Department of Transport
Predecessors:
- 1919–1941: Ministry of Transport
- 1941–1946: Ministry of War Transport - after absorption of Ministry of Shipping
- 1945–1953: Ministry of Transport
- 1953–1959: Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
- 1959–1970: Ministry of Transport
- 1970–1976: Department of the Environment
- 1976–1979: Department of Transport
- 1979–1997: Department of Transport
- 1997-2001: Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
1976 Formed by spinning out of the Department of the Environment, the new Department of Transport was responsible for inland surface transport industries, including British Rail, the bus industry, freight and ports, the national motorway and trunk road network. The department had oversight of local authorities' transport planning, road safety, vehicle regulation and inspection, bus and road freight licensing and driver and vehicle licensing.
By July 1983, the department had assimilated the functions of the Department of Trade and Industry for sea and air transport, including sponsorship of the national airline industry, for airports, domestic and civil aviation, shipping, pilotage, HM Coastguard and marine pollution.
1984 responsibility for London Transport passed to the department
1985 the department became responsible for regulation of taxis and private hire cars, previously the responsibility of the Home Office.
1990 Agency status was acquired by certain sections of the Department of Transport.
1994 Further agencies were created in April 1994.
1997 the Department of Transport and its functions became part of the newly formed Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
2001 It became the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).
2002 The functions separated again in 2002, leading to the formation of the new Department for Transport (DfT).