Written questions by Naismith.

(a) whether her Department monitors roads with a high number of serious traffic collisions, including fatalities; (b) whether her Department has provided guidance to local authorities on reviewing and intervening on these roads; and (c) if she will consider introducing national criteria or minimum thresholds to ensure that frequent collision hotspots are subject to regular review and remedial action.

The Department does not directly monitor individual roads for collision risk. Instead, it collects national reported road traffic collision statistics, while local highway authorities are responsible for analysing collisions on their own networks and taking appropriate action. A range of guidance has been published to support local highway authorities in reviewing and improving safety on their road networks. This includes Setting Local Speed Limits, which supports decisions on appropriate speeds, and Manual for Streets, which provides guidance on the design of streets to improve safety for all road users. Through the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the Department has committed to updating relevant guidance. There are no current plans to introduce national criteria or minimum thresholds for the review of collision hotspots. Decisions about reviewing and intervening on specific roads are matters for local highway authorities, which are best placed to consider local circumstances. The Department will continue to support local authorities through guidance.

Whether the Department plans to review or update the statutory framework for private hire licensing to reflect changes in technology and operating models since the legislation was introduced.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

What guidance she provides to local licensing authorities on what constitutes an operating base for private hire operators; and whether the Department has assessed the adequacy of existing definitions in the context of app-based operator models.

No guidance has been issued on this matter. An ‘operating base’ is not defined in law. All guidance is kept under review and the need for any amendments or additions considered. The Department consulted on revised best practice guidance in 2022 and it was subsequently updated in 2023. The licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need.

What mechanisms exist to help ensure consistency in the application of private hire licensing rules across local authorities.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the private hire vehicle licensing framework in supporting traditional private hire operators and app-based platforms operating across multiple local authority areas.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support the transition required under the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that public charging provision, grid capacity, and local authority support keep pace with the increased number of electric vehicles expected as a result of the zero emission vehicles mandate on the automotive industry.

As of March 2025, there are over 118,000 public chargers across the UK. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that charge point rollout is on track.The majority of public chargepoints will be delivered by industry, who have already committed £6 billion of private sector investment before 2030. The Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Fund supports local authorities in England to leverage significant private investment and is expected to deliver over 100,000 further local public charge points.We are confident that the Grid can support the transition to EVs. The National Energy System Operator is investing over £58 billion to modernise and expand the electricity network.

What steps her Department is taking to support consumers to switch to electric vehicles.

The Government has committed £7.5 billion over the next decade to support industry and the public as they transition to zero emission vehicles. This includes the £2 billion Electric Car Grant, which has already supported over 80,000 drivers who have benefited from discounts of up to £3,750 across more than 40 models. This also includes the £600 million funding to support the rollout of charging infrastructure, with 118,321 public chargers installed already as of 1 March 2026.

What steps the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is taking to reduce the time taken to process driving licence renewal applications referred to its medical department.

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. 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. 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. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

What steps she is taking to help mitigate changes in construction costs and land prices linked to anticipated HS2 development in Crewe; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those changes on local public projects.

As part of the Northern Growth Strategy, the government set out its intention to ultimately deliver a North-South new line between Birmingham and Manchester. This is not a reinstatement of HS2 and the government is yet to determine exactly what will be delivered and to what specification. Significant further work is required to develop plans before such decisions are made. We will engage with stakeholders, including Local Authorities, as this work takes place.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a railcard for adults over the age of 30 who rely on regular rail travel for work in (a) the north and (b) other areas of England; and whether her Department plans to amend existing railcard schemes to support working age passengers.

Adults aged over 30 may be eligible for a number of national and regional railcards. Train operating companies also offer a range of products, such as season tickets, which can be used to support better value regular travel to work. The Government has no current plans to review existing concessionary discounts. However, the Railways Bill gives Great British Railways the flexibility to update and expand concessionary offers as passenger needs change.

If she will take legislative steps to require cyclists to wear helmets.

The Government strongly encourages cyclists to wear helmets, and this is reflected in The Highway Code, but there are no plans to mandate this. A previous review of this matter concluded that the safety benefits of mandating helmets would be likely to be outweighed by the fact that it would put some people off cycling, thereby reducing the wider health and environmental benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Cheshire East.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. Cheshire East is served by a cluster of test centres including, Macclesfield, Buxton, Newcastle Cobridge and Crewe. DVSA also has a remote site at Northwich, which is resourced with driving examiners (DE) from Chester. From recent recruitment campaigns, for the Macclesfield and Buxton cluster of test centres, two potential DEs are undertaking training with a further two awaiting confirmation of availability for a training course. For the Crewe and Cobridge cluster of test centres, two potential DEs are ready to start training, with one starting on 14 July. DVSA has also made offers to two more potential DEs who will start their training at the earliest opportunity.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) English Devolution and (b) the statutory roles of Mayors on (i) rail freight paths and (ii) access.

The Government wants to bring decision making as close as possible to the communities those decisions impact. That is why we will give mayors a statutory role in governing, managing, planning and developing the Great British Railways (GBR) network. This will ensure they will be appropriately consulted on GBR’s activity (including the development of railway plans, strategies and services), are able to scrutinise GBR’s performance. GBR will also be required to have due regard to devolved transport strategies. An enhanced role for mayors will be balanced with GBR's role as the directing mind for the national network. The establishment of GBR will bring together responsibility for managing allocation of capacity and management of the infrastructure. GBR will therefore be able to make the best use of the rail network and provide a seamless service for passengers and freight users.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of electrifying rail routes.

This government expects electrification to play an important role to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target and, as such, we will continue to invest in electrification projects which will deliver value for money for the taxpayer. Electrification can also have wider benefits for the railway including increased reliability, cheaper operating costs and quicker journeys compared to diesel vehicles. Our strategy will be to focus on being more efficient with where we deliver electrification by leveraging the recent progress in battery technology. This will help to reduce the amount of electrification infrastructure that needs to be delivered to achieve our Net Zero target.

What plans her Department has to ensure the Integrated Transport Strategy prioritises road safety.

The Integrated National Transport Strategy will be published this year and set the long-term vision for transport in England, recognising the key role transport must play in driving growth and opportunities. The exact scope of the Strategy is being developed through a series of engagement activities that include a Call for Ideas and Regional Roadshows, but we will look at all modes to understand how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve its users.Improving road safety is one of my highest priorities. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. The Department is developing a road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Whether her Department plans to (a) help improve road infrastructure and (b) tackle traffic congestion around the Nantwich Bypass.

It is the responsibility of the local transport authority to determine investment priorities for its transport network. The Nantwich Bypass (A51/A500) is a local highway and therefore falls under the jurisdiction Cheshire East Council, the local highway authority. In 2025/26, Cheshire East Council will receive a share of the £1.6 billion in capital funding for local highways maintenance, amounting to £21 million (£15.5 million baseline funding and £5.5 million in new funding).Cheshire East Council will also receive a share of the £650 million-plus funding for local transport announced in the Autumn Budget 2024. This funding aims to support everyday journeys and improve transport connections in our towns, villages, and rural areas, as well as in our major cities.Future funding beyond 2025/26 will be considered as part of the multi-year spending review in the spring, aligned with the government's new Integrated Transport Strategy, ensuring we are taking decisions in the long-term interests of the country.

Whether she plans to include people with mental health problems in the disability criteria for disabled railcards.

The Disabled Persons Rail Card (DPRC) supports over 300,000 with disabilities to travel more affordably, recognising that people with a disability often face additional costs and barriers to participating in day-to-day activities such as travel. Although those with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability can be eligible for a DPRC already, under some circumstances, the Department for Transport is currently reviewing the criteria to ensure they reflect a more comprehensive understanding of disability, particularly in relation to non-visible disabilities, and how people demonstrate their eligibility.

What steps she is taking to ensure airlines do not discriminate against elderly people who are not able to digitally check-in.

Nobody should be discriminated against because of their age when travelling by air.All passengers have the choice to check in for their flight at the airport.

Whether her Department has plans to mandate a standard platform height for train stations.

Ensuring accessibility for all passengers is at the heart of the Government’s passenger-focused approach and we will work to deliver a more reliable and consistent customer experience for everyone with accessibility needs. Level boarding is an important factor, and the procurement of new trains will need to take account of allowing passengers to board and alight with ease. At present, new, renewed or upgraded platforms at train stations in Great Britain are required to meet a nominal height of 915mm, as mandated by the National Technical Specification Notices and National Technical Rules for the interoperability of the GB railway. There is no current plan to change these mandatory platform heights requirements for stations on the conventional mainline railway, but the Department keeps all rail interoperability requirements under review.

What steps she is taking to improve the accessibility of the railways for disabled people.

We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. Since April 2024, 13 stations have been completed with a further 18 due to be completed by April 2025. This will be the most stations completed in one year since the programme started in 2006. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.