DfT ministerial team now all in place

The Department for Transport now has a full complement of ministers as Sir Keir Starmer puts his new government in place.

Louise Haigh was named as Secretary of State for Transport in the Prime Minister’s first round of appointments, at Cabinet level.

Then on Monday Network Rail chair Peter Hendy - Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - was named as Minister of State to represent the government in the House of Lords on transport affairs. He will be Rail Minister, and will - according to a DfT statement - “bring decades of experience to help realise the Government’s ambition of transforming infrastructure and improving public transport to deliver for passengers”.

Now three more appointments complete the team: Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood and Aviation, Maritime, and Security Minister Mike Kane, all with the title Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

For the Opposition, Rishi Sunak has named Helen Whately as Shadow Transport Secretary. The outgoing Transport Secretary Mark Harper lost his seat in the general election.