Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps her Department is taking to mitigate delays at (a) critical junctions and (b) motorways in the South East region during the Christmas period.

To mitigate delays, National Highways has suspended all non-essential works from 21 December to 2 January, lifting over 90% of roadworks across 1,700 miles of the network. At critical junctions, Operation Brock is in place from 16 to 23 December to manage traffic at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, supported by real-time monitoring and rapid incident response from the Regional Operations Centre. On motorways, essential works remain where removal would be unsafe, including a full closure of the M27 between junctions 9 and 11 and limited restrictions on the M25, M27, A34 and A27. Traffic officers are deployed to keep vehicles moving.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce (a) noise and (b) pollution from (i) Heathrow Airport, (ii) Gatwick Airport and (iii) Farnborough Airport in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Transport sets noise controls at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, including night movement and night noise quota count limits. Under Environmental Noise Regulations, these airports are also obliged to produce noise action plans. For Farnborough, appropriate noise controls are a matter for Rushmoor Borough Council as the local authority responsible for planning. The UK has legally binding targets to reduce emissions from damaging air pollutants which will lead to improvements in air pollution around airports. The UK has also played a leading role in the International Civil Aviation Organization to develop strict standards for pollution from aircraft. Airports may be subject to specific planning conditions and environmental obligations set by local authorities, such as Farnborough’s air quality and odour monitoring scheme.

What steps her Department is taking to improve public transport infrastructure between Surrey Heath constituency and Heathrow Airport.

The Government recognises the vital role that surface access will play as part of any future expansion of Heathrow Airport. As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), launched on 22 October 2025, we will consider the transport infrastructure required to support a third runway. This will include considering the impacts for travellers from different regions and the surrounding communities. While it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the ANPS review at this stage, it will be the responsibility of any expansion promoter to set out a surface access strategy demonstrating how they will meet the requirements set out in the ANPS as part of any Development Consent Order (DCO) application.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of bus connectivity between (a) towns and (b) villages in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government knows how important reliable bus services are in enabling people to stay connected and access education, work and vital services. We are committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including in Surrey. The Government has introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 which puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Surrey County Council will be allocated £33.6 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29. This is in addition to the £12 million they are already receiving under the LABG this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding bus provision between towns and villages.

Whether she has had recent discussions with Surrey County Council on the review of speed limits on arterial roads in Surrey Heath constituency.

I have not held any recent discussions with Surrey County Council regarding a review of speed limits on arterial roads in the Surrey Heath constituency.Local traffic authorities are responsible for making decisions about their own roads, based on their knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and circumstances. This includes setting local speed limits.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that South Western Railway rail replacement bus services are fully wheelchair accessible in Surrey Heath constituency.

Regulatory requirements apply to South Western Railway (SWR) to ensure rail replacement buses meet the necessary standards on accessibility across their network, including in Surrey Heath constituency. SWR works with its rail replacement providers to ensure services are accessible as far as possible, but if accessible options are not available, SWR will arrange alternative accessible transport.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of public awareness of road safety issues relating to (a) drug and (b) drink driving in Surrey Heath constituency.

In respect of drug driving, as the THINK! campaign, launched on the 24th Novmeber is still running. The Department has not yet made an assessment of its reach and impact as this will be evaluated in full next year. In respect of the 2025 THINK! summer drink driving campaign, at a national level 9 in 10 of those who saw or heard the campaign took action as a result. There was a significant increase in the proportion of young male drivers who said they are very likely to have a 0% alcohol alternative when driving, up from 31% pre- to 42% post-campaign.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing police officers with additional roadside powers in cases where a driver has tested positive for (a) drugs or (b) alcohol.

We are considering a range of policies under the new Road Safety Strategy; the first for ten years. This includes the case for changing the motoring offences, such as drink and drug driving. We will set out more details in due course.

What discussions her Department has had with local authorities on (a) public awareness and (b) education on (i) drug and (ii) drink driving in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Transport routinely engages with local authorities to assist them with using and promoting our campaigns, and we work closely with Road Safety GB who help disseminate and coordinate our outreach to their network of road safety officers and professionals. My department has recently engaged with contacts at Surrey Roadsafe who have helped promote our THINK! drink and drug driving campaigns through their channels. Surrey Roadsafe is a road safety partnership, comprising: Surrey Police, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey County Council, Surrey Fire and Rescue and National Highways.

How many meetings her Department has held with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to discuss (a) number plate cloning and (b) the use of ghost plates.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) co-chairs the Number Plate and ANPR Working Group with the National Police Chiefs Council. Members of the group include various police forces, the Department for Transport, the Home Office and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. The group meets bi-monthly to discuss number plate related matters, including cloned and ghost plates.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed airport expansions at (a) Farnborough, (b) Heathrow and (c) Gatwick on transport infrastructure in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential impact of proposed airport expansion at Farnborough Airport on transport infrastructure in Surrey and Surrey Heath constituency. Farnborough Airport Limited has submitted a planning application to Rushmoor Borough Council. The Department for Transport has no role to play in decision making relating to the planning application. For Heathrow, the Government recognises the vital role that surface access will play as part of any future expansion of Heathrow Airport. As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), launched on 22 October 2025, we will consider the transport infrastructure required to support a third runway. This will include considering the impacts for travellers from different regions and the surrounding communities. While it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the ANPS review at this stage, it will be the responsibility of any expansion promoter to set out a surface access strategy demonstrating how they will meet the requirements set out in the ANPS as part of any Development Consent Order (DCO) application. On 21 September 2025, the Transport Secretary approved Gatwick Airport’s application for expansion. Her decision letter, published on GOV.UK, sets out her considerations and the requirements of the planning consent; this includes improvements to highways infrastructure and Gatwick Airport’s commitments to promote the use of public transport.

What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce costs for commuters in Surrey Heath constituency.

On 5 December, the Government confirmed investment of over £3 billion for the rest of the Spending Review period to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes funding to extend the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027, ensuring that millions of people can access affordable bus fares and better opportunities all over the country. This investment also includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan. Surrey County Council has been allocated £33.6 million for 2026/27 to 2028/29. Local authorities will have the flexibility to use this funding to meet local needs, which could include introducing local fares schemes to further reduce the cost of bus travel. In respect of rail travel, the Chancellor and Transport Secretary have announced that regulated rail fares will be frozen for a year from March 2026, for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to be affected by this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters in the Surrey Heath constituency could save over £200 on season tickets into London.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the prevalence of mobile phone use while driving in Surrey Heath constituency.

No assessment has been made by the Department for Transport.The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced. The Police are operationally independent and they will investigate each case according to its individual merits taking appropriate action.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the transport system supports economic growth in Surrey Heath constituency.

My officials hold regular meetings with Surrey County Council to discuss transport in Surrey. We will shortly announce the regional allocations for the majority of the transport funding announced in the Spending Review. We have informed Surrey County Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which is £38.19 million for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.

Whether she plans to commission an investigation into the (a) internal governance, (b) operational effectiveness and (c) performance management of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

Learning to drive is a major milestone in life for many, and no one should be held back by long and uncertain waits. That is why this government has launched a robust plan to bring waiting times down and restore confidence in the broken system we inherited from the previous government.On 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times. In the coming months, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will:Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their testsIntroduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.These changes will be introduced in spring 2026. DVSA will publish the full outcome of its consultation with details on how the changes will be implemented and when, as soon as possible.The National Audit Office (NAO) has chosen to investigate and report on the causes of car driving test delays, and update on DVSA’s plan and progress in tackling these issues, the scale and nature of the waiting times for booking practical car driving tests. This includes examining the root cause of the delays and how DVSA has responded to the delays. DVSA has worked with DfT and the NAO team to provide the information needed for its investigation. The NAO intends to publish its report in winter 2025/26.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the DVSA’s internal systems for addressing delays in practical driving test appointments.

Learning to drive is a major milestone in life for many, and no one should be held back by long and uncertain waits. That is why this government has launched a robust plan to bring waiting times down and restore confidence in the broken system we inherited from the previous government.On 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times. In the coming months, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will:Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their testsIntroduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.These changes will be introduced in spring 2026. DVSA will publish the full outcome of its consultation with details on how the changes will be implemented and when, as soon as possible.The National Audit Office (NAO) has chosen to investigate and report on the causes of car driving test delays, and update on DVSA’s plan and progress in tackling these issues, the scale and nature of the waiting times for booking practical car driving tests. This includes examining the root cause of the delays and how DVSA has responded to the delays. DVSA has worked with DfT and the NAO team to provide the information needed for its investigation. The NAO intends to publish its report in winter 2025/26.

If her Department will publish a regional plan for expanding driving test capacity in areas with the longest waiting times.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) fully acknowledges car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this continues to have on learner drivers, particularly those living in rural and semi-rural communities.In the coming months, DVSA will:· Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests· Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.· Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

Whether her Department plans to conduct an impact assessment of the DVSA’s policy to restrict driving instructors from booking test appointments.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee. The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing additional driving test centres in (a) rural and (b) semi-rural constituencies.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) fully acknowledges car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this continues to have on learner drivers, particularly those living in rural and semi-rural communities.In the coming months, DVSA will:· Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests· Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.· Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of passenger rail performance in Surrey Heath constituency.

Performance across the South Western Railway network, including in the Surrey Heath constituency, has been below the standard that passengers deserve. Under public ownership and with new leadership, South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex are working together to address the issues inherited from the previous operator. On the Ascot to Ash Vale line which serves the Surrey Heath constituents, the top recent cause for cancellations is the availability of traincrew. To address this, South Western Railway has accelerated its driver recruitment. By the end of December 2025, South Western Railway will have recruited 124 trainee drivers in the calendar year, up from 67 the year before.