Written questions by Taylor.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of compensation paid to victims of collisions involving illegal e-bikes and e-scooters on annual insurance premiums.

The Secretary of State has made no such assessment. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for insurers, and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle the unrestricted sale of e-bikes that are not type-approved for road use; and what consideration she has given to introducing tighter sales restrictions.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have market surveillance powers to tackle the supply of e-bikes, including modified e-bikes, where users are being deliberately misled about where such vehicles can and cannot be used. In addition, the police have the power to seize such vehicles where they are used on the road under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This is because they would be being ridden without insurance. The Secretary of State is not considering any tighter restrictions on sales.

What steps she is taking to tackle the sale of illegally modified e-bikes.

E-bikes can only be legally used on the roads where they comply in full with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983. The Product Regulation and Metrology Act received Royal Assent in July. One of the main aims of the Act is to prevent unsafe products, including illegally modified e-bikes, being made available to consumers by online marketplaces. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has a market surveillance unit and has the powers to act against retailers selling non-compliant e-bikes, including those that have been modified. The police also have the powers to seize non-complaint e-bikes being used on the public roads.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a criminal offence of assaulting a public transport worker.

There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker. Public transport workers and the wider public should be assured that where offenders commit acts of violence they will be arrested and brought before the courts quickly and that the British Transport Police have a specific remit to protect all rail staff and passengers. Public transport workers do of course already have extensive protection in existing legislation such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which also covers more serious violence such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and courts must already consider offences against public facing workers as an aggravating factor under the Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022. We therefore do not believe that creating a specific offence will have the intended purpose of reducing assaults.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of assaults on public transport staff.

The British Transport Police are responsible for policing the railway in England, Scotland and Wales and they record the number of incidents of violence and abuse against rail workers. Analysis by the Department of Violence Against the Person offences shows in 2022/23 there were 5.1 violence against person offences per 1 million passenger journeys of which 1.3 were against staff, in 2024/25 this proportion of staff was 1.4.We are committed to ensuring that public transport is safe for passengers and staff. There is no place for abuse or violence against any worker, and we are supporting industry to develop practical interventions to keep workers safe.

Whether her Department's Roads Investment Committee has considered funding alterations to the London South Circular in the last year.

No, it has not. Responsibility for progressing any work on the London South Circular is a matter for Transport for London.The Catford town centre scheme, which includes proposed alterations to the London South Circular, was originally part of the Department’s Major Road Network (MRN) programme. Following the outcome of the Spending Review, however, responsibility for this and other London MRN schemes has been passed to Transport for London (TfL). It is for them to take forward this and other MRN schemes in London as part of their Spending Review settlement.

What steps she is taking to improve the reliability of Govia Thameslink Railway train services between Sutton Common and Wimbledon.

Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail are working closely to improve reliability of services between Sutton Common and Wimbledon, including through better management of trespass incidents, improving signalling infrastructure reliability and increasing the train driver establishment to improve availability and avoid cancellations. Department officials continuously monitor the performance of the train operating company across a range of measures, set out in its National Rail Contract, and meet regularly with senior management to scrutinise and challenge its performance.

Whether the proposed Crossrail 2 route will include Worcester Park station.

The development of Crossrail 2 was paused in 2020, and whilst the route through Central London remains safeguarded to protect it from conflicting development, the Government currently has no plans to move forward with the scheme.

What steps she is taking to encourage cyclists to undertake Bikeability training.

In February, the Department and Active Travel England (ATE) announced £30 million to provide Bikeability cycle training to children. The Bikeability Trust operates a number of outreach programmes to encourage more people to access cycle training, including Cycle to School Week and Get Cycling in Schools. Outside of the Bikeability schools programme, local authorities can use revenue funding awarded by ATE to support cycle training delivery for children and adults.

Whether her Department is taking steps to reduce aviation carbon emissions by (a) introducing frequent flier levies and (b) reducing the use of domestic short haul flights where train alternatives exist.

The government is committed to delivering greener transport, supporting its missions to make Britain a clean energy superpower and kickstart economic growth. We have already made significant strides to decarbonise the aviation sector including through the introduction of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate, legislating for a Revenue Certainty Mechanism to encourage investment in UK SAF production, and delivering a modernised airspace to help make flights more efficient and greener. A frequent flyer levy is a taxation issue which is a matter for the Treasury. In the last Budget, the Chancellor announced changes to Air Passenger Duty (APD), which is the principal tax on the aviation sector. This included a 13% increase in APD rates for 2026/27 and a further 50% increase for larger private and business jets. APD generates revenue that funds government priorities, including tackling climate change. Domestic air travel in the UK is vital for supporting jobs, trade and investment, and ensures regional connectivity. Alongside being a gateway to international opportunities, domestic flights help maintain social and family ties and strengthen the bonds between the four nations.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to limit the brightness of LED car headlights.

All types of road vehicle headlamps are designed, tested, and approved to internationally recognised standards to help prevent undue glare and ensure safety on a broad range of roads and environments. However, noting increased public concern, Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes of headlamp glare. The work is underway and is due to deliver in summer 2025.

Whether she has had discussions with train operators on the level of demand for train services at Worcester Park station post Covid-19.

Department officials are in regular conversation with South Western Railway regarding their service provision in response to demand. When reviewing train services, the Department needs to assess business cases and balance demand with value for the taxpayer in its considerations.

Whether her Department recognises the use of Malaysian driving licenses.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is currently working towards putting in place a driving licence exchange agreement with Malaysia. This is subject to public consultation and the introduction of domestic legislation. Currently, holders of a driving licence issued in Malaysia who become resident in the UK can drive small vehicles (motorcars and motorcycles) for up to 12 months from the date they become resident in the UK. To continue driving after this period the licence holder must apply for a provisional driving licence and pass both a theory and practical driving test here. If the holder of a driving licence issued in Malaysia is only visiting the UK they can drive using their Malaysian licence for up to 12 months from the date they last entered the UK.

Whether she has made representations to the Mayor of London on the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Action Plan.

The Secretary of State has not made any representations to the Mayor of London on the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Action Plan. The Government sets the regulatory structure within which 263 licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle sector and issues guidance to assist them in doing this. Transport for London is the licensing authority for London. The Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan is a matter for the Mayor of London and Transport for London.

If she will have discussions with Transport for London on mitigation of the potential impact of fare increases on commuters in London in March 2025.

Transport in London is devolved and decisions on TfL fares are for the Mayor of London and TfL. Department for Transport ministers and officials speak regularly with TfL on a wide range of issues impacting commuters in the capital.

For what reason late-night services at Worcester Park station are not being reinstated between Thursday and Sunday.

Worcester Park continues to have a later train on Fridays and Saturdays from London Waterloo, but there is judged to be insufficient demand to justify the costs of a similar provision on Thursdays and Sundays.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise the practice of bots reselling driving tests at inflated prices.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests, often at significant profit. The agency encourages all customers to book a test through the official channel on GOV.UK where customers can book, change and cancel tests. The agency does not license any service to resell test slots.DVSA operates an online booking service (OBS) for approved driving instructors (ADI) and trainers so that they can book and manage driving and riding tests for their pupils. DVSA has made changes to the OBS by stopping automatic online registrations to use the service, ensuring each company that registers employs an ADI and removing access for any companies not linked to driving instructors.In January 2023, the DVSA changed the terms and conditions for using the booking service to help prevent anyone from selling tests at profit. Since then, the DVSA has issued 341 warnings, 785 suspensions, and closed 757 business accounts for misuse of its booking service.DVSA is deploying enhanced bot protection to stop automated systems from buying up test slots unfairly.DVSA’s work in this area is ongoing and will continue to take steps to address these practices.

If she will provide extra funding to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to help tackle backlogs in driving tests.

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.Measures in place to reduce waiting times include the recruitment of new driving examiners (DE), conducting tests outside regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from DEs. DVSA also continues to deploy DEs from areas with lower waiting times into those where waiting times are longer.DVSA is largely funded from the fees it charges for the delivery of its operational activities including driving tests.DVSA keeps the fees it charges for all of its statutory services, including driving tests, under continuous review. Any proposals to change any fees would be subject to HM Treasury approval and public consultation.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the quality of the service provided to passengers on South Western Railway.

The Secretary of State is committed to improving operational performance across the industry including at South Western Railway. The Government is also committed to bringing Operators into Public Ownership to deliver a better performing railway with South Western Railway announced as the first Operator into Public Ownership from 26th May 2025. A significant development for South Western Railway will see the current rolling stock on all Suburban routes being replaced by brand new Class 701s which will help to improve the passenger experience.

If she will make it her policy to reverse fare increases introduced in 2024 on South Western Railway when it is brought into public ownership in 2025.

Whilst it is our ambition through public ownership to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Through future legislation, we will set out the role Great British Railways will have in fares, ticketing, and other operational aspects of the Railway. Fares and ticketing will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established.