Written questions by Wrigley.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ending cross-country train contracts early.

Officials monitor all operators against the train service performance benchmarks in their contracts. CrossCountry performance in 2024 was not good enough so enforcement action was taken. Cancellations have reduced since January 2025 but remain high, particularly at weekends. The operator knows it has much work to do to reduce cancellations and improve services. If CrossCountry does not meet performance obligations, the Department will not hesitate to take appropriate action in line with their contract.

What information her Department holds on the proportion of Crosscountry rail services that were overcrowded in each of the last 12 months.

The Department receives regular information on how busy CrossCountry train services are, but not in the format requested. However, since the May timetable change, average loadings across the CrossCountry network have been broadly similar to those seen in 2019 and 2024.The Department has funded 12 additional Voyager trains (60 carriages) for the CrossCountry network. The last of these entered service from May enabling the operator to offer thousands more seats each day.

Whether she plans to provide funding for the final phase of the South West Rail Resilience Programme.

Following the Chancellor’s Spending Review statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be announced shortly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59834 on South West Main Line: Dawlish, if she will set out a timescale for when a decision on whether Stage Five of the rail resilience programme for Dawlish will receive funding will be reached.

We are currently working to determine which rail enhancement projects will be taken forward following the conclusion of the Spending Review on 11 June. More information will be made public shortly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 on Question 21418 on South West Mainline: Dawlish, whether she plans to provide funding for phase 5 of the Dawlish south west rail resilience fund.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21418 on South West Main Line: Dawlish, what criteria she used for the decision not to include funding for phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme at Dawlish in the Spending Review 2025.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

Whether her Department plans to provide funding for the Teign estuary project through the Local Transport Grant.

At the Spending Review (SR), the government announced £2.3 billion across the SR period for the Local Transport Grant (LTG). Allocations have been published, and Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority have been allocated £40.9m. This is in addition to £4.7m the authority was allocated in 2025/26 through the Integrated Transport Block. This funding is for maintaining and improving local transport infrastructure, delivering transport schemes that will boost growth. Local leaders can choose how to spend it, including on supporting new housing developments, improving public transport, and making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Funding guidance will be issued later this year to support local areas in deciding how to best utilise their LTG allocations. In addition, Active Travel England recently announced capital funding allocations for 2025/26 to local authorities through the Consolidated Active Travel Fund. Devon County Council’s allocation is £2.3m, and this can be used to support the delivery of high quality walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure as well as capability building measures and behaviour changes activities. It is for Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority to decide how they wish to spend their LTG and Consolidated Active Travel Fund allocations, including on the Teign Estuary Project, alongside other priority projects in their Local Transport Plan.

If she will take steps to increase the number of full time equivalent examiners at the Newton Abbot Driving Test Centre in the 2025-26 financial year.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Since announcing these measures, DVSA has reintroduced overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests. The additional testing allowance scheme launched this month (June 2025). The DVSA’s plan to reduce waiting times as set out in December last year, included recruiting and training 450 driving examiners (DE). As with all test centres in Great Britain, DVSA will assess the recruitment needs at Newton Abbot test centre when it launches any future recruitment campaigns.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing peak time pricing on rail fares to and from Devon.

Peak and off-peak fares are an important tool to manage demand and alleviate crowding on peak time services by encouraging those who can travel off-peak to do so. Any changes to rail policy need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers to ensure everyone gets a fair deal.

What steps she is taking to help increase access to driving tests in the Newton Abbot constituency.

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 the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK. As well as the above measures, at Newton Abbot driving test centre (DTC) DVSA continue to provide as many tests as possible. The DTC currently has a driving examiner (DE) on temporary duty to add additional capacity. DEs also continue to provide overtime tests at weekends at the DTC.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 46252 on Cars: Lighting, if she will send a copy of the report to the hon. Member for Newton Abbot when it is complete.

Once the independent research on headlamp glare completes, the research organisation will publish a report on their website which will be accessible to the public. The Department will provide the Honourable Member for Newton Abbot with the weblink to the report at that time.

If she will provide additional funding for pothole repair in Newton Abbot constituency.

This Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local highway authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network and tackling the maintenance backlog.Devon County Council is the highway authority for Devon including the Newton Abbot constituency. The Government is providing Devon County Council with over £83 million for highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of £22.5 million compared to 2024/25.25% of the additional £22.5 million funding is contingent on Devon County Council demonstrating to HM Government that they are complying with certain criteria, aimed at driving best practice and continual improvement in highway maintenance best practice.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the M5 into Newton Abbot constituency.

National Highways routinely assesses the current performance and potential future needs of the strategic road network through its Route Strategies process. The routes serving the Newton Abbot constituency and surrounding area have been considered as part of its South West Peninsula strategy. There are no plans to extend the M5 into the Newton Abbot constituency, and the A38 Devon Expressway will remain the principal strategic route serving Newton Abbot in Devon.

What recent discussions she has had with Great Western Railway on the potential closure of ticket offices in Devon.

I am not aware of any plans to close ticket offices in Devon. Closing a ticket office would be a major change under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement and any proposal to close a ticket office would require a period of consultation before any decision was made.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of re-opening Kingskerswell station.

No assessment of the potential merits of reopening Kingskerswell station is planned at this time.

If she will take steps to ensure that ticket offices in Devon are not closed.

I am not aware of any plans to close ticket offices in Devon. Closing a ticket office would be a major change under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement and any proposal to close a ticket office would require a period of consultation before any decision was made.

If she will take steps to fund a disability access lift at Teignmouth railway station.

We are committed to the Access for All programme, which has delivered accessible routes at more than 270 stations. Teighmouth station was not selected by the previous Government for the programme, but the station already has an accessible route, and if any passenger is unable to use the station GWR will provide assistance or alternative transport at no additional cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43362 on Railways: Newton Abbot, if she will extend South Western Railway services from Exeter St David's to Newton Abbot when it enters public ownership.

There are currently no plans to extend South Western Railway services from Exeter St David’s to Newton Abbot when it enters public ownership.

If he will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy of disability access at train stations in Newton Abbot constituency and (b) potential impact of removing customer service assistants at railway stations on disabled residents.

We are committed to enhancing railway accessibility for all, including those in the Newton Abbey constituency with disabilities. As part of the ongoing Spending Review, we are assessing public spending and cannot comment on individual schemes until the process concludes this Summer.Rail operators, under their license conditions and Accessible Travel Policy, must participate in the Passenger Assist scheme, ensuring disabled passengers and those with additional needs can travel safely and with confidence.

Whether she is taking steps to ensure that vehicles sold in the UK will have automatic headlamp levelling systems by 2027.

Recognising the global nature of the automotive industry, the detailed technical requirements for new vehicles are typically developed within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), in which the UK is an active member. The UNECE amended its regulations in 2023 to include requirements for automatic headlamp levelling. Vehicle manufacturers can already approve vehicles to this latest regulation, but the transitional provisions covering these requirements run from September 2027 to September 2030 and it would breach our international treaty obligations to mandate these provisions for all vehicles sold during this period. The domestic vehicle type-approval regulation sets the minimum standards to be met by vehicles before entering service in Great Britain, and is kept under constant review. A decision on automatic headlamp levelling will be taken in due course.