adapt and evolve future strategy.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 82745 on Roads: Freight, on what dates her Department has met representatives of the road haulage industry to discuss cost pressures since July 2024.
Department for Transport officials regularly meet representatives of the road haulage industry to discuss a wide range of issues impacting the industry. Meetings of industry forums at which road freight representatives were present include: Meetings of the Freight Council on 7 April, 24 June and 6 October 2025 The Freight Workforce Group meetings on 23 October 2024 (as the People and Skills Group) and on 30 April, 5 June and 17 September 2025. The Road Freight Industry Engagement Group meetings on 25 July 2024, and on 27 February, 29 April, 26 June and 23 September 2025. In addition, officials hold ad hoc meetings with road haulage businesses and trade associations to discuss issues raised by the sector, including those relating to costs.
Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78714 on Railways: Tickets, whether her Department has undertaken research on reasons for participation levels in the Digital Pay As You Go trials in (a) Yorkshire and (b) the East Midlands; and what steps she is taking to increase take-up.
The Department is monitoring participation rates as trials go live, and the evaluation of the trial will consider participation amongst users over time. To increase take-up, there will be further press activity for the launch of the third trial, in addition to significant ongoing marketing activity.
With reference to Clauses 6, 12 and 13 of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, what estimate she has made of the total cost to (a) passengers, (b) taxpayers, and (c) fuel suppliers arising from revenue certainty contracts and associated levy payments; and what steps she is taking to ensure that this support does not (i) create long-term subsidy dependence and (ii) disproportionately benefit overseas producers.
The Government set out the potential costs and benefits arising from the RCM scheme in the Cost-Benefit Analysis, published in May 2025, including potential costs for passengers and fuel suppliers. The scheme will be funded via a variable levy placed on aviation fuel suppliers, not by the taxpayer. The RCM contracts will only be signed with UK-based SAF producers. These contracts will have a defined term length to ensure a clear end date to the subsidy and also sets a cap on the support for the sales of SAF to control the scale of the scheme. In addition, clause 1 (7) of the SAF Bill provides an end date, 10 years from the day on which the Act is passed, to new contracts being entered into. We expect UK SAF production to be internationally competitive, with the RCM playing a key role to attracting investment for UK producers in a nascent market that is using innovative technologies. Whilst we are designing contracts, there is careful consideration towards how the volumes are sold under the RCM, including who are the offtakers and the end user’s location.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Government (a) incentives and (b) grant schemes for (i) fleet and (ii) company vehicles on the wider retail market for new low-emission cars.
Favourable tax rates for zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), including the lowest first year rates of Vehicle Excise Duty and preferential Benefit in Kind rates, have been a key driver of ZEV adoption for both fleet operators and companies. Likewise, Plug-in Vehicle Grants have boosted the market share of ZEVs since they were introduced in 2011. Grants remain available for vans, trucks, motorcycles and wheelchair accessible vehicles. The recently announced Electric Car Grant (ECG) is encouraging purchases of low cost zero emission cars in the wider retail market by providing discounts of up to £3,750. We are committed to working with industry to deliver a successful transition to ZEVs, and we will be engaging industry on the grant as it evolves – as we do with all Government grants.
Whether her Department issued any formal directions to DfT Operator Limited in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 in respect of (i) service performance and (ii) financial control.
The Department holds the individual DFTO Train Operating Companies (TOC) to account on both their service and financial performance, with close review of their performance against their service agreements. If the Department issues a DFTO TOC with a Notice to Improve, the TOC is required to publicise this, alongside an explanation for what has caused the failure and what they are doing to remedy it.
With reference to her Department's consultation outcome on Street Works: Fines and Lane Rental Surplus Funds, why the implementation timeline was changed.
The date for laying the statutory instrument was adjusted slightly to allow time to ensure the legislative changes would fully deliver the intended outcomes and this included further engagement with stakeholders. The statutory instrument was laid in Parliament on 13 October. A 12-week notice period following this was always intended to give industry stakeholders and highway authorities sufficient time to understand and prepare for the new regulatory requirements.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sustainable aviation fuel mandate on (a) airline operating costs and (b) the average price of a passenger ticket in each financial year to 2030-31.
I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer given to PQ UIN 78707 on 20 October 2025. The Cost Benefit Analysis for the SAF Mandate sets out our assessment of the potential costs and benefits of the policy.
How many (a) new and (b) upgraded HGV parking spaces have been provided through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund; and when each was completed.
The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorry Parking (2022) which also provided an estimate of the shortfall in on site overnight parking spaces in England. A total of 69 projects that received funding from the MFGS have been completed to date. Window 1 – Awarded on 11 September 2023Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces11Total number of outstanding projects2Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces1 Window 2 – Awarded on 4 March 2024Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces15Total number of outstanding projects4Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces0 Window 3 - Awarded on 10 October 2024Total Number of completed projects5Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces4Total Number of outstanding projects15Total Number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces9 Overall TotalTotal number of completed projects69Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces30Total number of outstanding Projects21Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces10
What recent estimate she has made of total transport-sector emissions since July 2024; and if she will make an assessment of how that figures compares with projections made when the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate was introduced.
Transport was estimated to emit 111.8MtCO2e (megatonnes carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2023, with 78.1MtCO2e from cars and vans. The ZEV Mandate came into force in 2024; it requires that, by 2030, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans should be fully zero emission. In 2024, the Government estimated that this policy would deliver 420MtCO2e of savings by 2050, averaging a reduction of 5.8MtCO2e between 2028 and 2032 and 15.8MtCO2e between 2033 and 2037. The emission savings estimates have been slightly reduced by the flexibilities announced in April but by less than 3% overall.
Whether she plans to review Net Zero transport spending priorities.
The Department for Transport’s budget for day-to-day spending until 2028-2029, and until 2029-2030 for capital investment was set in June’s Spending Review. Delivering greener, safer and healthier transport to support the Government’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050 while driving economic growth is a Departmental priority that we will deliver through a range of spend and non-spend measures. We are accelerating the transformation of existing industries, such as our automotive and maritime sectors, and supporting the growth of nascent industries here in the UK, such as sustainable aviation fuel.
What assessment she has made of the cost of (a) electric and (b) hydrogen HGVs for small and medium-sized enterprises since July 2024; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (i) 2035 and (ii) 2040 end-of-sale dates for new diesel HGVs on (A) logistics costs and (B) delivery prices.
More needs to be done to ensure that UK haulage companies can switch to zero emission HGVs (battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell). This is particularly true as most UK haulage companies are SMEs and operate on small profit margins. As more zero emission HGVs are deployed, the costs of these HGVs should begin to fall due to economies of scale in manufacturing, which when combined with running and maintenance savings, should reduce the total cost of ownership and support a second-hand market.We are supporting UK haulage companies while seeking to minimise the impact of the transition on costs and delivery prices through programmes such as the Plug in Truck Grant, the £30m Depot Charging Scheme and the up to £200m Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator.We will shortly be consulting on options for the end of sales dates for new non-zero emission HGVs and will continue to support UK hauliers with appropriate incentives and clear regulatory approach.
What assessment her Department has made of the total cost of the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme to date; whether any underspends or project delays have been identified; and what measurable increase in zero-emission HGV adoption has resulted.
The Government has committed up to £200 million to the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) to deploy zero emission HGVs and their associated recharging and refuelling sites, most of which will be delivered by March 2026. ZEHID is making good progress with 295 of a possible 319 zero emission HGVs ordered to date (86 already delivered and in use by haulage companies) and 73 planned infrastructure locations (14 already operational). A few HGVs and infrastructure sites may be operational slightly after March 2026 and this is being carefully managed by Innovate UK, our delivery partner. All project spend is forecast to be complete by the end of the current financial year (March 2026), and while there has been some underspend against the project’s original budget, this was due to changes initiated by projects themselves as they refined approaches following original bids submitted in 2022.While ZEHID has been operational, there has been a measurable increase in zero emission HGVs, going from 478 when ZEHID launched in late 2022 to 1,158 in June 2025.
How many HGV (a) parking and (b) roadside welfare upgrade projects funded through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund have been completed; and when each was (i) started and (ii) completed.
The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorry Parking (2022) which also provided an estimate of the shortfall in on site overnight parking spaces in England. A total of 69 projects that received funding from the MFGS have been completed to date. Window 1 – Awarded on 11 September 2023Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces11Total number of outstanding projects2Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces1 Window 2 – Awarded on 4 March 2024Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces15Total number of outstanding projects4Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces0 Window 3 - Awarded on 10 October 2024Total Number of completed projects5Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces4Total Number of outstanding projects15Total Number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces9 Overall TotalTotal number of completed projects69Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces30Total number of outstanding Projects21Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces10
What estimate her Department has made of the shortfall in secure overnight HGV parking spaces in each year since 2023-24.
The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorry Parking (2022) which also provided an estimate of the shortfall in on site overnight parking spaces in England. A total of 69 projects that received funding from the MFGS have been completed to date. Window 1 – Awarded on 11 September 2023Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces11Total number of outstanding projects2Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces1 Window 2 – Awarded on 4 March 2024Total number of completed projects32Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces15Total number of outstanding projects4Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces0 Window 3 - Awarded on 10 October 2024Total Number of completed projects5Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces4Total Number of outstanding projects15Total Number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces9 Overall TotalTotal number of completed projects69Total number of completed projects that include new parking spaces30Total number of outstanding Projects21Total number of outstanding projects that include new parking spaces10
How many people signed up to take part in the digital rail tickets trial scheme between Harrogate and Leeds (a) before and (b) after it began.
The Digital Pay As You Go trials are an opportunity for passengers to test cutting-edge technology and benefit from simpler, more flexible tickets. We have had good engagement from passengers across the trial routes so far, with 656 users on Trial 2. Before launch, 582 passengers expressed taking part in this trial. The Department and delivery partners are pushing for as close to 1000 participants per trial as possible to gather passenger views and effectively evaluate this innovative technology.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) rural and (b) smaller local authorities can access funding to (i) trial and (b) adopt (A) faster, (B) cheaper and (C) lower-carbon road repair technologies.
The Department has made available £1.6bn in funding for local highway authorities to maintain their networks in 2025/26, a £500 million uplift compared to the previous year. It is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances, but the Department encourages the adoption of innovative technologies.The Department has funded Live Labs 2, a three-year (2023/24 to 2025/26), £30 million programme managed by ADEPT to support the decarbonisation of the whole local highways sector in the UK. It comprises seven projects, each in partnership between local highways authorities, the private sector and academia, focussing on different aspects of local highways maintenance, with lessons learned then available to the whole sector. It is founded on the idea that the sector acting together to innovate is more efficient than every authority acting on its own. A key aspect of the programme is testing, verifying and scaling low-carbon materials and technologies for improving road surfaces.
What the total cost was of the (a) rebrand, (b) design, (c) production and (d) promotion of the rebranded See it. Say it. Sorted. campaign.
The total cost for the relaunch of the See It. Say It. Sorted. campaign was £333,751.00 (+ VAT). This was the first update of the campaign since its launch in 2016. Rail operators are mandated by security regulations to print and disseminate the campaign materials at their own cost, so there are no additional costs of production or promotion.
What estimate she has made of the cost per tonne of carbon dioxide reduction achieved through the Revenue Certainty Mechanism compared to other Sustainable Aviation Fuel pathways; and what assessment she has made of the value for money of this policy for taxpayers.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate is the UK’s key policy to decarbonise jet fuel, and could deliver up to 6.3 megatonnes of carbon savings in 2040. The SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) will support investment in UK SAF production and delivery of SAF Mandate targets. The relevant greenhouse gas savings have been accounted for in the SAF Mandate’s Cost-Benefit Analysis. The Government is committed to delivering value for money. The RCM will be funded via a variable levy on aviation fuel suppliers. The Government will actively monitor and control scheme costs, including through the setting of strike prices and by controlling the scale and number of contracts awarded, and it has set out the potential costs and benefits that may arise from the RCM scheme in the Cost-Benefit Analysis, published in May 2025.