Department for Transport
| |
Department overview | |
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Formed | 2002 |
Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
Headquarters | Great Minster House, Horseferry Road, London, UK |
Annual budget | £5.3 billion (current) & £7.7 billion (capital) in 2011–12[1] |
Minister responsible | |
Department executive | |
Child agencies | |
Website |
www |
The Department for Transport (DfT) 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 (since 14 July 2016) Chris Grayling.
History
Government control of transport and diverse associated matters has been reorganised a number of times in modern history, being the responsibility of:[2]
- 1919–1941: Ministry of Transport
- 1941–1946: Ministry of War Transport - after absorption of Ministry of Shipping
- 1946–1953: Ministry of Transport
- 1953–1959: Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
- 1959–1970: Ministry of Transport
- 1970–1976: Department for the Environment
- 1976–1997: Department of Transport
- 1997–2001: Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
- 2001–2002: Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
- 2002–present: Department for Transport
The name "Ministry of Transport" lives on in the annual MOT test, a test of vehicle safety, roadworthiness, and exhaust emissions, which most vehicles used on public roads in the UK are required to pass annually once they reach three years old (four years for vehicles in Northern Ireland).
Role
The Department for Transport has four strategic objectives:
- Sustain economic growth and improved productivity through reliable and efficient transport networks;
- Improve the environmental performance of transport;
- Strengthen the safety and security of transport; and
- Enhance access to jobs, services, and social networks, including for the most disadvantaged people.
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.[3]
Ministers
The DfT Ministers are as follows:[3][4]
Minister | Rank | Portfolio |
---|---|---|
The Rt Hon. Chris Grayling MP | Secretary of State | Overall responsibility for the department[5] |
Jo Johnson MP | Minister of State | Highways England, Modern Transport Bill, maritime (including Maritime and Coastguard Agency), maritime security, freight and logistics, environment and technology, skills and innovation, built environment[6] |
Jesse Norman MP | Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Buses, cycling, Highways England, light rail, road freight, road safety, environment, transport technology.[7] |
Baroness Sugg of Coldharbour | Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Aviation, international relations and trade, Europe, aviation security, cyber & transport security, London (including Crossrail & Crossrail 2), corporate & better regulation, all transport parliamentary business in the House of Lords.[8] |
Nusrat Ghani MP | Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Accessibility across all transport modes, buses and taxis, HS2, maritime, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, maritime security, skills and apprenticeships, and the Year of Engineering |
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 is listed for 29 June 2017 at the Royal Court of Justice.[9][10]
Executive agencies
Non-departmental public bodies
The DfT sponsors the following public bodies:
Devolution
The devolution of transport policy varies around the UK; most aspects in Great Britain are decided at Westminster. Key reserved transport matters (i.e., not devolved) are as follows:
Scotland Reserved matters:[11]
- Air transport (Air Passenger Duty will be devolved to Holyrood in due course)
- Marine transport
Northern Ireland Reserved matters:[12]
- Civil aviation
- Navigation (including merchant shipping)
The department's devolved counterparts in Northern Ireland are:
- Department for Regional Development (general transport policy, ports, roads, and rail)[13]
- Department of the Environment (road safety and the regulation of drivers and vehicles)[14]
Wales Under the Welsh devolution settlement, specific policy areas are transferred to the National Assembly for Wales rather than reserved to Westminster.
See also
- Julie, a public information film of the department's "THINK!" campaign
- Transport Direct
- Transport Research Laboratory (formerly known as the Road Research Laboratory, then the Transport and Road Research Laboratory); now a privatised company
- United Kingdom budget
- Urban Traffic Management and Control
- Operator Compliance Support
- Rail transport in Great Britain
References
- ↑ Budget 2011 (PDF). London: HM Treasury. 2011. p. 48. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Transport Departments". The National Digital Archive of Datasets. The National Archives. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 October 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
- 1 2 Cabinet Office List of Government Departments and Ministers: Department for Transport
- ↑ "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
- ↑ "The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP". gov.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ↑ "The Rt Hon John Hayes MP". gov.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ↑ "Jesse Norman". gov.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ↑ "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon". gov.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ↑ "Commuter group to meet Department for Transport in court over Southern crisis". www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ↑ "Judicial Review of the Department for Transport over Southern Rail". CrowdJustice. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ↑ Scotland Act 1998, Schedule 5, Part II
- ↑ Northern Ireland Act 1998, Schedule 3
- ↑ DRD: About The Department
- ↑ DoE: About Us Archived 8 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine.