Written questions by Mayer.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the allocation of the transport budget in England for walking and cycling initiatives.

The Government recognises that investment in active travel supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets, reduce emissions, and enable people to live longer, healthier lives. We have already announced an additional £100 million investment in walking and cycling infrastructure for 2025/26, to enable local authorities to install cycling infrastructure and upgrade pavements and paths. Decisions on funding for active travel for 2026/27 and beyond will be a matter for the Spending Review.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18740 on Driving Tests, whether the DVSA has developed a training schedule for organisations requiring delegated examiners in 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing to explore this matter in a way which balances all of the demands on DVSA’s training resource. Further information will be provided as soon as possible.

How the proposed statutory powers of Metro Mayors for rail services will operate under Great British Railways.

The statutory role for mayors in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network intends to bring decision making within Great British Railways as close as possible to local communities. This will empower local leaders and support the development of seamless, integrated transport networks and a public transport system that properly serves local areas. Further detail will be outlined in an upcoming consultation on the Railways Bill, which will be published soon.

How many driver shortages have been reported by each rail company in the most recent period for which data is available.

Driver shortages and unavailability cause delays and cancellations, and so it is a very high priority for this government to ensure operators have sufficient number of drivers trained and available across the network. Train operators use a variety of measures to track availability of drivers. For example, total headcount against target, unavailability due to training, illness or leave and levels of overtime, which may be used to balance fluctuations in availability. While these measures are not systematically reported to the Department, ministers have commissioned work to look in detail at the impact of driver unavailability on train performance and suggest options to improve.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating her Department's guidance for local transport authorities to require them to have an alternative dispute resolution when franchising services.

The Department for Transport published guidance to local authorities on tendering for road passenger transport contracts in 2013. This included advice on dispute resolution. There are no plans to revise that guidance because there are no specific rules or requirements for tendering or awarding bus contracts in buses legislation. It is for individual franchising authorities to determine the appropriate dispute resolution process when tendering or awarding local service contracts.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of existing regulations for demand responsive transport.

The Department has supported sixteen demand responsive transport (DRT) trials through the Rural Mobility Fund (RMF). Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process which will provide a better understanding of challenges associated with introducing and operating DRT, including those arising from regulation. An interim monitoring data collection and process evaluation report was published in September 2023 and a second concluding process evaluation report will be published later this year.There is recognition that the regulatory framework covering DRT is complex, not least because it includes elements of taxi, private hire vehicle and bus legislation, including vehicles using community transport permits. We keep all policies under review and my officials have regular engagement with a range of stakeholders across the DRT sector, ensuring that key regulatory issues are considered.

Whether the new government-backed train ticket website will include a search facility to help people affected by train delays find actual past (a) departure and (b) arrival times to support their claims under the Delay Repay scheme.

Once Great British Railways is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. It will work alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail. Exact plans will now be developed in close partnership with industry, the private sector and wider stakeholders, with further detail to be consulted on shortly as part of the Railways Bill consultation.

Whether the final evaluation report for the Rural Mobility Fund will include a conclusion on the optimum zone size for Demand-Responsive Transport services.

The Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) impact and value for money evaluation will seek to explore what works best, when and why in the RMF scheme areas (rural and suburban). However, it may be the case that there is no single optimal zone size, as the optimal size may vary depending on the number of vehicles in operation, hours of operation, traffic congestion, rurality, population density, other transport infrastructure and connections and demographics. Additionally, DRT Best Practice Guidance is being developed which will support local authorities in determining whether DRT might be a suitable option in certain areas.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a separate regulatory framework for Demand-Responsive Transport services, distinct from taxi and bus regulations.

There is recognition that the regulatory framework covering demand responsive transport (DRT) is complex, not least because it includes elements of taxi, private hire vehicle and bus legislation, including vehicles using community transport permits. We keep all policies under review and my officials have regular engagement with a range of stakeholders across the DRT sector, ensuring that key regulatory issues are considered.

When she expects the final evaluation report for the Rural Mobility Fund to be published.

The Rural Mobility Fund evaluation consists of two elements – a first stage including monitoring data collection and a process evaluation and a second stage including impact and value for money evaluation. An interim monitoring data collection and process evaluation report was published in September 2023 and a second concluding process evaluation report will be published later this year. The impact and value for money evaluation will be published in 2026.

If she will make a comparative assessment of the potential advantages of TransXChange over the GTFS Plus format for bus Real Time Information provision.

The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. The Department for Transport ran a public consultation on Bus Open Data policy prior to the launch of BODS, which included consideration of the use of different data formats, including TransXChange and GTFS. The response to this consultation can be found on GOV.UK at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ca4b38d40f0b625eb19dba5/bus-open-data-consultation-response.pdf.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of a single, universal app for bus Real-Time Information provision.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is working closely with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. Bus operators are obliged to have working systems to provide real-time information for bus services in order to fulfil the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations. As part of this work, the government understands the importance of having real time information widely accessible in a range of spaces that passengers use, and is conscious of the need to continually consider new ways to improve access to real-time information, whilst staying in line with wider government digital and data strategies. The government also recognises the importance of building local transport authority (LTA) capacity and capability to improving bus services. The government has allocated funding in 25/26 to each LTA in England outside London to support the capacity and capability of local areas. This builds on the work of the government-funded Bus Centre of Excellence which seeks to deliver a long-term programme of activities to support and upskill the bus sector.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of potential impact of the switch-off of 2G and 3G networks on the (a) accuracy and (b) availability of Real-Time Information for bus services in rural areas.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is working closely with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. Bus operators are obliged to have working systems to provide real-time information for bus services in order to fulfil the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations. As part of this work, the government understands the importance of having real time information widely accessible in a range of spaces that passengers use, and is conscious of the need to continually consider new ways to improve access to real-time information, whilst staying in line with wider government digital and data strategies. The government also recognises the importance of building local transport authority (LTA) capacity and capability to improving bus services. The government has allocated funding in 25/26 to each LTA in England outside London to support the capacity and capability of local areas. This builds on the work of the government-funded Bus Centre of Excellence which seeks to deliver a long-term programme of activities to support and upskill the bus sector.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring utility companies to coordinate the digging up of roads and pavements.

My Department issues statutory guidance in the form of the Co-ordination Code of Practice as we know that effective planning and coordination of works can reduce congestion and impacts of works on local communities. Highway authorities have a duty to co-ordinate all works, including their own, and they are responsible for managing street works in their area.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of training and skills available within local transport authorities to effectively (a) manage and (b) resolve issues related to Real-Time Information data provision and accuracy.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is working closely with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. Bus operators are obliged to have working systems to provide real-time information for bus services in order to fulfil the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations. As part of this work, the government understands the importance of having real time information widely accessible in a range of spaces that passengers use, and is conscious of the need to continually consider new ways to improve access to real-time information, whilst staying in line with wider government digital and data strategies. The government also recognises the importance of building local transport authority (LTA) capacity and capability to improving bus services. The government has allocated funding in 25/26 to each LTA in England outside London to support the capacity and capability of local areas. This builds on the work of the government-funded Bus Centre of Excellence which seeks to deliver a long-term programme of activities to support and upskill the bus sector.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making it a mandatory requirement for bus Real-Time Information (a) apps and (b) roadside displays to mark when data is taken from scheduled bus service information as opposed to a calculation based on live data.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is working closely with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. Bus operators are obliged to have working systems to provide real-time information for bus services in order to fulfil the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations. As part of this work, the government understands the importance of having real time information widely accessible in a range of spaces that passengers use, and is conscious of the need to continually consider new ways to improve access to real-time information, whilst staying in line with wider government digital and data strategies. The government also recognises the importance of building local transport authority (LTA) capacity and capability to improving bus services. The government has allocated funding in 25/26 to each LTA in England outside London to support the capacity and capability of local areas. This builds on the work of the government-funded Bus Centre of Excellence which seeks to deliver a long-term programme of activities to support and upskill the bus sector.

With reference to her Department's consultation entitled Ending the sale of new, non-zero emission buses, coaches and minibuses, what the end sale date is for diesel coaches.

In spring 2022 the Department held a call for evidence about the decarbonisation of coaches, alongside a consultation on ending the sale of new, non-zero emission buses. An end of sale date has not been set for coaches.

How many and what proportion of direct trains from London Euston to Leighton Buzzard have been cancelled in the last six months, listed by (a) day of the week and (b) time of day.

The percentage of trains cancelled on the London Euston - Leighton Buzzard route over the last six months was approximately four per cent. Cancellations were higher on Mondays at six per cent, 235 trains cancelled out of 3653, and lower on Tuesdays and Thursdays at two per cent of direct trains on this route. Based on the time of the day, most cancellations happened between 12:00-15:00. Proportionally, the highest percentage of cancellations happened after midnight, with three of trains cancelled. If an operator delivers consistently poor performance, the Department can intervene to act in passengers’ best interests. We will continue to press West Midlands Trains to run the most reliable service possible.

If she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of utility companies completing street works late in each local authority in the last 12 months for which data is available.

My department does not have the data available to make a detailed assessment of the costs of congestion from overrunning works. If works do overrun, local authorities are able to impose charges of up to £10,000 per day to cover the costs of congestion. We have recently announced that these charges will also be applied to overruns at weekends and on bank holidays to reduce congestion and disruption during these times.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing (a) home-to-school and (b) home-to-work transport from the registration of local services requirements of the Bus Open Data Service.

The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. 85% of bus operators in England have provided timetable, vehicle location and fares data to BODS. The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is improving the information available to passengers about their bus services. Regulations like those for Bus Open Data therefore form an important part of the Department’s efforts to ensure passengers have access to high quality bus services, including up to date, reliable information on where services are. Publishing this data openly provides choice to parents, students and commuters in which apps they use for bus tracking, causing passengers to spend less time waiting at bus stops and helping to ensure they arrive at school or their workplace on time. Local authorities and bus operators also have better information on the punctuality and reliability of buses operating to provide school transport or home to work transport in their areas.