My Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander), has made the following Ministerial Statement.

On 2^nd April the Government published Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport to deliver simpler, more reliable and better joined-up journeys for people across England.

For too long, the transport system has been...

My Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander), has made the following Ministerial Statement.

On 2^nd April the Government published Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport to deliver simpler, more reliable and better joined-up journeys for people across England.

For too long, the transport system has been...

On 2^nd April the Government published Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport to deliver simpler, more reliable and better joined-up journeys for people across England.

For too long, the transport system has been fragmented, inefficient and difficult to navigate. Better Connected is a call to action for everyone who works...

On 2^nd April the Government published Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport to deliver simpler, more reliable and better joined-up journeys for people across England.

For too long, the transport system has been fragmented, inefficient and difficult to navigate. Better Connected is a call to action for everyone who works...

There will be a Commons debate on a motion on transport accessibility for disabled people on 26 March 2026

There will be a Commons debate on a motion on transport accessibility for disabled people on 26 March 2026

Frequently Asked Questions about parking policy across the UK, including council-controlled on-road parking, parking on private land, and parking for disabled people.

Frequently Asked Questions about parking policy across the UK, including council-controlled on-road parking, parking on private land, and parking for disabled people.

Frequently Asked Questions about buses and taxis, including funding, regulation, complaints, greener vehicles, cross-border taxis, and concessionary bus travel.

Frequently Asked Questions about buses and taxis, including funding, regulation, complaints, greener vehicles, cross-border taxis, and concessionary bus travel.

Lords report stage second day. Division on Amendment 47 called. Tellers for the contents were not appointed, so the Division could not proceed. Amendment 47 disagreed to, in accordance with Standing Order 52(2). Amendments 49 and 51 agreed to. Amendment 55 agreed to on division (228 to 113). Amendment 56 agreed to on division (173 to 120). (Part 1 of 3).

Lords report stage second day. Division on Amendment 47 called. Tellers for the contents were not appointed, so the Division could not proceed. Amendment 47 disagreed to, in accordance with Standing Order 52(2). Amendments 49 and 51 agreed to. Amendment 55 agreed to on division (228 to 113). Amendment 56...

Moved by

Lord Moylan

47: Clause 33, page 48, line 39, leave out “possession or”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment is intended to remove the Secretary of State’s right to compulsorily acquire possession of highway land.

Moved by

Lord Moylan

47: Clause 33, page 48, line 39, leave out “possession or”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment is intended to remove the Secretary of State’s right to compulsorily acquire possession of highway land.

My Lords, Amendment 47 relates to Clause 33. We debated this in Committee at some length, but the result of that debate was not in any sense satisfactory from my point of view. I wish to take this opportunity to express my thanks for the letter written to me by...

My Lords, Amendment 47 relates to Clause 33. We debated this in Committee at some length, but the result of that debate was not in any sense satisfactory from my point of view. I wish to take this opportunity to express my thanks for the letter written to me by...

My Lords, that is a good start to today’s debate. It is a rather arcane topic with which to start the day. I wondered, when I listened carefully to the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, whether he had actually read the original section in the Highways Act 1980, which the Government...

My Lords, that is a good start to today’s debate. It is a rather arcane topic with which to start the day. I wondered, when I listened carefully to the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, whether he had actually read the original section in the Highways Act 1980, which the Government...

I assure the noble Baroness that I have done so.

I assure the noble Baroness that I have done so.

Excellent. I am pleased that he has, though I wonder whether he has, therefore, understood it. It is surprising that he has chosen to create legal uncertainty, which is what would happen with his amendment. Its consequence appears to be that developers needing a temporary use of land have in...

Excellent. I am pleased that he has, though I wonder whether he has, therefore, understood it. It is surprising that he has chosen to create legal uncertainty, which is what would happen with his amendment. Its consequence appears to be that developers needing a temporary use of land have in...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, for the amendment, which seeks to remove the Secretary of State’s ability to grant powers to an acquiring authority to compulsorily possess land necessary to facilitate delivery of highway schemes. The purpose of the measure is to allow acquiring authorities to...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, for the amendment, which seeks to remove the Secretary of State’s ability to grant powers to an acquiring authority to compulsorily possess land necessary to facilitate delivery of highway schemes. The purpose of the measure is to allow acquiring authorities to...

My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s comments. However, I thought I asked some fairly precise questions, and I do not feel that he has

answered the questions with the precision that I was hoping for. Therefore, at the appropriate moment, I will seek to test the opinion of...

My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s comments. However, I thought I asked some fairly precise questions, and I do not feel that he has

answered the questions with the precision that I was hoping for. Therefore, at the appropriate moment, I will seek to test the opinion of...

Moved by

Baroness Pinnock

48: Clause 41, page 54, line 22, at end insert—

“(1A) Any disapplication of heritage protections under this section must be exercised in a manner that—

(a) recognises the value of the United Kingdom’s archaeological and architectural heritage to the nation and to local communities;

(b) respects the principle that structures...

Moved by

Baroness Pinnock

48: Clause 41, page 54, line 22, at end insert—

“(1A) Any disapplication of heritage protections under this section must be exercised in a manner that—

(a) recognises the value of the United Kingdom’s archaeological and architectural heritage to the nation and to local communities;

(b) respects the principle that structures...

My Lords, this is one area in the Bill where the Government have listened and made significant concessions in the light of the debate in Committee. In Committee, the amendment in my name and that of the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle, challenged the Government to think again...

My Lords, this is one area in the Bill where the Government have listened and made significant concessions in the light of the debate in Committee. In Committee, the amendment in my name and that of the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle, challenged the Government to think again...

My Lords, I speak in place of my noble friend Lady Bennett of Manor Castle. She is unable to be here today as she is hosting something that was set up months ago. As a former archaeologist, I am so annoyed by the Government’s attempt to do this. In fact,...

My Lords, I speak in place of my noble friend Lady Bennett of Manor Castle. She is unable to be here today as she is hosting something that was set up months ago. As a former archaeologist, I am so annoyed by the Government’s attempt to do this. In fact,...

My Lords, I tabled my Amendment 50 before the Government tabled their own Amendment 49 in this group. Both seek, as the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, said, to leave out Clause 41. It is fair to say that that was the part of the Bill that caused the most concern...

My Lords, I tabled my Amendment 50 before the Government tabled their own Amendment 49 in this group. Both seek, as the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, said, to leave out Clause 41. It is fair to say that that was the part of the Bill that caused the most concern...

My Lords, I am in the rather frightening position of agreeing with Amendment 48 in the names of the noble Baronesses, Lady Pinnock and Lady Bennett of Manor Castle—no doubt they are as concerned about my support for them as I am. However, they have raised some very good points...

My Lords, I am in the rather frightening position of agreeing with Amendment 48 in the names of the noble Baronesses, Lady Pinnock and Lady Bennett of Manor Castle—no doubt they are as concerned about my support for them as I am. However, they have raised some very good points...

My Lords, I cannot resist a brief anecdote. When the inner ring road was being built around Birmingham’s city centre in the 1960s, the highways department at Birmingham City Council approached the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham and said that, unfortunately, both the Pugin-designed Catholic cathedral and the Pugin-designed archbishop’s House...

My Lords, I cannot resist a brief anecdote. When the inner ring road was being built around Birmingham’s city centre in the 1960s, the highways department at Birmingham City Council approached the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham and said that, unfortunately, both the Pugin-designed Catholic cathedral and the Pugin-designed archbishop’s House...

My Lords, in speaking to Amendments 48 and 50, I shall later move government Amendments 49, 51, 66, 258 and 260. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, and the noble Baronesses, Lady Pinnock and Lady Bennett, as well as the other noble Lords who have raised this issue during...

My Lords, in speaking to Amendments 48 and 50, I shall later move government Amendments 49, 51, 66, 258 and 260. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, and the noble Baronesses, Lady Pinnock and Lady Bennett, as well as the other noble Lords who have raised this issue during...