Transport Insights

Simon Lightwood has been made the new roads minister following the shambolic reshuffle that saw Lilian Greenwood removed from the Department for Transport (DfT) after showing too much enthusiasm for tackling pavement parking, before being partially re-instated.

However, Greenwood will only be a part-time minister as she has another job in the Whips Office.

It’s not clear what she will do at the DfT as it has still not bothered to tell the public which minister is responsible for which bit of transport policy. Lightwood is still listed on its website as minister for local transport, while Greenwood and new minister Keir Mather have no responsibilities or roles listed.

Based on the announcements linked to him, Mather appears to have responsibility for maritime and aviation policy.

I have previously noted Greenwoods clear statements (several months apart) to take action “very soon” on pavement parking and that a parliamentary answer from Lightwood suggested that he was in no hurry to do anything.

Time will tell, but he may have been given the roads brief to take forward Labour’s Plan for Change by not changing very much.