Written questions by Arthur.

With reference to Sustran's report entitled Transforming mobility, published on 8 July 2025, what steps she is taking to support the roll-out of side road zebra crossings.

An amendment to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) would be required to permit zebra crossings to be placed without zig-zag lines or yellow globes.The Department has been working with Active Travel England who have been carrying out further research to inform good practice advice to support possible future legislative change. The Department cannot give any timescale at present for when TSRGD may be amended.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing zebra crossings without zig-zag lines.

An amendment to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) would be required to permit zebra crossings to be placed without zig-zag lines or yellow globes.The Department has been working with Active Travel England who have been carrying out further research to inform good practice advice to support possible future legislative change. The Department cannot give any timescale at present for when TSRGD may be amended.

With reference to Sustran's report entitled Transforming mobility, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing paid local access panels to (a) review and (b) improve transport (i) policy and (ii) practice for disabled people.

The Sustrans Transforming Mobility Report highlights how paid access panels could be one means by which local transport authorities engage with disabled people to shape, review, and monitor transport policies and projects, so that accessibility is embedded from the start of projects.This recommendation is aimed at local leaders, who know their communities and are best placed to make decisions about how they can improve local transport for disabled people. Improving accessibility is a collaborative effort, with operators, industry, and local authorities having key parts to play – alongside the support of all passengers. Breaking down barriers to opportunity is a core mission statement for this government and that is why we are developing an Integrated National Transport Strategy to enable us to better work with partners across the transport sector to deliver a network that works for all passengers.More widely, the government is committed to improving public transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. The Bus Services (No.2) Bill, introduced by the government on 17 December is intended to ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them and includes measures which will make bus travel more accessible and inclusive. In addition, on 1 October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026.Ensuring the rail network is accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and have committed to publishing an accessibility roadmap to explain the actions we are taking to improve accessibility ahead of the establishment of Great British Rail.

What steps she is taking to support initiatives aimed at increasing cycling participation among women and girls.

The Department and Active Travel England (ATE) work with local authorities and other delivery partners to support active travel outreach programmes for underrepresented groups, including women and girls. This includes funding for Bikeability cycle training for children and outreach programmes to engage underrepresented groups through Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival programme and local authorities. In addition, ATE is working with local authorities across England to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure including as part of wider transport schemes. This includes providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes. Responsibility for many aspects of transport in Scotland, including active travel, is devolved. My honourable friend the member for Edinburgh South West may wish to speak to the Scottish Government regarding steps taken to increase cycling participation among women and girls in Scotland.

What is the average waiting time for a driving test in Currie; and when she expects the backlog to be cleared.

The year-to-date average waiting time for a driving test at Edinburgh (Currie) driving test centre (DTC) is 24 weeks.The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.DVSA expects to deliver thousands of additional tests this month and is working to increase test availability further over the coming year. Over 630,000 learners across Great Britain now have a test booked. That number will rise as the DVSA increases test availability.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that rail fares are affordable.

Scottish fares are a matter for the Scottish Government. However, in both administrations Scotland and England, some fares are regulated to protect passengers by setting the maximum amount that regulated fares can increase year-on-year. London North Eastern Railway's (LNER’s) "Simpler Fares" trial is running on the East Coast Mainline, including between London and areas around Edinburgh, to explore alternative fare structures on long-distance routes. With LNER’s Simpler Fares initiative, the number of tickets has been reduced to just three per class - fixed, semi-flexible, and fully flexible. The off-peak and super-off-peak tickets with complex validities have been replaced by a new semi flexible ticket - “70-Flex” which allows passengers to adjust their booking in order to travel on an earlier or later LNER service, scheduled to depart within 70 minutes of their booked departure time, which is much clearer and more descriptive.Finally, everything is priced on a single leg basis where a single costs no more than half of the equivalent return, enabling passengers to easily mix and match tickets for each leg of their journey without penalty according to their needs e.g. Fixed out and Flexible back or First Class with Standard.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the lessons learned from the implementation of pavement parking restrictions in (a) Edinburgh and (b) London.

The Department has been carefully considering the responses to the consultation that took place in 2020 and is currently working through the policy options. There will be a full impact assessment of the policies to be implemented, which will consider a wide range of issues including lessons from other parts of the country. Departmental officials are in contact with the Scottish Government and London Councils. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response.

What assessment she has made of the potential role of technology in the decarbonisation of the transport sector.

Technological solutions will play a critical role in decarbonising transport across all modes, including through accelerated electric vehicle rollout and low carbon fuel deployment in shipping and aviation. Government will produce a plan later this year for reducing emissions from all sectors, including transport, in line with legislated carbon budgets.

If she will take steps with the Civil Aviation Authority to help ensure that (a) existing and (b) future regulation of drone technology is (i) proportionate and (ii) supports growth in the sector.

I am committed to maximising the benefits of drones to drive economic growth, support communities, and enhance public services, whilst ensuring their safe and responsible use. The Department for Transport is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and industry partners through the Future of Flight Industry Group (FFIG) to ensure that existing and future regulations for drone technology are proportionate, support sector growth, and maintain the UK’s high standards of aviation safety and security. FFIG brings together key government and industry stakeholders to drive forward the UK’s Future of Flight Programme, which aims to develop the regulation, technologies and infrastructure needed to enable the routine use of innovative aircraft, including drones. The programme also seeks to unlock barriers to growth, support new commercial opportunities, and improve public services. On 17 March, the CAA announced their new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth. This included five initiatives, two of which relate specifically to drones: enabling at least two further and larger BVLOS drone scale trial operations and launching an initial implementation of the UK’s Drone Market Surveillance Authority.

Whether she is taking steps with the Civil Aviation Authority to help reduce the potential impact of the new scheme of charges on drone operators.

After consulting the aviation sector, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consulted ministers in February about changes to its schemes of regulatory charges for 2024/25. We considered every response to its sector consultation, including 72 specifically about drone charges. Before coming to ministers and after sector consultation, the CAA amended its charges to make them less impactful to many members of the drone community.Government support for the CAA in 2025/26 also includes £16.5m for Future of Flight projects, some of which will benefit drone users. Where appropriate the CAA considers making refunds to applicants that misinterpret CAA policies or make mistakes in applications. The CAA plan to share guidance on common mistakes to help prevent recurrence and this will help to minimise applicant costs. Furthermore, the digitisation of some application routes should bear down on costs to regulated parties, including drone operators.

How many people (a) sat and (b) passed a driving test at the Edinburgh (Currie) Driving Test Centre in each year since 2010.

The attached Excel document shows the number of people using a unique driver number that a) sat and b) passed a driving test at Edinburgh (Currie) driving test centre (DTC) in each year from 2015 to 30 September 2024. Please note, this data is based on candidates’ unique driver numbers. Based on this unique number, the data does not include if a candidate took a test more than once in any given year. However, if a candidate changed their unique driver number, each driver number is counted once in each year it is used. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) retention period for this data is ten years. The attached Excel document also shows the number of tests conducted and passed at Edinburgh (Currie) DTC between 2010 and 30 September 2024. This data is the total number of tests conducted per year and would include candidates who took multiple tests. DVSA publishes this data online at: Driving test and theory test data: cars - GOV.UK. DVSA can currently only publish the data included in the attached Excel document up to the end of September 2024.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a standardised battery health certification scheme for second-hand electric vehicles.

The Department for Transport has worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to develop a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle batteries (GTR 22). If implemented, the regulation would set standards for the lifespan of a battery and its minimum durability. It will also ensure that information about electric vehicle batteries is easily accessible, accurate and comparable. The Government is currently considering options for the implementation of GTR 22 battery regulations in the UK. In the meantime, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires all new electric vehicles to be sold with a warranty that includes battery replacement if capacity falls below 70% in the first 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever is sooner.

What steps she is taking to tackle (a) harassment and (b) intimidation of women while cycling.

Everyone should feel safe cycling and harassment and intimidation of women cycling is totally unacceptable. Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is very much an important part of our mission on VAWG. Once in force, the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 will help tackle this issue and ensure women both feel and are safer on our streets. The Act builds on existing harassment legislation within the Public Order Act 1986. It introduces an aggravated offence punishable by up to two years imprisonment upon conviction where someone commits the existing Public Order Act 1986 4A offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress based on someone’s sex or presumed sex. Active Travel England is working with local authorities to provide safe cycling infrastructure which should help women feel safer when cycling. Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women.

Whether she plans to create local walking and cycling networks to enable more children to stay active on the way to school.

it is for local authorities to make their own decisions about where to prioritise investment in local transport networks. Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) aim to help authorities take a strategic approach to improving conditions for walking, wheeling and cycling. Revenue funding awarded by Active Travel England can be used by local authorities to support LCWIP development. In addition, Active Travel England supports a range of programmes to help enable more active travel for schoolchildren, including Living Street’s Walk to School Outreach, Modeshift STARS and Bikeability cycle training. The Department has also recently published guidance for local authorities on implementing School Streets, which can encourage more active travel to schools.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential economic merits of investment in active travel infrastructure.

The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets; enabling people to live longer, healthier lives; and helping to reduce transport emissions. The Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6 on 12 February. The Department’s Ministers will be having regular discussions with their Treasury counterparts as part of the ongoing Spending Review which will conclude later this Spring.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of increased investment in active travel infrastructure on public health outcomes.

Investment in active travel schemes makes it easier for people to walk, wheel or cycle, and thereby plays a significant role in improving people’s physical and mental health. Ministers from this Department have met regularly with their counterparts in the Department of Health and Social Care to discuss this as well as the other ways that the Department can contribute to the Government’s health mission. On 12 February, Active Travel England announced almost £300 million of funding for new walking, wheeling and cycling schemes. The health benefits of these will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days per year, easing pressure on the NHS.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the plug-in taxi grant on levels of uptake of purpose-built ultra-low emission taxis.

The Plug-In Taxi Grant (PITG) was introduced in 2017 to support the early market growth of zero emission capable (ZEC) taxis and has supported the purchase of over 10,000 vehicles of this type. The grant is funded until at least the end of the current financial year. All grants remain under review to ensure best value for the money for the taxpayer.

What steps the Government is taking to support the development of Electric/hydrogen Regional Air Mobility.

The Government is supporting and accelerating the introduction and use of new aviation technologies, including electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) and other zero-emission regional air mobility aircraft. My Department is working closely with industry, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and community representatives on the uses of these aircraft to ensure that they are sustainable, safe and offer benefits and opportunities across the UK. I have committed my Department to working toward seeing initial demonstrations of piloted eVTOLs, followed by routine operations and then demonstrations of autonomous eVTOL flights - once the technology has been proven. I will be chairing the Future of Flight Industry Group, bringing government and the CAA together with industry leaders to discuss future of flight technologies, including eVTOLs. The Jet Zero Taskforce Expert Group, convening representatives from government, industry, and academia with an interest in aviation decarbonisation, have agreed to establish a dedicated group to unlock barriers to the commercial operation of zero-carbon hydrogen aircraft.

Whether her Department is taking steps to support the use of non-passenger-carrying drones to convey freight.

This Government is supporting and accelerating the use of drone technologies for freight logistics in both the commercial and public sectors, such as for the transport of vital medical supplies within the NHS. I am committed to enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations at scale in integrated airspace. I will be chairing the Future of Flight Industry Group, bringing together industry leaders, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and local representatives to help realise the benefits of drones and other future flight technologies for freight and other uses in a safe and sustainable way. My Department is also funding the CAA to deliver on its BVLOS Technical Strategy which was published in September 2024 and sets out a roadmap towards routine BVLOS operations; as well as funding the £7 million Freight Innovation Fund which supports the commercialisation of late-stage innovative solutions, including drones.

What steps the Government is taking to support the development of Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles.

The Government is supporting and accelerating the introduction and use of new aviation technologies, including electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) and other zero-emission regional air mobility aircraft. My Department is working closely with industry, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and community representatives on the uses of these aircraft to ensure that they are sustainable, safe and offer benefits and opportunities across the UK. I have committed my Department to working toward seeing initial demonstrations of piloted eVTOLs, followed by routine operations and then demonstrations of autonomous eVTOL flights - once the technology has been proven. I will be chairing the Future of Flight Industry Group, bringing government and the CAA together with industry leaders to discuss future of flight technologies, including eVTOLs. The Jet Zero Taskforce Expert Group, convening representatives from government, industry, and academia with an interest in aviation decarbonisation, have agreed to establish a dedicated group to unlock barriers to the commercial operation of zero-carbon hydrogen aircraft.