Written questions by Martin.

How much funding has been made available to South Eastern Railway to undertake outline designs to improve car park provision at Paddock Wood station.

I can confirm that there has been no funding from the Department to Southeastern to improve car park provision at Paddock Wood train station. The Rail Minister has asked the Managing Director of South Eastern Railway to contact the MP about this matter.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of ringfencing Section 31 grants.

The Department does not routinely ringfence the section 31 grants it pays. We have listened to what local government needs and we are consolidating and simplifying the funding we pay to authorities. Local Transport Authorities know their areas better than government can, so this greater freedom and flexibility will help authorities to spend on the most important and impactful local projects. The Government will use Outcomes Frameworks to ensure that spending is used to improve transport for all its users.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the noise from aircraft operating between 4,000 and 7,000 feet under the proposed Aviation Navigation Guidance 2026 on affected communities; and whether that is a material consideration in airspace change decisions.

The Department for Transport consultation on changes to the Air Navigation Guidance closed on 26 January 2026 and responses are now being reviewed. The consultation included a proposal for new airspace design priorities which would prioritise flight efficiency and reducing carbon emissions from 4,000 feet and above, with minimising noise impacts prioritised below that altitude. An Options Appraisal was published alongside the consultation. The detailed assessment of the impacts of a specific airspace change would be carried out as part of that airspace change proposal. As well as taking account of the airspace design priorities it would also reflect other airspace modernisation measures which can have a positive impact on noise, such as steeper climbs and descents, meaning that aircraft spend less time at lower altitudes. A key requirement for any airspace change proposal is, and will continue to be, that people who may be affected by a change have the necessary information and are consulted before any final decisions are made.

Whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Civil Aviation Authority’s CAP1616 airspace change process in relation to Gatwick Airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the United Kingdom’s independent aviation and aerospace regulator. CAP1616 is the CAA’s process for all airspace changes in the UK, including potential airspace changes at Gatwick Airport. The CAA has recently consulted on potential changes to CAP1616 to ensure that it fair, transparent, consistent, and proportionate. The Department for Transport consulted on potential changes to the statutory guidance (The Air Navigation Guidance) it provides to the CAA and interested parties for creating, changing or assessing flightpaths. This guidance is used by the CAA to inform its airspace change process. The consultation closed on 26 January 2026 and responses are now being reviewed.

Whether her Department plans to extend the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint and Infrastructure Grants for Landlords beyond 31 March 2026.

An announcement on the available chargepoint grants for 2026-27 will be made shortly.

When the Minister for Rail plans to respond to the correspondence of 11 August 2025 from the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells on accessibility at High Brooms Station.

On behalf of the Rail Minister, I apologise to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells for the delay in responding to his correspondence regarding accessibility at High Brooms Station. A full response to the hon. Member was issued on 16 September.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of reopening closed passenger rail lines.

This Spending Review shows the government’s commitment to investment in the railways and in schemes that support economic growth. The settlement represents an increase in funding on what has been spent on rail enhancements in recent years. While some key schemes have already been referenced by the Chancellor, my officials 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. The Restoring Your Railway programme was closed by the government as announced by the Chancellor in July 2024 and currently has no plans to revisit this decision. Most of the Restoring Your Railway schemes that were announced by the previous government were unfunded, which is why the programme was closed. It is possible that Local Transport Authorities may wish to press ahead with developing individual local rail enhancement projects for funding in the future as this government believes that local authorities are best placed to advocate for projects that will most benefit their local areas. The aim is to encourage strong business cases that effectively identify the optimal transport solution supporting growth, more homes and increased job opportunities.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating new cars sold to have speed limiters.

We currently have no plans to introduce mandatory speed limiters for new vehicles.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a railcard for (a) civilian police staff and (b) civil servants.

The Railways Act 1993 requires all train operators to participate in approved discount card schemes for young travellers, disabled passengers and those over 60. These groups are offered discounted travel because it is broadly assumed that, because of age or circumstances, they are likely to be earning less than adults of typical working age. Our intention is that, once established, Great British Railways (GBR) should be required by legislation to retain these discounts. Further voluntary discount cards have been introduced by the Rail Delivery Group. There are no current plans to review railcards in advance of the transition to GBR, but it will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the justification of the eligibility and restrictions of some railcards. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy will require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) extending and (b) removing the 30-day time limit for completing a blue badge application.

While there is no time limit for completion of a Blue Badge application in legislation, in order to comply with UK data handling regulations personal data relating to an application on the Blue Badge online application system is deleted after thirty days. In that thirty-day period applicants are able to save and return to their online application.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing local councils to review applications by utility firms for emergency roadworks in order to determine when the roadworks should take place.

Emergency works are defined in legislation as works needed to deal with dangers to life and property and so must be carried out urgently. For these, and other urgent works needed to restore customer connections or deal with leaks, permits must be submitted to the relevant highway authority within two hours of works starting on site. The authority can assess these permits and request works are completed by a particular time.Authorities are also required to evaluate the operation of their permit schemes, annually for the first three years of operation and then every three years after that.

Which body has responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of the cycle path between Pembury Hospital and Tonbridge.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area, including cycle paths. Kent County Council is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the non-motorised user route that runs from Pembury Hospital to Vauxhall Lane, Tonbridge. This Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network and tackling the maintenance backlog. The Government has already announced a funding uplift of £500 million for the 2025/26 financial year compared to 2024/25, with Kent County Council receiving an additional £14.2 million for highway maintenance.

How many people were killed in road traffic collisions on the A21 in Tunbridge Wells constituency in each year since 2019.

The number of people killed in reported road collisions on the A21 in the Tunbridge Wells constituency in each year since 2019 are shown in the table. The latest year for which data is available is 2023.YearNumber of fatalities2019220202202112022020231

Which body is responsible for clearing litter alongside the A21 in Tunbridge Wells constituency.

The responsibility for litter clearing on the A21 near Tunbridge Wells, falls to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating new cars and buses to have engines which automatically switch off when in traffic.

Vehicle manufacturers are under legislative and market pressure to deliver fuel-efficient vehicles that produce less carbon dioxide. This encourages the fitment of technologies such as automatic engine start-stop systems. Government sees its role as the setting of standards, and that of industry as the development of appropriate technologies to meet those standards.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the National Highways A3/M25 junction upgrade on RHS Garden Wisley; and whether her Department plans to provide financial compensation to mitigate losses incurred by the charity due to construction-related disruptions.

The impact of the M25 Junction 10 scheme on the RHS Garden Wisley was discussed and considered during the early stages of the development of the project starting in 2016. Based on the outcome of these engagements, National Highways incorporated mitigation measures in the scheme where it was possible to do so. The development and implementation of the scheme has considered major planned events at RHS Wisley, incorporating measures to enhance traffic flow for their visitors. Additionally, National Highways has scheduled major M25 and A3 weekend closures to avoid conflicts with key RHS events. Extensive signage has also been installed to ensure RHS visitors have the most direct and convenient routes through National Highways’ works. National Highways provides compensation as established in legislation across all its projects, to ensure appropriate use of taxpayers’ money. RHS Wisley may make a claim to National Highways under Section 7 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 or 152 Planning Act 2008. While there are compensation arrangements for permanent adverse impacts, it is a generally held principle that the public purse does not compensate business for loss of earnings during temporary road works.

If she will hold discussions with Southeastern Rail on the (a) flexibility and (b) affordability of its fares.

With the expansion of Pay as You Go with contactless, we will give passengers simpler, easier and more flexible ways to travel, and deliver a Transport for London-style “best price guarantee” for most passengers on the day of travel. 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.

What the penalties are when the LAeq noise contour threshold at Stansted Airport is exceeded; and who enforces those noise restrictions.

Stansted Airport’s noise contour limit has been set through a local planning agreement. Enforcement of local planning conditions at Stansted Airport is a matter for the local authority, Uttlesford District Council.

Whether her Department has had discussions with National Highways on the long-term plans for upgrading the A21.

National Highways’ South Central Route Strategy recognises the current pressures and future needs of the A21 in Kent particularly around journey time reliability and safety. National Highways will consider the case and priority for further improvements to the route as part of its future investment planning. Regarding hedgerow maintenance, National Highways regularly inspects the A21 to ensure safety and maintain vegetation. Hedge maintenance and clearance are carried out on a schedule to balance safety and environmental needs. For hedgerows, work is typically done outside the bird nesting season, from October to February. Shrubs are maintained every three years, and woodland is managed every seven years. Where responsibilities for maintenance falls to landowners, National Highways intends to raise awareness about vegetation clearance with residents living along the A21. The A21 Safety Package is a series of schemes to improve safety along the route which includes among others junction improvements, changes to speed limits, improved signage and road markings, and improvements to road visibility. On the issue of visibility, where this was identified as a risk during the design stage, the interventions being delivered will address that. For example, work has been undertaken to improve visibility at Vinehall School, where visibility was identified as a factor to the conflicting movement at the exit/entrance of the school. National Highways undertook clearance works to improve the visibility splay, which was completed in the last financial year. In November 2024 National Highways undertook vegetation clearance at Riverhill lay-bay to help make the lay-bay more visible to the users. Finally, as with all the safety measures, National Highways will carry out a post implementation analysis to evaluate the safety interventions undertaken on the A21. Post analysis normally includes a road safety audit which provides an effective, independent review of the road safety implications of the interventions for all road users. Evaluation usually happens 12-18 months after the intervention and the metrics measured will vary depending on the type of intervention.

What steps her Department plans to take to monitor the effectiveness of the A21 Safety Package; and what metrics will be used to measure safety improvements.

National Highways’ South Central Route Strategy recognises the current pressures and future needs of the A21 in Kent particularly around journey time reliability and safety. National Highways will consider the case and priority for further improvements to the route as part of its future investment planning. Regarding hedgerow maintenance, National Highways regularly inspects the A21 to ensure safety and maintain vegetation. Hedge maintenance and clearance are carried out on a schedule to balance safety and environmental needs. For hedgerows, work is typically done outside the bird nesting season, from October to February. Shrubs are maintained every three years, and woodland is managed every seven years. Where responsibilities for maintenance falls to landowners, National Highways intends to raise awareness about vegetation clearance with residents living along the A21. The A21 Safety Package is a series of schemes to improve safety along the route which includes among others junction improvements, changes to speed limits, improved signage and road markings, and improvements to road visibility. On the issue of visibility, where this was identified as a risk during the design stage, the interventions being delivered will address that. For example, work has been undertaken to improve visibility at Vinehall School, where visibility was identified as a factor to the conflicting movement at the exit/entrance of the school. National Highways undertook clearance works to improve the visibility splay, which was completed in the last financial year. In November 2024 National Highways undertook vegetation clearance at Riverhill lay-bay to help make the lay-bay more visible to the users. Finally, as with all the safety measures, National Highways will carry out a post implementation analysis to evaluate the safety interventions undertaken on the A21. Post analysis normally includes a road safety audit which provides an effective, independent review of the road safety implications of the interventions for all road users. Evaluation usually happens 12-18 months after the intervention and the metrics measured will vary depending on the type of intervention.