Transport Insights

At the time of writing, there are only four ministers listed on the Department for Transport webpage, with Lilian Greenwood and Mike Kane moving out and just one MP, Keir Mather, coming in.

The remaining junior ministers, “Lord” Peter Hendy and Simon Lightwood, still have their existing portfolios (rail and local transport respectively) but Mather does not have one. I’m not sure he even has a driving licence.

We will see how it settles down if/when a fifth minister is announced.

I should apologise to Greenwood. Last week I mocked her for promising for the second time that progress on pavement parking would be made “very soon”.

The trouble of course is that Greenwood’s departure will both delay progress on this and mean that her “very soon” promise will not have been made by the current minister.

She also said the issue was a personal “bugbear” and this may have been her downfall with a No 10 operation determined not to upset drivers.

Perhaps the new minister will even be a fan of pavement parking, particularly for delivery, delivery, delivery vehicles.