Written questions by Forster.

How many noise important areas of the M25 there are within Surrey; and what the locations are.

Awaiting answer.

Whether Network Rail is required to obtain a licence from Natural England before carrying out works that may disturb protected species.

Awaiting answer.

How many noise important areas of the M25 there are within Woking constituency; and what the locations are.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that Network Rail complies with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in relation to the protection of nesting birds.

Awaiting answer.

What requirements her Department places on Network Rail to undertake ecological surveys prior to vegetation clearance.

Awaiting answer.

Whether parking guidance to local authorities includes the powers and duties of traffic wardens and parking attendants to lift material used to cover (a) a car parked in a parking bay and (b) a motorcycle parked on a pavement to ascertain its identity and the right for the vehicle to be parked there.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of removing support for electric motorcycles relative to the cost of the scheme.

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders. The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of loss of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on the UK electric motorcycle market.

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders. The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant expiry on investment confidence and jobs in the UK motorcycle and L-Category vehicle sector.

In February 2025, we announced the decision to close the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant, which closed at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders. The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.

What work her Department is undertaking to develop a long-term policy framework to support the uptake of zero emission L-Category vehicles.

Decarbonising transport is critical to ensuring that the UK meets its net zero commitment by 2050 and all road vehicles have a part to play in this. The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant has now ended after supporting over 15,500 vehicle purchases since 2016. We will continue to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further policy interventions.

Whether compliance with consumer protection legislation is part of the fit and proper test for private hire vehicle operators.

The Department for Transport’s view is that compliance with any legislation is a relevant consideration in assessing the suitability of a holder of any taxi and private hire vehicle licence.

Whether her department has assessed the impact of noise levels from National Highway project’s on community groups.

National Highways is responsible for assessing noise associated with individual road schemes as part of the planning process, alongside managing noise from the Strategic Road Network more generally. The Department sets out its expectations on what National Highways must do to mitigate noise from the Strategic Road Network as part of its Road Investment Strategies, and will shortly be publishing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3). In the case of transport noise, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for assessing noise across England and conducts noise mapping as part of implementing the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006. National Highways’s noise mitigation work is focused on those areas defined by Defra as Noise Important Areas, within its Noise Action Plans.

What assessment she has made on the cost of travel surveys to the public and their value for money.

Travel surveys can provide vital evidence to enable better targeting of investments to improve transport for people and businesses across the country. The cost of conducting travel surveys will vary by the methods, scope and other factors involved.

Whether her Department plans to issue guidance to licensing authorities on consumer transparency requirements where private hire vehicle bookings are subcontracted between operators licensed in different areas.

The Department keeps its guidance to licensing authorities under review. The Government is legislating to increase consistency in the sector so that regardless of where a passenger travels, they can be confident the services that they use are subject to robust licensing standards.

What plans her Department has for the future of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant beyond April 2026; and if she will consider extending the scheme to support the uptake of low and zero emission L-category vehicles.

The Plug in Motorcycle Grant has supported almost 16,000 vehicle purchases since 2016 and, as announced in February 2025, will close at the end of the 2025/26 financial year or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first. EV incentives are designed to encourage the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). It is crucial they target the most polluting vehicles to enable the Government to meet its legally binding carbon emission reduction targets. Policy interventions are always kept under review.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing DVSA testing centres on driving standards.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing an effective and efficient driving test service for its customers and keeps its estate under continual review. DVSA strongly encourages learners to drive on a variety of different roads and not just near to the location where a test centre is based. The driving test is designed to assess a driver’s ability to drive independently without instruction, taking into account the road and traffic situation at the time. Traffic situations change constantly, and road networks and layouts differ, therefore, exposing learner drivers to as many scenarios as possible will provide them with the skills and knowledge they require to drive on their own, and not just for the test. Learner drivers should be taught transferable skills that allow them to identify, plan and safely navigate hazards that they have not had the opportunity to encounter previously.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the average time taken by Transport for London to process and issue private hire vehicle driver licences.

The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities. We work closely with Transport for London on a range of issues but the operation of private hire driver licensing is a matter solely for them and it would not be appropriate for ministers to comment or intervene.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of transport connections at Worplesdon station in Woking constituency.

No assessment has been undertaken, as Worplesdon is a lightly used local station. Passengers tend to use Guildford or Woking stations for wider travel. Under public ownership, Southwestern Railway will be undertaking a complete redesign of its timetable, including services in the Woking area. In the assessment of options, wider economic impacts will be a consideration, alongside other factors such as reducing the net subsidy requirement of the railway, meeting passenger demand and improving operational performance.

What assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of improving transport connections from Woking.

Under public ownership, South Western Railway will be undertaking a complete redesign of their timetable which will include reviewing connections from Woking. In the assessment of options, wider economic impacts will be a consideration, alongside other factors such as reducing the net subsidy requirement of the railway, meeting passenger demand and improving operational performance.

How much South Western Railway has spent on KPMG’s services to develop a business case for the infrastructure investment.

Expenditure on external consultants is a matter for train companies to manage. The Department has agreed challenging budget targets with every train operating company, including South Western Railway, and officials discuss spending against these budgets on a regular basis. Expenditure on specific contracts cannot be shared as it is commercially sensitive.