Commons
Statutory Instrument
10 March 2026
2 contributions
Draft Goods Vehicles (Testing, Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Goods Vehicles (Testing, Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Alec. We both know a thing or two about changing weight categories— [Laughter.] I could not re…
To pick up on the point from the Liberal Democrat spokesman, the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage, the Government are absolutely committed to greater road safety. I am glad to see my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham South in her place today; she steered us through the first road safety strate…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 February 2026
2 contributions
Diesel Vehicles: Defeat Devices
It is a pleasure to see you, Ms Lewell—my favourite sand dancer—chairing the debate this morning. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Central and Acton (Dr Huq) on securing this debate on defeat devices in diesel vehicles. This is an important subject that rightly attracts scrutiny f…
How could I refuse? Of course I will meet my hon. Friend.
Publishing incomplete or provisional findings would risk misleading consumers and compromising the quality of the technical assessments underway, as my hon. Friend will appreciate. To support transparency, I am pleased to say that the Depart…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 February 2026
Local Transport: Planning Developments
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, as always, Sir Desmond.
I thank the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins) for securing this debate and thank Members for all their comments and contributions. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss how planning developments impa…
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 January 2026
8 contributions
Transport Connectivity: Midlands and North Wales
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Furniss. I thank the right hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Wendy Morton) for securing this important debate, and for her continued advocacy for her constituents in the wider west midlands.
Transport connectivity is not just an abstract policy issue;…
I have a lot to get through, and I would really like to respond to the right hon. Member’s points in due course.
Exciting progress is already visible because this Government is backing Mayor Richard Parker’s plans. Metro extensions, new rail stations, the Dudley Interchange and a new active travel …
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
7 contributions
Topical Questions
I commend my hon. Friend for securing those improvements. This Government are committed to modernising our roads and getting Britain moving, which is why we have already announced that we will be investing £25 billion on the strategic road network over the next five years. We will be setting out our…
The Secretary of State announced various new measures at the Transport Committee to continue to bring down the waiting times for learner drivers. [ Interruption. ] Look, what I would say to the right hon. Gentleman is that his party did virtually nothing to help the situation, and it is this Labour …
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
2 contributions
Local Transport Authority Funding Settlements: Buses
The Government published the long-term, multi-year allocations for local transport authorities under the local authority bus grant in December last year, giving local authorities both the funding and the certainty they need to plan for the long term. This is part of more than £3 billion that we are …
Access to opportunity, including education, is of course a top priority for this Government. Our Bus Services Act 2025 and the multi-year funding allocations, including over £30 million for Cornwall, will help improve vital connections. I very much welcome the opportunity to meet my hon. Friend, whi…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
3 contributions
E-scooters
People using private e-scooters on the road or the pavement face criminal prosecution, having points added to their licence, and having their e-scooter seized. The Government have committed to legislate for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. This will help …
As part of any future legislation, any regulations—including potentially requiring registration or licence plates—will be publicly consulted on before they come into force.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
15 contributions
Local Bus Services
Happy new year, Mr Speaker. You wait for one bus question, and seven arrive at the same time! We are transforming local bus services through our Bus Services Act 2025, which empowers local authorities to deliver better services in a way that works for local people. To back this up with investment, w…
I thank my hon. Friend for his tireless work in campaigning for better bus services and funding for his constituents. I was delighted to confirm the over £3 billion of funding from 2026-27, including £5.1 million for Slough borough council. Local leaders should work to ensure that local authority bu…
+13 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
5 January 2026
4 contributions
Free Bus Travel: Over-60s
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Mundell, and I wish all colleagues a happy new year. I am grateful to the Petitions Committee for scheduling today’s debate, and to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Tony Vaughan) for representing so clearly the views of the …
I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. It comes back to affordability. The whole scheme needs to be couched in an affordable way. I will come on to a few of her other points later in my response.
Alongside safeguarding the sustainability of the concessionary travel scheme, our focus is on de…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 December 2025
2 contributions
Network Rail Timetable Changes: Rural Communities
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Stuart, and a pleasure to see all hon. Members at this Westminster Hall debate on the impact of the timetable change on rural communities. I congratulate the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) on securing the debate, and ever…
This Government remain ambitious for our rail and have set up fantastic objectives in the Railways Bill. I am sure that the Rail Minister will have heard exactly what my hon. Friend has said about further investment in the rail system. Of course, by addressing the main barriers that people face in a…
Commons
Debate
1 December 2025
3 contributions
M6: Junction 38
I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron) on securing this debate on the M6 Lune gorge project and his passionate advocacy on behalf of his constituents. Our strategic road network is one of the nation’s most vital pieces of infrastructure, with our motorway…
I am quite certain that the hon. Gentleman will continue his engagement with National Highways, and I am sure that they can have that conversation together.
As I said, during the initial design stages of the project, prior to May 2024, National Highways considered and assessed the opportunity of th…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 November 2025
7 contributions
Driving Test Availability: South-east
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) for the opportunity to respond to today’s debate on driving test availability in the south-east. I am grateful to all right hon. and hon. Members who have spoken on behalf of their …
I will make some progress first because there is a lot to cover. When access to driving tests is delayed, those opportunities are put on hold and, frankly, that is unacceptable. Across the south-east and the country, driving test waiting times remain a significant concern. Across Great Britain, the …
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
5 contributions
Topical Questions
Driving test wait times remain too high, and this Government are committed to getting them down. Last week, the Secretary of State announced further actions to do so, including measures to prevent tests being booked up and resold by bots, and bringing in the Army to bolster examiner numbers. We cont…
I am enjoying the tour of village halls this morning. Level crossings can be a significant safety risk. Network Rail, the owner of that level crossing, has legal responsibility to reduce risk so that it is as low as practically possible. The Rail Minister would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to dis…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
2 contributions
Practical Driving Tests
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency conducted a record 1.96 million tests in 2024-25, and delivered nearly 42,000 extra tests between June and September 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Waiting times remain too long, however, which is why last week the Secretary of State announced mea…
The DVSA has introduced measures to deliver 10,000 additional tests a month by recruiting 450 new driving examiners to increase capacity, introducing incentives for everyone delivering driving tests, encouraging qualified DVSA staff to return to frontline roles, doubling the number of trainers and e…
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
2 contributions
Bus Services: York Outer
We are taking ambitious steps to improve local bus services, including in York and North Yorkshire. These have included the allocation of £12.6 million of funding in 2025-26 through the local authority bus grant. I was pleased that my hon. Friend could join me, alongside the Mayor of York and North …
It is vital that local bus services work for local communities, and that is at the heart of the Government’s bus reforms. I encourage the local operators to consider the feedback that my hon. Friend has mentioned, recognising the role that bus services play in supporting people to meet their familie…
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
7 contributions
Bus Services
We are taking ambitious steps to improve local buses, and our landmark Bus Services Act 2025 empowers local authorities to deliver better services. We are investing over £1 billion in 2025-26, and in the coming weeks, we will confirm multi-year allocations for local authorities, to help improve bus …
I agree with my hon. Friend. We are clear that everyone should have access to high-quality, accessible bus services. Responsibility for services in London sits with the mayor, and 96% of Londoners live within 400 metres of a bus stop. To expand the progress made under London’s Labour mayor, we will …
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
2 contributions
A59 Kex Gill Bypass
The A59 Kex Gill bypass scheme has been subject to delays and increased costs because of design changes, poor ground conditions and further landslips on the A59. The scheme is overseen by the Conservative-run North Yorkshire council, which provides regular reports to the Department on its progress.
Under the major road network programme, once the Department has approved a scheme and agreed its funding contribution, covering any cost increases is entirely a matter for local authorities. The Department has provided over £56 million towards A59 Kex Gill, and no further funding is available, but o…
Commons
Debate
19 November 2025
3 contributions
Northwich Railway Station: Accessibility
It is a privilege to respond to this important debate on accessibility at Northwich station. It is an issue that clearly has a massive impact on the Northwich community and the local travelling public, regardless of their mobility, age or the fact they are travelling with heavy luggage.
Many of Bri…
I do indeed share my hon. Friend’s frustration and that of, I suspect, hundreds of his constituents, who will continue to face challenges when using the rail network. We are very much committed to delivering a more accessible rail system, and I am sure he will continue to voice the thoughts of his c…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 November 2025
2 contributions
Rural Railway Stations: Step Free Access
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Turner.
It is a privilege to respond to this important debate on rail accessibility in rural areas, which plays a vital role in opening up our railway to people who do not happen to live in towns and cities, regardless of their mobility, their age…
I am reminded that Cumberland is one of our bus franchising pilot areas. So far, from just looking at our city regions as discussed earlier, we are investing money in those franchising pilots to ensure that the major improvements promised under the Bus Services Act 2025 can also be realised in more …
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 October 2025
3 contributions
Vehicle Headlight Glare Standards
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. I start by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Peter Lamb) on securing this debate about the potential merits of a new standard for headlight glare. I am sure that it will have not gone unnoticed that the UK has some of t…
We will always keep all these considerations under review, but, as with anything, we will be evidence-led on the measures that we put in place, working with our international partners.
Road users will have experienced discomfort from headlamp glare when driving. From personal experience, I know tha…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 October 2025
Connected and Automated Vehicles
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Vaz. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes) on raising this important issue. What a fascinating and thought-provoking debate this has been.
Establishing our new regulatory framework for automated vehicles provid…
Commons
Debate
20 October 2025
3 contributions
A50/A500 Corridor
I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) on securing this debate and for speaking so passionately about transport in his constituency and the implications for the wider region. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss transport in the region to…
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. The area is also home to exciting innovation, new technologies and advanced manufacturing. This Government absolutely understand the importance of such routes to our daily lives, and they are core to key Government priorities such as kick-starting the eco…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
11 September 2025
5 contributions
Regional Transport Inequality
I welcome today’s debate on regional transport inequality, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) for securing this time. I have 10 minutes to address the many excellent contributions made this afternoon, so Members must forgive my reluctance to entertain many int…
As I just mentioned, we have committed £2 billion to helping those outside city areas and last week committed £104 million for resource funding across the country outside city areas.
Although we are eager for local leaders to take the reins, there is still an important part for central Government t…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
11 September 2025
11 contributions
Topical Questions
I know that my hon. Friend has raised this issue time and again with East Sussex county council. The delay to the Queensway Gateway project has wreaked havoc for her constituents. Given that the project was funded with Government money, serious questions must now be asked of East Sussex county counc…
This Government committed in our manifesto to tackle the high cost of motor insurance, and I am pleased to see recent data suggesting that average premiums are falling. The Government’s taskforce, chaired by the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury, continues to work to identify short…
+9 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
11 September 2025
2 contributions
Micromobility Vehicles
Shared e-scooter schemes can provide a great way to get around, but the scooters can pose a nuisance for other people, so we need to ensure that their roll-out is both safe and properly regulated. We have extended e-scooter trials until May 2028 to allow local authorities to test how the technology …
I share my hon. Friend’s view that the term “invalid carriages” in the existing legislation is outdated and no longer reflects modern attitudes or needs. This Government are committed to ensuring that disabled people have the same freedom to travel as everyone else and we recognise that mobility dev…