Written questions by Holden.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the UK Logistics Network report published by Logistics UK in 2024.

The Department for Transport is aware of Logistics UK's The UK Logistics Network report (2024) and its subsequent progress tracker report (2025). The department is grateful for Logistics UK’s work and the informative contribution it makes to our evidence base for policy making that supports freight and logistics and the wider transport system. The report and its recommendations formed part of the evidence base considered for the new plan for freight, which is due to be published later in spring. This will set out the department’s policy priorities for the sector and the actions we will take to support the efficiency of the freight network.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 115449, in which month in Q3 2026 her Department will set out next steps.

As noted in my previous answer, a number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps. It is not possible at this stage to give a precise date for this work.

A) what assessment her Department has made of the £2.50 fee charged by the DVLA for the release of vehicle keeper data to private parking companies, b) what analysis has been conducted on the volume of keeper data requests made annually by private parking companies, and c) whether her Department has had discussions with the Information Commissioner’s Office regarding oversight of the use of DVLA vehicle keeper data by private parking enforcement firms.

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 permits the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details from its vehicle record where the requester can demonstrate reasonable cause to receive it. The fee payable by private sector organisations, including private parking companies, seeking the contact details of the registered keeper of a vehicle is £2.50. The fee is set to recover the cost of providing the information and ensures that the cost is borne by the requester, not passed on to the taxpayer. In line with Managing Public Money, the DVLA reviews its fees regularly to ensure that they are set to recover the costs of providing the service. Any changes would be subject to public consultation and Parliamentary approval. The number of electronic requests for information for this purpose is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/who-dvla-shares-data-with. Vehicle keeper information is only made available to private parking operators who are members of an appropriate Accredited Trade Association (ATA). The ATAs are responsible for setting and enforcing codes of practice for their members. No analysis is undertaken in respect of the volume of requests made. The Information Commissioner provided an opinion in 2022 confirming the release of DVLA data for private parking management is lawful and my Department maintains regular contact with the ICO on these matters.

What progress has been made on the development and implementation timetable of PAS 2161, the proposed national data standard for road condition monitoring, and what assessment her Department has made of its potential to support more proactive identification of potholes and other road defects by local highway authorities.

DfT worked with local authorities and the wider highways industry to develop the PAS 2161:2024 Road condition monitoring (RCM) data specification which was published in September 2024, and is available online, at: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/road-condition-monitoring-rcm-data-specification. In 2025 DfT carried out the process to approve road condition monitoring technologies for use against PAS 2161 for reporting the condition of the local classified road network in England to DfT. The list of PAS 2161 approved technologies was announced in September 2025 and can be found online, at: https://ukrlg.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/guidance/road-condition-information/data-collection/pas-2161/. The report on the approval process can be found at: https://www.trl.co.uk/publications/pas-2161-road-condition-monitoring-trials-2025-report. As of April 2026, local authorities will be required to use a PAS 2161 approved technology on their classified road. PAS 2161 compliant data will be collected by DfT for the first time in Spring 2027, upon completion of the surveys for the financial year ending March 2027. Further details of the timeline can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/road-condition-monitoring-standard-pas-2161/road-condition-monitoring-standard-pas-2161 PAS 2161 will enable local authorities to collect more comparable and consistent condition data on their classified road network. A range of technology types have been approved for use against PAS 2161. Local authorities will be able to choose any PAS 2161 approved technology allowing them to collect the evidence they need to effectively maintain their roads and meet national reporting requirements.

What guidance her Department provides to Northern Trains Ltd on the allocation of rolling stock between routes; whether the Clitheroe–Manchester line receives comparable peak-time capacity to commuter routes in Greater Manchester; and whether she has had discussions with Northern Trains Ltd on increasing the minimum number of carriages operating on peak-time services on the Clitheroe–Manchester line.

Rail North Partnership reviews Northern’s Train Formation Capacity Plans twice a year, in line with preparations for the May and December timetable change dates, with Northern required to prepare a plan that best matches available capacity to forecast passenger demand. It is then Northern’s responsibility to manage capacity on a day-to-day basis across its entire network.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2026 to Question 118861 on Approved Driving Instructors: Standards, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency plans to introduce arrangements to (i) recognise and (ii) quality assure driving instructors who train approved driving instructors.

Anyone wishing to become an ADI must pass the statutory ADI tests. More information on the steps to becoming an ADI can be found on GOV.UK. To maintain and monitor standards of instruction, each ADI can be called by the ADI Registrar for a standards check. This covers all ADIs including those who might be training potential new instructors. While ADIs do not need an extra qualification if they also want to train driving instructors, they previously had the opportunity to join the voluntary official register of driving instructor training (ORDIT). In 2023, the previous government made the decision to suspend the ORDIT scheme. The DVSA is now engaging with the training industry to discuss how and when the scheme should resume.

How many driving examiners ceased to practice in each month from July 2024 to the latest month for which figures are available.

The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) who left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in each month from July 2024 to February 2026. This data includes all DEs who have left including, for example, new DEs that were unsuccessful in completing the training process.Month/YearFTEJuly 202413.6August 202417.4September 20248.3October 202424.4November 202416.1December 202414.8January 202519.1February 202525.2March 202527.0April 202520.7May 202517.7June 202514.3July 202517.2August 202516.3September 202522.9October 20258.6November 202514.8December 202515.2January 202626.7February 202612.6 The above figures of course do not account for the number of driving examiners who have joined in the same time period. Examiner capacity is rising, with 1,556 FTE examiners now in post supported by ongoing recruitment and training changes. The 1,556 FTE DEs in February 2026 is an increase of 108 when compared to the number of DEs in February 2025 (1,448 FTEs). These figures do not include potential new DEs who are currently in training.

For what policy reason an Equality Impact Assessment was not undertaken in relation to the guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design.

As set out in the guidance for public authorities on the Public Sector Equality Duty, the general duty involves consciously thinking about the equality aims while making decisions. There is no prescribed process for doing or recording this. Due regard for the Public Sector Equality Duty was exercised throughout the development of the guidance including during the policy design, consultation, and drafting stages. As I set out in my response to question no. 121404, ahead of publishing the guidance I had due regard to impacts on people with protected characteristics, particularly disabled people, in making decisions regarding the guidance. This was supported by engagement with organisations representing disabled people and input from the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, the statutory advisory body on disability transport issues, and a statutory consultee for this guidance under the Bus Services Act 2025. This shows a proportionate, evidence based consideration for the Duty. Delivery of floating bus stops, and use of the guidance in doing so, is a local authority responsibility. The guidance clearly states that accessibility requirements and the Public Sector Equality Duty apply to all measures within the document. Local authorities are therefore best placed to carry out such an assessment on the provision and design of floating bus stops in their area. The guidance is statutory, and local authorities must have regard to it.

What estimate her Department has made of the percentage of licensed vehicles operating in Greater London that are fitted with ghost, stealth or otherwise ANPR-defeating number plates; what data is collected by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on the prevalence of such plates among licensed vehicles; and what steps the Government is taking to prevent the use of ghost or stealth number plates in offences linked to sexual exploitation, organised crime and other criminal activity.

The DVLA does not routinely collect data on the prevalence of different physical plate types fitted to vehicles. The Department for Transport is reviewing motoring offences and is consulting on introducing penalty points and vehicle seizure for being in charge of a vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate and will consider whether legislative changes are needed to strengthen DVLA’s regulatory and enforcement powers. The DVLA works with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council on enforcement activity to tackle the criminal use of non-compliant number plates. The Government keeps the legislative framework for registration plates under review, including whether further measures are needed. It is already an offence to display a registration mark that does not comply with the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. The DVLA is considering options to strengthen and audit the Register of Number Plate Suppliers. DVLA enforcement officers work with the police and Trading Standards on compliance activity and investigations. Officials engage regularly with DVLA and policing partners, including police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, on the prevalence and enforcement of non-compliant plates, including show plates.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116574 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, whether her Department has defined quantitative benchmarks for the total number of public electric vehicle chargepoints required to meet anticipated demand by 2030.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 116574.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of the use of show plates on licensed vehicles used on public roads; whether her Department has considered prohibiting the fitting of show plates to vehicles licensed for road use; what steps she is taking to improve enforcement against vehicles displaying number plates that do not comply with the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, including show plates; and whether she has had discussions with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and police forces on the prevalence of non-compliant and show plates being used on vehicles driven on public roads.

The DVLA does not routinely collect data on the prevalence of different physical plate types fitted to vehicles. The Department for Transport is reviewing motoring offences and is consulting on introducing penalty points and vehicle seizure for being in charge of a vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate and will consider whether legislative changes are needed to strengthen DVLA’s regulatory and enforcement powers. The DVLA works with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council on enforcement activity to tackle the criminal use of non-compliant number plates. The Government keeps the legislative framework for registration plates under review, including whether further measures are needed. It is already an offence to display a registration mark that does not comply with the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. The DVLA is considering options to strengthen and audit the Register of Number Plate Suppliers. DVLA enforcement officers work with the police and Trading Standards on compliance activity and investigations. Officials engage regularly with DVLA and policing partners, including police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, on the prevalence and enforcement of non-compliant plates, including show plates.

What funding her Department has provided through DfT Operator Limited to increase the number of rail training places.

The DfT funds DFTO Train Operating Companies directly for a range of activities including training, agreed during the rolling business planning process. This is currently not through DfT Operator Limited.

In what month and year her Department expects to make a decision on whether to proceed with any developments to the Northern Powerhouse Rail route referred to in the Answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 107146.

The Department is currently discussing the detail and timing of that work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

When the Department expects DfT Operator Limited to deliver a 3.5 per cent real return as set out in paragraph 11.43 of the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance.

DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO) is the government’s public sector rail owning group. As a head office it is responsible for overseeing its rail operator subsidiary companies. DfT Operator Ltd therefore has minimal external trading activity and therefore it is not currently required to achieve a specific return on capital employed. The Government does, however, expect DFTO Group to make efficiencies and savings through public ownership of rail services and from rail reform with the creation of Great British Railways. These efficiencies contribute to the more than 50 per cent reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy from £2.4 billion in 2024-25.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116554 on Hybrid Vehicles: Safety, whether there are areas of transport safety policy which the Government considers to be of paramount importance where the Department (a) does not hold the underlying analysis used to inform that policy and (b) has not assessed the effectiveness of that analysis.

In developing transport safety policy, the Government draws on a broad range of evidence to support policy development and decisions. This includes using existing independent evidence where it is sourced from robust and reliable research, alongside commissioning specific Government-funded studies when necessary to fill evidence gaps or complement and corroborate existing findings.

What the average number of carriages has been on Northern Rail services operating on the Clitheroe–Manchester line during each of the last 18 months; and how many short-formed services have operated on that line in each of the last 18 months where fewer carriages were provided than originally scheduled.

Between 16 September 2024 and 16 March 2026, 35.5 per cent of Northern services on the Clitheroe-Manchester line had two carriages, while 64.5 per cent had four carriages. In the same period, Northern ran 16,149 services, of which 3,430 (21.2 per cent) had fewer carriages than planned. MonthNo of services with fewer carriages than planned2024 Sep93Oct191Nov171Dec932025 Jan155Feb123Mar46Apr117May225Jun193Jul248Aug101Sep204Oct330Nov270Dec2712026 Jan339Feb143Mar117Total3430 While most train services between Clitheroe and central Manchester are scheduled to be operated by four-carriage trains, unfortunately there may be occasions when this is not possible due to more trains than usual requiring repair, in large part due to the age of the rolling stock.To address this, Northern has begun discussions with train manufacturers to procure around 250 new train sets to replace the oldest trains in its fleet. Approximately two-thirds of its existing fleet is targeted to be replaced in the next ten years. The initial order, which is due to enter service in 2030-31, will consist of 130 units: 92 diesel-hybrids to replace its Class 15Xs (of the kind that serve Clitheroe and Blackburn), 30 electric and diesel-hybrid trains to support the TransPennine Route Upgrade and 8 battery-powered trains to test their potential as an alternative to diesel-hybrids.In the meantime, Northern is talking to other operators to identify any suitable rolling stock that could be cascaded to provide additional capacity or replace trains that have reached the end of their lives. Where any such additional stock is used is an operational matter for Northern, based on the demands on its services and the capacity of its depots and staff.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2026 to Question 116586, what estimate her Department has made of the level of fees not being paid to former private sector train operating companies as a result of the public ownership programme managed by DFT Operator Limited since July 2024; and what the cost has been of the increase in headcount at DFT Operator Limited since 1 January 2024, including (i) salaries, (ii) employer pension contributions and (iii) employer National Insurance contributions.

Public ownership will save taxpayers up to an estimated £110-150 million every year on fees currently paid to privately-owned train operating companies, once all services currently delivered under contract with the Department have transferred.The increase in total payroll costs at DfT Operator Limited between 01/01/24 to 28/02/26 was:Salary - £6,160,470.90NI - £869,225.19Pension - £621,414.96Total - £7,651,111.05

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2026 to Question 116791, on what date the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) was first asked to provide input on the guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design; when that input was received; and what recommendations DPTAC made to Ministers.

On 9 August 2024, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) issued an advice note on floating bus stops following the publication of research by Living Streets. Officials working on the floating bus stop guidance were aware of this advice. DfT officials met with DPTAC before the guidance was drafted, and consulted them throughout the development of the guidance.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of oversight arrangements governing access to vehicle keeper data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by private parking operators through accredited trade associations.

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 permits the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details in certain limited circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards.Vehicle keeper data is only made available to private parking operators who are members of an appropriate Accredited Trade Association (ATA). The ATAs are responsible for setting and enforcing codes of practice for their members. The DVLA undertakes compliance checks and auditing to help ensure that requests for data are made for a proper purpose and that information released is used appropriately. The safeguards in place to protect personal data are kept under review to ensure they continue to provide appropriate protection.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the use of Norwegian-style drill-and-blast tunnelling methods in the construction of UK transport tunnels; and whether she has considered the use of a Private Bill procedure for the authorisation and delivery of tunnel construction projects.

Norwegian style drill and blast tunnelling is generally suited to continuous hardrock geology that is not characteristic of most interurban routes in the UK. Instead, the latter frequently involves tunnelling through highly variable ground conditions including clay, weak, weathered or fractured rock and sands and gravels submerged in high-pressure ground water. Modern tunnelboring machines (TBMs) are able to cope with such variable geology and prevent the excavation face of the tunnel catastrophically collapsing before the tunnel is lined with concrete.That said, the choice of tunnelling method will depend very much on local ground conditions for each major road or rail project. TBMs are frequently tailor-made to suit those ground conditions. The department would always look to tunnelling experts to recommend the most cost-effective method for a particular tunnel and we would not rule out drill-and-blast if it was through suitable rock.For most tunnelling projects existing statutory consenting routes remain available, and the use of a Private Bill would only be considered where there is a specific and compelling justification.