Written questions by Jopp.

What steps she is taking with South Western Railway to help improve service reliability.

South Western Railway’s performance has been impacted by the late introduction of their Class 701 ‘Arterio’ fleet, leading to a reliance on older, less reliable trains. Officials are meeting regularly with the operator to discuss performance, and the Secretary of State met with FirstGroup and MTR on 13th May to discuss recent failures in the introduction of the new fleet and what they are doing to speed up next steps.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 35580, how far does a person have to travel to a driving test centre for it to be considered accessible.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s travel distance criteria service level agreement, states that most customers live within a certain distance of a driving test centre (DTC) dependent on the population density of the local authority they live in. For example, in more densely populated areas of the country where the population is equal to or greater than 1,250 persons per square kilometre, such as Spelthorne, the practical test centre should be located so that most customers travel no more than seven miles to a test centre. For customers in Spelthorne, depending in which part of the constituency they live, Isleworth, Chertsey, Slough, Tolworth, and Uxbridge DTCs respectively are within this travel distance criteria.

What steps she is taking to ensure adequate (a) provision and (b) accessibility of driving test centres in Spelthorne.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient. It currently has no plans for any additional driving test centres (DTCs) in Spelthorne. Isleworth, Chertsey, Slough and Tolworth DTCs are all accessible test centres for customers in the Spelthorne area. More information for customers booking a practical test who have a disability, health condition, or learning difficulty, can be found on GOV.UK.

What discussions she has had with Transport for London on including Spelthorne within the Oyster Zone.

Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL is responsible for operational decisions. Operators can consider and propose zonal changes where a positive business case can be demonstrated.