Written questions by Morello.

What discussions his Department has had with rail operators on service reliability caused by climate change affecting West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of rail connectivity for rural constituencies such as West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of community transport on rural mobility in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2026 to Question 14261, how much funding her Department is providing under the Bus Service Operators Grant to West Dorset; and whether her Department plans to provide ring fenced funding in addition to the funding referenced in the answer for community bus services in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department plans to increase support for community and rural bus services in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of rural bus connectivity in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve bus service provision in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to improve train services to West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department plans to implement a ringfenced grant for community rural bus services.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions his Department has had with rail operators on service reliability affecting West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce delays at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in processing driving licence decisions where medical evidence has been submitted.

No specific assessment has been undertaken on delays affecting drivers from West Dorset or the South West. There are no delays in applications for a licence where there is no medical condition involved. The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications is to dispatch 95 per cent within three working days for straightforward online applications and 90 per cent within ten working days for straightforward paper applications. In the current financial year, the DVLA has achieved 100 per cent for online applications and 99.9 per cent for paper applications. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. For 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence could be issued to 16 March is 56.67 days. 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. 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 that 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 her Department is taking to reduce processing delays at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for drivers in the South West.

No specific assessment has been undertaken on delays affecting drivers from West Dorset or the South West. There are no delays in applications for a licence where there is no medical condition involved. The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications is to dispatch 95 per cent within three working days for straightforward online applications and 90 per cent within ten working days for straightforward paper applications. In the current financial year, the DVLA has achieved 100 per cent for online applications and 99.9 per cent for paper applications. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. For 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence could be issued to 16 March is 56.67 days. 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. 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 that 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 recent assessment she has made of the impact of processing delays at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on drivers in West Dorset.

No specific assessment has been undertaken on delays affecting drivers from West Dorset or the South West. There are no delays in applications for a licence where there is no medical condition involved. The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications is to dispatch 95 per cent within three working days for straightforward online applications and 90 per cent within ten working days for straightforward paper applications. In the current financial year, the DVLA has achieved 100 per cent for online applications and 99.9 per cent for paper applications. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. For 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence could be issued to 16 March is 56.67 days. 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. 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 that 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 the average processing time is for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to assess driving licence applications following the submission of medical information.

No specific assessment has been undertaken on delays affecting drivers from West Dorset or the South West. There are no delays in applications for a licence where there is no medical condition involved. The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications is to dispatch 95 per cent within three working days for straightforward online applications and 90 per cent within ten working days for straightforward paper applications. In the current financial year, the DVLA has achieved 100 per cent for online applications and 99.9 per cent for paper applications. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. For 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence could be issued to 16 March is 56.67 days. 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. 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 that 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 ensure that motorcycle lighting systems do not cause glare for other road users.

There are detailed requirements that must be satisfied before vehicles can be sold or registered in the UK. The lighting system fitted to motorcycles is included in the pre-registration assessment which requires that headlamps are approved to internationally recognised standards to ensure that they are bright enough to light the road ahead but not so bright as to dazzle other road users. Headlamp operation and aim is also routinely checked as part of the annual MoT inspection. No recent UK assessment has been made of the effectiveness of dipped motorcycle headlamps but in response to public concerns raised about glare from vehicle headlamps an international glare prevention taskforce has been established at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. UK officials and vehicle manufacturers’ representatives are actively involved in the work of the group which is reviewing existing requirements and looking at potential measures to reduce the occurrence of headlamp glare.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of halogen and high-intensity headlights on driver safety and visibility for vulnerable road users.

Approved Halogen, Xenon and LED light sources have been permitted in road vehicle headlamps for many years; no UK specific assessment has been made of their effect on drivers' safety and visibility for vulnerable road users. Nevertheless, international regulations require more powerful headlamps to be fitted with an automatic washing system to reduce the risk of light being misdirected by dirt on the lens, and with an automatic levelling systems to allow the correction of headlamp aim when the vehicle is loaded. We know headlamp glare is a real frustration for many drivers and is even discouraging some from driving at night and in the recent Road Safety Strategy we have committed to carrying out further focused research in this area. In advance of the next phase of work we are engaging with the College of Optometrists to better understand the issues and experiences their patients are raising with them.

Whether her Department plans to review regulations relating to motorcycle headlight brightness and beam alignment.

There are detailed requirements that must be satisfied before vehicles can be sold or registered in the UK. The lighting system fitted to motorcycles is included in the pre-registration assessment which requires that headlamps are approved to internationally recognised standards to ensure that they are bright enough to light the road ahead but not so bright as to dazzle other road users. Headlamp operation and aim is also routinely checked as part of the annual MoT inspection. No recent UK assessment has been made of the effectiveness of dipped motorcycle headlamps but in response to public concerns raised about glare from vehicle headlamps an international glare prevention taskforce has been established at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. UK officials and vehicle manufacturers’ representatives are actively involved in the work of the group which is reviewing existing requirements and looking at potential measures to reduce the occurrence of headlamp glare.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of dip headlights on motorcycles in improving road safety.

There are detailed requirements that must be satisfied before vehicles can be sold or registered in the UK. The lighting system fitted to motorcycles is included in the pre-registration assessment which requires that headlamps are approved to internationally recognised standards to ensure that they are bright enough to light the road ahead but not so bright as to dazzle other road users. Headlamp operation and aim is also routinely checked as part of the annual MoT inspection. No recent UK assessment has been made of the effectiveness of dipped motorcycle headlamps but in response to public concerns raised about glare from vehicle headlamps an international glare prevention taskforce has been established at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. UK officials and vehicle manufacturers’ representatives are actively involved in the work of the group which is reviewing existing requirements and looking at potential measures to reduce the occurrence of headlamp glare.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of bright vehicle headlights on people with (a) sensitive and (b) elderly retinas.

Approved Halogen, Xenon and LED light sources have been permitted in road vehicle headlamps for many years; no UK specific assessment has been made of their effect on drivers' safety and visibility for vulnerable road users. Nevertheless, international regulations require more powerful headlamps to be fitted with an automatic washing system to reduce the risk of light being misdirected by dirt on the lens, and with an automatic levelling systems to allow the correction of headlamp aim when the vehicle is loaded. We know headlamp glare is a real frustration for many drivers and is even discouraging some from driving at night and in the recent Road Safety Strategy we have committed to carrying out further focused research in this area. In advance of the next phase of work we are engaging with the College of Optometrists to better understand the issues and experiences their patients are raising with them.

Whether her Department is supporting research into Soil Moisture Deficit forecasting and monitoring technologies.

High soil moisture deficit levels within earthworks arise when the earth has become dried out following prolonged dry hot weather, leading to the soil shrinking and cracks developing within. If this is followed by a period of extreme or prolonged rainfall, water entering these cracks can lead to rapid failure of the earthworks. Network Rail has commissioned an active nationwide monitoring regime using remote sensors, modelling and geotechnical assessments to monitor slope stability across the network. It has also supported academic research, such as the ACHILLES programme, to further industry understanding on the loss of material strength from repeated cycles of wetting and drying. Intelligence from such research is fed into strategic whole life costing modelling to inform future renewal and maintenance activities. At the same time, Network Rail is engaging in proactive measures to reinforce embankments in high-risk areas and reduce water retention and erosion. Together, these measures should reduce the risk of earthworks failure and improve the long-term resilience of these assets despite the increasing number of extreme weather events that are expected due to climate change. I am aware that this issue has been particularly problematic on the West of England Line. I am assured by Network Rail that conditions are improving and that it plans to restore a full timetable from 29th November.