Written questions by McMurdock.

What steps she is taking to ensure that drivers receive training on changes to the Highway Code.

The Government does not have any plans to introduce mandatory refresher training for drivers. Mandatory refresher training could place an undue burden on responsible drivers and disproportionately affect older or lower-income individuals, potentially limiting their independence and mobility. There are many organisations which provide driver refresher training and assessments should a driver feel they require it. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) also promotes the Pass Plus scheme which is designed to enable drivers to further develop their driving skill to drive more safely on the road in varied driving conditions. The scheme is primarily targeted at drivers who have recently passed their driving test. There is no statutory basis for training on changes made to the Highway Code after someone has passed their driving test.DVSA is among many organisations and local authorities who provide public education for people who are licensed to drive. Examples from DVSA include the advice and blog at www.safedrivingforlife.info and the free resources | Safe Driving for Life (and specifically the vulnerable road users quiz), as well as products like The Official DVSA Guide to Better Driving book and The Official DVSA Guide to Better Driving e-learning.Public education for drivers is also delivered through the relevant social media channels of the Department for Transport, Think Road Safety Campaign, DVSA and National Highways, as well as our partnerships such as Safe Driving For Life.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the proportion of drivers who regularly update their knowledge of the Highway Code.

The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the proportion of drivers who regularly update their knowledge of the Highway Code. In January 2022 the Department made changes to the Highway Code to help improve road safety for people walking, cycling and horse riding and ran THINK! campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes in September 2023 was at 70% among all road users (82% amongst drivers), with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by September 2023. We continue to promote the Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations, including supporting an upcoming Transport for London campaign encouraging road users to follow Highway Code rules to keep themselves and others safe. In addition, we run three radio filler adverts year-round, encouraging motorists to maintain safe passing distances from cyclists and horse riders, to use the Dutch Reach when opening car doors to keep cyclists safe, and to raise awareness of pedestrian priority at junctions.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in freight traffic on the railway crossing in East Tilbury.

In agreeing any increases to rail freight, Network Rail works closely with operators and local authorities to ensure that any impacts to level crossings meet robust safety requirements. With regard to road freight, local traffic authorities have powers under Sections 1 & 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which allow for the restriction or prohibition of the use of HGVs on any road, for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons. These measures can be implemented by making Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) without reference to the Department for Transport.The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 provide various signs for authorities to consider if they choose to do this, including signs informing motorists that certain roads are unsuitable for HGVs or if a weight limit is in place. The restrictions are then enforceable by the police.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of level crossing closures in East Tilbury on the ability of emergency services to respond to incidents.

Responsibility for level crossings and their operation lies with the infrastructure manager – in this case, Network Rail – who are aware of the downtime issues at East Tilbury crossing. In line with their duty under safety legislation, Network Rail must operate the crossing in a way that ensures no one is put at risk. This means that the barriers are automatically lowered when trains are approaching and will only open when the crossing is clear of all trains, to avoid the very significant risk of a collision. Concerns about the current volume of train traffic through East Tilbury, as well as plans to increase the number of freight services here, have been raised by local residents and Network Rail are currently listening to the feedback from the community.

What steps she is taking to ensure that drivers on UK roads meet (a) adequate and (b) consistent standards of road safety training.

Drivers are encouraged to familiarise themselves regularly with the Highway Code and to refer to it periodically to refresh their road safety knowledge. For those drivers who have been driving for a number of years, they might wish to consider an experienced driver assessment. An experienced driver assessment is not intended to encourage a driver to stop driving but is designed to enable them to continue driving, whilst keeping themselves and other road users safe. These are sometimes available with local authorities or from charities, such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.

Whether she plans to review the 12-month period during which holders of non-EEA driving licences may drive on UK roads without undergoing UK testing.

At present, there are no plans to change the rules around how long foreign drivers can drive in Great Britain without exchanging their licence. Safety is always our top priority, and we are proud that our roads are among the safest in the world.

What steps she is taking to ensure that foreign drivers using UK roads are familiar with the Highway Code and UK road safety rules.

All drivers are encouraged to familiarise themselves regularly with the Highway Code and to refer to it periodically to refresh their road safety knowledge.All road users are required to comply with road traffic law in the interests of their own safety and that of other road users, and this is reflected in The Highway Code. For those who do not adopt a responsible attitude, or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment or causes nuisance, there are laws in place that can make them liable for prosecution.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of foreign drivers holding licences from countries with lower testing standards than the UK on road safety.

My department has not made an assessment of the impact of foreign drivers holding licences from countries with lower testing standards than the UK. All drivers on GB roads, are expected to follow the rules and regulations as set out in the Highway Code.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring foreign drivers to complete a basic online theory test before being permitted to drive on UK roads.

My department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring foriegn drivers to complete a basic online theory test before being permitted to drive on UK roads.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of pavement parking on people with (a) sight loss, (b) mobility impairments and (c) other disabilities.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with local authorities on these matters. The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairments and those with wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate. Recent reforms by my Department to the process by which Traffic Regulation Orders are made will make it easier for them to do so.

What discussions he has had with local authorities on ensuring the safety of (a) wheelchair users, (b) people with visual impairments and (c) parents with prams when pavements are obstructed by parked vehicles.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with local authorities on these matters. The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairments and those with wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate. Recent reforms by my Department to the process by which Traffic Regulation Orders are made will make it easier for them to do so.

Whether she plans to review the 2030 deadline for the ban on new petrol and diesel cars, in the context of (a) existing infrastructure readiness and (b) domestic manufacturing capacity.

We are fully committed to phasing out the sale of new cars powered solely by internal combustion engines from 2030, providing leadership and investment clarity to support the rollout of charging infrastructure.We have committed £2 billion of funding to 2030 to support the automotive industry as we accelerate to zero emission vehicles. This will support R&D and the commercial scale up of innovative zero emission vehicle technologies, unlocking capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and the wider supply chain.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of rail fare increases on the number of people using trains.

Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible. This year's increase is the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between taxpayers and passengers. It will also support the Government’s long-term plans to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) service reliability, (b) service quality, (c) infrastructure, and (d) accessibility for passengers of trainlines.

Improving both the reliability and quality of rail services for passengers is an important priority for this Government. We have already taken significant steps towards this, through resolving the long running industrial disputes and through meeting regularly with train operator management teams and holding them to account for the delivery of their services. As well as delivering for passengers, such steps have led to significant benefit for taxpayers. We also continue to invest around £2 billion each year in rail infrastructure, committing funding to projects and programmes to enhance the railway across the country. This will enable us to increase connectivity and capacity on the railway, so people can get to where they need to be more easily. This funding continues to support physical accessibility improvement on the rail network, on top of which we have invested over £10 million in funding for the Passenger Assist scheme since November 2024, which will deliver improvements for passengers needing support over the next two years.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rail fare increases on local economies that depend on affordable transport for (a) tourism, (b) business and (c) trade.

Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible. This year's increase is the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between taxpayers and passengers. It will also support the Government’s long-term plans to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce (a) delays and (b) overcrowding of train services.

The Department has been clear that rail services have been failing passengers. Cancellations are at a ten-year high and punctuality is inconsistent across the network. We need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer.The Rail Minister is meeting with the Managing Directors of all train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards. Publicly-owned Great British Railways will end years of fragmentation – bringing together track and train to deliver for passengers with more reliable, better-quality services and simpler ticketing and fares The Department holds operators to account on their service offer, ensuring they provide capacity where it is most needed, whilst maintaining performance and protecting the public purse.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in regulated rail fares on commuters in England.

The Department regularly meets with the rail industry and stakeholders, on a variety of issues including rail affordability. Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible.This year’s increase was the lowest absolute increase in three years and will help ensure that funding for the railway is fairly balanced between the passengers who use it and the taxpayers who do not.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of (a) delays and (b) cancellations of trains in England.

Ministers have been clear that rail services have been failing passengers; we need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer.The Rail Minister is meeting with the Managing Directors of all train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards.Publicly-owned Great British Railways will end years of fragmentation – bringing together track and train to deliver for passengers with more reliable, better-quality services and simpler ticketing and fares. Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR) will start to provide the opportunity to take joined up, whole system decisions that improve performance for the benefit of passengers and taxpayers.The Office of Rail and Road publish statistics on delays and cancellations periodically and quarterly on their website at https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/.

What recent discussions her Department has had with (a) train companies and (b) public transport campaigners on the impact of increased rail fares.

The Department regularly meets with the rail industry and stakeholders, on a variety of issues including rail affordability. Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible.This year’s increase was the lowest absolute increase in three years and will help ensure that funding for the railway is fairly balanced between the passengers who use it and the taxpayers who do not.

What discussions her Department has had with Essex County Council on achieving its Vision Zero target by 2040; and whether she plans to make additional funding available for local casualty reduction schemes.

There have been no discussions between the Department for Transport and Essex County Council on achieving its Vision Zero target by 2040. Decisions on funding will come at the conclusion of the current spending review.