Written questions by Holden.

How much her Department has spent on (a) consultancy, (b) pilot, (c) communications, (d) branding and (e) marketing activity linked to net zero transition programmes in the commercial vehicle sector; how many (i) officials and (ii) external consultants are employed to administer those programmes; what the total annual staff cost is; and what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of this expenditure.

Existing public communication activity for zero emission vehicles has not incurred any additional costs to the Department for Transport (DfT) and has been delivered by internal DfT staff as part of existing communications roles. Any other paid public communication activity has been delivered via the total Clean Energy Mission where the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead Department and budget holder.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78714 on Railways: Tickets, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the number of participants in the Digital Pay As You Go trials in evaluating the success of that scheme.

We want to ensure the evaluation of the trials is as robust as possible, while remaining proportionate to the scale of the scheme. The 1,000 participants per trial will allow the Department to gain valuable insights into how passengers engage with this technology, their perception of it, how it is working, and what improvements could be considered in future. We are confident the limited trial approach will allow us to effectively evaluate this.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on establishing a cross-government mechanism to support UK participation in international research partnerships on transport decarbonisation and sustainable mobility.

My Department remains committed to supporting international research, for example, through encouraging UK participation in Horizon Europe, and as an active participant in the International Transport Forum, including supporting research projects on decarbonisation and sustainable mobility. To date, there has been no specific discussion with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on setting up a cross-government mechanism to support the UK in participating in international research partnerships on these topics.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77643 on London Underground: Strikes, on what date that meeting took place.

The meeting took place on 11 September 2025.

What steps she is taking to increase opportunities for UK-US research in transport innovation by (a) the NSF–UKRI Lead Agency Opportunity and (b) other research and development programmes.

The Department continues to maintain close relationships with the US on transport innovation. We welcome bids by UK academics to the NSF-UKRI Lead Agency Opportunity and are happy to offer letters of support to suitable proposals.

What estimate her Department has made of the total compliance cost to small and medium-sized (a) logistics and (b) coach businesses of meeting zero emission vehicle mandate requirements.

The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate and its compliance requirements apply only to manufacturers of new cars and vans, not to logistics or coach businesses, but we recognise the importance of supporting businesses across the economy as they transition to zero emission. That is why the Government confirmed in August vital funding to support the uptake of electric vans and trucks, with the plug-in van and truck grant offering discounts of up to £25,000.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78703 on Shipping: Investment, what proportion of that £448 million will be spent in coastal (a) towns and (b) cities; and what steps she is taking to ensure that funding is directed to those areas.

The £448 million funding will primarily be allocated through open competitions rather than direct grants to select coastal towns or cities. The competitions are designed to support maritime businesses including those in the UK’s coastal communities. Detailed competition scopes and assessment criteria will be published alongside competition announcements during the funding period.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78696 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, whether her Department has set a timetable for the completion of the installation of those chargepoints.

Local authorities are at different stages with their Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) projects and chargepoint deployment more widely. The first LEVI projects have now signed contracts and some are starting to install chargepoints. Local authorities are responsible for determining appropriate timetables for their projects in line with their chargepoint strategies. They are required to update the Department quarterly on project progress, including completed chargepoint installations. Installation rates will increase as more projects enter delivery and continue over the next few years.

What assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of (i) Roadmender technology and (ii) other advanced pothole repair systems.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is determined to support local highway authorities in adopting new and innovative technologies to maintain and improve their highway networks.This year, the Government made available an additional £500m for local highways maintenance. 25% of that uplift is subject to local highway authorities demonstrating how they are complying with best practice in highways maintenance, including in relation to adopting innovative technologies to more effectively repair potholes and improve local road condition.Local highway authorities have a duty, under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as 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 and best practice guidance. Whilst the government has no powers to override local decisions in these matters, it nonetheless encourages the adoption of best practice and innovative technologies.

How much and what proportion of Government road maintenance funding has been allocated to (a) local and (b) non-strategic roads compared with the strategic road network since 2024; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the funding in meeting local maintenance needs.

In respect of local and non-strategic roads, the Department has allocated approximately £5.2 billion for local highways maintenance in England over the period 2023/24 to 2025/26. This comes from a wide range of sources including the Highways Maintenance Block, the Integrated Transport Block, Potholes Funding, Network North, the Local Transport Grant, and highways funding that has been consolidated into City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS).The figure does not include the baseline highways maintenance funding and Integrated Transport Block funding that has been consolidated into CRSTS funding for 2025/26. The Department has not split out how much of this funding is for highways maintenance as, by the nature of the funding, it is consolidated transport funding for local authorities to decide how best to use.The £226 million Local Transport Grant of 2025/26 is for local transport and maintenance more widely. Integrated Transport Block funding is for local transport maintenance and enhancements.The above figure includes the £500 million funding uplift for local highways maintenance in 2025/26 that the Government announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. This funding goes well beyond the government's manifesto pledge and is helping councils to fix the equivalent of 7 million extra potholes in 2025/26.In respect of the Strategic Road Network (SRN), the Government provides National Highways with an overall funding settlement, which does not split out maintenance from other spending on their operations. However, National Highways reports that over the period 2023/24 to 2025/26, approximately £756 million of their funding settlement has been spent directly on the maintenance of the SRN. This figure excludes spend on the maintenance of sections of their network that are operated by Public Finance Initiatives (PFIs). These PFIs are paid a lump sum to maintain, operate and renew some sections of the strategic road network and maintenance costs are not split out.

What estimate she has made of the (a) potential cost and (b) carbon savings achieved through using (i) recycled materials, (ii) graphene additives,(iii) Elastomac and (iv) other innovative road repair technologies; and whether she plans to issue updated guidance to local authorities on the wider adoption of such technologies.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is determined to support local highway authorities in adopting new and innovative technologies to maintain and improve their highway networks in a way that is cost effective and reduces carbon impacts.While no estimate has been made of the potential cost and carbon savings achieved through using recycled materials, graphene additives, Elastomac and other innovative road repair technologies, the Department for Transport is taking a range of action that will support these sorts of innovative solutions.This year, the Government made available an additional £500m for local highways maintenance. 25% of that uplift is subject to local highway authorities demonstrating how they are complying with best practice in highways maintenance, including in relation to adopting innovative technologies and reducing carbon impacts. The Department has also funded Live Labs 2, a three-year, £30 million programme designed to support the local highways sector to adopt innovation and reduce its carbon impacts. Projects funded under the programme include the trialling and demonstration of sustainable materials and processes, such as warm-mix asphalts and asphalt modifiers, and the creation of toolkits and databases so that all local highway authorities can access findings and lessons learned from the programme.The Department is also supporting a new Carbon Leadership Programme, which will support local highway authorities in benchmarking the carbon intensity of their operations and gain insights into actions they could take to reduce carbon emissions.Finally, the Department is currently updating the Code of Practice for Well Managed Highways Infrastructure. This update will ensure the Code reflects the latest best practice on innovative and low-carbon road repair technologies.

When she plans to publish the new Road Safety Strategy.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. This Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Our Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. We intend to publish by the end of the year.

Whether future revenues generated from Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate buy-out penalties will be spent on aviation sector decarbonisation.

The SAF mandate, which started in January this year, includes ambitious but deliverable targets to supply sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Suppliers are expected to meet targets in the SAF mandate without the need to buyout. The buyout is not a revenue raising measure, and the buyout price is set at a level to ensure that unsustainable costs are not passed on to passengers. The SAF mandate generates demand, but we are also supporting SAF supply. Including through the Advanced Fuels Fund, which for the current year has allocated £63 million, and the creation of a UK SAF Clearing House to provide advice and support to SAF producers navigating the fuel testing landscape. This is helping to remove barriers to new fuels coming to market. The Government has also introduced legislation for a Revenue Certainty Mechanism to increase investor confidence and unlock investment in UK SAF production. In addition to our considerable commitments on SAF, we are supporting the sector to transition to greener aviation through a range of measures, including delivering the airspace modernisation programme, which will see cleaner, quicker and quieter journeys, and major funding for new technologies through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

What discussions she has had with HS2 Ltd on the the delay to the planned connection between High Speed 2 and the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre; what the additional cost to the public purse will be as a result of that delay; and what recent steps the she has taken to ensure that the HS2 project is delivered on time and within budget.

The Secretary of State for Transport and the Rail Minister have regular engagement with the CEO and Chair of HS2 Ltd to maintain oversight of the project and support their comprehensive reset of HS2. The government has committed an unprecedented settlement of £25.3 billion to progress the delivery of HS2 and Euston up to 2029/30, which will fund construction of the new railway at the lowest reasonable cost. New estimates for the programme’s overall costs and schedule are being developed as part of the HS2 reset. The four-year deferral of works between Delta Junction and Handsacre Junction will enable construction efforts to focus on the cost-efficient delivery of HS2’s opening stage between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street. The works in this area were already paused, meaning the further deferral will not incur demobilisation costs. There will be some additional costs from prolongation and inflation, but these are necessary given the HS2 reset and the need to budget carefully in the wider context of total government spending. The Secretary of State informed the House of the action she took to bring HS2’s delivery under control in an oral statement she made in June 2025 and in her HS2 progress report of July 2025. Further updates will be provided in the Department’s future six-monthly reports to Parliament.

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 18 September 2025 to Question 76334 on Driving Licences: Moldova, if her Department will publish the technical evaluation undertaken by the (a) DVLA and (b) DVSA on Moldovan driving test standards; what the date was of that assessment; and whether any independent verification was sought.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) initially assessed the current driver testing standards in Moldova in December 2022. When DVSA receives an application from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency under the mutual exchange of driving licences, DVSA carries out an evaluation from its own panel of subject matter experts. This panel has the expertise in each of the categories of driving test and licence exchange being applied for. External evaluation is not sought as part of this process.

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 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.

What assessment has been made of the decision to defer work on the Handsacre link on journey times between London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow; and what impact this will have on the overall economic case for HS2.

HS2 Ltd has extended the deferral of works between Birmingham and Handsacre, in place since spring 2023, to focus efforts on the cost-efficient delivery of the opening stage of HS2 between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street. Given the Department remains committed to delivering Phase 1 in full, including the Handsacre link to the West Coast Main Line, the deferral is not expected to have any impact on journey time improvements between London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow once delivery is complete.The deferral will enable the delivery of HS2’s opening stage as soon as possible and at the lowest reasonable cost to taxpayers.

What assessment her Department has made of (a) the average cost per new HGV parking space delivered through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund to date and (b) the total expenditure on that Fund since its launch.

No assessment has been made of the average cost per new HGV parking space delivered by the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme, as costs can vary significantly based on location and extent of work required. The total amount of funding contractually committed to improvement projects by this scheme, as of 23 October, is £13,849,303.45 of which £10,172,066.38 has been spent to date. Up to 1,500 parking spaces will be created alongside wider improvements including to security, welfare facilities such as showers, toilets and dining facilities and decarbonisation measures.