Written questions by Holden.

Whether his Department plans to use discounted ticketing initiatives to (a) increase passenger utilisation on lightly used services and (b) reduce the volume of trains operating with significant spare capacity for Great British Railways services.

Great British Railways (GBR) will be empowered to deliver industry-wide modernisation and reform of the complex and fragmented fares landscape inherited from privatisation. This will enable GBR to simplify the ticketing system and make it easy for passengers to find the right fare. GBR will offer us the opportunity to go further with optimising train services and driving up utilisation. Through GBR’s directing mind function, services and timetables will be developed in a coherent fashion that drives up network performance and improves the journey experience.We are also already driving forward improvements in advance of GBR. For example, we are supporting LNER to deliver their ‘Simpler Fares’ trial, which is testing an easier to understand fares structure and demand-based pricing on parts of their long-distance network. The aim is to improve the passenger experience by reducing crowding, making better use of capacity and making travel more comfortable for passengers.

With reference to her Department’s press release entitled Greener flights ahead for UK aviation, published on 1 January 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the additional cost per passenger flight of the requirement for airlines to use 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

The press release relates to the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate which came into force on 1 January. The Department published a Cost Benefit Analysis for the SAF Mandate, alongside the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Order 2024 SI No.1187 which introduced the mandate. That Cost Benefit Analysis sets out our analysis of the potential costs and benefits of the policy. Any impact on ticket prices is expected to be within the range of normal year to year changes in air fares. We continually monitor the market to update our assumptions where necessary. The Mandate has been designed to protect against excessive costs with a built-in review process so the Government can take action if necessary.

With reference to her Department press release entitled Boost for British green aviation fuel production to support jobs and lift off emerging industry, published on 14 May 2025, how much of the (a) £400,000 and (b) £60 million will be allocated to (i) UK-headquartered companies and (ii) companies headquartered overseas; and how many jobs have been (A) created and (B) safeguarded, broken down by company receiving funding.

The press release concerns £63 million which was made available for the third competition window of the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). The AFF aims to grow the UK supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by supporting first-of-a-kind production plants achieve commercial scale. The £400,000 is related to grant funding made available this financial year for the UK SAF Clearing House. The Clearing House provides services to potential UK SAF producers to help them navigate the testing and approval requirements for non-fossil-based jet fuel. In respect of the AFF funding, £63 million has been allocated across 17 UK projects for this financial year. On points (i) and (ii), this funding can only be allocated to companies with a UK registered office for UK based projects. In respect of Clearing House grant funding, the assessment process to allocate the £400,000 is still ongoing, however all recipients will have to be either a UK registered company or charity with a UK footprint. Low carbon fuels production can support up to 15,000 jobs in the UK by 2050. In respect of job creation, information that is provided by AFF bidders and our Clearing House is commercially sensitive.

With reference to the press notice entitled New tech to make rail replacement travel more accessible, published on 13 May 2025, what information her Department holds on the number of times the 3D animated avatar for rail replacement coaches has been used by passengers since its introduction.

The products referenced are not yet in use as the competition (Contracts for Innovation: Accessible Information on Coaches) is still underway, and these projects are currently going through development, trials with disabled people and coach operators, and manufacturing scale-up. The competition is due to finish in March 2026.

What proportion of the government’s target to deliver 300,000 public electric vehicle chargepoints by 2030 is dependent on private sector investment.

An estimate of potential future demand for chargepoints was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: the National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 resulting in a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. While the precise number of public chargepoints needed is uncertain, the majority of these will be delivered by industry, who have already committed £6 billion of private sector investment in UK charging infrastructure before 2030.

Whether the Passenger Watchdog will be (a) responsible for issuing passenger performance standards, (b) involved in drafting and publishing those standards before Great British Railways becomes operational; and when she expects the Passenger Watchdog to go live.

The Government consulted on proposals for a railways bill, including the creation of a new passenger watchdog, earlier in the year. The Government response to this consultation will be published in due course and we expect to introduce legislation to establish the watchdog later in this parliamentary session. The watchdog would then become operational as soon as possible after the legislation receives royal assent.

With reference to the press notice entitled Transport Secretary forges landmark deal to progress new Swiss rail link, published on 9 May 2025, how many meetings of the joint UK–Swiss working group have been held as of 10 October 2025; what the cost to the public purse was for those meetings; how many staff hours have been spent on the development of the Memorandum of Understanding; how many (a) staff meetings and (b) meetings with her Swiss counterparts have been held in relation to the development of the Memorandum of Understanding.

The landmark agreement signed with Switzerland earlier this year established a UK–Swiss Working Group which could pave the way for direct commercial services between the UK and Switzerland in future. As of 10 October 2025, one meeting of the joint UK–Swiss Working Group has been held. This took place in the UK on 16 September 2025. The costs of hosting this working group, excluding staff time, are estimated to be less than £800. The next working group meeting will be planned for the first quarter of 2026.Whilst it is not possible to quantify the number of staff hours dedicated to developing the Memorandum of Understanding, officials have held a number of internal meetings and discussions with Swiss counterparts to support its development.

What recent assessment she has made of the resilience of Britain’s rail network to prolonged periods of dry weather, in the context of ongoing speed restrictions and service reductions on routes including the West of England line; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) embankments and (b) track infrastructure are properly maintained to avoid repeated disruption to passengers.

The resilience of Britain’s rail network to severe weather is managed through Network Rail’s Control Period 7 regional weather resilience and climate change adaptation plans. Through the period we will invest £2.8 billion in improving the resilience of their assets to extreme weather (including dry weather) and in development of long-term climate change adaptation pathways. Extended periods of dry weather made some clay embankments unstable on some rail routes including in Westen England. In this region the driest spring since 1836, followed by the driest summer in 200 years, resulted in a severe soil moisture deficit. To manage these conditions safely Network Rail worked with train operators, including South Western Railway, to implement speed restrictions and make some service alterations as a result. Network Rail and South Western Railway continue to monitor soil moisture levels, track conditions, and train performance, and provide regular updates to the Department. Services will be reinstated as soon as it is safe to do so. Most railway embankments in western/southern England are built on clay soil, which normally contains moisture. However, heat radiation and moisture absorption by lineside vegetation and trees have removed much of this moisture. Temporary speed restrictions, which cause extended journey times, are one of the ways in which services can continue to run safely.

How much funding her Department has allocated to (a) road maintenance and (b) pothole repairs in each year since 2022; and what the total amount is allocated over that period.

The Department has allocated approximately £8 billion for local highways maintenance in England over the period 2021/22 to 2025/26.This includes a range of funding 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 is exclusive of 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 also includes the £500m funding uplift for local highways maintenance in 2025/26 that the Government announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.Further information on these funding streams is available online, at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocationshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-grant-allocations/local-transport-grant-ltg-allocations-2025-to-2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71255 on Restoring your railway fund, if she will publish a copy of the (a) environmental principles assessment and (b) public sector equality duty assessment relating to the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway fund.

The decision to close the Restoring Your Railway fund was taken in the context of a wider review of Public Spending by the Chancellor, where she confirmed the steps the Government was taking to address the pressures on the public finances by cancelling unfunded policy announcements made by the previous government. No environmental principles assessment or public sector equality duty assessment was made by my Department on the specific element of the decision to close the Restoring Your Railway fund. My Department has due regard for Public Sector Equality Duty and Environmental Principles as decisions are taken about progressing projects and these will also have been considered by HM Treasury in the review of Public Spending, as my Right Honourable Friend’s previous response indicated.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of industrial action by train guards on passengers.

The Department regrets the impact any industrial action by guards may have on passengers. The Department works with its contracted train operators to minimise the impact of any industrial action and encourages them and the trade unions to resolve matters, through discussion, as quickly as possible.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59359 on Motorcycles: Bus Lanes, how many respondents responded to the consultation on allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default; and what number of respondents were (a) for and (b) against.

This information is contained in the ‘Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome’ published on 21 November 2024 and available here: Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome - GOV.UK .

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71258 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, whether (a) Oxfordshire County Council and (b) Oxford City Council have made enquiries to DVLA to access vehicle registration data for the purposes of (i) congestion charging and (ii) traffic filters.

In line with the relevant legislation, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) provides vehicle information to Oxfordshire County Council for a number of specified purposes. These include management of the zero emission zones scheme and moving traffic offences. The data sharing contract governing requests for vehicle information relating to local authority schemes in Oxford is between the DVLA and Oxfordshire County Council.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71238 on Buses and Large Goods Vehicles: Licensing, for what reason the consultation response has been delayed.

The previous government did not publish a response to its consultation before it left office.This government is now working closely with operators to obtain further evidence and will then consider next steps.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71253 on Railways: Facilities Agreements, if she will publish a copy of the extant facility time agreements in place for (a) her Department, (b) Great British Railways and (c) DfT Operator Limited.

In rail, facility time agreements are between individual train operating companies or Network Rail and the trade unions (TUs), not between the Department for Transport or DfT Operator Limited and the TUs. Great British Railways has not yet been established so has no facility time agreements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71264 on Driving under Influence, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the lower limit in Scotland on the economic viability of pubs in Scotland.

The power to set the drink drive limit in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government. The Department of Transport has not made an assessment of the impact on the economic viability of pubs in Scotland.

What discussions her Department has had with (a) The Office of the Mayor of London and (b) Transport for London on the London Underground strikes in the week of 8 September 2025.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL, and strike action on London’s transport network is for TfL to manage. The Government encourages all sides to work together to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible. The Secretary of State met with TfL on this matter during the week of 8 September 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71256 on Railways: Automation, if she will make it her policy to link government investment to conditions on greater take-up of automated train operation technology.

The Government is committed to investing in a modern railway that is reliable for passengers and supports economic growth for taxpayers. This has included investment in automated train operation in recent years, as noted in the answer of 8 September, on schemes such as Thameslink and the Elizabeth Line, and I would expect this to continue to be a consideration for future investment where it can drive efficiency and improved performance for the railway.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71266 on Department for Transport: Buildings, what the make and model of soundproof meeting pods were; and how many were purchased.

Three Kolo Midi soundproof meeting pods were purchased.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71274 on THINK! Campaign, what the total amount of savings from reduced spending on the THINK! Road Safety communications campaign is since July 2024.

For the financial year 2024/2025, the budget for the THINK! road safety campaign has reduced by £1,299,424 compared to the previous financial year. This was in line with the Government’s review of campaign spending.