Written questions by Morgan.

What support she is providing to local authorities to ensure best practice highway maintenance.

This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to enabling local highway authorities to maintain and renew the local highway network. In addition to the funding that the Department provides to local highway authorities, it provides and endorses guidance such as the Code of Practice on Well Managed Highway Infrastructure. This recommends that local highway authorities take an integrated, risk-based approach to managing their highway infrastructure, and offers advice on all aspects of highway maintenance, from managing vegetation to the frequency of inspections recommended for various types of structures. It makes clear that local highway authorities should consider all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns, and not just the fixing of potholes. The Department is committed to updating this guidance as soon as possible, and has begun scoping the changes that will be necessary.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled, Seven million more potholes to be filled next year as public urged to report roads in need of repair, published on 20 December 2024, what criteria her Department will use to establish whether authorities are entitled to the 25 per cent uplift.

The Department will provide more details shortly of the criteria that local authorities will need to meet to unlock the full funding uplift in 2025/26. In short, they are likely to be required to comply with certain reporting requirements; toprovide the Department with certain data about their networks and planned roads maintenance expenditure; and to demonstrate that they are complying with best practice.

What plans she has to ensure step-free access to Whitchurch Railway Station.

The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.Given the short time since the general election, I regret I am not yet able to comment on next steps regarding specific stations including Whitchurch station. We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme and we will provide updates to MPs and other stakeholders in due course.

Whether her Department took into account the scale of the reduction in bus miles in each authority area over the past five years when allocating Bus Service Improvement Plan funding for 2025-26.

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 across the country. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding.As the Secretary of State noted in her oral statement to the House of Commons on 18 November, funding for local authorities has been allocated based on local needs, including population, the distance that buses travel, and levels of deprivation.

If her Department will publish the criteria used to decide the bus service improvement plan funding allocations for 2025-26.

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 across the country. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding.As the Secretary of State noted in her oral statement to the House of Commons on 18 November, funding for local authorities has been allocated based on local needs, including population, the distance that buses travel, and levels of deprivation.

Whether her Department made an assessment of Shropshire Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan before deciding the authority’s 2025-26 funding.

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 across the country. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding.As the Secretary of State noted in her oral statement to the House of Commons on 18 November, funding for local authorities has been allocated based on local needs, including population, the distance that buses travel, and levels of deprivation.

What assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the number of (a) deaths and (b) serious accidents on roads in Shropshire.

This Government takes road safety seriously, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course. Local government is the main delivery agent of road safety. The responsibility to implement, fund, deliver, promote and enforce local road safety initiatives remains with the Local Authorities under the 1988 Road Traffic Act. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local area to “take steps both to reduce and prevent accidents”. Local authorities are also responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government, including setting local speed limits where the national limit would not be appropriate.In Shropshire, the Department for Transport has funded two road safety schemes as part of the Safer Roads Fund, the A5191 and the A529, aiming to reduce risk on England’s most high risk ‘A’ roads.

How many track access applications concerning changes to the national passenger rail timetable were received for (a) December 2024, (b) May 2025 and (c) December 2025.

The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Train operators must submit track access applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The ORR is responsible for making decisions in relation to these applications and its decisions are published on the ORR website.

What discussions she has had with the governments of (a) Wales and (b) Scotland on growing cross-border rail patronage through open-access passenger rail operations.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions specifically on growing cross-border rail patronage through open access with either the government of Wales or Scotland.

What steps she is taking to ensure the timely determination of track access applications on changes to the national passenger rail timetable for (a) May 2025 and (b) December 2025.

The Secretary of State supports and encourages Department for Transport contracted operators to make timely application to the industry Track Access process. Track Access decisions are the responsibility of the Office of Rail and Road as independent rail regulator, which has taken steps across industry to improve timely decision-making.

How long it took her Department to consider each application for a change to the national passenger rail timetable for December 2024; and what the average time was for her Department to determine the outcome of an application.

Operators need to agree their train service level plans and funding in advance of operation allowing enough time for consideration by the Department before they engage with Network Rail's timetable production process. Typically, this is done through an annual business plan cycle with submissions in December and approval in March. However, they can be done through the year and approval time depends on the scale of the change.

How many urban areas in England with populations of over 17,000 do not have a railway station.

It is estimated that there are approximately 80 ‘built up areas’ with a population of 20,000 or more that do not contain operational railway stations within England. Some large cities and towns consist of several built up areas, and whilst a specific built up area may not contain a station, there may be one or more stations within close proximity in a neighbouring built up area.

How many urban areas in the West Midlands with populations of over 17,000 do not have a railway station.

It is estimated that there are approximately 12 ‘built up areas’ with a population of 20,000 or more that do not contain operational railway stations within the West Midlands region. Some large cities and towns consist of several built up areas, and whilst a specific built up area may not contain a station, there may be one or more stations within close proximity in a neighbouring built up area.