Transport secretary Grant Shapps sacked by new PM

Grant Shapps, the UK's transport secretary, has been sacked by newly appointed prime minister Liz Truss, who has replaced him with Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Shapps, who has been the government’s roads boss since 2019, was removed just hours after Truss took office having beaten rival Rishi Sunak – who Shapps had backed – in the Conservative Party’s leadership election.

The department will now be headed by former Trade Secretary Trevelyan.

Taking to Twitter, Shapps said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Transport Secretary; a job I loved. 

“Now I look forward to being a strong, independent voice on the backbenches, developing policies that will further the Conservative cause.”

Shapps will be remembered for a number of controversial decisions, including scrapping electric car subsidies in June while fuel prices soared to record levels across the country. 

He was also one of the main drivers behind the smart motorways scheme, despite confirming they were “anything but” safe in an interview last year. 

It is unsure if the scheme will continue when a new minister takes the role, with Truss proclaiming her ambition to scrap the project if they're "not working".

The new secretary is also expected to follow a strict brief from Truss, who has stated her plans to scrap speed limits on UK motorways in an Autobahn-style system.

Speaking about Trevelyan's appointment, Edmund King, the AA’s president said: “Despite the financial pressures on the country [the role] still holds the potential for revolutions in the switch to electric vehicles, road safety, competitive pricing, fair enforcement and a leap in car technology."