Written questions by McMahon.

If the government has carried out a review of the effect of highway one way systems on congestion and pollution.

The Government has made no such assessment. Local authorities are responsible for the day to day management of their roads, including decisions on implementing traffic management measures such as one way systems. These are one measure available to them to consider but it is for them to consider if they are appropriate, taking into account local factors such as traffic flow and road layout.

What discussions have taken place with National Highways since July 2024 on the effectiveness of litter removal and general grounds maintenance of its assets.

The Department’s officials have held regular discussions with National Highways since July 2024 on these topics. These discussions have generally taken place as part of wider meetings on topics such as reviewing performance against National Highways’s agreed performance indicators (including on litter); planned improvements on the Strategic Road Network; research into driver littering behaviour; and plans to trial innovative interventions such as geofencing.

Of the qualifying journeys, how many claims were (a) made and (b) not made under train operators' delay repay schemes in each of the past three years.

(a) The number of claims received by train operators under train operators’ delay repay scheme in each of the last three years is published in the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) Table 4410 – Delay Compensation Claims, and can be found on the ORR data portal: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/delay-compensation-claims/table-4410-delay-compensation-claims/ (b) No data exists for the number of claims not made on qualifying journeys under train operators’ delay repay schemes. Data on the proportion of qualifying journeys that are claimed for can be found for selected years here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/654e4ae06a650f000dbf4812/dft-rail-delays-and-compensation-2023-full-report.pdf

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of surface flooding due to inadequate drainage on the M60 motorway.

National Highways’ data shows the number of reported flooding events have decreased on the M60 motorway in recent years. This follows targeted investigations by National Highways and the implementation of measures to reduce flooding risks. National Highways undertakes regular inspections and maintenance to keep drainage systems functioning effectively. It has also delivered several improvement schemes on the M60 and plans to start further upgrades later this financial year.

What estimare has been made of the average frequency of gully cleaning by highway authorities in England from 2015 to date.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. Although the Government does not monitor the frequency of gully cleaning by highway authorities in England, it does encourage authorities to maintain their drainage assets through guidance and as part of an annual winter survey of authorities.

Whether her Department expects bus usage in (a) England (b) Greater Manchester to return to pre-covid levels.

The Government is committed to helping local leaders improve local bus services and grow usage across England, including in Greater Manchester, whilst recognising that travel patterns have changed since the COVID pandemic. We are taking action to give local leaders the powers they need to deliver better bus services for passengers, including through the Bus Services Act 2025, and empowering them to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships or local authority bus companies.We are also investing over £1 billion in 2025/26 to support and improve bus services in England outside London, of which £66.4 million has been allocated to Greater Manchester Combined Authority. This funding can be used to introduce measures to help increase bus usage, for example expanding services and improving reliability.

How many vehicles have been seized by the DVLA for not having valid vehicle excise duty in (a) England, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) Oldham by vehicle class in each year since 2015.

The information requested is not available in the detail or format requested. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) officials will write to the honourable member with the relevant information that is available when it has been extracted and assured.

How many vehicle registration numbers are held on expired retention certificates; and what the estimated value of those registration numbers is.

While the information requested about expired retention certificates may be available, it would need to be extracted from different databases and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

How many trains were cancelled due to staff shortages in each year since 2015; and whether she has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of those cancellations.

The Department does not hold a complete historical dataset of cancellations specifically attributed to staff shortages dating back to 2015. However, Network Rail collects management information on the percentage of trains cancelled due to traincrew issues. Network Rail has granted permission for this data to be shared, and these figures are presented in Table 1 alongside the annual cancellations score for context. The ‘Annual cancellation score’ represents the average cancellation score for each year covering all causes of cancellations. The ‘Cancellations resulting from Traincrew issues’ represents the average cancellations specifically attributable to traincrew-related issues. Table 1: Annual Average of Train Cancellations and Cancellations as a result of Traincrew Issues in Great Britain (2014/15 to 2024/25)Financial YearAnnual Cancellations score (%)1Cancellations resulting from Traincrew issues (%)2014/15x0.3%2015/16x0.4%2016/17x0.7%2017/18x0.4%2018/19x0.6%2019/203.4%0.8%2020/212.1%0.3%2021/223.3%1.1%2022/233.8%1.1%2023/243.8%1.0%2024/254.1%1.2%Source: Network Rail and ORR Table 3124 Trains planned and cancellations by operator and cause (periodic) Notes:Comparable data for annual cancellations is only available from 2019/20.Figures exclude trains removed from the timetable due to industrial action.Figures are Moving Annual Average (MAA) which reflect the proportion of trains cancelled in the past 12 months. The Department has not made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of cancellations due to traincrew shortages. The Department has been working closely with the industry to increase the number of train drivers. Network Rail report that the proportion of trains cancelled because of traincrew issues has fallen from 1.19% in the year to January 2025 to 0.85% in the year to September (rail period 8). Network Rail report this is the lowest proportion of trains cancelled due to traincrew issues (MAA) in nearly 4 years.

How many incidents of inoperable active lane signage were recorded on smart motorways in each year since 2015.

It is vital that roadside technology is working as intended to best support driver safety and confidence. Smart motorways have a system of inter-related features that work together to keep drivers moving safely and reduce reliance on one single feature.The Office of Rail and Road has reported on the availability of roadside technology assets on all lane running smart motorways in its three annual assessments of safety performance on the SRN. Between April 2022 and December 2024, monthly availability for signs has ranged from 88.4% to 92.4%, and from 92.3% to 97.4% for signals.National Highways is continuing to invest in upgrading roadside technology to further improve performance and availability.

How many (a) fatal accidents, (b) serious accidents, (c) minor accidents and (d) near misses were recorded on smart motorways for each year from 2015 to date.

National Highways reports annually on smart motorway safety performance. The latest report was published in September 2025 using DfT’s most up to date validated STATS19 casualty dataset and annex A contains a breakdown of casualties by severity from 2015. The latest analysis continues to show that overall, smart motorways remain our safest roads in terms of deaths or serious injuries, but we have been clear that we will not build any new ones.

How many vehicles (a) are taxed, (b) have Statutory Off Road Notifications, (c) are untaxed and (d) are undeclared as having Statutory Off Road Notifications by nation and region.

The information requested is shown in the table below. Please note the table includes vehicles for which there is a current registered keeper on record and where a postcode match was found:England regionsTaxed vehicles Vehicles for which a SORN has been made East Midlands3,230,522520,712East of England4,352,181668,578London3,008,654429,872North East1,509,315207,761North West4,503,390549,655South East6,883,503826,967South West4,353,614641,457West Midlands3,667,490609,163Yorkshire & The Humber3,335,460479,448Total for England34,844,1294,933,613 WalesScotlandNorthern IrelandTaxed vehicles 2,086,8613,218,5481,306,521Vehicles for which a SORN has been made410,187505,357357,610 The most recent information available shows that 98.7 per cent of vehicles across the UK were properly licensed. More detail can be found at the following link: gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-excise-duty-evasion-statistics-2023 Information is not available about vehicles which are being kept off the road but for which no SORN is in place.

What estimate her Department has made of waiting times by test centre in England for learner drivers undertaking a (a) Theory test and (b) Practical driving test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) have a key performance indicator (KPI) requiring that theory test candidates will wait on average no more than 28 calendar days from booking to their appointment. Despite unprecedented levels of high demand for theory tests, this KPI is consistently met. The average waiting time for a car practical driving test in October 2025 in England was 22.4 weeks. The attached Excel spreadsheet shows the average waiting time in weeks at driving test centres (DTC) in England, as of October 2025. Please note that this spreadsheet also includes DTCs, such as part-time test centres, which do not count towards the official waiting time measure mentioned above. Also please note that DTCs included in the official measure can change, for example for temporary or permanent closures, or other operational reasons.

What assessment her Department has made of the affordability of motor insurance in areas of higher deprivation.

The Government is committed to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce, launched in October 2024, is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector. This taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums.The taskforce’s final report is expected to be published shortly.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of “historic vehicle” status on preserving Britain's motoring heritage.

Classic and historic vehicles are a testament to British innovation and the Government is committed to supporting this sector. Following a call for evidence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) worked closely with historic vehicle stakeholders and in August 2025 new policies were introduced to support vehicles that have been repaired, restored and modified. The new guidance supports historic vehicle keepers and the wider industry with clearer registration processes that reflect modern restoration and modification practices.The feedback from the historic and classic vehicle sector is that the new policies reflect a pragmatic approach and address the major issues raised. The new policy has alleviated many of the difficulties associated with the previous policies.

What estimate has been made of the average age of (a) passenger carrier vehicle buses and coaches, (b) private hire taxis and (c) Hackney carriages in England for each year from 2015 to date.

The Department does not hold data on the average age of buses or coaches.However, the Department publishes data on the proportion of local buses by year of manufacture in the Annual Bus Statistics. Figures for the latest year are available in Table BUS06f, and data for previous years can be found in earlier publications: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#vehicles-operated-by-local-bus-operators-bus06. Prior to 2022 average age of the bus fleet was collected instead of year of manufacture.The Department also publishes data on the average age of taxis and private hire vehicles in the Taxi and Private Hire Statistics. Figures for the latest year are available in Table TAXI0116, and data for previous years can be found in earlier publications: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/taxi01-taxis-private-hire-vehilces-and-their-drivers. The Department does not hold these data for years prior to 2020.The Department does not hold data on the average age of Hackney carriages.

What estimate she has made of the number of licensed private hire drivers with criminal convictions for (a) sexual and (b) violence against the person in offences in England.

All licensing authorities in England have a duty to ensure that any person to whom they grant a taxi or private hire vehicle driver’s licence is a fit and proper person to be a licensee and that they remain so throughout the duration of the licence. As part of this assessment all licensing authorities have reported that they undertake an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check and check both the children’s and adults’ barred lists.Licensing authorities make decisions based on “the balance of probability”, so when determining whether a driver remains fit and proper to hold a licence, a driver should not be given the benefit of the doubt. If a licensing authority is only fifty percent certain as to whether a licensee is fit and proper, they should not hold a licence. The threshold used here is lower than for a criminal conviction (that being beyond reasonable doubt). This means that driver licences may be revoked even if any safety concerns do not result in a criminal conviction.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing free bus travel for care leavers in England.

The Government knows how important affordable bus services are in enabling young people to get to education, work and access vital services. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as expanding the eligibility criteria to include care leavers, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government confirmed over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, which can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been allocated £66.4 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for care leavers.

What estimate she has made of the cost of repairing all potholes in England; and how much funding her Department has made available in each financial year where data is available.

This Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network. This is why the Government announced a funding uplift of £500 million for the 2025/26 financial year, bringing the total to almost £1.6 billion. It is estimated that this funding will enable councils to cover the cost of filling 7 million potholes which goes well beyond our manifesto commitment to fill an additional million potholes each year.More widely, at the Spending Review the Chancellor confirmed that the Government will provide £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve our motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys. Between 2021-22 and 2025-26, the Department has allocated approximately £8 billion for local highways maintenance in England.This includes a range of funding sources including the Highways Maintenance Block, the Integrated Transport Block, Potholes Funding, Network North, the Local Transport Grant, and highways funding that has been consolidated into City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS).The figure is exclusive of baseline highways maintenance funding and Integrated Transport Block funding that has been consolidated into CRSTS funding for 2025/26. The Department has not split out how much of this funding is for highways maintenance as, by the nature of the funding, it is consolidated transport funding for local authorities to decide how best to use.The £226 million Local Transport Grant of 2025/26 is for local transport and maintenance more widely. Integrated Transport Block funding is for local transport maintenance and enhancements.Further information on these funding streams is available online, at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocationshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrated-transport-block-allocations/integrated-transport-block-itb-allocations-2025-to-2026https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-grant-allocations/local-transport-grant-ltg-allocations-2025-to-2026

How many people travelled by bus in Greater Manchester for each year from 2010 to date; and what assessment has her Department made of trends in the level of bus travel during the current spending period.

The Department does not hold data on the number of people that travelled by bus in Greater Manchester. The Department does publish statistics on the number of bus journeys in Greater Manchester in the Annual Bus Statistics. These are available in Table BUS01e: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01. The Government knows that local bus services are not delivering for all in many areas of the country, and we are committed to improving services and growing usage. That is why we have introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 to put power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders to enable them to deliver better bus services that meet the needs of their communities. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £1 billion for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been allocated £66.4 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services and connectivity across the area.