Department for Transport


The Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The department is run by the Secretary of State for Transport, currently Grant Shapps.

History

Government control of transport and diverse associated matters has been reorganised a number of times in modern history, being the responsibility of:
The name "Ministry of Transport" lives on in the annual MOT test, a test of vehicle safety,, and exhaust emissions, which most vehicles used on public roads in the UK are required to pass annually once they reach three years old.

Role

The Department for Transport has six strategic objectives:
The department "creates the strategic framework" for transport services, which are delivered through a wide range of public and private sector bodies including its own executive agencies.

Ministers

The DfT Ministers are as follows:
MinisterRankPortfolio
The Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MPSecretary of StateOverall responsibility for the department; oversight of all areas; Northern Powerhouse.
Chris Heaton-Harris MPMinister of State for Transportrail, East West Rail, cycling and walking, Crossrail and Crossrail 2, accessibility, corporate.
Andrew Stephenson MPMinister of State for TransportHS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, Transpennine route upgrade.
The Rt Hon. Baroness Vere of NorbitonParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transportroads and motoring, buses and taxis, devolution, housing, light rail.
Rachel Maclean MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for TransportEU transition and future relationship, future of transport, transport decarbonisation and environment, secondary legislation.
Kelly Tolhurst MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transportaviation, maritime, security and civil contingencies, Commons shadow roads.

The Permanent Secretary is Bernadette Kelly.

2017 judicial review

Following a series of strikes, poor performance, removal of access for the disabled and commuter protests relating to Govia Thameslink Railway a group of commuters crowdfunded £26,000 to initiate a judicial review into the Department for Transport's management and failure to penalise Govia or remove the management contract. The oral hearing to determine if commuters have standing to bring a judicial review was listed for 29 June 2017 at the Royal Court of Justice.
The attempted judicial review was not allowed to proceed, and the commuters who brought it had to pay £17,000 in costs to the Department for Transport.

Executive agencies

The DfT sponsors the following public bodies:
*
The DfT maintains datasets including the National Trip End Model and traffic counts on major roads.

Devolution

The devolution of transport policy varies around the UK; most aspects in Great Britain are decided at Westminster. Key reserved transport matters are as follows:
Scotland
Reserved matters:
Northern Ireland
Reserved matters:
The department's devolved counterparts in Northern Ireland are:
Wales
Under the Welsh devolution settlement, specific policy areas are transferred to the National Assembly for Wales rather than reserved to Westminster.