Written questions by Collins.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure (a) equal and (b) fair access to driving test appointments for candidates who are unable to travel outside their local areas.

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.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the DVSA’s recruitment campaign for new examiners; and how many new examiners have been recruited in the last 12 months.

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.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

How many additional driving test appointments have been made available through extended testing hours since December 2024.

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.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of bus services in rural areas in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected, including in rural areas. Buses in England outside London were deregulated by the Transport Act 1985 and at present are largely run on a commercial basis where the operator decides on routes and provision. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December 2024 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, including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire more widely, and rural areas right across England. 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 to local authorities across the country, of which Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated £12.2 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities, including in rural areas. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming continued funding each year from 26/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward bus franchising pilots, and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of passenger rail performance in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and b) Hertfordshire.

Department officials continuously monitor the performance of train operating companies across a range of measures and meet regularly with senior management to scrutinise and challenge their companies’ performance. The Department will continue to engage with the operators serving the constituency to ensure that they deliver their contractual commitments.

What steps her Department is taking to increase railway capacity in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

Rail services in the Hertfordshire region are supported by requirements on train operators to plan services and design timetables to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Operators must continually reassess their services to ensure they provide rail timetables that provide sufficient capacity, are fit for the future, and carefully balance cost and performance.

What discussions she has had with the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on the affordability of motor insurance for drivers requiring specialist vehicles due to (i) disability and (ii) mobility needs.

This Government is committed to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce, launched in October, is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector. The Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums. It is looking at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The Taskforce was co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury when they most recently met on 28 April 2025 and further meetings are being planned. It has yet to make recommendations. The Government will provide updates in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) school-aged girls and (b) young women can access help on public transport if they are concerned for their safety.

The Department is committed to ensuring everyone, including women and girls, is safe on the transport network. As part of our aim to reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) by half over the next decade, we have an ambitious, evidence-based programme to help tackle VAWG on transport. This includes proposals in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, such as staff training on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour. The Department is also working across government and with partners, including the British Transport Police (BTP), the transport industry and local authorities, to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling. For example, in line with their zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and sexual offences on the railway, the BTP deploy a range of policing techniques to pursue offenders on the rail network to ensure it remains a safe environment and encourage reporting of incidents via the 61016-text number or 999 in an emergency. They also have a range of innovative awareness campaigns to encourage reporting and bystander intervention in response to sexual offences. This includes the successful ‘Speak Up Interrupt’, encouraging bystanders to support or intervene to help victims.

What discussions she has had with car insurance companies on the affordability of compulsory car insurance for drivers who require larger vehicles for disability-related mobility needs.

My officials meet motor insurers and their representative bodies such as the Association of British Insurers periodically to discuss a range of motor insurance issues.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of passenger rail performance in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

Performance in the area has been challenging in recent months, affected by a range of issues including points failures, train faults and external trespass and fatality incidents affecting Thameslink services operated by Govia Thameslink Railway. However, there is an improving trend in service delay and cancellations with continued monitoring and challenge of the train operator and Network Rail by my Department.Ongoing upgrade works on the Midline Main Line overhead power lines will help improve reliability. Department officials continue to monitor performance against contractual targets and will ensure appropriate action is taken to address any emerging issues.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the affordability of rail fares in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

We are overhauling the fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare, with the move to Great British Railways (GBR) passengers will be able to receive a more consistent offer across the network. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver GBR, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal. Passengers traveling in the South East and London, which includes a) the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and b) Hertfordshire, can also benefit from one third off the price of fares after 10:00 with the Network Railcard.

What steps her Department is taking to increase access to rail links in rural communities in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

The Government knows that public transport needs to be better integrated in order to improve the experience for passengers, providing access to services and keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links. The Government is taking action to help improve local bus services and encourage greater integration between transport modes. We introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas. 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. Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated £12.2 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services and connectivity across the area. The Government will also be publishing an Integrated National Transport Strategy this year to set the vision for transport in England. It will focus on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it, including those in rural areas.

Whether her Department is taking steps to enable railcard holders to use their discounts with contactless payments on (a) London Northwestern Railway and (b) Govia Thameslink Railway services.

Whilst currently you are not able to link railcards to contactless bankcards, we are working with Transport for London on the functionality to use Railcard discounts with Pay As You Go (PAYG) with contactless, and this will follow in due course.  Passengers will continue to be able to use Railcard discounts on the equivalent barcode, smartcard, and magstripe fares which are price equivalent in many cases to the PAYG price.

Whether her Department is taking steps to (a) review and (b) amend the Blue Badge eligibility criteria to accommodate individuals with temporary disabilities.

The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability, that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. The Department for Transport currently has no plans to amend the eligibility criteria. The Department has previously provided guidance to local authorities on how they can use their existing powers to offer parking concessions tailored to local needs. These same powers could also be applied to assist individuals with temporary mobility issues or medical conditions.

Whether her Department plans to raise the retirement age for commercial pilots.

Age limits for commercial pilots are set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in standards and recommended practices, which the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) apply. These are under review by ICAO and the CAA remain engaged with them on reviewing the evidence base for future changes to age limits and making progress in this area when we can safely do so.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve bus connectivity in )a) Great Gaddesden and (b) other 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 Tring, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead. 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. Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated over £12 million of this funding, and Buckinghamshire over £6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, support early morning or evening services and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

What steps her Department is taking to support the (a) early commencement of services and (b) reliability of bus services between (i) Tring, (ii) Aylesbury, and (iii) Hemel Hempstead.

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 Tring, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead. 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. Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated over £12 million of this funding, and Buckinghamshire over £6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, support early morning or evening services and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Whether her Department plans to introduce (a) accountability and (b) enforcement provisions for private train companies during rail nationalisation.

During the transition of passenger services to a public sector operator, the Secretary of State for Transport will continue to hold private sector operators to account through a range of measures, using enforcement provisions where required. All operators will continue to go through an annual planning process with the Department to agree plans for changes to service specifications, performance improvements and other deliverables. If an operator’s poor performance means that contractual conditions for early termination are met, Ministers will not hesitate to take decisive action.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Oyster card scheme to stations in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Transport for London (TfL) and Operators can consider and propose Oyster expansion where a positive business case can be demonstrated. No such proposals have been put forward to the Department. However, we are expanding ticketing innovations such as Pay As You Go (PAYG) to more stations and this month we launched PAYG with contactless at Berkhamsted station to join Harpenden station which got contactless PAYG in 2019.

What steps she is taking to ensure private train operating companies are held to account for their performance during the transition to rail nationalisation; and what steps she will take to ensure that performance standards are enforced.

The Secretary of State for Transport will not tolerate poor performance and will continue to hold all operators to account through a range of measures, including during the transition of services to a public sector operator. All operators will continue to go through an annual planning process with the Department to agree plans for changes to service specifications, performance improvements and other deliverables. If an operator’s poor performance means that contractual conditions for early termination are met, Ministers will not hesitate to take decisive action.