To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce a national road pricing scheme for motorists.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce a national road pricing scheme for motorists.

To ask His Majesty's Government in which financial year tolls were last collected on the M4 Severn Crossing under the Severn Bridges Act 1992, and what total toll revenue was collected in the last full financial year in which such tolls were payable.

To ask His Majesty's Government in which financial year tolls were last collected on the M4 Severn Crossing under the Severn Bridges Act 1992, and what total toll revenue was collected in the last full financial year in which such tolls were payable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2026 to Question 19486 on the Lower Thames Crossing, what working assumptions her Department is using for the level of charges required to cover the economic and efficient costs of service provision, including a fair...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2026 to Question 19486 on the Lower Thames Crossing, what working assumptions her Department is using for the level of charges required to cover the economic and efficient costs of service provision, including a fair...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to require toll bridge operators issuing Unpaid Toll Charge Notices to provide a mechanism by which registered keepers may transfer liability to the driver of a vehicle where the toll charge was incurred by a person other than...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to require toll bridge operators issuing Unpaid Toll Charge Notices to provide a mechanism by which registered keepers may transfer liability to the driver of a vehicle where the toll charge was incurred by a person other than...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether they will consider introducing a requirement for operators of road user charging schemes at toll crossings to issue penalty charge notices by signed-for delivery, in order to provide proof of receipt before any increased charge is applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether they will consider introducing a requirement for operators of road user charging schemes at toll crossings to issue penalty charge notices by signed-for delivery, in order to provide proof of receipt before any increased charge is applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that motorists have access to fair and effective appeals processes when disputing toll or penalty charges issued by toll road operators, including in cases involving exceptional circumstances or changes in vehicle ownership.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that motorists have access to fair and effective appeals processes when disputing toll or penalty charges issued by toll road operators, including in cases involving exceptional circumstances or changes in vehicle ownership.

No, I am finishing my speech.

What on earth are the Government doing? Where are the safeguards against higher charges for motorists? The Minister does not know.

No, I am finishing my speech.

What on earth are the Government doing? Where are the safeguards against higher charges for motorists? The Minister does not know.

Read the Bill!

Read the Bill!

I have read the Bill. Clauses 33 and 81 could lead to road charging schemes right across the country. The Minister seems not to have read his own Bill. What safeguards are there? How much will his plans to ban diesel add to the cost of construction? Does he know?...

I have read the Bill. Clauses 33 and 81 could lead to road charging schemes right across the country. The Minister seems not to have read his own Bill. What safeguards are there? How much will his plans to ban diesel add to the cost of construction? Does he know?...

As many Members will know, I joined the industry 20 years ago as a civil engineer. Throughout my career, I have been very fortunate to work on a lot of major infrastructure projects, including the lower Thames crossing, the A303 and some of the big National Highways frameworks, such as...

As many Members will know, I joined the industry 20 years ago as a civil engineer. Throughout my career, I have been very fortunate to work on a lot of major infrastructure projects, including the lower Thames crossing, the A303 and some of the big National Highways frameworks, such as...

The hon. Gentleman has obviously spent a lot of time looking into this matter, and I commend him for that. As a result of his discussions, could he estimate when we might know who the funders will be—is it another year or two? When will it be? As he has...

The hon. Gentleman has obviously spent a lot of time looking into this matter, and I commend him for that. As a result of his discussions, could he estimate when we might know who the funders will be—is it another year or two? When will it be? As he has...

I would not want to speculate on the Government’s timetable. What is important is that the Bill goes through, and then we will go through the licensing arrangements to find the right partner to deliver this project, as well as the finance, obviously. However, the delays that happened under the...

I would not want to speculate on the Government’s timetable. What is important is that the Bill goes through, and then we will go through the licensing arrangements to find the right partner to deliver this project, as well as the finance, obviously. However, the delays that happened under the...

I start by welcoming the Minister to his place. He has been blessed with the opportunity to bring another scintillating transport Bill to this House, which has clearly excited a very large number of hon. Members.

Starting with the Minister’s comments about the lower Thames crossing, which is clearly a major...

I start by welcoming the Minister to his place. He has been blessed with the opportunity to bring another scintillating transport Bill to this House, which has clearly excited a very large number of hon. Members.

Starting with the Minister’s comments about the lower Thames crossing, which is clearly a major...

Would the hon. Member accept that the Bill allows for exactly what we see in France, which is toll roads across the entire strategic road network?

Would the hon. Member accept that the Bill allows for exactly what we see in France, which is toll roads across the entire strategic road network?

Not all French motorways are tolled. Certain sections of them are—often the busiest sections. I will come to what the right hon. Gentleman said about what the Bill does and does not do.

The Liberal Democrats’ position is that there needs to be close attention to the detail and scrutiny of...

Not all French motorways are tolled. Certain sections of them are—often the busiest sections. I will come to what the right hon. Gentleman said about what the Bill does and does not do.

The Liberal Democrats’ position is that there needs to be close attention to the detail and scrutiny of...

The hon. Member is making a very thoughtful speech. I was recently on a private holiday in Texas, being driven by a friend. In that state, there is a number of toll roads, so people have a chip attached to the windscreen that allows them to transition from public roads,...

The hon. Member is making a very thoughtful speech. I was recently on a private holiday in Texas, being driven by a friend. In that state, there is a number of toll roads, so people have a chip attached to the windscreen that allows them to transition from public roads,...

The right hon. Gentleman is right to say that if we are to go down that road, it needs to be transparent and done in a way that gives confidence to consumers. Car drivers and road users are consumers, and we should think of them in the same way we...

The right hon. Gentleman is right to say that if we are to go down that road, it needs to be transparent and done in a way that gives confidence to consumers. Car drivers and road users are consumers, and we should think of them in the same way we...

Such schemes are hardly new: in London, we have had the congestion charge for many years now—[Interruption.] We have it elsewhere, too; drivers in and around our major cities are used to a charge they have to include in their budgets.

Such schemes are hardly new: in London, we have had the congestion charge for many years now—[Interruption.] We have it elsewhere, too; drivers in and around our major cities are used to a charge they have to include in their budgets.

Yes, London is another example of where some of these things are already happening, but the fact that they have been controversial at times is exactly why they need to be done with thought and, ideally, in a manner that avoids some of the interminable cultural wars that we must...

Yes, London is another example of where some of these things are already happening, but the fact that they have been controversial at times is exactly why they need to be done with thought and, ideally, in a manner that avoids some of the interminable cultural wars that we must...

I have listened to the debate, and I think Opposition Members have amnesia over some things that have happened over the years. The A282 Trunk Road (Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Charging Scheme) Order 2013 and the Silvertown Tunnel Order 2018 are measures that directly impact my constituents every single day, and they...

I have listened to the debate, and I think Opposition Members have amnesia over some things that have happened over the years. The A282 Trunk Road (Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Charging Scheme) Order 2013 and the Silvertown Tunnel Order 2018 are measures that directly impact my constituents every single day, and they...