Every parliamentary written question tabled by Max Wilkinson this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 35 · Department for Transport
What steps his Department is taking to reduce delays for drivers whose licences require medical review by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued. The length of time taken to deal with an a...
What consideration his department has given to reducing the 6-month grace period that utility companies have to undertake full repairs to paving in town centres.
Statutory guidance already makes clear that permanent reinstatements should be completed by utility companies as soon as reasonably practicable and that, where an interim reinstatement is used, it should normally be made permanent within six months.The De...
Whether she has made an assessment of the relationship between alcohol consumption and incidents of anti-social behaviour on trains.
My Department published the Personal Safety on Public Transport survey in February 2026. This found that “People under the influence or drinking excessively” was the most common type of ASB experienced that made people feel less safe on their journey: 69%...
What steps her department is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour on trains related to excessive alcohol consumption.
My Department is committed to ensuring that the railway remains safe for passengers and staff including by tackling anti-social behaviour. The British Transport Police (BTP), as the dedicated police force for the railway, work closely with the rail indust...
What estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities of of (a) paying compensation and (b) related legal advice for claims for damages attributed to road conditions in each of the last five years.
Local highway authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of their networks, including handling claims and any associated expenditure. Information on compensation payments and legal costs is therefore held locally and is not collected b...
How many GWR train services from London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa did not reach Cheltenham Spa because the service terminated at Gloucester since 1 January 2025.
Services may be cancelled altogether or terminated short for a number of reasons, including infrastructure issues, trespass, inclement weather, or issues relating to the train operator such as crew shortages. In most instances, terminating services short ...
How many and what proportion of GWR services from London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa did not reach Cheltenham since 1 January 2025.
Services may be cancelled altogether or terminated short for a number of reasons, including infrastructure issues, trespass, inclement weather, or issues relating to the train operator such as crew shortages. In most instances, terminating services short ...
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.