Written questions by Rosindell.

How much renewable energy generation is delivered from the Network Rail land estate; and which individual facilities generate the largest supplies of electricity.

Network Rail does not currently hold data on the total amount of renewable energy generation delivered from its land estate as solar installations have been delivered at a regional and route level to date. Network Rail is working to gather this data. The individual facility on Network Rail’s land estate that generates the largest supply of electricity is Blackfriars Bridge, the world’s largest solar bridge, which generates at 850kWp (around 900,000kWh per year) and covers 6,000m2.

How much Network Rail spends on renting commercial space outside London; and how much Network Rail commercial space is empty.

Network Rail does not hold the information centrally regarding it’s spend on renting commercial space outside of London. Across the 20 stations managed by Network Rail, the commercial vacancy rate is 3.2%.

What the cost to the public purse of the subsidy required to support the railways was in (a) 2018-9, (b) 2020-1 and (c) 2023-4.

The Government’s net support to the rail industry in Great Britain totalled £7.1 billion in 2018-19, £16.9 billion in 2020-21 and £22.3 billion in 2023-24. This support includes funding for both the operational railway and for enhancement projects such as HS2. These values as well as further information can be found on the Office for Rail and Road portal: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/finance/rail-industry-finance/.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Great British Railways online rail ticket retailer on rail’s passenger revenue.

The Department is working on plans for Great British Railways’ (GBR) future retail capability and assessing its impact. It will go live once GBR is established. We will provide further details in due course.

Which open access rail applications are awaiting a decision by the Office of Rail and Road.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have confirmed to the Department that there are currently 12 open access applications that are awaiting decisions by the ORR. Details of live applications can be found via the ORR’s website: https://www.orr.gov.uk/rail-guidance-compliance/network-access/regulated-networks/network-rail/current-applications

When she expects Train Operating Company retail websites will cease to operate; and what transitional process her Department plans alongside a new Great British Railways online rail ticket retailer.

The Department is working on plans for Great British Railways’ (GBR) future retail capability and assessing its impact. It will go live once GBR is established. We will provide further details in due course.

When Network Rail last carried out (a) a survey and (b) audit of its land estate which could be suitable for renewable energy generation; and what assessment was made of its megawatt generation potential.

The most recent survey and analysis of the potential for renewable energy generation across Network Rail’s land estate was carried out in May 2020, with the potential capacity found to be 188 MWp across 34 sites. Network Rail is continuing the roll out of new renewable energy generation assets across its estate.

When she plans to issue a tender procurement notice to deliver a new Great British Railways online rail ticket retailer.

The Department is working on plans for Great British Railways’ (GBR) future retail capability and assessing its impact. It will go live once GBR is established. We will provide further details in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle illegal private hire taxi drivers.

Enforcement of the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing regime is a matter for licensing authorities and the police. Best Practice Guidance issued by the Department for Transport to licensing authorities in England highlights some of the actions licensing authorities should take to reduce the use of those unlicensed, uninsured and unvetted who are seeking to illegally carry passengers. These include assisting the public to recognise the difference between taxis and PHVs; taxis should be required to display a roof sign and, these should be prohibited for PHVs. Taxi marshal schemes provide an opportunity to prevent the use of unlicensed vehicle that might be plying for hire. The important role ‘test purchasing’ can play in identifying and evidencing illegal drivers that should be prosecuted is highlighted. Licensing authorities should also recognise that unnecessary barriers to obtaining a licence can potentially restrict the availability of the licensed trade to such an extent that the public resort to the use of unlicensed drivers and vehicles.

What steps she has taken to work with the Northern Ireland Assembly to improve public transportation in Northern Ireland.

Transport is largely devolved in Northern Ireland, but the UK Government has supported Northern Ireland with funding for the Northern Ireland EV Charging Network, upgrades at Belfast International Airport, and extensions to the Comber–Newtownards and Newtownards–Bangor Greenways. Since 2017, the Department and the Northern Ireland Executive have jointly funded a Public Service Obligation (PSO) between City of Derry Airport and London. We recently agreed to continue supporting the PSO until March 2027. During a visit to Belfast for the British-Irish Council earlier this month, I also met Liz Kimmins, the Executive's Infrastructure Minister, where we discussed active travel and progress in the transition to electric vehicles.

What steps he is taking to support the black cab industry in London.

The Department for Transport’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England makes a number of recommendations to support the taxi sector. It is clear that regulation should be proportionate to remove unnecessary costs and that fare tariffs are regularly reviewed. Fares should reflect changes in cost the sector incur and provide the trade with confidence to remain in the sector and plan for future investment.The Plug in Taxi Grant (PiTG) has been crucial in supporting taxi drivers’ transition to zero emission capable (ZEC) vehicles and decarbonise our roads. It has supported the purchase of over 10,000 taxis and over 60% of actively licensed London taxis are now ZEC. On 25 February 2025, the Government announced that the PITG will be extended into the 2025/26 financial year.

What steps she is taking to support the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in (a) London and (b) Romford constituency.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of April 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 76,507 publicly available charging devices, up 28% on this time last year. London, which includes Romford constituency, was allocated over £41m capital and resource funding through the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. The £381m LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across the country. As of 1 January 2025, there were 22,200 public electric vehicle charging devices in London, 1,341 of which had a power rating of 50kW or above. 48 of these devices were in the constituency of Romford, of which 33 had a power rating of 50kW or above.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide sustainable funding to the British Transport Police.

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set independently by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) and the Department of Transport has no powers to intervene in this process. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. Set against a backdrop of wider public sector efficiencies and affordability by the rail industry it has agreed a budget increase for the financial year 2025/26 of 5.9%. This is comparable with the budget settlements of Home Office police forces. The cost of policing the rail network in Great Britain is primarily covered through the funding agreements that the British Transport Police Authority holds with Network Rail, the rail operators and Transport for London.

How much British Transport Police has spent on electric vehicles in each of the past 5 years.

The British Transport Police have provided the following figures: 2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25TotalFully Electric Vehicles (VAT inclusive)£0£495,544£2,509,465£0£0£3,005,009

How much British Transport Police has spent on the implementation of infrastructure to accommodate electric police vehicles in each of the past 5 years.

The British Transport Police has provided the following figures: 2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25TotalElectric Vehicle infrastructure cost (Capital & Revenue, VAT inclusive)£0£0£952,256£109,287£37,884£1,099,427

What steps she is taking to support the maritime registration sector within British Overseas Territories.

The Secretary of State for Transport provides support to the maritime registration sectors of the British Overseas Territories through the Overseas Support Programme managed by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. This programme has been running since 2016. The programme provides legislative drafting support and personnel training to the OTs maritime administrations and their ship registers to develop their maritime sectors. The MCA also discharges the Secretary of State’s general superintendence over all British shipping matters in respect of oversight, good governance, technical advice and common technical policy for the maritime administrations of the Overseas Territories.

What recent discussions he has had with Transport for London on overcrowding on the Elizabeth line’s eastern branch.

Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London (TfL) on a variety of issues. However, transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL has overall responsibility for the management of the Elizabeth Line which is operated by their current contractor MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited.

What steps she is taking to reduce congestion on the (a) A12 and (b) A127.

A12The A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme is designed to ease congestion and cope with increasing traffic demands. The Development Consent Order (DCO) was granted in January 2024 and the scheme is being considered alongside other road projects as part of Phase 2 of the Spending Review which is due to conclude in late spring 2025. Also on the A12, Suffolk County Council is developing a Full Business Case for a scheme to improve junctions between the A12 / A14 Seven Hills and the A12 Woods Lane and provide dualling between the B1438 and the B1079. The Council plans to submit this to the Department in autumn 2025. A127 Essex County Council has submitted a Strategic Outline Case proposing a package of improvements on the A127 between M25 Junction 29 and Noak Bridge, Essex. Officials in the Department are currently working with Council officials to resolve points of clarification on the business case before advice is put to Ministers. These business cases from Suffolk and Essex County Councils will also be considered in the light of the current Spending Review.

Whether she has had discussions with the Transport Commissioner for London on reducing the levels of particulate pollution on the London Underground.

Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London (TfL) on a variety of issues. However transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL is responsible for maintaining operations and ensuring health and safety is considered on its network.

Whether her Department plans to support the expansion of Southend Airport.

The Government recognises a role for, and is supportive of, airport expansion where it provides economic growth and is compatible with our net zero targets and strict environmental standards. Should Southend Airport submit a planning application to expand the airport, it would be considered in line with the relevant planning process.