The Road Safety Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain by 65% and by 70% for children under 16, by 2035. Although an assessment has not specifically been made of the impact of measures on the Surrey Heath constituency there are commitments related to commercial driving and learner riders that are intended to improve road safety outcomes for everyone.

The Government expects those driving or riding for work to keep both themselves and other road users safe. As such we have committed to piloting a new voluntary Work-Related Road Safety Charter that is being developed in partnership with industry. The Charter will be informed by existing schemes such as Driving for Better Business and encourage everyone involved in driving or riding for work to improve road safety.

The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) consultation on improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing closed on 11 May. The consultation was launched with a range of measures designed to support a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing framework for motorcyclists, and the aim of improving safety and modernising and simplifying access to motorcycling. In part, reforms aim to encourage progression to full licences, particularly for those riding for work. We are now analysing the responses and will publish the outcome of the consultation on GOV.UK.

The Department is committed to developing and piloting a new Work-Related Road Safety Charter that will provide a national framework for improving safety when driving for work.

The content of the Charter is in the early stages of development with further detail, including timings, to be communicated in due course. Initial discussions have been held by officials with a wide range of stakeholders including businesses, trade bodies, public bodies, and road safety organisations. This is only the beginning of the process, and I welcome input from all interested parties.

In relation to riding mopeds and motorcycles for work, the Department also published a consultation on wider motorcycle licensing that closed on 11 May . The consultation was launched with a range of measures designed to support a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing framework for motorcyclists. Officials are now analysing the responses and will publish the outcome of the consultation on GOV.UK.

The Department for Transport has supported all local authorities that have asked for help with Perceptual Rider Information for Maximising Expertise and Enjoyment (PRIME) trials. The Department remains open to further involvement and will continue to consider applications on a rolling basis, assessing each request as it is received and working with Local Authorities to determine how best to provide appropriate support.

The expert stakeholder group convened by the previous government when it determined the new rule could be introduced included individuals from The Automobile Association (AA), British Horse Society (BHS), BRAKE, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Cycling UK, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), First Car – representing Younger Road Users, Institute for Transport Studies Leeds – Representing Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Living Streets, Phil Jones Associates, Road Safety Foundation – representing Older Road Users, TMS Consultancy – representing Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Transport for London (TfL), Transport Scotland and Welsh Government.

The expert stakeholder group met five times during the drafting of updates to the Highway Code to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including Rule H1.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the contribution of motorcycles to road wear compared with cars.

Guidance for local authorities already highlights the need for maintenance plans to account for changes in circumstances. The main guidance for local highway authorities on asset management is the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure, published by the UK Roads Leadership Group and funded by the Department for Transport. The guidance sets out a national framework for how local highway authorities should manage their networks using a risk-based, evidence-led approach, taking account of current and expected highways usage. The Department is currently reviewing the Code of Practice, including to ensure it considers the implications of different vehicle types, their increasing weights, and traffic composition on road maintenance. An updated version will be published by the end of this year.

The previous Government updated the Highway Code in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users.

I understand that the Department for Transport worked with an expert stakeholder group representing different users of the road and conducted a 12-week formal consultation.

There are detailed requirements that must be satisfied before vehicles can be sold or registered in the UK. The lighting system fitted to motorcycles is included in the pre-registration assessment which requires that headlamps are approved to internationally recognised standards to ensure that they are bright enough to light the road ahead but not so bright as to dazzle other road users. Headlamp operation and aim is also routinely checked as part of the annual MoT inspection.

No recent UK assessment has been made of the effectiveness of dipped motorcycle headlamps but in response to public concerns raised about glare from vehicle headlamps an international glare prevention taskforce has been established at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. UK officials and vehicle manufacturers’ representatives are actively involved in the work of the group which is reviewing existing requirements and looking at potential measures to reduce the occurrence of headlamp glare.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

The Strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by motorcycle riders and to consider ways to modernise and improve the current system of motorcycle training, testing and licensing whilst maintaining quality and road safety standards. Therefore, the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain. This consultation, which opened on 7 January and will close on 31 March, will help inform a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing regime.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

Road safety is a shared responsibility, and the strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives. By investing in infrastructure, education, and enforcement, we are taking decisive steps to make our roads safer for everyone.

The strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by all motorcycle riders and the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. To support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety. Local authorities are responsible for delivering road safety education and have a statutory duty to take steps both to reduce and prevent collisions.

There have not been specific Department for Transport assessments on the risks posed by potholes to vulnerable road users, or on the relationship between road surface conditions and road traffic accidents.

However, the Government recognises that defective road surfaces, including potholes, can present significant safety risks to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. Local highway authorities have a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain their road networks and must consider the needs of vulnerable groups when planning and delivering maintenance programmes.

The Government is committed to tackling the poor state of our local roads. That is why we have made available an additional £500 million for local highways maintenance this financial year, and have confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for the next four years. These funding increases will enable local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

On Active Travel schemes where Active Travel England has been requested to inspect or assess existing layouts, available metrics can be used to score the scheme based on surface quality.

It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate road safety interventions, based on their knowledge of local conditions and the needs of their communities.