Written questions by Gelderd.

What support is available to people facing financial hardship as a result of delays in the processing of medical driving licence renewals by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of processing times for medical driving licence applications at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving priority to applicants who (a) rely on their licence for work and (b) live in areas with limited access to public transport.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. Where the DVLA is made aware that an applicant needs their licence for employment or for other reasons that are causing hardship, the application will be prioritised where possible. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. This reflects an ageing population keen to maintain independence and mobility. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25 the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26. To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and is launching a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers. Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf

Pursuant to the Answer of 02 December 2025 to Question 94590 on Railways: Season Tickets, what the cost of a standard-class annual rail season ticket from (a) Lostwithiel, (b) Bodmin Parkway, (c) Liskeard and (d) Saltash stations to London Paddington was between 03 March 2024 and 01 March 2025.

The cost of Annual Season tickets to London Paddington from a) was £24,856.00, b) Bodmin Parkway was £24,856.00, c) Liskeard was £24,856.00, and d) Saltash was £24,648.00 between 3 March 2024 and 1 March 2025.

What information her Department holds on the cost of a standard-class annual rail season ticket from (a) Lostwithiel, (b) Bodmin Parkway, (c) Liskeard and (d) Saltash to London Paddington in 2010.

The cost of an annual season ticket in 2010 between London Paddington and b) Bodmin Parkway was £15,036, c) Liskeard was £15,036. There was no season ticket between London Paddington and a&d) Lostwithiel and Saltash in 2010, these season tickets were introduced in 2016.

What steps her Department plans to take to help improve bus services in (a) South East Cornwall constituency and (b) other rural areas.

The Government knows how important, reliable and affordable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services. The Government is committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including South East Cornwall and other rural areas right across England. The government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities that can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Cornwall Council has been allocated £10.5 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability.The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the government confirmed additional £900m funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

Whether she plans to require public e-bike hire schemes to include third-party insurance for (a) injury to people and (b) damage to property as part of the hire fee; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a requirement on (i) public safety and (ii) liability for scheme users.

The Government is empowering local leaders to licence shared cycle schemes through measures in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. These licences will contain some minimum standard conditions set by the Secretary of State to ensure a baseline of safety and operability across the country. This could include specific insurance requirements for operators. We will consult publicly on the nature of these conditions before licensing is implemented to ensure we get it right.

Whether her Department plans to include Cornish language on trunk road signage at major entry points into Cornwall.

The Department has no current plans to authorise the use of Cornish language signs on trunk roads at entry points into Cornwall or on traffic signs within Cornwall. Even if local authorities believe they have an exceptional need to translate English traffic signs into other languages, there is no provision for this in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD).

What steps he is taking to help increase the use of the Cornish language on (a) transport routes and (b) signage within Cornwall.

The Department has no current plans to authorise the use of Cornish language signs on trunk roads at entry points into Cornwall or on traffic signs within Cornwall. Even if local authorities believe they have an exceptional need to translate English traffic signs into other languages, there is no provision for this in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD).

What steps her Department is taking to simplify the renewal process for Blue Badge holders.

Local authorities are responsible for the day-to-day administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge scheme. They are responsible for determining and implementing the administrative, assessment, and enforcement procedures which they believe are in accordance with the governing legislation.Whilst it remains a matter for each individual local authority to decide on and to produce application form(s) for their area, to assist local authorities in deciding whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria, the DfT has produced a model application form with accompanying guidance notes for applicants on how to complete the form.The Department also recommends that authorities provide the guidance notes as a separate document to the application form so that they can be retained by the applicant for future reference after their application has been submitted.In addition, the Department works closely with its Blue Badge Digital Service supplier to identify possible improvements to the online application and renewal process as part of its continuous improvement programme.

Whether Project Reach will include enhancements to on-train Wi-Fi and mobile signal coverage for passengers travelling to and from Cornwall.

The Reach solution is focused on improving mobile signal coverage and the list of tunnels interventions includes the following locations in Devon and Cornwall: Whiteball TunnelMarley TunnelPolperro TunnelTreverin TunnelParsons TunnelWiveliscombe TunnelBuckshead Tunnel.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce speeding (a) on small rural roads and (b) through village centres.

The Government’s THINK! campaign aims to change attitudes and behaviours among a primary audience of young men aged 17-24 who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads than those over 25. From January - March 2025, THINK! ran a speeding campaign highlighting the risks of driving too fast for the conditions on rural roads, circumstances that contribute to high numbers of young driver casualties. The campaign featured advertising in cinemas, radio, digital audio and gaming environments, as well as working with content creators and influential platforms to tackle speeding via voices the young audience trust.Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances. It is for local authorities to decide where reduced speed limits will be effective on the roads they manage, and consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process.

What funding is available to local authorities to improve road safety in villages.

The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.The Department for Transport makes highways and local transport funding available to local transport authorities, who decide how to use the funding to support local priorities. Local authorities have the responsibility of making decisions about the roads under their care, based on their knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and considerations. This includes setting local speed limits and introducing traffic calming measures.Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!

What steps she is taking to help tackle delays caused by (a) tolls and (b) traffic to emergency service vehicles on the Tamar (i) bridge and (ii) ferries.

This Government acknowledges that the Tamar Crossings are an important local issue. Toll management is a matter for local determination through the Tamar Joint Committee and we recognise the benefits of the recently formed Tamar 2050 Programme Stakeholder Panel which will help oversee key decisions. It is, of course, essential that emergency vehicles are able to travel swiftly to deal with urgent incidents. The Joint Committee maintains a very close working relationship with the emergency services. Although it is not possible to offer a dedicated emergency route on the bridge, this close level of engagement helps to ensure that emergency vehicles can cross as quickly as possible. Ferry crews are given clear guidance when managing access for emergency vehicles and their subsequent departure.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of toll charges at the Tamar crossings on the (a) profitability and )b) sustainability of local businesses in South East Cornwall constituency.

The Transport Charges &c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1954 sets out that when considering applications for changes to tolls, the Minister must “have regard to the financial position and future prospects of the undertaking and shall not make any revision of charges which in his opinion would be likely to result in the undertaking receiving an annual revenue either substantially less or substantially more than adequate to meet such expenditure on the working, management and maintenance of the undertaking and such other costs, charges and expenses of the undertaking as are properly chargeable to revenue, including reasonable contributions to any reserve, contingency or other fund.” In respect of the current application for changes to the tolls at the Tamar crossings, local businesses will have been able to make their views known during the consultation process and during the public inquiry.

What steps she plans to take to improve the (a) infrastructure for and (b) accessibility of electric vehicle for users in South East Cornwall.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. As of March 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, up 32% on this time last year. Cornwall Council have been allocated over £6m capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (LEVI) Fund to increase local public chargepoints across the area. The LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 local chargepoints across England. We are aware that disabled EV drivers face specific barriers when using public chargepoints. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles co-sponsored the accessability standard, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) 1899, along with national disability charity Motability. The Government has been actively encouraging relevant parties to adopt its specifications, building on improvements already being made in the sector. The Government is supporting the 24-month review of the PAS, which is being led by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and concludes early in 2025.