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Manchester Airport (Rail Link)
11. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about a rail link to Manchester airport from the south.
Mr. McLoughlin : The main market is to and from Manchester and other points to the north of the airport. That will be well served by the link which is currently under construction. I understand British Rail has no plans to build a southern spur to the rail link to Manchester airport at present.
Channel Tunnel
12. Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the rail connections between the channel tunnel and north-west England in time for the opening of the tunnel.
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Mr. Rifkind : British Rail plans to invest over £1.4 billion in channel tunnel services. The north-west will have through passenger services and freight terminals at Trafford Park and Liverpool.
13. Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about British Rail's proposals for the location of rail freight depots to serve European destinations via the channel tunnel, with specific reference to the needs of south-west England.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail has announced the locations of all nine of its proposed channel tunnel freight terminals. Initially the terminal at Cardiff will serve south Wales and the south-west of England. British Rail is exploring the prospect of a terminal at Avonmouth.
16. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the establishment of freight terminals in the north-west of England for ongoing carriage of trade through the channel tunnel.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail has announced that there will be channel tunnel freight terminals in Trafford Park (Manchester) and Seaforth (Merseyside) to link industry in the north-west with the channel tunnel. Both terminals are due to open in 1993.
17. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on environmental protection and compensation for residents of north-west Kent along the line of the recently-announced route for the channel tunnel high-speed rail link.
Mr. Freeman : There will be full public consultation on environmental protection measures, and voluntary purchase will be offered for homes required for, or seriously affected by, the construction and operation of the rail link. Neither the protection measures, nor the purchase scheme, can be adequately defined until the preferred route has been engineered in greater detail.
Mr. Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to improve British Rail freight links between Southampton and the channel tunnel.
Mr. McLoughlin : The planning and running of its international freight services is a commercial matter for British Rail. Freight from Southampton through the channel tunnel will be routed through the freight terminal at Willesden.
26. Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what marketing strategy is to be used by British Rail in disposing of the residential properties they have bought in the Warwick gardens area of Dulwich in anticipation of the channel tunnel rail link going through south -east London.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail will seek to minimise any disruption of the local housing market by operating a carefully controlled sales programme.
23. Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning the passenger and freight railway services proposed between south Wales and the channel tunnel.
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Mr. Freeman : On 25 October I visited the site of the planned channel tunnel freight terminal in Cardiff.Transport Expenditure
14. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a geographical breakdown by United Kingdom nation and region for the additional projected increase in transport expenditure for 1992-93 and 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement ;
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a geographical breakdown by United Kingdom nation and region of the additional projected increase in transport expenditure for 1992-93 and 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind : British Rail's spending will include projects that benefit the whole of the United Kingdom ; but its investment programme for the two years is not yet settled, and so no geographical analysis can be made.
Road Pricing
15. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent calculations his Department has made as to the impact that road pricing would have on traffic flows in Greater London and the south-east.
Mr. Chope : We are now beginning detailed research to establish whether road pricing could become a practicable option for London and what its many effects would be. This assessment will include the likely impact on traffic flows.
A10
18. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects completion of the dualling of the A10 between Cambridge and Ely.
Mr. Chope : Announcement of a preferred route following consultation is expected in spring 1994. Later progress will depend upon progress with statutory procedures and resources available for the roads programme.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
19. Dr. Michael Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has to use its data base for commercial marketing purposes.
Mr. Chope : The DVLA's intention to explore the commercial use of its databases is included in its 1991-92 business plan, a copy of which is in the Library.
Network SouthEast
20. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail about further investment in rolling stock by Network SouthEast ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Around 800 passenger vehicles are currently on order for Network SouthEast which will significantly improve the quality of service for many passengers. These are as follows :
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Network SouthEast new trains on order
Route |Number of |Class |End delivery
|Vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chiltern lines |89 |165/0 |March 1992
Thames lines |91 |165/1 |Summer 1992
Kent link |400 |465 |Spring 1993
Waterloo and City |20 |482 |Late 1992
Kent link |86 |466 |Spring 1993
Thames express |63 |166 |Summer 1993
West of England
(Waterloo-Exeter
line) |63 |159 |Summer 1992
Rail Safety
21. Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss safety.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. and learned Friend has regular meetings with Sir Bob Reid, the British Rail chairman, to discuss a variety of railway issues. Safety remains the top priority for both the Government and British Rail.
Road Schemes
24. Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has had referring to environmental aspects of proposed road schemes.
Mr. Chope : I received many representations on various aspects of the roads programme.
London Underground
25. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of London Transport to discuss improvements to the underground network.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. and learned Friend and I meet the chairman of London Transport regularly to discuss a variety of issues, including improvements to the underground network. The increase in grant announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement means that the Underground will have the resources that it needs to provide London with a system described by the chairman as a "decently modern metro".
Road Traffic (East London)
27. Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on traffic conditions at the intersection of the Mile End road--A11--and Cambridge Heath road in London E1.
Mr. Chope : Traffic conditions at the junction of the A11 and Cambridge Heath road are a matter for the highway authority, the London borough of Tower Hamlets. I understand that the police increased enforcement activities in the area while work was in progress to repair a gas main on the nearby A13.
London Regional Transport Grant
28. Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the proposed increase in grant to London Regional Transport.
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Mr. Freeman : The chairman of London Transport has welcomed the increased funding announced in the autumn statement.Tube Stations (Refurbishment)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he expects London Underground Ltd. to invest in the refurbishment of the Elephant and Castle and Rotherhithe tube stations during (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93.
Mr. Freeman : Following the recent announcement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer of a record £3.8 billion grant for London Transport over the next three years, London Underground Limited (LUL) is currently reassessing its future investment programme. Although this work is not yet complete, I understand from LUL that work on the £6 million refurbishment of Elephant and Castle is likely to restart in 1992-93.
I understand that LUL does not have any firm date for refurbishment works at Rotherhithe, but the station may be included in a general refurbishment programme which will benefit several stations over the next few years.
Rail Freight Services
Mr. Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to improve British Rail freight services between Southampton and other major cities and ports.
Mr. McLoughlin : This is a commercial matter for the British Railways Board. However, I understand that Railfreight Distribution is at present considering the potential for expansion at Southampton.
M271
Mr. Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to extend the M271 direct into the Western docks area of Southampton ; and what is the time scale.
Mr. Chope : My Department has no such proposals, and I am not aware of any by Hampshire county council.
M27
Mr. Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to complete the transportation links between
Dover/Folkestone to Devon using the existing M27 ; and what is the time scale.
Mr. Chope : The national roads programme includes 21 schemes for improvements to sections of the A20, A259 and A27 between Dover and the M27 motorway, and another 16 schemes for sections of the A31, A35 and A30 westwards from the M27 to Exeter, collectively valued at some £438 million at November 1987 prices. Some of these are now under construction and the others are at various stages of preparation. Subject to satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and continuing availability of funds, we would expect all to be completed by the end of the decade.
The needs of the trunk road network are kept under constant review, and it is possible that further schemes along the south coast route might be added to the programme from time to time.
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M3
Mr. Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate is now foreseen for the completion of the missing link of the M3 motorway.
Mr. Chope : The Compton to Bassett section of the M3 is due for completion by the end of the year. The final section of the M3 around Winchester is programmed for completion by the end of 1994. This will complete the motorway route from London to Southampton.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what period a class I certificate for a heavy goods vehicle licence, DL 923, normally remains valid ; if there are any circumstances in which this period can be extended ; and whether he has any plans to seek to amend these arrangements.
Mr. Chope : Heavy goods vehicle test pass certificates (DLG23) were issued prior to 1 April of this year and are valid for five years. If drivers do not claim their full entitlement within the five year period the validity of the test pass certificate lapses.
From 1 April, drivers issued with large goods vehicle (LGV) or passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) test pass certificates must claim full entitlement within two years of passing the test.
The period is laid out in regulations and there is no current plan to change them.
Transport, London
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out in tabular form the proportion of (a) inner London and (b) central London residents who used each of the following modes of transport for non- work trips for 1989 and 1990, respectively : (a) the Underground, (b) bus, (c) British Rail, (d) car, as driver, (e) car, as passenger, (f) cycle, (g) motor cycle and (h) pedestrian, respectively.
Mr. McLoughlin : The figures requested are not available. Data are being collected for 1991 as part of the London area transport survey and results will be available in 1993.
Harbours Act 1964
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the harbours covered by the Harbours Act 1964 together with the name and address of the harbour authority.
Mr. McLoughlin : There are several hundred harbours as defined in section 57 of the 1964 Act. I am sending the hon. Lady a list.
Driving Licences
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licences were renewed by drivers over the age of 70 years during 1990-91.
Mr. Chope : A total of 618,235 licences were renewed by drivers over the age of 70 years during 1990-91.
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British Rail Staff
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were employed by British Rail in 1979 and in 1990.
Mr. Freeman : British rail had 134,361 employees at 31 March 1990. The figure at 31 December 1979 was 244,084.
Rights of Way
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the footpaths and bridleways through harbours which have been closed in the last 10 years.
Mr. McLoughlin : Apart from applications (of which no central information is kept) from harbour authorities to the local highway authority for footpath or bridleway closures under the Highways Act 1980 and references in private Acts, provision has been made in two recent harbour revision orders, those for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in 1984 and for Blyth in 1989, for the stopping up of specific public rights of way and the provision of alternative public footpaths.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will require all details of footpaths and bridleways through trust ports to be stated in the objectives of the sales.
Mr. McLoughlin : No. Objectives of sale agreed between individual ports authorities and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State represent criteria which the authority will take into account when assessing competing bids for the port. It would be inappropriate for them to incorporate details of footpaths and bridleways through the port. The same procedures for the extinguishment of footpaths and bridleways will continue to apply following privatisation as before it.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there is any requirement for a harbour authority to maintain for public inspection a map of footpaths and bridleways in the area of the harbour.
Mr. McLoughlin : No. It is the responsibility of the surveying authority (usually the county highway authority) to provide information about all public footpaths and bridleways in its area.
Road Casualties
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what percentage the number and the rate of each category of fatal and serious road casualties has changed since the target was set of reducing casualties by one third by the year 2000.
Mr. Chope : The Government target of reducing casualties by one third by the year 2000 was set in 1987, using the average annual number of casualties in the years from 1981 to 1985 as a baseline. The requested information is as follows :
Fatal and serious casualties in road injury accidents: Great Britain
Casualties Percentage
|change
|1981-85 |Year to |1981-85
|average |June 1991<1>|to 1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fatal |5,598 |4,655 |-16.8
Serious |74,532 |55,528 |-25.5
Fatal |1.9 |1.1 |-39.4
Serious |25.0 |13.6 |-45.7
Traffic:<2> (hundred
million vehicle
Kilometres) |2,983 |4,092 |37.2
<1>Casualty and traffic data for 1991 are provisional.
<2>Source for traffic data: "Traffic in Great Britain 2nd Quarter 1991"
Department of Transport Statistics Bulletin (91)7.
Traffic Congestion
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the national economic costs of traffic congestion.
Mr. Chope : We are taking a wide range of measures to deal with congestion, including substantial investment in public transport, roads and traffic management. There is no precise estimate of the total costs of congestion, but the cost is some billions of pounds each year.
Road Building and Maintenance
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the money raised from motor taxation is spent on road building and maintenance ; and what comparable information he has for Germany, the USA and Japan, respectively.
Mr. Chope : For 1991-92, the amount spent on building, maintaining and policing roads in the United Kingdom will be approximately 40 per cent. of motoring taxation revenue. Comparable information for Germany, the USA and Japan is not readily available.
A12
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the traffic flows along the A12 between (a) the M25 junction and Margaretting, (b) Boreham and Hatfield Peverel, (c) Feering and Marks Tey, (d) Marks Tey and Stanway and (e) at Four Sisters in 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively.
Mr. Chope : Average daily traffic flows on the A12 were as follows :
|1989 |1990 |1991
-----------------------------------------------------
M25-Margaretting |62,000|63,000|67,000
Boreham-Hatfield Peverel |62,000|65,000|69,000
Feering-Marks Tey |53,000|52,000|54,000
Marks Tey-Stanway |63,000|63,000|64,000
Four Sisters |32,000|32,000|34,000
Trust Ports
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the objectives of sale under the privatisation process of trust ports which include sites of special scientific interest in their boundaries to require a stated environment objective where one has not been included.
Mr. McLoughlin : No. There will be no change in the arrangements for the protection of an SSSI as a result of
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the privatisation of a trust port. There is already a requirement on the local planning authority to consult the relevant conservation agency when dealing with a planning application for a development affecting an SSSI. Similar consultations are undertaken by bodies proposing developments which are permitted developments within the general development order.Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what level of inspection will be adopted by his Department to ensure that the fitting of heavy goods vehicle speed limiters on existing vehicles by operators has been carried out correctly ;
(2) if he will set out the procedures to be adopted by heavy goods vehicle operators when the fitting of speed-limiting devices on existing vehicles becomes obligatory.
Mr. Chope : All new HGVs over 7.5 tonnes maximum gross weight will have to be fitted with speed limiters as from 1 August 1992. It is intended that compliance with the requirement should be checked when vehicles are type-approved, and at subsequent annual roadworthiness tests.
Regulations covering existing vehicles will be made shortly. They will require limiters to be fitted to the more recently registered of the biggest and heaviest HGVs already in service. Compliance with this requirement will be checked at annual roadworthiness tests.
Sir Anthony Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure the wearing of seatbelts by passengers in heavy goods vehicles and vans.
Mr. Chope : Passengers travelling in the specified passenger seat are required to use a seat belt where one is fitted. Responsibility for enforcing the law rests with the police. We take every opportunity to stress the benefits of using belts, and of fitting them in vehicles which do not already have them.
Swale Crossing
Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the strategy and timetable for the planning and construction of a second crossing of the Swale to the Isle of Sheppey.
Mr. Chope : The proposed A249 Iwade-Queenborough scheme will include a second crossing of the Swale. Investigation of options is in hand and the next step will be public consultation early in 1993. Thereafter, the programme will depend on public reaction and the time needed to complete the detailed design and statutory procedures.
A1M (Compensation)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the case for compensation for those homes close to the A1M in Hertfordshire to be compensated by central Government funds for extra noise and air pollution ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : No. Compensation is already provided for in existing legislation : both for those from whom land is required for road schemes ; and for those from whom no
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land is taken but whose properties depreciate in value because of such factors as noise, fumes and smoke arising as a direct result of the use of a new or altered highway.Vehicle Distancing
Sir Anthony Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made to prevent vehicles driving too close to vehicles in front.
Mr. Chope : The Department has been conducting an experiment with chevron markings on the M1, to determine whether such markings are effective in reducing the amount of close following. The results of the experiment will be published shortly.
British Rail
Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table listing the current and forecast levels of public service obligation grant and external financing limit for British Rail, and the outturn figures since 1975.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested for public service obligation grant and external financing limits for British Rail since 1975 and current forecasts to 1994-95 is as follows :
PSO grant and EFL 1975-76 to 1994-95
£ million
PSO<1> EFL
|Cash |1991-92|Cash |1991-92
|prices |prices
---------------------------------------------------
<2>1975-76 |298 |1,157 |- |-
1976-77 |299 |1,022 |421 |1,439
1977-78 |328 |987 |454 |1,365
1978-79 |389 |1,055 |574 |1,559
1979-80 |485 |1,128 |715 |1,662
1980-81 |576 |1,132 |790 |1,552
1981-82 |749 |1,342 |960 |1,720
1982-83 |817 |1,367 |848 |1,418
1983-84 |854 |1,365 |811 |1,296
<3>1984-85 |1,066 |1,623 |1,045 |1,591
1985-86 |820 |1,183 |910 |1,313
1986-87 |690 |964 |777 |1,085
1987-88 |761 |1,008 |591 |783
1988-89 |534 |660 |375 |464
1989-90 |499 |579 |673 |781
1990-91 |600 |642 |1,016 |1,087
<4>1991-92 |900 |900 |1,522 |1,522
<5>1992-93 |- |- |2,041 |1,953
<5>1993-94 |- |- |1,361 |1,255
<5>1994-95 |- |- |975 |873
<1> The 1975-83 figures for PSO grant are for the
calendar year.
<2> 1976-77 was the first year when an EFL was
set.
<3> This was a 15-month accounting period for PSO
grant. The 12 month equivalent is £853 million (
1991-92 prices £1,298 million).
<4> Forecast.
<5> External finance figures are from Autumn
Statement. PSO forecasts for grant are not yet
available for 1992-93 to 1994-95.
Iwade Bypass
Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision on the A249, Iwade bypass.
Mr. Chope : As soon as possible.
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