Goodwill for new roads minister as Hammond takes to the rails

David Cameron’s recent ministerial reshuffle has seen significant changes in the team at the head of the Department for Transport.

While Patrick McLoughlin remains at the helm as transport secretary, roads minister Stephen Hammond has been moved sideways to a rail and maritime portfolio, and has been replaced by Robert Goodwill, formerly a government whip.

Goodwill, the Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby, is no stranger to transport policy, having served for 18 months on the House of Commons transport select committee during the previous government’s tenure. He takes on responsibility for both strategic and local roads, the Highways Agency and motoring agencies, road safety and standards, and freight and logistics, including lorry road user charging.

A self-styled staunch Eurosceptic, one of Goodwill’s first moves in office last week was to announce that those taking driving tests will no longer be allowed to use foreign language voiceovers and interpreters.

Meanwhile, Baroness Kramer replaces her Liberal Democrat colleague Norman Baker, who has moved to a new crime prevention role at the Home Office. Kramer’s brief will include oversight of buses and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.