Written questions by Cooper.

Whether her Department has had recent discussions with Network Rail on the potential merits of (a) reducing and (b) eliminating the use of glyphosate herbicides on railway property.

Network Rail uses glyphosate to control the growth of vegetation in places where it may cause problems for trains or colleagues working alongside the track. This helps to maintain the safe operation of the railway and avoid key parts of the railway being covered by vegetation. Network Rail has been reducing the amount of chemicals it uses on the network over the last couple of decades. Applications are targeted at the plants to ensure that the volume used is as low as possible. There is not currently a chemical alternative to glyphosate that gives Network Rail the same control of vegetation. Non-chemical approaches are available and used by Network Rail in other locations, but they are not viable for use on the operational railway.

Whether he has considered the potential merits of conducting a review into the Transport for London zoning of (a) Watford Junction, (b) Watford High Street, (c) Bushey railway station and (d) Watford Underground station.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London, and it is for them to make decisions regarding the zoning of their services.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44560 on Luton Airport and with reference to the expiration of the period for applications for judicial review, if she will publish the modelling that underpins her assessment of the potential impact of expanding Luton Airport on economic growth.

I cannot at this stage confirm when litigation will end, however the full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website and there is nothing outside of this to add. As an application for judicial review of the decision has been received and the matter is a live litigation case, unfortunately I am unable to provide any further comment.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the measures set out in the Street Works (Penalties for Utility Companies) Bill.

I understand that the second reading of this Bill is scheduled for 11 July. The Government will set out its position as part of that debate.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44558 on Luton Airport, whether her Department sought legal advice on the compatibility of its decision to expand Luton Airport with commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. As an application has been made for judicial review of the decision and the matter is a live litigation case, unfortunately I am unable to provide any further comment.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29802 on Parking: Software, what recent discussions her Department has had with the parking industry on the future rollout of the National Parking Platform.

The Department for Transport continues to engage with the parking sector regarding alternative options for taking forward delivery of a national parking platform.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that train station car parks offer alternatives to online payment methods.

Decisions regarding car parking at stations, including charges and payment methods, are an operational matter for train operators and Network Rail to make based on their local knowledge of the passengers and communities they serve. We encourage train operators to consult local communities and to consider each station’s needs and customer base when making decisions on charging at the car parks they manage.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2025 to Question 32060 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to publish a cross-departmental consultation on measures to help tackle delays facing (a) transport and (b) other infrastructure organisations in securing permission to install a distribution network operator connection from highways authorities.

We continue to work with other government departments, such as MHCLG and DESNZ, to understand what changes are required to remove barriers to installing chargepoints and obtaining grid connections. In December 2024, we announced further changes to planning permission for off-street locations and published a grid connections review specifically focused on electric vehicle charging. We continue to work with industry stakeholders to streamline relevant processes.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of expanding Luton Airport on economic growth; and if she will publish the modelling that underpins that assessment.

The full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme, including assessment of the potential impact of expanding Luton Airport on economic growth, are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. Following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.

Whether her Department sought legal advice on the compatibility of its decision to expand Luton Airport on the UK's commitments under the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme, including consideration of carbon emissions and the Paris climate accord, are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. Following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.

For what reason she announced the expansion of Luton Airport before publishing a climate emissions framework.

The Secretary of State’s considerations on the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme are explained in the Decision Letter, published 3 April 2025 on the Planning Inspectorate website, and this sets out the Secretary of States reasoning. Decisions on applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects are taken independently of the timing of policy announcements on other issues. The Honourable Member will understand that following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March to Question 36781 on Refuges: Public Transport, what progress she has made on plans she has to explore targeted options for affordable bus travel for (a) women and (b) children residing women's refuges; and whether there is a mechanism available for hon. Members and stakeholders to submit ideas for improvements.

The government is investing over £150 million to deliver a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025 to help millions of people. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities. Local authorities can use this funding however they wish to improve services for passengers, including introducing new fares initiatives, introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. Moving forward, the government is exploring more targeted options that deliver value for money to the taxpayer, to ensure affordable bus travel is always available for the groups who need it most – such as young people. Departmental Ministers and officials also regularly meet and engage with parliamentarians and stakeholders on a range of issues, including exploring opportunities to improve bus services, and will continue to do so. The Department for Transport has an ambitious programme of work to contribute towards the Safer Streets mission and tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG). This includes a measure in the upcoming Buses Service Bill on mandating training for staff in the bus industry, including drivers, on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour, including acts of VAWG.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the affordability of public transport for (a) women and (b) children residing in women's refuges.

Delivering safe and affordable public transport are key considerations for the Government and our ambitious reforms of the bus system and railway will ensure services better meet the needs of communities. The Department supports the Rail Delivery Group funded Rail to Refuge scheme which provides those fleeing domestic abuse (and any children who may be required to travel with them) free rail travel to a refuge. This support is crucial in providing essential access to transport for those in need. We are also investing over £150 million to deliver a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025 to help millions of people. We will continue to explore more targeted options that deliver value for money to the taxpayer, to ensure affordable bus travel is available for the groups who need it the most.

With reference to (a) the consultation Managing Pavement Parking, published 31 August 2020 and (b) the update on 29 June 2023 that feedback was being evaluated, whether she plans to publish further information on the findings of that consultation.

The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation in 2020 and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.

What recent discussions she has had with the British Transport Police on the adequacy of access to train operating company CCTV systems.

Police access to CCTV is an essential tool for use not only when investigating crime on the rail network, but also to equip Police Officers with effective situational awareness and evidence when making decisions in ongoing incidents. The Department is working with British Transport Police (BTP) and train operators to ensure sufficient access to CCTV, so that the force can carry out its policing duties across the rail network.

What representations she has received from the British Transport Police on the potential merits of additional funding to help ensure it has adequate resources to review CCTV footage for all reported incidents of theft on the Govia Thameslink Railway network.

Police access to CCTV is an essential tool for use not only when investigating crime on the rail network, but also to equip Police Officers with effective situational awareness and evidence when making decisions in ongoing incidents. The Department is in regular contact with the BTP and the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) about making the best use of technology, including discussing funding options for new activities. The British Transport Police costs for policing the railways, including its resources for reviewing CCTV, are met by funding agreements with train operators rather than from the Department for Transport. The BTPA, which is independent and includes representatives from the rail industry, sets the BTP budget annually.

What information does her Department hold on the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest period of time between (i) Electric Vehicle charging hub operators agreeing a lease with a Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and (ii) securing permission to install a DNO connection from highways authorities.

We do not hold that information.

What assessment she has made of the potential of out-of-home delivery collection points to reduce the carbon footprint of home deliveries in the last-mile logistics sector.

The Department for Transport has not made an assessment relating to out-of-home delivery collection points and associated carbon footprint reductions. Tackling emissions from the freight sector, including last-mile deliveries, will support Government to make Britain a clean energy superpower and to meet the UK’s net zero commitments. We have recently confirmed that zero emission vans will continue to receive a grant for the 2025/26 financial year worth up to £5,000 depending on the model. The Department is currently consulting on proposals to reduce regulatory burdens for businesses operating zero emission vans (closes 3 March). This includes vehicles that may be used for last-mile deliveries and seeks views on measures to make it easier to use these vehicles in place of existing fossil fuel vans. The Government is also making it easier to switch to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), by laying legislation on 25 February to amend driving licence rules for heavier ZEVs in line with their petrol and diesel equivalents. Subject to parliamentary approval, this change is expected to come into force in spring. In addition, through the Freight Innovation Fund the Government has supported EAV Ltd, a UK based SME, to undertake a large-scale trial of its e-cargo bike offer supporting the decarbonisation of last-mile deliveries.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February to Question 29060 on Electric Bicycles: Accidents, whether she plans to require police forces to report on the number of accidents involving an e-bike.

Road injury collisions are reported to the Department by the police via a system known as STATS19. While there are no current plans to require forces to identify e-bikes within STATS19, the system is periodically reviewed to ensure that the collection remains relevant while managing reporting burdens for police forces. The identification of collisions involving e-bikes will be considered as part of the next such review.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to provide free anytime bus travel to all disabled bus pass holders.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the times of use, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the travel time criteria for the ENCTS. The Department for Transport’s concessionary travel statistics for the year ending March 2025, report that 60% of travel concession authorities provide discretionary concessions for disabled concessionary passholders to travel before 9:30am and after 11pm.