View source for Department for Transport

{{Short description|Ministerial department of the UK Government}}
{{About|the UK Department for Transport|equivalent ministries in other countries|Ministry of Transport}}
{{Redirect|DfT||DFT (disambiguation){{!}}DFT}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Department for Transport
| type            = Department
| logo_width      = 
| logo_caption    = 
| seal            = Department for Transport.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert
| seal_width      = 
| seal_caption    = 
| formed          = {{Start date and age|2002|05|29|df=yes}}|
| preceding1      = 
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| jurisdiction    = [[Government of the United Kingdom]]
| headquarters    = Great Minster House, [[Horseferry Road]], [[London]]
| employees       = 
| budget          = £2.9 billion; 2019–20<ref>{{cite book|title=Budget 2018 |year=2018 |publisher=HM Treasury |location=London |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/752202/Budget_2018_red_web.pdf |access-date=18 March 2019 |page=24  }}</ref>
| minister_type   = Secretary of State
| minister1_name  = [[Heidi Alexander]] MP
| minister1_pfo   = [[Secretary of State for Transport]]
| chief1_name     = Jo Shanmugalingam
| chief1_position = [[Permanent Secretary]]
| chief2_name     = Vacant
| chief2_position = Second Permanent Secretary
| child1_agency   = [[Active Travel England]];
| child2_agency   = [[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]];
| child3_agency   = [[Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency]];
| child4_agency   = [[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]];
| child5_agency   = [[Vehicle Certification Agency]]
| website         = {{URL|https://gov.uk/dft}}
| footnotes       = 
| logo            = 
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| chief3_position = 
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}}
{{PoliticsUK}}

The '''Department for Transport''' ('''DfT''') is a [[Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom|ministerial department]] of the [[Government of the United Kingdom]]. It is responsible for the [[English transport]] network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland that have not been [[Devolution#United Kingdom|devolved]]. The department is led by the [[Secretary of State for Transport]].

The expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department of Transport are scrutinised by the [[Transport Committee]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/153/transport-committee/role/ |title=Role - Transport Committee |work=parliament.uk |access-date=5 March 2022 |quote=The Transport Committee is charged by the House of Commons with scrutiny of the Department for Transport. Its formal remit is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Transport and its associated public bodies.}}</ref>

==Responsibilities==
The Department for Transport has six strategic objectives:<ref name="sdp1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-transport-outcome-delivery-plan|title=Department for Transport Outcome Delivery Plan|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>
* Support the creation of a stronger, cleaner, more productive economy
* Help to connect people and places, balancing investment across the country
* Make journeys easier, modern and reliable
* Make sure transport is safe, secure and sustainable
* Prepare the transport system for technological progress and a prosperous future outside the EU
* Promote a culture of efficiency and productivity in everything it does

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.<ref name="cabinetoffice1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport|title=Department for Transport|website=GOV.UK|date=11 April 2024 }}</ref>

The DfT sponsors the following public bodies:

=== Non-ministerial departments ===
*[[Office of Rail and Road]] (ORR)

=== Executive agencies ===
*[[Active Travel England]] (ATE)
*[[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]] (DVLA)
*[[Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency]] (DVSA)
*[[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]] (MCA)
*[[Vehicle Certification Agency]] (VCA)

=== Non-departmental public bodies ===
*[[British Transport Police Authority]]
*[[Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee]]
*[[Northern Lighthouse Board]]
*[[Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain]]
*[[Transport Focus]]
*[[Trinity House|Trinity House Lighthouse Service]]

===  Public corporations ===
*[[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|Civil Aviation Authority]] (CAA)
*[[Crossrail|Crossrail International]]
*[[DfT Operator]] (formerly DfT OLR Holdings)
*[[East West Rail|East West Railway Company]]
*[[Great British Railways]] (GBR)
*[[High Speed 2]] (HS2)
*[[London and Continental Railways]] (LCR)
*[[National Highways]] (formerly Highways England and the Highways Agency)
*[[Network Rail]]

===  Other bodies ===
*[[Air Accidents Investigation Branch]] (AAIB)
*[[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]] (MAIB)
*[[Rail Accident Investigation Branch]] (RAIB)

=== Transport publications and data ===
DfT publications include the [[Design Manual for Roads and Bridges]] and Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG, formerly WebTAG).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-30 |title=Transport analysis guidance |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-analysis-guidance-tag |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

The DfT maintains datasets including the [[National Trip End Model]] and [[traffic count]]s on major roads.

=== Devolution ===
The [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolution]] of [[transport policy]] varies around the UK; most aspects in [[Great Britain]] are decided at Westminster. Key [[Reserved and excepted matters|reserved]] transport matters (i.e.,&nbsp;not devolved) are as follows:

'''Scotland'''
Reserved matters:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980046_en_14#sch5-pt2|title=Scotland Act 1998}}</ref>
*[[Air transport]] 
*[[Marine transport]]
*[[Navigation]] (including [[merchant shipping]])
*[[Driving in the United Kingdom|Driving and vehicle certification]]
*[[Railways in Great Britain|Railways]] (cross-border)
*[[Great Britain road numbering scheme|Road Numbering]]
Scotland's [[Barnett_formula|comparability factor]] (the proportion of spending in this area devolved to the Scottish Government) was '''91.7%''' for 2021/22.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7386/CBP-7386.pdf|title=The Barnett Formula, House of Commons Library brief|website=www.parliament.uk}}</ref>

'''Northern Ireland'''
Reserved matters:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/schedule/3|title=Northern Ireland Act 1998}}</ref>
* [[Civil aviation]]
* [[Navigation]] (including [[merchant shipping]])

The department's devolved counterparts in Northern Ireland are:
* [[Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland)|Department for Infrastructure]] (general transport policy, [[port]]s, roads, and rail)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.drdni.gov.uk/index/aboutus.htm |title=DRD: About The Department |access-date=29 May 2010 |archive-date=29 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080429185817/http://www.drdni.gov.uk/index/aboutus.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)|Department of the Environment]] (road safety and the regulation of drivers and vehicles)<ref>[http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/about_us.htm DoE: About Us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608190036/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/about_us.htm |date=8 June 2010 }}</ref>
Northern Ireland's [[Barnett_formula|comparability factor]] (the proportion of spending in this area devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive) was '''95.4%''' for 2021/22.<ref name="auto"/>

'''Wales'''
Reserved matters:<ref>[https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/32/schedule/7A/part/2/chapter Government of Wales Act 2006, Schedule 7A, Part II]</ref>
*Railway Services 
*[[Air transport]] 
*[[Marine transport]] including [[Trust ports]] and [[Hovercraft]]
*Transport security
*[[Navigation]] (including [[merchant shipping]])
*[[Driving in the United Kingdom|Driving and vehicle certification]]
*[[Great Britain road numbering scheme|Road Numbering]]

The department's devolved counterpart in Wales is the Minister for Climate Change.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gov.wales/julie-james-ms |title=Welsh Government profile of Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change |publisher=gov.wales |access-date=29 April 2022}}</ref>

Wales' [[Barnett_formula|comparability factor]] (the proportion of spending in this area devolved to the Welsh Government) was '''36.6%''' for 2021/22.<ref name="auto"/> This represents a significant reduction (e.g. it was 80.9% in 2015) due to the controversial classification of [[HS2]] as an 'England and Wales' project.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-51474181|title=HS2: Wales should get £5bn from rail scheme spending, says minister|date=12 February 2020|work=BBC News}}</ref>

==History{{anchor|Ministry of Transport Act 1919}}==
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Ministry of Transport Act 1919
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to establish a Ministry of Transport and for purposes connected therewith.
| year                  = 1919
| citation              = [[9 & 10 Geo. 5]]. c. 50
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 15 August 1919
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = partially_repealed
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/9-10/50/contents/enacted
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = Ministry of Transport Act 1919
| collapsed             = 
}}

The Ministry of Transport was established by the '''Ministry of Transport Act 1919''' ([[9 & 10 Geo. 5]]. c. 50) which provided for the transfer to the new ministry of powers and duties of any government department in respect of [[railway]]s, [[light railway]]s, [[tram]]ways, [[canal]]s and [[inland waterway]]s, [[road]]s, [[bridge]]s and [[ferry|ferries]], and [[vehicle]]s and traffic thereon, [[harbours]], [[dock (maritime)|dock]]s and [[pier]]s.

In September 1919, all the powers of the Road Board, the Ministry of Health, and the Board of Trade in respect of transport, were transferred to the new ministry. Initially, the department was organised to carry out supervisory, development and executive functions, but the end of railway and canal control by 1921, and the settlement of financial agreements relating to the wartime operations of the railways reduced its role. In 1923, the department was reorganised into three major sections: Secretarial, Finance and Roads.

The ministry's functions were exercised initially throughout the United Kingdom. An Irish Branch was established in 1920, but then was taken over by the government of the [[Irish Free State]] on the transfer of functions in 1922.

The department took over transport functions of Scottish departments in the same year, though certain functions relating to local government, loan sanction, byelaws and housing were excepted. In May 1937, power to make provisional orders for harbour, pier and ferry works was transferred to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

The growth of road transport increased the responsibilities of the ministry, and in the 1930s, and especially with defence preparations preceding the outbreak of war, government responsibilities for all means of transport increased significantly.

Government control of transport and diverse associated matters has been reorganised a number of times in modern history, being the responsibility of:

*1909&ndash;1919: Road Board 
*1919&ndash;1941: Ministry of Transport
*1941&ndash;1946: [[Ministry of War Transport]], after absorption of [[Ministry of Shipping (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Shipping]]
*1946&ndash;1953: Ministry of Transport
*1953&ndash;1959: Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
*1959&ndash;1970: Ministry of Transport
*1970&ndash;1976: [[Secretary of State for the Environment|Department of the Environment]]
*1976&ndash;1997: Department of Transport
*1997&ndash;2001: [[Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions]]
*2001&ndash;2002: Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
*2002&ndash;present: Department for Transport

The name "Ministry of Transport" lives on in the annual [[MOT test]], a [[Vehicle inspection|test]] of [[vehicle safety]], [[wikt:roadworthiness|roadworthiness]], and [[Exhaust gas|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]]).

[[File:MoT-Flag.svg|thumb|The flag of the old Ministry of Transport]]

=== 2017 judicial review ===
Following a series of strikes, poor performance, concerns over 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 Courts of Justice]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/news/commuter-group-to-meet-department-for-transport-in-court-over-southern-crisis-1-8014633|title=Commuter group to meet Department for Transport in court over Southern crisis|website=www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk|date=19 June 2017 |language=en|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/southernfail/|title=Judicial Review of the Department for Transport over Southern Rail|work=CrowdJustice|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=New Judicial Review case starts today&nbsp;–&nbsp;led by passenger group Bring Back British Rail |url=https://abcommuters.com/2018/04/17/new-judicial-review-case-starts-today-led-by-passenger-group-bring-back-british-rail/ |agency=www.abcommuters.com |date=17 April 2018 |access-date=30 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Exclusive: Full report of ABC's legal victory, which forces Chris Grayling to decide Southern Rail breaches |url=https://abcommuters.com/2017/07/05/exclusive-full-report-of-abcs-legal-victory-which-forces-chris-grayling-to-decide-southern-rail-breaches/ |agency=www.abcommuters.com |date=5 July 2017 |access-date=30 October 2020}}</ref>

== Ministers ==
The DfT Ministers are as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport|title=Our ministers|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=3 November 2022}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
! width=95x|Minister
! Portrait
! Position
! Portfolio
|-
| '''[[Heidi Alexander]]''' <small>MP</small>
|[[File:Heidi alexander portrait 2024.jpg|frameless|125x125px]]
| [[Secretary of State for Transport]]
| Overall responsibility for the department; oversight of all areas
|-
|[[Peter Hendy|Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill]]
|[[File:Official Portrait of Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, 2024.jpg|frameless|125x125px]]
| [[Minister of State for Transport| Minister of State for Rail]]
| Rail transformation and reform; rail infrastructure; High Speed 2 (HS2); Integrated Rail Plan; Northern Powerhouse Rail; international rail; rail passenger services and freight; accessibility
|-
|[[Lilian Greenwood]] <small>MP</small>
|[[File:Official portrait of Lilian Greenwood MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|frameless|125x125px]]
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future of Roads
| Aviation; transport decarbonisation; air quality; technology, (including autonomous vehicles, drones, e-scooters); space; skills, science and research; corporate (including public appointments); aviation accessibility.
|-
|[[Mike Kane]] <small>MP</small>
|[[File:Official portrait of Mike Kane MP crop 2.jpg|frameless|125x125px]]
| [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport|Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Maritime and Security]]
| Primary legislation in the Lords; maritime; security (including Ukraine); civil contingencies; international; union connectivity; secondary legislation (including retained EU law); maritime accessibility.
|-
|[[Simon Lightwood]] <small>MP</small>
|[[File:Official portrait of Simon Lightwood MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|frameless|125x125px]]
| [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport|Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local Transport]]
| roads maintenance and infrastructure delivery (including National Highways); road safety; motoring agencies (DVLA, DVSA, VCA); local transport including buses, taxis, light rail; active travel (cycling and walking); Kent including BROCK, TAP; EES and borders; haulage; Future of Freight; women’s safety; accessibility (cross-cutting lead as Ministerial Disability Champion).
|}

The [[Permanent Secretary]] is Jo Shanmugalingam. <ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-permanent-secretary-at-department-for-transport</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom|Transport}}
* ''[[Julie (public information film)|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]]

==References==
* {{OGL-attribution|{{cite web |author=National Archives |date=1613–2010|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C210 |title=Records created or inherited by the Transport Ministries, and by related bodies, and by the London Passenger Transport Board |accessdate=16 February 2021}} }}
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}

{{Department for Transport}}
{{Departments of the United Kingdom Government|type=Ministerial|title=Transport}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|51.4946|-0.1293|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM|display=title}}

[[Category:Department for Transport| ]]
[[Category:Ministerial departments of the Government of the United Kingdom|Transport]]
[[Category:Transport in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ministries of transport|United Kingdom]]