Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rachel Taylor this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–16 of 16 · Department for Transport
What steps she is taking to support the freight sector with increased fuel costs.
The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Department fully recognises the need to maintain the continuity of critical supply chains and is actively monitoring any potential impacts. The Department will continue to work with industry to understand the pressures and options to mitigate any risks.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that road freight trade associations will be included on the road safety Expert Advisory Panel.
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 Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16). Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair. This will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel, which will provide insight from those working directly with road users and communities. The Board and Expert Advisory Panel are currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made in due course.
What criteria will be used to determine membership of the road safety Expert Advisory Panel.
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 Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16). Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair. This will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel, which will provide insight from those working directly with road users and communities. The Board and Expert Advisory Panel are currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made in due course.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Bedworth and Nuneaton stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
In 2010 this ticket was £424.00 and the cost of this in 2024 was £656.00.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Water Orton and Birmingham stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
In 2010, the cost of this annual season ticket is not held by this Department, CrossCountry Trains will hold this information and should be contacted for this, the cost of this in 2024 was £1028.00.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Bedworth and Coventry stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
In 2010 this ticket was £680.00 and the cost of this in 2024 was £972.00.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Atherstone and London stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
The cost of this annual season ticket in 2010 is not held by this department. West Midlands Trains will hold this information and can be contacted for this.The cost of this ticket in 2024 was £11,716.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Atherstone and Tamworth stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
The cost of this ticket in 2010 was £660.00 and in 2024 the cost was £2,856.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Atherstone and Birmingham stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
The cost of this ticket in 2010 was £1,452 and in 2024 was £2,464.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Atherstone and Nuneaton stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
The cost of this in 2010 was £564.00 and in 2024 the cost was £920.00.
What the cost of an annual standard class rail season ticket was between Coleshill and Birmingham stations in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
The cost of this annual season ticket from 2010 is not held by this department, Cross Country Trains will hold this information and should be contacted for this.The cost of this ticket in 2024 was £1,424.
Whether her Department holds data on the average price of train journeys for (a) Atherstone to London, (b) Atherstone to Nuneaton, (c) Atherstone to Tamworth, (d) Atherstone to Birmingham, (e) Coleshill to Birmingham, (f) Water Orton to Birmingham, (g) Birmingham International to Birmingham New St. (h) Bedworth to Coventry, (j) Bedworth to Nuneaton in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2024.
The Department does not hold this information. The Rail Delivery Group and individual train operating companies will hold this data.
When the safeguarded land for Phase 2 of HS2 will be released back to the land owners.
Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2a (between West Midlands and Crewe) was lifted in January 2024. Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg (between West Midlands and Leeds) was lifted in July 2025. One small area to the south of the existing station in central Leeds, previously required for the new HS2 station, remains safeguarded to allow for potential enhancements to the existing station, including for onward travel. Safeguarding along the former Phase 2b Western Leg (between Crewe and Manchester) has not yet been changed, and an update on future plans for safeguarding on this section will be provided in due course alongside broader plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15335 on High Speed 2 Line: Complaints, how HS2 Ltd differentiates between enquiries and complaints; and how enquiries are escalated to complaints.
There is a dedicated HS2 Helpdesk which is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to help with any questions or concerns anyone may have about HS2 or work being carried out. It is available via freephone, email, minicom and through the HS2 website. HS2’s Helpdesk team receive, log and track enquiries and complaints through to resolution. HS2 Ltd defines an enquiry as a question or a request for information about the project, whereas a complaint is where a stakeholder is unhappy about anything HS2 Ltd does, or about anything another company does on their behalf. If a stakeholder makes an enquiry but is unhappy with the outcome, they can request that it is treated as a complaint by contacting the HS2 Helpdesk. If the complaint needs immediate attention (for instance, if it involves a risk to safety, HS2 will always deal with it straight away. In any case, an acknowledgement of the complaint will be issued within two working days of receiving it and HS2 Ltd aim to provide a substantive response within 20 working days.HS2 Ltd’s complaints process which includes independent reviews from the HS2 Construction Commissioner, DfT Independent Complaints Assessors and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The full details of the HS2 complaints process are publicly available at https://www.hs2.org.uk/contact-us/how-to-complain/.
If she will take steps to ensure that complaints about ongoing HS2 works are dealt with effectively.
HS2 Ltd is committed to proactively communicating with communities impacted by the construction of the new railway, to keep them informed about disruptive works and to respond promptly and respectfully to concerns raised by members of the public. HS2 Ltd has put in place a freephone helpdesk, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and has a longstanding commitment to respond to all enquiries and complaints within 20 working days and to respond to all urgent enquiries and complaints within 2 working days.This year so far (April to September 2024), HS2 Ltd received 17938 enquires and 576 complaints, and has maintained its performance with 100% of urgent complaints resolved within two working days, and 95% of all other complaints responded to within 20 working days or less.
What steps he is taking to mitigate (a) noise, (b) dust and (c) traffic disruption relating to HS2 works.
The Secretary of State is committed to mitigating the environmental effects of the construction of HS2 and binding Environmental Minimum Requirements (EMRs) are in place that HS2 Ltd and its contractors must follow to limit the impacts of noise, dust and traffic impacts as far as reasonably practicable. The EMRs include a code of construction practice, which sets out a range of control measures, which shall be applied throughout the construction period to ensure effective planning and management is in place to minimise the potential impacts of construction upon communities, businesses and the natural and historic environment. A copy of the code of construction practice is available here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80104d40f0b62305b88f3b/Code_of_Construction_Practice.pdf HS2 Ltd also provides a responsive community engagement operation which ensures that residents have quick and simple routes to raise concerns if they feel that the effects of construction are not being managed as they should be, including a 24-hour helpdesk, and quick turnaround times for addressing complaints and queries. The HS2 Construction Commissioner can also intervene if construction issues are not being properly resolved through the HS2 complaints process.