Written questions by Jarvis.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of driving tests in Eastleigh constituency; what assessment she has made of trends in the level of driving test waiting times and test centre capacity in Hampshire; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests, including in Eastleigh and Hampshire. For test centres serving the Eastleigh area, DVSA has made offers of employment to 14 new potential driving examiners; 12 of which are currently awaiting pre-employment checks and two who have passed these checks are currently awaiting training. Since January 2026, seven new driving examiners have begun testing in this area. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system. The table below shows the number of tests booked and available at the driving test centres (DTCs) serving the Eastleigh constituency as of 11 May 2026. Driving test centre (DTC)Booked tests (as of 11 May 2026)Tests available in 24 week booking window (as of 11 May 2026)Lee on Solent2,381112Southampton (Maybush)5,136285Winchester1,969168 Between June 2025 – April 2026, at the DTCs above, DVSA conducted 409 additional car practical driving tests in overtime, when compared to the equivalent overtime scheme between June 2024 – March 2025. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme the agency introduced in June 2025.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current concessionary travel scheme in areas experiencing reductions in local bus services; and what steps she is taking to ensure that pensioners can access essential services where public transport provision is limited, including through travel tokens.

The Government is committed to delivering better bus services and ensuring that everyone in England, including concessionary pass holders, can access the services they need. Our Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding current bus provision. The statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides eligible older and disabled people with free off‑peak local bus travel, and this entitlement is enshrined in law. In addition, local authorities have the power to provide alternative concessionary schemes. Where they choose to do so, an individual eligible for the statutory concession may surrender their free bus pass in return for concessions under an alternative local scheme, such as travel tokens. Decisions on whether to offer such schemes are a matter for individual local authorities, reflecting their local circumstances and priorities.

What recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of jet fuel availability and pricing; what discussions she has had with airlines and industry stakeholders on fuel costs; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those factors on passenger airfares.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on fuel supplies, including jet fuel. In coordination with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero we have worked with fuel suppliers, airlines and airports to understand levels of jet fuel and pricing. There is no immediate cause for concern relating to fuel stocks, and speculation will not help airlines or passengers. Many airlines lock in fuel prices in advance, to help protect tickets from spikes in price. We encourage all airlines to do what they can to ensure tickets remain fairly and appropriately priced for passengers.

What assessment her Department has made of the (a) number and (b) rate of train cancellations since the nationalisation of South Western Railway.

The average rate of cancellations on SWR has increased from 3.5 per cent just before entering public ownership to 3.8 per cent in the most recent period. SWR inherited significant traincrew shortages from the previous private operator, which has contributed to higher levels of cancellations, alongside training drivers to drive the new Arterio train fleet. Under public ownership, driver recruitment has been accelerated, with SWR now training up to 12 new drivers per period to reduce the risk of traincrew‑related cancellations. Under private ownership, South Western Railway’s (SWR’s) new Arterio fleet were due to be delivered between 2019-2021. The trains were delayed under the previous operator due to issues initially caused by manufacturing and software issues and then by issues including driver training and platform infrastructure readiness. The publicly owned SWR is now finally introducing the new trains to offer increased capacity and comfort to passengers. SWR now have 38 Arterios in service in comparison to the 7 Arterios pre-public ownership. The average rate of cancellations has increased slightly which is in line with regular variation during the introduction of major fleet upgrades. Technical issues affecting train reliability are expected to improve over time as teething issues are resolved. Overall, operators currently in public ownership remain more reliable on average than those in private ownership.

What steps her Department is taking to provide funding for well-lit, connected and protected cycling infrastructure in Eastleigh.

Active Travel England (ATE) recognises that high‑quality active travel routes must be well-designed, well-lit and safe to support walking, wheeling and cycling.On 10 December, the Department announced £626 million of multi-year capability funding to support active travel across England. As part of this allocation, Hampshire County Council, of which Eastleigh is a part, will receive £23,094,356 for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30. Local authorities may use this funding to plan and deliver well‑designed route layouts, appropriate and inclusive lighting, and safety improvements such as segregated cycle lanes.ATE also provides technical support and guidance to ensure local authorities deliver high‑quality schemes. National guidance, including Local Transport Note 1/20: Cycle Infrastructure Design, Manual for Streets, and Inclusive Mobility, sets clear expectations for the design of safe and accessible cycling infrastructure.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a Neighbourhood Transport Grant to provide ringfenced, long-term funding for community transport organisations, allocated through strategic or local transport authorities, to support the reopening of bus routes.

The Department has made no assessment of establishing such a grant. However, the Government is investing in bus services long-term and has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services for millions of passengers over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities.Hampshire County Council will be allocated £45 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £14.1 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability or investing in community transport schemes. Furthermore, community transport operators are eligible to claim the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), the Department makes available up to £3.8 million each year through the BSOG to community transport operators. The BSOG is a grant paid to operators of eligible commercial bus services and community transport organisations to help them recover some of their operating costs.

What the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time was for a driving test in Eastleigh constituency in each of the last ten years.

The attached Excel Spreadsheet shows the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time in weeks at driving test centres (DTC) that serve the Eastleigh constituency, for the financial years 2015/16 to the financial year to date (YTD).

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of potholes in Eastleigh constituency.

The Government is committed to tackling the poor state of our roads which is why it has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new, four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government’s investment of £1.6 billion this year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. The Eastleigh constituency’s local highway authority is Hampshire, who will be eligible to receive over £266 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years.Furthermore, the Department published a new traffic light rating system on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The Department has also published an interactive map which means residents can see how their authority is performing and allow the Government to target support to those who need extra help. Hampshire received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing green for condition, amber for spend and amber for best practice.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of current driver education on equestrian safety; and if she will make it her policy to make equestrian safety a (a) mandatory and (b) assessable component of the (i) Driving Theory Test and (ii) Hazard Perception Test.

In 2022, the Highway Code was updated to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which places greater responsibility on those who can cause the most harm, and strengthened guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse riders.THINK! ran targeted campaigns to alert road users to these changes and broader behavioural campaigns to encourage understanding and compliance.The Government’s THINK! road safety campaign is currently running a Sharing the Road Safely radio advert. The advert promotes safe driving speeds and passing distances, reminding drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists, and to slow down to under 10mph and leave at least two metres when passing horse riders. The advert runs via the Fillers service, which enables broadcasters to air public service messages at no cost.We will continue to encourage safer road user behaviours, including to improve safety for horse riders, via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.The Driver and Vehicle Standards (DVSA) driver theory test already contains questions relating to equestrian safety, and has done for many years.DVSA has recognised the need to promote the recognition of hazards by drivers when sharing the road with horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. These are well represented within the hazard perception part of the test, a CGI video test which requires candidates to identify developing hazards on the road in good time.Both the multiple choice and hazard perception parts of the theory test are continually being updated and added to, with one of the focuses being on vulnerable road users such as horse riders.

What action her Department is taking to help increase awareness of changes to the Highway Code introduced in 2022.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

How her Department will monitor and evaluate the effects of the DVSA’s move to individualised booking of driving tests.

Measures were announced on 12 November that will restrict the booking and management of practical car driving tests to learner drivers, and limit test swaps and location changes. This decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to. These measures take into account the views of those who responded to the consultation and are designed to make the test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continually monitor the effectiveness of these measures.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of measures taken to raise public awareness of changes to the Highway Code made in 2022, and whether increasing understanding of those changes will be reflected in the implementation of the Road Safety Strategy.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran a THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes. This was followed by broader behaviour change campaigns in 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance.The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to over 50% in August 2022 and 70% in September 2023, with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by that time.The Government's new road safety strategy identifies that more work is needed to continue embedding these changes.The THINK! campaign will continue to run three radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.The Road Safety Strategy also sets out further actions to enable safer active travel including supporting councils to provide high-quality, easily accessible active travel schemes across England, and the development of its third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 3).As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety.To support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity.Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Pursuant to parliamentary question 78887 answered on 20 October, whether freight traction decarbonisation is within the scope of its long-term infrastructure and rolling stock strategy.

The main focus of the strategy will be on the future needs for passenger rolling stock, and for associated changes to the railway infrastructure. However, within the strategy, the approach to decarbonisation will also need to take account of the needs of freight users.

What steps her Department is taking to increase access to Bikeability cycle training for children.

The Department for Transport announced in February an additional £30 million to support the delivery of Bikeability cycle training to children across England in 2025/26. This includes funding to ensure sessions are accessible to people with additional needs, such as households without cycles or basic cycle training to prepare children for Bikeability training. In 2024/25 the Bikeability programme provided access to over 4,700 new cycles, supporting the delivery of 500,000 training places, which equated to almost 3 million hours of cycling for children. In 2024/25, approximately 10% of children trained were children with special educational needs and disabilities, which has increased from 8% in 2023/24.

What progress her Department has made in reaching its target to reduce average driving test waiting times to seven weeks by summer 2026.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On 23 April 2025, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. As part of this DVSA reintroduced the additional testing allowance (ATA) incentive scheme for driving examiners (DEs). Since DVSA introduced the ATA initiative on 1 June 2025, it has conducted over 10,000 additional overtime tests each month in comparison with the number conducted in the equivalent overtime scheme in 2024. Between June and September 2025, DVSA has conducted 41,931 more car practical driving tests in total, compared to the same period last year. In September 2025 alone, the Agency conducted 20,500 more tests compared to September 2024. DVSA continues to run recruitment campaigns for new DEs. Since April 2025, DVSA has recruited 225 new entrant DEs (onboarded and started a training course) and, of those, 174 successfully completed training and were placed in a driving test centre.

How many new driving examiners have (a) been recruited and (b) completed training since the reforms to driving test availability announced in April 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On 23 April 2025, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. As part of this DVSA reintroduced the additional testing allowance (ATA) incentive scheme for driving examiners (DEs). Since DVSA introduced the ATA initiative on 1 June 2025, it has conducted over 10,000 additional overtime tests each month in comparison with the number conducted in the equivalent overtime scheme in 2024. Between June and September 2025, DVSA has conducted 41,931 more car practical driving tests in total, compared to the same period last year. In September 2025 alone, the Agency conducted 20,500 more tests compared to September 2024. DVSA continues to run recruitment campaigns for new DEs. Since April 2025, DVSA has recruited 225 new entrant DEs (onboarded and started a training course) and, of those, 174 successfully completed training and were placed in a driving test centre.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken to deploy partial electrification on the rail network.

Historically, full overhead electrification has been the main way to electrify the railway and 74 per cent of passenger kilometres travelled are already electric. Although a specific assessment of the deployment of partial electrification has not been made, the Government intends to focus on being more efficient with where we deliver electrification by leveraging the recent progress in battery technology on the railway, including the use of partial electrification. Battery trains are already being deployed by both Transport for Wales and Merseyrail. We are working closely with colleagues in Network Rail to identify lines which could have battery trains on them in the future, developing a clear picture of where infrastructure will be needed to decarbonise the railway. We are working on a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, which will be the first for over thirty years, to give certainty to the manufacturing and assembly market, and to pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction, passenger comfort and accessibility.

What assessment her Department has made of (a) recent trends in levels of prevalence of assaults against railway staff and (b) the effectiveness of body-worn video cameras in helping to deter those assaults.

The Government is committed to ensuring that railway workers feel safe and are safe at work. There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker and so the recent reports of a rise in attacks on rail staff is of concern.The policing of the railway is the responsibility of the British Transport Police (BTP) who work closely with the rail industry and Department for Transport to monitor trends and intervene to ensure the railway remains a safe environment for rail staff and passengers.My department and BTP encourage rail operators to consider the personal safety of their rail staff, including encouraging greater use of Body Worn Video (BWV), which was academically proven in a 2019 trial to reduce violence against BWV wearing staff at railway stations by 47%.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Tactile Installation Programme on rail accessibility for people with sight loss.

The development of the business and safety cases for the installation of platform edge tactiles showed there should be a significant reduction in the risk of accidents and injuries to visually impaired passengers, particularly at low footfall and unstaffed stations. The programme completed earlier this year and the rail industry will continue to monitor its impact.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of low noise vehicles on (a) visually impaired people and (b) guide dogs.

Electric vehicles play a key role in contributing to a quieter and cleaner environment, but the Department recognises the potential risks posed by quiet electric vehicles to pedestrians, other vulnerable road users and animals.Vehicle approval requirements have been introduced to mandate sound generators, known as Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS), on new types of quiet electric and hybrid vehicles. This has applied to new vehicles being registered since 1 July 2021. The requirements ensure that electric and hybrid vehicles will always produce a minimum level of noise below twelve miles per hour and during reversing.