Written questions by Stephenson.

If she will make it her policy to defer the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles; and whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact of deferring the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles on carbon emissions.

On 7 April the Government confirmed that we are committed to phasing out the sale of new cars that rely solely on a petrol or diesel engine by 2030 and phasing out all new non-zero emission cars and vans by 2035. We are providing industry with the clear direction it needs to invest in the transition, which will drive growth and create jobs as we cut carbon emissions.

If she will have discussions with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on an infrastructure strategy for the Universal Studios project in Bedfordshire.

Officials from my Department continue to work closely with their counterparts across government, including HM Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to consider the infrastructure required around the site and in the local area to support the delivery of the Universal Studios resort, ensuring it is well connected and easily accessible. Further information on plans for infrastructure investment around the site will be set out in due course.

If she will make an estimate of the average length of time that judicial reviews took to complete for road infrastructure projects between 2015 and 2025.

Between 2015 and 2025, 11 judicial reviews were submitted in relation to Development Consent Orders for road infrastructure projects. The Department successfully defended 9 of these, highlighting the fair, legally robust decisions the Department makes to deliver major infrastructure. Judicial reviews must be lodged within six weeks of a decision being issued. The length of the process is entirely in the hands of courts. The average length of time between a decision and legal proceedings concluding for these 11 cases was 437 days. The Planning & Infrastructure Bill will streamline legal challenges to major infrastructure projects, reducing delays from unmerited claims and supporting faster delivery of nationally significant projects.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Leisure travel tops charts for reasons people choose rail, published on 9 April 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for the tourism industry of this research.

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential implications for the tourism industry of the recent research findings. The research provides a snapshot of rail travel in England at the time of fieldwork, and the data will help inform DfT’s modelling and forecasting. Implications for the wider tourism industry have not been formally evaluated.

If she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of judicial reviews in relation to road infrastructure projects in the East of England in the 2023-24 financial year.

The total cost to the public purse (National Highways and Department for Transport) of judicial reviews in relation to road infrastructure projects on the strategic road network in the East of England during the 2023-24 financial year is estimated to be approximately £351,700.

What estimate her Department has made of passenger numbers on Thameslink services in (a) 2030 and (b) 2040.

In line with our published guidance, the Department has developed a number of possible rail demand scenarios in both the medium and long term. The Department considers a wide range of evidence for our project appraisals and policy decisions and seeks to use the most up to date inputs to aid in these decisions.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of expanding London Stansted Airport on the economy in (a) the East of England and (b) Bedfordshire.

We have been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution. The impacts of any planning application made by Stansted Airport to expand the airport will be carefully considered by the relevant planning authority.

If she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the effectiveness of (a) rules relating to on-street parking and (b) the enforcement of those rules near train stations on the (a) Thameslink line and (b) Marston Vale line in the context of increased visitors to the Universal Bedfordshire project.

Responsibility for implementing parking restrictions rests with the appropriate local authority, as they are best placed to consider how to balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area. Central Bedfordshire Council has civil parking enforcement powers to deal with any contraventions of their parking restrictions.

If she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the adequacy of bus capacity in the context of increased visitors to the Universal Bedfordshire project.

The Department for Transport will work with local authorities and bus operators to ensure that bus services reflect the needs of the local communities that rely on them. We believe local leaders know their areas best and so are best placed to make decisions about their bus networks. The Government is working towards delivering a major investment in infrastructure around the Universal site to support the delivery of the project and ensure it is well connected and easily accessible. Further details will be set out in due course.

What proportion of her Department's funding for bus service improvements will be spent in Bedfordshire.

The Department for Transport has allocated £670 million to local transport authorities in 25/26 to support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plans as part of a more than £1 billion investment in buses confirmed at the Budget. Local transport authorities in Bedfordshire, consisting of Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council, have collectively been allocated £11.4 million of this funding.

What capital funding will be made available to (a) Network Rail and (b) Great British Railways for Access for All schemes in each of the next five years.

In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a zero-based Spending Review, to ensure every line of spending – including the Access for All programme and wider transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan for Change and provides good value for taxpayers.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding available to Highways England for the maintenance of flood resilience infrastructure.

National Highways undertakes flood resilience work on England’s motorways and trunk A roads through a combination of ongoing maintenance and renewals activity that extends the life of, or replaces, existing roads and structures. The Department has set the budgets for the financial year 2025/26 as part of the Autumn Budget 2024. This allocated £1.455 billion to operations and maintenance, and a further £1.951 billion to renewals as part of a wider £4.842 billion interim settlement for National Highways. Funding beyond this financial year will be confirmed through the ongoing Spending Review which is due to complete in late Spring 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the planned Universal Studios theme park on passenger numbers on (a) East-West Rail and (b) Thameslink services.

Expected demand for the Universal Studios theme park is being analysed by East West Rail Co. and Network Rail as part of the Outline Business Case for East West Rail, to ensure the right infrastructure is delivered. East West Rail Co. and Network Rail will be asked by the Department for Transport to analyse the capacity and performance of the Thameslink and Midland Main Line route to make best use of capacity.

Whether she plans to provide additional funding to Bedfordshire’s road network to manage increased traffic from the planned Universal Studios theme park.

As part of the Plan for Change, the government is working towards delivering a major investment in infrastructure around the site to support the delivery of the project and ensure it is well connected and easily accessible. The details of negotiations between private investors and the Government are currently confidential. Further information on plans for infrastructure investment around the site will be set out in due course.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of Great British Railways providing direct shuttle services for Universal Studios visitors between Luton Airport and Wixams station.

The service pattern for the Midland Main Line will be decided by Great British Railways in advance of the Universal Studios theme park opening in 2031. The Department for Transport will additionally ask Network Rail to analyse the capacity and performance of the route to make best use of capacity.

With reference to the press notice entitled PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8 billion for major roads, published on 23 March 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing information on councils' progress in mending potholes centrally.

In the first instance it will be up to local highway authorities to publish their progress reports on their own websites, as set out in the Department’s letter of 24 March to local authority chief executive officers which is available on gov.uk. The Department will review authorities’ reports and determine in due course what information to publish centrally.

With reference to the press release entitled PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8 billion for major roads, published on 23 March 2025, whether her Department has made an estimate of the potential cost of publishing details by local authorities.

The additional costs to local highway authorities of complying with the Department’s new reporting requirements are likely to be minimal. The Department has made clear that it is looking for short reports in plain English, to be published on authorities’ websites, and it has provided templates for these to make the task simpler. It is only right that local highway authorities should be held to account in this way for their use of the £500 million of additional highway maintenance funding in the current financial year.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) Digswell Viaduct and (b) Welwyn North Station on levels of capacity on the East Coast Main Line.

An assessment of the impact of Digswell Viaduct and Welwyn North Station on capacity levels on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) was completed by Network Rail whilst developing the timetable that will be introduced on the ECML in December 2025. The Minister has approved this timetable for implementation, following an industry taskforce recommendation to do so, to enable the full benefits of a £4 billion investment in the route.

What steps her Department plans to take with Great British Railways to reduce levels of disruption on railways.

GBR will be a directing mind, running the railways as one system, with a relentless focus on passengers. Track and train will be unified, creating a more efficient and reliable system meeting passenger and freight customers’ needs and ensuring value for the taxpayer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35856 on Railways: Standards, which stations in (a) England and (b) Bedfordshire are most impacted by cancelling stops to make services run faster; and on how many weekdays in 2024-25 one or more cancellations have happened at each of those stations.

Data on cancellations is published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on their data portal which can be accessed here: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/Data showing the punctuality of trains at individual stations across England is available for the first time ever on a periodic basis. The statistics cover over 1,700 stations and also show reliability of services. This service can be accessed here: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/performance-at-stations The available data identifies specific stations, but it does not provide cancellation reasons nor on which days cancellations occurred.Cancellations can be frustrating to passengers, especially when made at short notice. The department expects train operators to recover services as quickly as possible and minimize impact upon passengers. Ministers are meeting with managing directors of Train Operating Companies and Network Rail to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards.