Written questions by Holden.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of community rail partnerships on local rail services; what funding her Department has allocated to community rail partnerships in this financial year; and what steps her Department is taking to promote and expand community rail activity.

Community Rail delivers projects which bring benefits to local rail through social, environmental, and economic growth. Work carried out by Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) includes projects to establish community hubs in underused station spaces, creation and maintenance of gardens at stations, and supporting all members of the community to travel with confidence, for example by improving station environments to accommodate all members of the community. These projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.The Department has granted over £800,000 to the Community Rail Network (CRN) via core and project funding in this financial year (FY 2025-2026). The CRN provide access to grants and resources for its members (a mix of CRPs and Station Adoption Groups). Whilst the Department does not directly fund CRPs, financial support is provided directly via the train operating companies.The Department continues to support the community rail sector, and as we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to work closely with the Community Rail Network to identify opportunities to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.

What the kerbside airport drop-off charges were at each of the major UK airports in (a) July 2024 and (b) today; and whether her Department has issued guidance on airport drop-off charges.

The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Government expects fees to be set in a way that is both fair and transparent for consumers.

What assessment her Department has made of the risks associated with hybrid vehicle battery fires following road traffic collisions; and whether she plans to commission guidance for manufacturers and emergency services.

The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review. Insurance industry analysis suggests that hybrid vehicles are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. Nevertheless, existing regulations covering vehicle construction include requirements to safeguard against the novel risks and potential concerns associated with hybrid-electric vehicles, including fire. In addition to the Department for Transport’s published guidance for road recovery operators, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs Council have produced guidance for their staff on dealing with hybrid and electric vehicles.

Whether she has received a proposal for a community rail partnership for the C2C rail franchise; what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a community rail partnership for C2C services; and what steps she is taking to support the establishment of a community rail partnership for the C2C network.

Officials have not yet received a proposal for a community rail partnership from c2c. We understand the operator will be sharing a proposal in 2026/27 and officials will consider how this might best be facilitated.In terms of merits, Community Rail Partnerships bring benefits to local communities through social, environmental, and economic growth. Projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101851, if she will publish any information held by her Department in whatever format it is held.

As set out in our answer to question 101851, the Department does not hold the data requested in a readily available form.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 99932, whether the estimates referred to in that Answer are held in a form that allows net Government support per passenger journey to be calculated, and whether she will publish those estimates and the underlying calculations.

The Department does not intend to publish estimates and underlying calculations.  The Department does not routinely publish forecasts of passenger revenue due to the level of uncertainty inherent in those forecasts.  The ORR publish data that enables this information to be derived on a backwards looking basis.

How decision-makers should interpret the requirement for applicants to assess the implications of port developments for Shoreline Management Plans, marine plans and coastal defence capital programmes; and whether applicants may be required to fund mitigation or adaptation measures beyond the direct impacts of the proposed development.

A final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP) will be published in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 98750, when the A12 widening scheme was deferred by the previous Government; on what date that decision was taken; what effect that decision had on the statutory Development Consent Order timetable; and what the evidential basis is for that statement.

A decision was taken in March 2024 to defer the start of construction on the A12 widening scheme. This had no impact on the statutory Development Consent Order as consent had been granted in January 2024.

When her Department expects to complete the (a) Manchester Route and Stations, (b) Platforming Scenarios, (c) East of Manchester Connection Scenario Study and (d) Manchester Piccadilly Integrated Study documents; and whether the Department plans to place the documents in the Library.

Northern Powerhouse Rail has been announced as a three-phase programme, with a £45bn (2025 prices) funding cap. The second phase will deliver a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, via Warrington and Manchester Airport. The Department continues to consider developments to the route which would improve passenger and operational experience. If these are taken forward, a detailed update will be provided as part of seeking necessary consents.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 100962 on Great British Railways: Marketing, whether (a) growing revenue and (b) delivering value for money for passengers will take priority in the rollout of Great British Railways branding.

As set out in the answer to the question 100962, both growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers will be a priority.

What was the (a) total operating revenue, (b) total operating costs and (c) the net cost of onboard catering on the TransPennine Express in the (i) 2023–24 and (ii) 2024–25 financial years.

In 2023-24, TransPennine Express’ total operating revenue was £234 million, with total operating costs of £408 million. The net cost of onboard catering for that year was £4.7 million. In 2024-25, TransPennine Express’ total operating revenue was £285 million, with total operating costs of £449 million. The net cost of onboard catering for that year was £6.7 million.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of NHS Trusts terminating contracts for driving mobility assessment services, where Department for Transport grant funding does not cover the full cost of delivery, on disabled people and people with medical conditions who cannot access driving mobility assessment services when contracts are terminated; and what steps she is taking to ensure continuity of provision where such contracts end.

We take this issue very seriously and the department is committed to supporting everyone to travel safely. The Department for Transport provides grant funding to mobility centres that have been accredited by Driving Mobility in England. Where a mobility centre is closed by its provider, including where this is the NHS, we work with the wider mobility centres network and Driving Mobility to help maintain geographical coverage. Our priority remains safeguarding patient safety and continuity of assessments.

Whether her forthcoming Freight and Logistics Plan will identify (a) a National Freight Network, (b) key transport routes and (c) main transport bottlenecks for freight movements across transport modes; and what steps her Department is taking to integrate increased use of data and analytics as part of that Plan.

The forthcoming new plan for freight is informed by the broad range of information the Department holds on the freight and logistics system. This includes information that helps us understand key transport routes, like our published road traffic and maritime statistics, and information to help us understand network bottlenecks, such as our congestion statistics and stakeholder intelligence.The plan will also reflect the importance of continually improving our data and analytical capabilities and strengthening our associated understanding of the freight and logistics system as an integrated multimodal network. Further detail on the measures and overarching approach we are taking forward to do so will be provided in the plan.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) mandatory registration and (b) identification plates for e-scooters on road safety.

Under current legislation, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can be used but only as part of the Government’s national rental e-scooter trials. The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which will include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. The impact of potential regulatory requirements such as the need for registration or identification plates, will be fully assessed as regulation is developed. The Department for Transport will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.

What the (a) up-front and (b) ongoing costs are for the corporate initiatives underpinning the projected efficiency saving by 2028–29; and how much of those costs relate to (i) AI, (ii) digital tools and (iii) shared services programmes.

As set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan, the forecast efficiencies of £199m in 28/29 from corporate initiatives will come from a wide range of activities such as workforce reform, estate reform, greater use of AI and digital tools and de-duplication in processes, enabled in part by the establishment of Great British Railways.

How much of the projected efficiency saving from corporate initiatives by 2028–29 represents cash reductions in Departmental expenditure, as opposed to productivity improvements, cost avoidance or spending reclassification.

The Department for Transport’s published Departmental Efficiency Plan states that £199m in corporate initiatives efficiencies are forecast to be delivered in 2028/29. These efficiencies are considered cash releasing efficiencies (i.e. they reduce our expenditure requirements) in line with the definition in the Government Efficiency Framework.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 102871, if she will provide a hyperlink to that information.

The cost-benefit analysis referred to previously and published alongside the VETS order 2023 can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1394/pdfs/uksiod_20231394_en_001.pdf.

When she expects construction works on the Lower Thames Crossing to commence.

Construction enabling works have commenced north and south of the River Thames. These include ground works to create haul roads, construction of site compounds, utility works, ecological and archaeological works and extensive pre-construction surveys are ongoing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101854, how much funding is being provided over the Spending Review period in a) bus services, b) active travel infrastructure, and c) the Mode Shift Revenue Support grant; and over what years that funding will be allocated.

Funding for Bus Services can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-bus-grant-allocations/labg-revenue-allocations-2026-to-2029 Funding for Active Travel Infrastructure was published as part of the Spending Review 2025, and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document Mode Shift Revenue Support grant: Up to £20 million provisional budget for 2026/27 – shared with Waterborne Freight Grant. Future funding arrangements subject to future departmental business planning.

Whether she has considered (a) establishing an investigation mechanism and (b) commissioning an independent review into the safety performance of hybrid vehicles.

As announced in the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the department will be establishing a data-led Road Safety Investigation Branch to learn lessons from road incidents, by taking a strategic, thematic approach, focusing on patterns of collisions, injury trends, and systemic safety issues. There are currently no plans to commission an independent review into the safety performance of hybrid vehicles.