Written questions by Wilkinson.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of ageing water infrastructure on road surfaces.

Effective management of surface water is an important part of maintaining the road network. Poor drainage can accelerate the deterioration of road surfaces and structures, increase the need for reactive maintenance, and contribute to the undermining of earthworks and other highway assets. This is why drainage is treated as a core component of highway asset management, and why the Department supports a whole‑life, risk‑based approach to maintaining highway infrastructure. The Government is providing record levels of funding for local roads maintenance. Between 2026‑27 and 2029‑30, the Government is investing £7.3 billion in local highways maintenance, giving local highway authorities the certainty and flexibility to plan preventative maintenance, including for drainage and other associated assets. In addition, the Department recently launched the Structures Fund, which will support local highway authorities to repair or replace large transport structures such as bridges, tunnels, retaining walls and other critical assets. This will help protect the resilience of the local road network and reduce the longer‑term impacts of asset deterioration, including those linked to water and drainage.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits to the effectiveness of highway maintenance of mapping underground water infrastructure.

Responsibility for the management and maintenance of local roads, including associated assets such as drainage, rests with local highway authorities. Local decision‑making allows authorities to reflect local conditions, risks and priorities when planning and delivering maintenance activities.To support local highway authorities in the maintenance of their highway networks, the Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, which gives local highway authorities the flexibility to invest in data, maintenance and preventative interventions in line with local needs and best practice.

Whether her Department plans to promote the new road safety strategy to the public.

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. The Government’s THINK! road safety campaign delivers paid advertising to change attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk on the road, currently focused on the priority issues of speed, drink driving and drug driving. THINK! campaigns will play a key role in encouraging safer road user behaviours to support delivery of the strategy. This will include paid campaign activity to raise awareness of any potential significant changes to road safety legislation, with the introduction of these potential changes also supported by wider communications including via DfT social channels and GOV.UK, media engagement and partner and stakeholder networks. 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.

Whether her Department has considered legislation to limit the sale of e-scooters in the UK.

Private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements. While it is not illegal to sell an e-scooter for use on private land, retailers are breaking the law if they knowingly mislead a buyer or do not make the legal restrictions on e-scooter use sufficiently clear. Meanwhile, the Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which is likely to include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. This will provide a proportionate and more agile process for regulating the use of micromobility vehicles.

If she will hold discussions with train companies on enforcing rules relating to quiet carriages.

Many train operators have introduced quiet carriages on their services which require passengers to be considerate of others by keeping noise levels to a minimum. The enforcement of this is for the train operators to manage, and Great British Railways will be responsible for this as part of the customer offer in future. In addition, the Railway Byelaws set out rules on the playing of music or causing an annoyance due to the production or reproduction of sound, including possible fines of up to £1,000.

How many different transactions or processes between members of the public and DVLA can only be completed if payment is made by a member of the public by (a) cash, (b) cheque and (c) postal order.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offers nearly 50 main customer facing services and the vast majority of these are available online with a range of payment options. Only seven applications currently require payment by cash, cheque or postal order and these are listed below. These services require a manual payment as the applications must currently be submitted in paper form because (for example) original documentation may need to be submitted or these transactions cannot yet be carried out online. 1Application to exchange a non-GB driving licence for a GB one.2Application for a driving licence following a disqualification.3Requests for vehicle information from individuals (companies and other organisations can use the automated online service).4Application for a vehicle registration certificate where the original is not available.5Application for the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty when the recipient receives the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment.6Application to amend vehicle excise duty details - for example up or down plating of a heavy goods vehicle7Trade licence applications, including first licences, renewal or replacement.

Whether her Department plans to amend regulations on luggage sizes for short haul air travel.

The Department is not currently planning to amend regulations on luggage sizes for short haul air travel. As the aviation industry in the UK operates almost entirely in the private sector, permitted luggage sizes are a commercial decision for each airline.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of self-driving taxis on local economies.

The Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme, which was consulted on between July and September 2025, facilitates the deployment of self-driving bus-, taxi- and private hire-like services. Pilot deployments under this scheme, which will be in place from Spring 2026, are anticipated to be in specific locations and small in scale. Over this initial period, the economic impact is anticipated to be small. Pilot deployments will contribute to government’s understanding of the economic impact of these services, including their relationship with existing modes of transport.

What assessment she has made of the potential benefit of changing the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence test by (a) using CCTV on test vehicles and (b) introducing detailed written feedback for failed tests.

No assessment has been made by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) of the benefits of using CCTV on test vehicles, as part of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC). The existing testing framework for large vehicles already incorporates structured reporting and feedback mechanisms.

Whether her Department will have direct responsibility for the quality of (a) hot drinks and (b) other catering on nationalised rail services.

Catering services are a matter for each train operating company, whether publicly or privately owned, and they are responsible for their catering offer. The Department expects operators to tailor their catering provision to local needs while driving value for the taxpayer.

What assessment her Department has made of the mechanical adequacy of Great Western Railway's fleet of trains.

My officials receive regular updates from Great Western Railway (GWR) with regard to its train fleet. Detailed maintenance arrangements are a matter for GWR, its maintenance providers and the rolling stock owning companies. GWR works closely with its maintainers and the supply chain to source parts to maintain the trains as required. In recent months GWR working with Hitachi has seen more consistent availability of its intercity fleet. The procurement of 26 Class 175 trains will also provide additional rolling stock resilience across the network.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Great Western Railway franchise fleet maintenance regime.

My officials receive regular updates from Great Western Railway (GWR) with regard to its train fleet. Detailed maintenance arrangements are a matter for GWR, its maintenance providers and the rolling stock owning companies. GWR works closely with its maintainers and the supply chain to source parts to maintain the trains as required. In recent months GWR working with Hitachi has seen more consistent availability of its intercity fleet. The procurement of 26 Class 175 trains will also provide additional rolling stock resilience across the network.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the percentage of first class train seats that were purchased in the last 12 months.

The Department has not made an assessment of the percentage of first class train tickets sold within the last 12 months.

How much funding her Department has been allocated for the Midlands Rail Hub.

The Chancellor’s commitment to progress Midlands Rail Hub West in the 2025 Spending Review follows the release of £123 million last year to design the first phase, which could be delivered by the early 2030s.

What steps she is taking to improve the quality of catering across the rail network during the transition to Great British Railways.

Catering services are a commercial matter for each train operating company, and they are responsible for their catering offer. The Department expects operators to tailor their catering provision to local needs while driving value for the taxpayer. Once established, Great British Railways will be able to set appropriate levels of catering on its train services.

Whether her Department has made an comparative assessment of the quality of catering between rail franchises.

The Department has not carried out a comparative assessment of catering between train operating companies. Catering services are a commercial matter for each train operating company, and they are responsible for their catering offer. The Department expects operators to tailor their catering provision to local needs while driving value for the taxpayer.

What discussions she has had with her French counterpart on the impact of restricted passport checking facilities at Paris Gare Du Nord station on Eurostar passengers.

The Government recognises the importance of smooth passenger flows at Paris Gare du Nord, given this is a key terminal for cross-Channel passenger services. Eurostar and SNCF Gare Connexions, the station operator, are delivering a project to expand the number of border control points and eGates within the current terminal footprint, which will increase border capacity. There are also longer-term plans to significantly expand the cross-Channel terminal in the station to accommodate expected growth in passenger numbers. My officials regularly engage with key European and industry partners, including Eurostar and the French authorities, including holding recent discussions to understand long-term expansion plans for the station.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the discount offered by the disabled persons railcard.

The Disabled Persons Railcard provides a third off rail travel for the traveller plus an adult companion. This discount is in line with other railcards. The current criteria for the Disabled Persons Railcard has been in place for some time, however, in the years since these criteria were established, our understanding of disability has improved. The Department is considering how the Disabled Persons Railcard could better meet its objectives with any changes made requiring balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.

Whether her Department has a policy on Uber taxi drivers operating outside the local authority area in which those drivers have a licence.

Legislation allows taxis and private hire vehicles to operate outside of the area in which they are licensed. Taxis can only ply for hire (pick up passengers at taxi ranks or be hailed in the street) in the area in which they are licensed. Pre-booked work by private hire vehicles and taxis can be undertaken anywhere. This allows the sector to work flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.The Government however recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

What progress she has made on the construction of the Midlands Rail Hub project.

£123m was committed to design the first phase of Midlands Rail Hub in March 2024, which, subject to future decisions, could be delivered by the early 2030s. In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a zero-based Spending Review, to ensure every line of spending – including the transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan for Change and provides good value for taxpayers. We expect the Spending Review to conclude by June 2025.