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construction for completion in the spring of 1992, bringing London City airport within a 15 minute drive from Canary Wharf as the Canary Wharf eastern access road will be completed this autumn. LDDC hope to let the main contracts by late summer for the East India dock link and the Poplar link, and construction of the Limehouse link is on course for completion to Westferry Circus in the summer of 1993. Consultations continue on the inclusion of the A13 west of Butcher Row in the pilot red route. The first of my Department's improvements to the key junctions on the A13 trunk road should start on site at Leamouth road next month, and diversion of services is already in hand for an interim scheme due to start this autumn at the junction with West India dock road concurrent with its widening by LDDC as part of the Poplar link scheme. We hope to go to public consultation before the end of this year on improvement of the A13/A112 junction and to publish draft orders early next year for a new dual two-way flyover at the A13/A117 junction. Schemes to widen the A13 Ironbridge and make final improvements to the A13 junctions with the Blackwall tunnel/Cotton street, West India dock road and Butcher Row are programmed for completion by the mid-1990s. We have published draft orders for widening of the A13 from Dagenham to the M25. The City of London's Bill for construction of the A12 Hackney to M11 link through Epping Forest is now in another place, and subject also to confirmation of a compulsory purchase order I would expect to see construction begin from the Redbridge end in the Spring of 1991. A new traffic control system for east London should be completed late next year.A two-year scheme has now started for renovation of the old Blackwall tunnel. We are conducting a study of the riverbed regime so as to help decide whether the proposed third tunnel at Blackwall should be a bore or a submerged tube. Consultations will be carried out later this year on terms of reference for the proposed study into the need for possible additional cross river capacity between Blackwall and Tower Bridge.
Public inquiries begin on 3 July into the proposed changes to the east London river crossing and the planning applications to allow use of London City airport by more types of aircraft.
My Department and LDDC are now collaborating on the publication in September of a joint update to their respective publications on Docklands transport.
British Rail
47. Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has had any recent discussions with the chairman of British Rail concerning environmental matters.
Central London Rail Study
49. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the central London rail study.
Mr. Freeman : The further work required before a decision can be made is being given a high priority. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
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Local Authority Airports
50. Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any recent representations on the way local authority plc airports are run.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. Friend has received no formal representations on this subject recently.
Railway Gauges
53. Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade mainline rail routes throughout Great Britain to continental gauge standard in order to obtain the maximum benefit from the opening of the channel tunnel and the completion of the single European market ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : It is for British Rail rather than the Government to plan rail infrastructure and rail services for the United Kingdom. All freight trains in use by British Rail at present are compatible with the continental (Berne) gauge. The cost of converting United Kingdom lines to the continental (Berne) gauge would be considerable. Passenger trains for services through the channel tunnel will be specially designed to suit different platform heights in different countries. For freight it would involve setting back station platforms so that these wider trains could pass through, and the replacement of all passenger rolling stock using the stations affected. British Rail plan to use new wagon technology--such as small wheel bogie wagons--that will enable larger loads, equivalent to those generally carried in mainland Europe, to be carried on the existing United Kingdom loading gauge, and will be more commercially viable than expensive infrastructure modifications.
Heathrow-Central London Rail Service
55. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with British Rail management on the finalisation of a target opening date for the Heathrow-central London British Rail service.
Mr. Freeman : Neither British Rail nor the British Airports Authority, who are joint sponsors of this project, can finalise the opening date until the Heathrow Express Railway Bill completes its remaining parliamentary stages.
Shipping
56. Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for Government support to British shipping.
Mr. McLoughlin : The most valuable assistance that we can give the British shipping industry is generally to encourage a free market in shipping and, where necessary, to persuade our competitor nations to reduce their restrictions on free and open competitive shipping markets. We have, however, taken some specific measures to give financial assistance to our shipping industry for training and crew relief costs. My right hon. Friend has also announced a joint working party to establish the present circumstances in which the British shipping industry operates.
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Rail Links (South Yorkshire)
57. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the improvement of rail links in South Yorkshire.
Flags of Convenience
58. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review the practice of registering ships under flags of convenience.
Mr. McLoughlin : Under the Merchant Shipping Acts qualified owners are entitled but not obliged to place their ships on the British flag. The identification of the main obstacles to the use of the British flag is included in the terms of reference of the joint working party announced by my right hon. Friend in his answer of 24 May to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) at column 288.
Trunk Roads
60. Mr. Harris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trunk road schemes are currently under construction ; and at what total cost.
Mr. Atkins : There are 59 trunk road schemes currently under construction in England, with a total works cost, at current prices, of £1.4 billion.
Commuter Services (London)
61. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from London Underground Ltd. and British Rail to increase commuter services in the Greater London area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend has set London Underground Limited the objectives of increasing peak capacity by 5 per cent. over the next two years. Network SouthEast plan to operate 2 per cent. more train miles overall in the coming year than they did in 1989. The operators require our approval for proposals to increase the capacity of their services only if these involve major new capital expenditure.
LRT Project (Greater Manchester)
62. Mr. Burt : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has estimated the effects upon commerce and trade in the Greater Manchester area of the light rapid transit project linking Bury and Altrincham ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : An assessment by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive of the possible effects of the project on economic activity in the Greater Manchester area indicates that the improvement in accessability may provide some stimulation to commerce and trade in the Greater Manchester area. The precise effects are however difficult to forecast. In consultation with the Department, the Executive has made arrangements to monitor the actual effects of the project.
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M4 (Widening)
63. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on schemes for widening the M4.
Mr. Atkins : We are planning four separate improvements to widen the 58 miles of M4 between M25 and Swindon, and the 10 mile stretch east of M5. For all these schemes the next key preparation stage is the announcement of a preferred scheme ; that for the two sections between M25 and Theale (Junction 12) is expected next summer, between Theale and Swindon (Junction 15) in 1993, and for the Avon section (Junction 18 to 20) in 1992.
Air Traffic Control
64. Mr. Hanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the proposals to integrate Europe's air traffic control offices.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. Friend has recently agreed with 22 other European Transport Ministers an action programme to increase capacity in Europe buy integrating air traffic control systems and optimising the air traffic route network. The integration programme commits European states to intensify work on measures to handle safely the forecast growth in traffic to the end of the century. The integration programme, which follows much hard work between ourselves and our European partners, is a major step forward. It builds on the substantial investment in air traffic control systems in Europe, not least by UK's Civil Aviation Authority.
69. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been invested by the Civil Aviation Authority to improve air traffic control.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Civil Aviation Authority has invested more than £140 million over the five years to 31 March 1989 to improve air traffic control facilities.
Urban Roads
65. Mr. Kirkhope : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures his Department is taking to make urban roads more environmentally acceptable.
Mr. Atkins : Local authorities are responsible for the vast majority of urban roads. My Department publishes advice on a wide range of urban traffic issues, including a variety of traffic calming measures which can be introduced in suitable circumstances and make the environment safer and more pleasant.
On trunk roads, 37 bypasses completed in the last 3 years have removed through traffic from towns and villages. 150 bypasses and relief roads are in preparation. Already this year we have announced that we shall make more use of our discretionary powers to provide noise insulation, that we will appoint consultants to produce guidance on environmental treatment of urban roads, and that we will improve the environment of existing roads.
Air Transport Agreements (USA)
66. Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made concerning bilateral air transport agreements between Britain and the United States of America.
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73. Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what benefits for British carriers he is seeking in his discussions with the United States' authorities regarding the air services agreement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Negotiations are continuing.
London Regional Transport
67. Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contributions he expects London Regional Transport to receive in the year 1990-91 from London borough councils, in lieu of the rate-related contributions of previous years.
Mr. Freeman : The London Regional Transport ratepayer levy was abolished with effect from 1 April this year. The grant paid to LRT now comes entirely from central Government.
Road Priorities (Northampton)
68. Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on road priorities in the vicinity of Northampton.
Mr. Atkins : The trunk roads programme contains three schemes in the vicinity of Northampton. Construction of the A43 Blisworth and Milton Malsor bypass started in April this year and is expected to take two years to complete. A Public Consultation exercise into the A43 Moulton bypass and A43 Moulton to Broughton dualling schemes has recently been carried out. Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures work could start in mid 1995 with completion in 1997. There are other trunk road proposals within Northamptonshire as a whole which are listed in the current Roads Report "Trunk Roads, England" which was published in February this year.
Priority Routes (London)
70. Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on the priority routes pilot project for London ; and when it is now expected to be implemented.
Mr. Atkins : The Department has commissioned Ove Arup and Partners to plan the introduction of the pilot scheme. We have started a comprehensive consultation exercise with the local authorities and interest groups concerned. The scheme is expected to be implemented later this year.
Level Crossings
72. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review safety procedures pertaining to automatic unguarded rail level crossings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Professor P. F. Stott was appointed in 1987 to review the safety of automatic open level crossings, following the accident at Lockington. His report made a number of recommendations, which are being implemented.
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Learner Drivers
74. Mr. Stevens : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the measures he proposes to tighten up on the rules for the supervision of learner drivers.
Mr. Atkins : The consultation on the draft regulations ended on 18 May. I am now considering the responses, with a view to bringing forward regulations very soon.
London-Newcastle Air Service
76. Mr Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase competition on the London-Newcastle air service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The pattern of services on individual routes is a matter for the commercial judgment of airlines who may apply to the Civil Aviation Authority at any time for a licence in accordance with published procedures.
Vehicle Excise Duty
77. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has as to the amount of revenue lost in 1989-90 as a result of evasion of vehicle excise duty.
Mr. Atkins : The amount of revenue lost through vehicle excise duty evasion in Great Britain during the financial year 1989-90, is estimated at £103 million.
Drink-driving
78. Mr. Higgins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will exclude from consideration in further road safety measures any proposal to link the level of alcohol in the blood at which it is deemed dangerous to drive and the age or experience of the driver.
Mr. Atkins : It would be wrong to exclude anything from consideration or public debate that might help reduce deaths and injuries among young and inexperienced drivers.
Child Fare Permits, London
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he was consulted concerning the decision of London Regional Transport to discontinue the child fare permit scheme with local authorities ; and what are the savings to boroughs and London Regional Transport.
Mr. Freeman : I understand that the scheme has been withdrawn because boroughs no longer make any significant use of it, preferring to subsidise travel for scholars aged 16 or over by reimbursing parents directly. Across the whole of London, London Regional Transport received requests to issue only 341 permits this year. There is no question of their having to consult Ministers about minor changes of this sort. I understand that the change will result in a small saving in administrative costs.
Wheelchair-adapted Vehicles
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department is planning research into the design of the fittings used to adapt vehicles to carry wheelchair passengers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Atkins : My Department has a continuing programme of research, in close co-operation with industry, looking at the design and operational effectiveness of wheelchair restraints and occupant harnesses and the means by which they are fitted to vehicles.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving vehicles specially adapted to carry wheelchair passengers have occurred for each of the past 10 years, by region ; and how many wheelchair passengers were (i) injured and (ii) killed in these accidens.
Mr. Atkins : The information requested is not available, as it is not recorded on STATS 19 accident report form.
Railway Subsidies
Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 May, Official Report, column 328, whether any subsidies paid to the railways in other European Economic Community countries have fallen foul of Community legislation relating to Community directives and regulations concerning competition policy.
Mr. Freeman : This is a matter for the Commission and individual EC member states.
Rail Services (Customs Arrangements)
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the £98.5 million recently authorised for the international passenger terminal at Waterloo is accounted for by the decision of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise service to construct green and red channels for the use of passengers prior to the boarding of trains.
Mr. Freeman : Her Majesty's Customs and Excise checks at the Waterloo international terminals will be comparable to those at airports and seaports. The only facility being provided for departing passengers is a VAT office at an estimated cost of £70,000. The cost of constructing green and red channels and the necessary ancillary accommodation to handle arriving passengers is estimated at £3.44 million.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on decisions taken by the French, West German, Belgian and Luxembourg authorities in regard to their own rail services and customs requirements.
Mr. Freeman : I have no information on these countries' current domestic arrangements. I understand that these countries are proposing to sign a treaty which abolishes internal border checks but which strengthens external checks and internal measures.
Oil Spillages
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he has for increasing the number of vessels capable of mechanically recovering oil ;
(2) how many vessels capable of the mechanical recovery of oil are available for hire in the United Kingdom ; and where they are normally located.
Mr. McLoughlin : The speed of ships--10 to 12 knots--makes them slow to deploy to the scene of an oil
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pollution incident which could occur anywhere around the 3,000 miles or so of United Kingdom coastline. And mechanical oil recovery systems are unable to operate in the weather conditions that exist around United Kingdom coasts for much of the year. Because of those limitations the Marine Pollution Control Unit's contingency arrangements are for government owned and commercial sets of portable equipment held in shore stockpiles to be fitted into suitable vessels as and when the occasion demands. There are many such vessels which can be used for this purpose and the nearest suitable ship would be chartered together with a coastal tanker to receive recovered oil. There is one commercially owned purpose-built sea-going oil recovery vessel for hire in the United Kingdom ; this is normally based in the Forth. I have no plans for increasing the number of such vessels. The Department's first-line response strategy is aerial dispersant spraying. MPCU has under contract seven dedicated Dakota DC3 spraying aircraft and two Cessna remote-sensing aircraft to direct and control operations.Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to recommend the strengthening of oil tanker hulls.
Mr. McLoughlin : The standards governing the strength of tanker hulls are reviewed periodically. The International Maritime Organisation is however investigating ways to reduce the quantity of oil released from a tanker in the aftermath of a collision or grounding and this may lead to changes in tanker design.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to ensure that there would be no delay in compensation payments following an oil spill from a vessel not registered in a state signatory to the civil liability convention for oil pollution damage.
Mr. McLoughlin : In such circumstances compensation would come from the international oil pollution compensation fund based in London. It is the fund's policy to pay claims with the minimum of delay ; in certain circumstances provisional payments may be made before final settlement of a claim if that is necessary in order to mitigate undue financial hardship to a claimant.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incentives exist for oil-carrying vessels to register in a state which is a signatory to the international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage.
Mr. McLoughlin : The 1969 international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage allows a shipowner to limit his liability in respect of claims in member states following an oil spill. The shipowner has to have compulsory insurance cover to meet his maximum liability which is calculated on his ship's tonnage and this insurance can be obtained at reasonable cost. These advantages to the shipowner have to be balanced against advantages to claimants. Claimants do not have to prove fault, the shipowner is strictly liable. Further the requirement for compulsory insurance guarantees that funds will be available to meet claims. In the event that the total claims exceed the shipowner's limit of liability a 1971 convention provides that any excess can be claimed from an international fund financed by a levy on oil importers. The majority of European states are members of both the
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1969 and 1971 conventions. Improvements to both conventions were agreed in 1984 and we are actively encouraging their international entry into force.Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to regulate the strength of oil tanker hulls and their impact resistance strengths through the fitting of removable bumpers.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations require the structural strength of an oil tanker registered in the United Kingdom to be adequate for its intended services. Removable bumpers on tankers have severe practical limitations. In general, bumpers are suitable only for low-energy contact of the sort encountered in harbours and terminals.
M40 Extension
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if ducting will be laid alongside the M40 extension through Oxfordshire to allow the installation of comprehensive lighting at a later date.
Mr. Atkins : No. When the design of the motorway was underway the Department did not consider the expenditure ncessary to make provision for lighting at a future date was justified.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has received from the Thames Valley police authority on the lighting proposed for the M40 extension through Oxfordshire.
Mr. Atkins : We have no record of this issue being raised by the Thames Valley police.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation has been made of the need for (a) lighting and (b) fog hazard warning lights on the M40 through Oxfordshire.
Mr. Atkins : The need for lighting was assessed in accordance with my Department's policy and was not justified except at the more major grade separated interchanges. As with all unlit motorways, my Department will review regularly the need for lighting. Matrix warning signs are being installed and should be operational to coincide with the motorway opening. No specific fog warning system is proposed at present. We will review the situation following detailed evaluation of the fog warning system currently being installed on the M25.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the arrangements for lighting the M40 extension through Oxfordshire.
Mr. Atkins : Lighting will be confined to the major interchanges at the A418 (Waterstock) (J8), Windlebury (J9), Ardley (J10) and Banbury (J11).
Collision and Avoidance Systems
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many tenders for collision and avoidance systems research have been received by his Department in the past five years ;
(2) how many research projects into collision and avoidance systems are currently funded by his Department.
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Mr. McLoughlin : During the last five years, the Department has received and accepted tenders for three research projects into collision and avoidance systems. These were marine collision risk--mathematical models ; a behavioural study of the collision avoidance task in bridge watchkeeping ; and collision avoidance behaviour : a simulator study. The simulator study has recently been completed ; its recommendations are being considered and further research may be proposed.Bidston-Wrexham Railway
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any application from British Rail for investment in the Bidston-Wrexham line.
Motor Cyclists
Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to introduce compulsory training for motor cyclists ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : As part of our measures to improve the safety of young motor cyclists on the road compulsory basic training for all new riders of motor cycles and mopeds will be introduced on 1 December 1990. This will apply throughout Great Britain, except for residents of the smaller off- shore islands. I am grateful for the hard work of all those concerned from the motor cycle industry, user groups and safety organisations who have made it possible for me to set this firm date.
The part I motor cycle test will continue for six months after the introduction of compulsory training. This is to allow those learner riders who already have their licences the choice of taking either the part I test, or a compulsory training course, before applying for the accompanied motor cycle L test.
I have also decided that the proposal to reduce the validity of provisional motor cycle licences from two years to one year will not be proceeded with at this stage. It will be reconsidered in the light of progress with compulsory training.
I am very grateful to all those organisations and individuals who submitted comments on the Department's consultation paper on compulsory training. I will be issuing the Department's response shortly.
I also welcome the initiative of the Motorcycle Industry Association to set up a joint action group, with full
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