Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Mayer this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 255 · Department for Transport
Whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of eCall on (a) response times and (b) the (i) number and (ii) severity of road traffic (A) casualties and (B) fatalities in each of the last five years.
A pre-legislation appraisal of eCall was conducted in 2013. The report is available on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ecall-uk-cost-benefit-analysis
What (a) assessment and (b) estimate she has made of the differential in her Department’s Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit budget in the (i) Spending Review and (ii) Autumn Budget 2025 in each year between 2024-25 and 2029-30.
The Spending Review 2025 established allocations of Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) up to financial year 2028-29, with further spending announcements made during Autumn Budget 2025. A profile of these spending limits is enclosed in the table below. RDEL £m2025/262026/272027/282028/29Control Total8,291.08,118.77,671.57,509.5Changes at AB25Net changes at AB25-131.5138.6109.5New Control Total8,291.08,250.2007,810.1007,618.953 Spending limits for 2029-30, as well as how Resource Spending Limits are allocated are subject to business planning processes. Furthermore, the department will provide more detail on future spending plans at the appropriate Supply Estimate.
What assessment she has made of the likely effectiveness of Network Rail’s asset renewal programme in Control Period 7 between 2024 and 2029; and what estimate she has made of the level of depreciation of Network Rail’s assets between 2024 and 2029.
Network Rail updates its Delivery Plan each year of the Control Period. As forecast at the start of CP7 we expect to see an increase in the average age of railway assets by the end of the Control Period. The impact of this, measured using the Composite Sustainability Index, was estimated in the year 2 update to Network Rail’s Delivery Plan to be a 2.6% reduction in asset sustainability. Depreciation of the value of the railway network up to 2029 is forecast to remain broadly consistent with about 1.8% annually, as set out in the Department for Transport’s 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts.
What (a) assessment and (b) estimate she has made of the differential in her Department’s Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit budget in the (i) Spending Review and (ii) Autumn Budget 2025 in each year between 2024-25 and 2029-30.
The Spending Review 2025 established allocations of Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) up to financial year 2029-30, with further spending announcements made during Autumn Budget 2025. A profile of these spending limits is enclosed in the table below. CDEL £m2025/262026/272027/282028/292029/30SR25 Control Total21,56522,90423,17622,74123,940AB25Net Changes at AB25501001646-10420New Control Total21,61523,00424,82222,73124,360*CDEL is adjusted for TfL Business Rates Retention (£1.2bn p.a. from 2026-27). Capital spending limits in future years and how they are allocated are subject to departmental business planning processes. Furthermore, the department will provide more detail on future spending plans at the appropriate Supply Estimate.
Whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of motorcycle crash notification systems on (a) emergency service response times and (b) the number of motorcyclist (A) casualties and (B) fatalities.
On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by motorcycle riders and the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain. While there is no mandatory requirement for motorcycles to be fitted with collision notification systems, aftermarket products exist that are promoted as being compatible with motorcycle riding.
What steps her Department is taking to support car-sharing and car-club provision in the context of Zipcar announcing that it will cease its UK operations by the end of the year.
The Minister for Local Transport met with the shared mobility industry in November to discuss how Government can continue to best support the sector and ensure the right measures are in place to support car clubs across the UK. The Department is considering the evidence and experiences shared to inform our next steps. Our forthcoming integrated national transport strategy will focus on creating a transport network that works well for people across England and ensuring they have a choice of good transport options.
How many business units will Great British Railways comprise of.
Business Units will be the powerhouse of Great British Railways (GBR), bringing together today’s infrastructure management functions provided by Network Rail, and passenger operations currently led by train operating companies, into a single local team with an accountable leader.The detailed design process is underway, including determining the geographic make-up of GBR’s Business Units, and hence their number.
Whether Network Rail’s debt will be transferred to Great British Railways.
The detailed design of GBR is underway and the Network Rail debt is being considered as part of this work.
What recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of Network Rail’s energy costs.
Network Rail is required to consider value for taxpayers’ money in the way that it runs the railway. This includes in relation to energy costs. External factors, including the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have driven fluctuations in energy prices and have increased Network Rail’s energy costs. To mitigate any further fluctuations and increase its use of renewables, Network Rail has signed a corporate power purchase agreement (CoPPA) starting from 2026, that will see 49.9 megawatts (MW) of clean renewable energy generated, enough to power around 15% of Network Rail’s annual non-traction energy consumption.
What recent assessment she has made of the air quality on the rail network; and whether her Department plans to issue updated guidance on air quality on the rail network.
The Department is funding monitoring and research to assess air quality in stations and onboard trains through the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). This includes the £5.5 million Air Quality Monitoring Network, which is collecting data at up to 72 stations across Great Britain. Where issues are identified, Network Rail and train operators are required to implement Air Quality Improvement Plans. RSSB has also undertaken two studies to assess air quality onboard trains, with further testing planned in 2026 on different rolling stock types, including newer bi-mode, tri-mode and electric trains. The Department keeps its air quality policy and the guidance it provides to industry under review as further evidence becomes available and continues to consider whether any updates are needed.
What transparency, reporting and accounting requirements will be placed on the Office of Rail and Road to undertake effective monitoring and competition oversight of GBR’s retail activities.
GBR’s licence will require it to comply with a code of practice, which will be owned and managed by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The code will govern GBR’s retail industry management functions and other relevant activity. It will incorporate clear requirements for how GBR interacts with all market participants and impose separation of decision-making where relevant.Under this approach, third parties will be able to challenge any GBR decisions or actions they consider to be non-compliant, by raising them directly with the ORR. The ORR will be required to investigate and, if it considers that GBR has not complied, it will be able to demand corrective action by issuing binding orders.
What steps her Department is taking to improve cross-government understanding of developments in drone technology, and what plans the has to improve inter-departmental collaboration on the regulation and deployment of drones.
This government is delivering the Future of Flight Programme which is a joint programme between the whole of government, the Civil Aviation Authority and industry. A key strategic objective of the Programme is to achieve routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights by 2027. This year we spent over £21m to fund necessary regulatory changes and to support industry to commercialise the innovation that was made possible through the Future Flight Challenge. The Regulatory Innovation Office has identified drones as one of its first set of five priorities and, jointly with the previous Minister for Aviation, set the Civil Aviation Authority six key priorities to unlock growth in the sector. As the Minister for Aviation, I chair the Future of Flight Industry Group which brings together key stakeholders across central and local government, the regulator and the industry to agree the strategic directions and ensure that the UK's ambition reflects the sector's needs.
If she will publish a list of the total amount allocated to highways maintenance funding by the department, including one off grants, for the years (a) 2021/22; (b) 2022/23; (c) 2023/24; (d) 2024/25 to Central Bedfordshire Council.
The total highways maintenance funding, including one off grants, allocated to Central Bedfordshire Council for the financial years (a) 2021/22; (b) 2022/23; (c) 2023/24; and (d) 2024/25 is set out below. Local Authority2021 to 20222022 to 20232023 to 20242024 to 2025Central Bedfordshire6,941,0006,941,0008,632,2007,643,000 To note, the above figures include funding from the Integrated Transport Block (ITB), which provides support for a range of local transport maintenance and enhancements. This funding stream is not limited to highways maintenance. All highways maintenance allocations are published online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocations
What assessment she has made of the risk of organised-crime groups targeting high-value freight loads during peak retail periods; and what steps she is taking to improve freight-security measures.
This Government recognises the serious threat that freight crime poses to businesses, drivers, and the wider economy. Through the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme (MFGS), the Department for Transport and industry partners are projected to deliver up to £35.7m of joint investment to enhance driver facilities and improve security at truck stops across England. Drivers are now seeing the improvements that the scheme has been able to support, with more in development. The scheme is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve driver facilities, including investment in security measures. The Home Office is working closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime. The Home Office has regular discussions with key partners, including Opal, about tackling organised freight crime.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Network Rail’s progress in (a) undertaking risk assessments for assets that do not comply with its internal standards and (b) evidencing its (i) identification and (ii) management of associated safety risks.
This is a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent rail safety regulator and enforcement body for Britain’s railways.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of moving rail functions from Transport Focus to the new passenger watchdog on integration between train and bus.
The Passenger Watchdog will be grown out of Transport Focus, which will be given significantly stronger powers to become a more effective passenger champion in rail. Therefore, no rail functions are being moved out of Transport Focus. The watchdog will be multi-modal from the start and continue to cover Transport Focus’ existing watchdog functions covering trams, buses, coaches and England's strategic road network. This ensures it can monitor transport user experience across these modes.
What information her Department holds on the number of ticket sales for season tickets from (a) Leighton Buzzard to Euston, (b) Cambridge to Kings Cross, (c) Bath to Paddington, (d) Three Bridges to Victoria, and (e) Guildford to Waterloo in 2024-2025 financial year.
The number of season tickets is shown below:OriginDestinationNumber Of Season TicketsBATH SPALONDON TERMINALS (Paddington)1,535CAMBRIDGELONDON TERMINALS (Kings Cross)13,026GUILDFORDLONDON TERMINALS (Waterloo)26,655LEIGHTON BUZZARDLONDON TERMINALS (Euston)25,914THREE BRIDGESLONDON TERMINALS564THREE BRIDGESVICTORIA LONDON1,397 Where London Terminals is listed as the destination, this is used rather than the mainline station as a destination. London Terminals is the London all terminals ticket, this gives the passenger flexible travel into London when multiple terminal options exist.
What discussions she has had with the coach industry on battery electric motorway charging networks.
In line with the Government’s ambitions for zero emission vehicles, the Government is working with industry to make charging for longer journeys easy, fast and reliable. Officials continue to engage with industry, including motorway service area operators, chargepoint operators, and coach operators, on supporting provision for larger vehicles such as coaches. Coach operators were also eligible for the up to £30 million Depot Charging Scheme, which opened in July 2025 and for which applications are now being assessed.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of public procurement reforms on the long-term competitiveness of the UK bus manufacturing sector; and what steps her Department is taking to maximise procurement opportunities for UK manufacturers.
The Government is committed to supporting UK jobs and industry, including the UK bus manufacturing sector. As part of this, we have consulted on further procurement reforms to boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses, including the UK bus manufacturing sector. Additionally, we are supporting Combined Mayoral Authorities to coordinate the procurement of buses through a Crown Commercial Service commercial agreement; supplemented by the soon to be published ten-year pipeline of future bus orders, which will provide much needed certainty to the UK manufacturing sector. This includes providing advice on using social value criteria that play directly to the strengths of domestic suppliers when procuring new buses, such as creating and retaining jobs.
What steps she is taking through the forthcoming 10-year bus procurement plan to support UK (a) bus manufacturers and (b) UK businesses in the bus manufacturing supply chain.
On 13 March 2025 I launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, bringing together industry experts and local leaders to ensure that the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. The Panel is a forum to enable collaboration between Government, manufacturers and the wider industry. The Panel has been developing a pipeline of future zero emission bus orders to provide better planning certainty to the sector – for both manufacturers and their supply chain. Data has been gathered on potential bus orders over the next ten years and will be published on GOV.UK shortly.The procurement of zero emission buses is led by Mayoral Combined Authorities, Local Transport Authorities and bus operators.