The Department for Transport (DfT) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is wholly responsible for overseeing the transport network in England, and for limited transport matters that are not devolved to the governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The department develops national transport policy, coordinates infrastructure investment, and regulates transport services. It is headed by the Secretary of State for Transport, who is supported by a ministerial team and the Permanent Secretary as the department’s most senior civil servant.

The department’s expenditure, administration and policy are scrutinised by the Transport Select Committee.

Responsibilities

Objectives

The department’s objectives are set out in its strategic and policy publications.

  • Improve performance and reliability on the rail network.
  • Support and grow bus services across England.
  • Deliver major transport infrastructure and improve connectivity.
  • Decarbonise transport and support the transition to net zero.
  • Integrate transport modes to improve journey efficiency.

Devolved matters

Transport policy is devolved in a number of areas, with certain matters remaining reserved to the UK Government. Some of the devolved matters for the Scottish Government, Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are:

The three governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each have their own executive agencies responsible for transport – Transport Scotland (Scotland), Transport for Wales (Wales) and the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland).

  • Air transport (Wales and Scotland)
  • Setting drink and drug-driving limits (Scotland)
  • Speed limits (Scotland)
  • Concessionary travel schemes (Scotland)
  • Parking and cycling (Scotland)
  • Driving and vehicle certification (Wales and Scotland)
  • Navigation (including merchant shipping) (Wales and Scotland)
  • Road signs (Scotland)
  • Local road pricing (Scotland)
  • Railways (cross-border services and infrastructure)
  • Road numbering (Wales and Scotland)
  • Promotion of road safety (Scotland)
  • Transport security (Wales)

In Northern Ireland, transport functions are largely devolved to the Department for Infrastructure, with the exception of Civil aviation and navigation, which remain reserved.

Publications

The department publishes policy papers, statistical releases, strategic plans, and its annual report and accounts.

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.

Ministers

The DfT Ministers are as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold:

{| class=wikitable

! width=95x|Minister

! Portrait

! Position

! Portfolio

|-

| Heidi Alexander <small>MP</small>

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| Secretary of State for Transport

| Overall responsibility for the department; overarching responsibility for the departmental portfolio and oversight of the ministerial team; delivering the transport priorities of the government: making transport cheaper, greener, and more reliable; ensuring the transport network is safe and accessible; corporate functions such as oversight of departmental finance and public appointments.

|-

|Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill

|frameless|125x125px

| Minister of State for Rail

| Rail; light rail; London and TfL

|-

|Simon Lightwood <small>MP</small>

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|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Roads and Buses

| Roads; buses; accessibility; automated vehicles; motoring agencies

|-

|Lilian Greenwood <small>MP</small>

|frameless|125x125px

|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport

| Local transport; active travel; violence against women and girls; taxis and private hire vehicles; road safety

|-

|Keir Mather <small>MP</small>

|frameless|125x125px

| Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation

| Aviation and airport expansion; maritime; decarbonisation and electric vehicles; freight and borders; security

|}

The Permanent Secretary is Jo Shanmugalingam.

Former ministers

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (1924–1970)
  • Under-Secretary of State for Transport (1976–1997)

See also

  • Julie, a public information film of the department's "THINK!" campaign
  • Transport Research Laboratory (formerly known as the Road Research Laboratory, then the Transport and Road Research Laboratory); now a privatised company
  • Urban Traffic Management and Control
  • Rail transport in Great Britain

Notes

References