Written questions by Anderson.

What steps she is taking to increase the availability of accessible and funded training routes for Public Service Vehicles.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate she has made of the effect of the THINK campaign on the number of road deaths of young people aged 17 to 25.

The primary audience for the THINK! campaign is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. In recognition of this, THINK! works with a wide range of road safety behavioural experts and stakeholders to design and execute campaigns that have the best chance of changing attitudes and behaviours amongst this highly at risk group. Against a backdrop of consistent long-term funding for THINK! campaigns, the number of killed or seriously injured casualties involving a young car driver has fallen 61% in the last 20 years, from 12,190 in 2004 to 4,740 in 2024. Whilst it is not possible to directly attribute changes in road deaths to any single factor, research shows high levels of self-reported action amongst young people as a result of seeing a THINK! campaign with 9 in 10 reporting frequently taking an action, including changing their own driving behaviour.

What steps are being taken to improve road safety for older drivers.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all road users including older drivers. Alongside the strategy, we launched a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.We will also develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers, recognising that people’s fitness to drive can deteriorate as they get older. These measures aim to reduce deaths and injuries involving older drivers, without unnecessarily restricting their mobility and personal freedom.

What support is available for community transport schemes in rural areas.

The Government recognises the vital role community transport operators play in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services such as healthcare, including in rural areas.The Department makes up to £3.8 million available each year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to community transport operators. An uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2026. This means community transport operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.The Government is also providing over £3 billion for bus services from 2026/27 over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes nearly £700 million per year for local authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG). The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services. Shropshire Council will be allocated £13.1 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £4.5 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. This could include supporting some community transport services.

What steps have been taken to improve the accessibility of the high street for wheelchair users.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to manage their streets and to ensure this is done in a way which allows them to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.The Department provides good practice guidance on designing accessible streets in Inclusive Mobility: A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure.This is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-mobility-making-transport-accessible-for-passengers-and-pedestrians.

What funding is available to increase options for active travel involving schools in South Shropshire constituency.

On 10 December, the Department announced over £626 million of funding to support active travel across England, including walking and cycling to schools. Of this funding, Shropshire Unitary Authority, of which South Shropshire is a part, has been allocated £2,004,847 over 2026/27 to 2029/30. In addition, Active Travel England provided £191,121 to support Bikeability cycle training in Shropshire over 2024/25, with a similar level expected for 2025/26. The Bikeability programme delivers a range of cycle training activities aimed at giving school children the skills and confidence to cycle on the road. Future funding for Bikeability will be announced in early 2026.

What steps she is taking to improve rural road safety.

The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course. Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!

What steps she is taking to help increase active travel options in rural areas.

The Department for Transport recently announced almost £300 million of funding to boost active travel across England. This includes £222.5 million to local authorities outside of London, including rural areas. Active Travel England (ATE) supports local authorities through officer training to enable delivery of high-quality walking and cycling schemes, as well as design workshops and design assurance reviews of schemes under development. ATE is developing specific guidance for good practice application in rural areas and expects to publish this shortly. Officers in ATE and the Department regularly engage with colleagues in DEFRA about how best to harmonise the government’s approach to enabling sustainable and active transport in rural areas.

If she will reduce the cost of the Veterans Railcard.

We are not planning to reduce the price of the Veterans’ Railcard. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy will require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.

What steps she is taking to support the sustainability of bus services in rural areas.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in rural areas. The government has committed to increasing accountability by including a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which Shropshire Council has been allocated over £4.4 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Whether her Department is taking steps to identify long-term solutions to (a) potholes and (b) other road defects.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to enabling local highway authorities to maintain and renew their local highway networks effectively. For this financial year 2025/26 we have already announced a funding uplift of £500 million, compared to the last financial year, for local authorities to spend on highway maintenance. Through our new reporting requirements we are encouraging local authorities to focus on long-term preventative strategies rather than the short-term patching of potholes. The Department also encourages and supports innovation and best practice in road surface repairs in other ways. It is updating the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure, which will contain new advice on matters such as surface treatments. It is also supporting a £30 million research programme which is allowing local authorities to trial innovative low-carbon ways of looking after their networks. One of the projects is allowing novel resurfacing materials to be tested and evaluated. National Highways is also trialling innovative ways of resurfacing parts of the Strategic Road Network to give longer-lasting and more environmentally friendly results. Their work on projects like the resurfacing of the A64 in Yorkshire could pave the way for industry-wide changes, resulting in significant carbon savings and improved road surfaces for drivers.

What steps her Department is taking to improve transport infrastructure within rural communities.

The government is committed to delivering the better, more reliable bus services that passengers deserve. In the Budget, the government confirmed investment of over £1 billion to support and improve bus services and keep fares affordable in England outside London, including in rural areas. Shropshire Council has been allocated over £4.4 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services. Local authorities can use this funding to improve bus infrastructure and make services more frequent for local communities. We have also committed to reforming bus funding to give local leaders more control and flexibility to allow them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities. Shropshire Council will also receive a share of the £650 million-plus funding for local transport announced in the Budget. This funding aims to support everyday journeys and improve transport connections in our towns, villages, and rural areas.

What steps she is taking to improve rural road safety.

The Government recognises that the majority of road fatalities (according to the latest statistics) occurred on rural roads (60%) with fewer fatalities on urban roads (35%) and motorways (5%). The Department has awarded local authorities £185.8 million of funding between 2017 and 2024 through the Safer Roads Fund to improve the safety of England's most high risk 'A' roads. To date, it has funded 445.3 miles of rural roads which make up 62.4% of all funded routes. The Department is developing a road safety strategy, the first in over ten years, and we will set out more details in due course.

What steps she is taking with local authorities to develop integrated transport systems in rural areas.

We are committed to empowering local leaders to design and operate transport systems that better serve local needs. The Integrated National Transport Strategy will establish a people-first approach to transport across all areas and set the vision for better integration. The Department is already supporting rural connectivity through the Rural Transport Accelerator, and the Buses Bill which will place power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders across England.

Whether she is taking steps to increase funding available for very light rail projects.

We are considering how best to support mass transit long-term as part of the Spending Review and we will work closely with local authorities to understand what is needed to improve and grow their networks by learning from their experiences and building on their successes.