Tag: lightwood

• Ely rail scheme secretly “closed”, Lightwood claims

  A minister’s answer to a parliamentary question this week includes a claim that appears to be untrue but would be just as controversial if it were true.

  I wrote yesterday about Simon Lightwood’s response to a parliamentary question from shadow transport secretary Richard Holden, about the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements scheme, making the point that Lightwood contradicted rail minister Peter Hendy’s claim that the government is “backing rail with the funding needed”.

  Lightwood also said this:

  The Ely Area Capacity scheme was closed by the previous government and it has not been possible to reprioritise it at the most recent Spending Review.

  

  Firstly note that Lightwood’s claim that is has not been possible to fund the scheme, which again gives the lie to Hendy’s claim.

  But Lightwood also claimed that the Tories had “closed” the scheme.

  Although it is true that neither Labour nor the Tories have provided funding for the scheme, this claim is not matched by information in the public domain.

  (more…)

  2025.10.31

• Labour makes £1bn go a long way

  It’s still unclear what budget, if any, the Department for Transport (DfT) has for the local road enhancement schemes that it “green lit” in July and the roads minister’s reply to a parliamentary question has muddied the waters.

  By way of a reminder, in August I asked the DfT under FOI what the combined or individual budgets are for Major Road Network (MRN) and Large Local Major (LLM) schemes over the period of the spending review.

  It implicitly admitted that “this information” exists, but refused to disclose it, claiming that:

  Ministers are actively considering matters that directly relate to this information, and further decisions are expected to be made in due course.

  As I have observed, the absence of a clear budget for MRN/LLM schemes leaves Labour looking like it is guilty of what it criticised the Tories for – making unfunded transport spending announcements.

  

  In June the DfT announced a Structures Fund (in title case) as part of a £1bn package that also included £590m for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC).

  That same month, the 10-year infrastructure strategy said the government was “investing £1 billion to enhance the road network and create a new Structures Fund that will repair major structures like bridges, flyovers and collapsed roads”.

  That billion could include the £590m for the LTC, which is part of the overall road network, although that would involve an element of double counting as that sum is promised elsewhere in the strategy.

  But this is where it gets murky. In its July press release, the DfT said it was “providing £1 billion to enhance the local road network and create a new structures fund”.

  (more…)

  2025.10.22

• Greenwood sidelined as Lightwood takes roads brief

  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.

  Leave a comment Cancel reply

  Δ

  2025.09.24

• Labour demonstrates four wheel drift on road safety

  Meanwhile, in the absence of a roads minister, the minister for local transport has ducked a question about when the government will publish its road safety strategy.

  

  In response to a parliamentary question from fellow Labour MP Darren Paffey:

  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what options her Department is considering to reduce fatalities involving young drivers through the Road Safety Strategy; and when that strategy will be published.

  Lightwood seems to have got mixed up with the difference between “when will the next road safety strategy be published?” and “when was the last road safety strategy published?”.

  Basically, they are thinking about it:

  The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.

  We absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads and continue to tackle this through our THINK! campaign. We are considering measures to address this and protect young drivers, as part of our upcoming strategy for road safety – the first in over a decade.

  Labour takes road safety so seriously, it doesn’t have a roads minister.

  2025.09.15