Home β€Ί Minister Scorecards β€Ί Heidi Alexander
βš–οΈ Independent Assessment: This scorecard is an independent public accountability assessment. It is not an official government publication.
Secretary of State for Transport

Heidi
Alexander

Minister Scorecard

How her decisions are impacting your household in 2026/27

View Budget Impact Compare Ministers
Last updated: 14 May 2026 Β· Data sources: DfT, ORR, Ofgem, House of Commons Library
Overall Score
51 /100
Watchlist
πŸ’° Household Cost Impact +Β£28/mo
πŸ“Š Budget Delivery Score 48%
βœ“ Promise Delivery 44%
⚑ Fiscal Efficiency 5/10
πŸ‘₯ Public Confidence 33%
About the Scoring System β†’
Section β‘ 
What Heidi Alexander's Policies Cost Your Household
Breakdown of all transport levies and policy changes impacting the average household in 2026/27.
Policy 2025/26 (Actual) 2026/27 (Planned) YOY Change Per Household/Month
πŸš‚Rail Fare Rise Β£18.4bn Β£20.2bn +Β£1.8bn +Β£8.00
β›½Fuel Duty Plans Frozen +2p/litre Planned +Β£6.50
πŸš—ULEZ Expansion Β£0.3bn Β£0.8bn +Β£0.5bn +Β£4.80
✈️Air Passenger Duty £3.8bn £4.6bn +£0.8bn +£4.80
🚌Bus Network Funding £0.8bn £1.2bn +£0.4bn +£3.90
TOTAL HOUSEHOLD IMPACT +Β£28.00/mo
Sources: DfT, ORR, HM Treasury, OBR May 2026
Cumulative Household Impact Over Time
Β£0 Β£14 Β£20 Β£28 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26 26/27 Β£28
Your household is Β£28.00 worse off per month in 2026/27 compared to 2024/25 due to transport cost rises.
Section β‘‘
Promises vs Reality
What Heidi Alexander said before and after taking office β€” and what actually happened.
Promise Made

"We will freeze rail fares for commuters."

What Happened

Rail fares rose 8.1% in January 2026 β€” the highest single rise since 2013. Season ticket costs up Β£680/yr on average.

Impact

Commuters are paying hundreds more per year for a service that delivers only 74.2% punctuality.

βœ• FAILED
Promise Made

"We will expand public transport and reduce car dependency."

What Happened

ULEZ expanded to M25. Air Passenger Duty raised. Bus network funding cut in 12 councils. Rural transport services declined.

Impact

340 bus routes cut. Millions in rural areas have fewer options, not more, than in 2024.

~ PARTIAL
Promise Made

"We will deliver the HS2 Northern leg."

What Happened

HS2 Northern leg cancelled by previous government, not reinstated. Connectivity Fund (Β£6bn) announced but no contracts signed.

Impact

The North-South connectivity gap persists. Birmingham to Manchester journey times remain unchanged from 2019.

βœ• FAILED
View All Promises & Commitments β†’
Section β‘’
Key Performance Indicators
10 core metrics tracked against Heidi Alexander's stated targets for 2026/27.
πŸš‚
Rail Punctuality
Target: 85%
74.2%
FAILED
ORR Apr 2026
πŸ’·
Rail Fares
Target: Frozen
+8.1%
FAILED
DfT Jan 2026
🚌
Bus Routes
Target: +1,200
-340
FAILED
Campaign for Better Transport 2026
✈️
APD Revenue
Target: Β£3.8bn
Β£4.6bn
ON TRACK
HMT May 2026
⚑
EV Charging
Target: 300k
186k
OFF TRACK
ZapMap Apr 2026
πŸš—
ULEZ Compliance
Target: 92%
87%
OFF TRACK
TfL May 2026
πŸ”§
Pothole Fund
Target: 1m fixed
640k
OFF TRACK
DfT May 2026
🌿
Transport Emissions
Target: -15%
-7.2%
OFF TRACK
DESNZ May 2026
πŸ’»
Transport App
Target: All modes
60%
OFF TRACK
DfT May 2026
🚒
Ports Modernisation
Target: 6 ports
2 started
OFF TRACK
DfT May 2026
Section β‘£
Every Penny In, Every Penny Out
How the DfT transport budget is allocated across priorities in 2026/27.
2026/27 Spending
Β£51.2bn
Total
Rail β€” 40%
Roads β€” 28%
Aviation β€” 9%
Public Transport β€” 14%
Other β€” 9%
Area Share Approx. Value
Rail40%Β£20.5bn
Roads28%Β£14.3bn
Public Transport (Bus/LRT)14%Β£7.2bn
Aviation9%Β£4.6bn
Other9%Β£4.6bn
TOTAL (DfT)100%Β£51.2bn
Source: HM Treasury Spending Review 2025, DfT Annual Report 2026
Explore Full Spending Breakdown β†’
Section β‘€
Questions the Public Are Asking
The most searched questions about Heidi Alexander β€” answered with data.
Why are rail fares still going up? +
Rail fares rose 8.1% in January 2026 β€” the highest single increase since 2013 β€” despite Labour's pre-election promise to freeze commuter fares. The DfT cited the need to fund Network Rail infrastructure investment and cover the costs of nationalisation. The average annual season ticket cost has risen by Β£680 since Labour took office. Punctuality remains at 74.2%, well below the 85% target.
What happened to the ULEZ expansion? +
The Ultra Low Emission Zone was expanded to cover the entire area within the M25 in early 2026. Vehicles not meeting Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standards face a daily Β£12.50 charge. The expansion affects an estimated 2.3 million additional vehicles in the outer London area and Home Counties. ULEZ compliance is at 87%, below the 92% target. Critics note the burden falls disproportionately on older, lower-income vehicle owners who cannot afford newer compliant cars.
Why has the HS2 northern leg been abandoned? +
The previous Conservative government cancelled the Birmingham-Manchester HS2 leg in October 2023. Labour, despite promising to reinstate it, has not committed to doing so. In its place, a Β£6bn Connectivity Fund was announced in November 2025 to improve existing rail links in the North and Midlands. However, no contracts have been signed and no route improvements have commenced. The North-South journey time gap remains unchanged.
How much does the average commute cost per year? +
The average annual rail season ticket from a commuter town to London now costs approximately Β£5,800 following the 8.1% January 2026 rise, up from Β£5,120 in 2024/25. For drivers, the planned 2p/litre fuel duty increase adds approximately Β£78/yr for a typical 10,000-mile driver. Combined transport costs β€” including the ULEZ daily charge for non-compliant vehicles β€” can exceed Β£8,000/yr for some commuting households in outer London.
When will there be enough EV chargers? +
There are currently 186,000 public EV charging points in the UK, against a government target of 300,000 by end-2025. The target has been missed by 114,000 points. The DfT's EV Infrastructure Strategy aims to reach 300,000 by 2027, but the current rollout rate of approximately 3,500 new chargers per month would need to increase to over 5,000/month to meet that revised target. Rural areas have just 1 charger per 22 square miles on average.
Public Sentiment
Approve 33%
Disapprove 54%
No change 9%
Source: YouGov May 2026 Β· n=4,200
Have Your Say
How have transport costs changed for your household?
Significantly worse off63%
Somewhat worse off24%
No change9%
Better off4%
Britain Needs Us community poll Β· May 2026 Β· n=14,820
Share This Scorecard
Heidi Alexander β€” 51/100
RAIL FARES +8.1%, ULEZ EXPANDED
TRANSPORT COSTS UP Β£28/MO Β· Britain Needs Us
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