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Motorways
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the total number of motorway sites in the United Kingdom providing toilet facilities (a) in 1989, (b) currently and (c) planned for 1994.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Toilets are provided at all motorway service areas (MSAs), while other locations where toilets are available have also been signed from motorways from time to time. In 1989 there were 42 MSAs in England and three other facilities signed from motorways. Corresponding figures for March 1993 are 44 and five respectively. We expect at least three further MSAs to have opened by the end of 1994, and a number of others to be under construction. Since 6 August, development of future MSAs has been a matter for the private sector. Motorway services in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further action he will take to ensure that litter is removed from motorways.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I am determined to ensure that the standards and response times for litter clearance specified in the code of practice on litter and refuse are met. Motorway patrols are required to report accumulations of litter so that action can be put in hand to clear them quickly. More than £3 million will be spent on sweeping and removing litter from motorways this year.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about increasing the 70 mph limit on motorways.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I receive few representations for an increase in the motorway speed limit ; most relate to the desirability of a lower limit or increased enforcement of the existing limit.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the suitability of the 70 mph speed limit in regard to safety.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Such an assessment was made as part of the speed limit review in July 1991, which concluded that the 70 mph limit continued to strike the right balance between the need for efficient travel and road safety. The policy document "Killing Speed and Saving Lives" published on 13 January 1993 provided information on the relationship between speed and road accidents on which that conclusion was based. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
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Mr. Peter Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned on the possible effects of closing entrances and exits on the M25.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : A major review carried out in 1988-89 considered the control of access to the M25 as a traffic management measure to maximise the operational efficiency of the motorway. It was concluded that, although closure of junctions might relieve congestion on the M25, the overall effect of increased traffic on local roads would be to create congestion, accidents and environmental disbenefits.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the length of the motorway where the M6 and M42 run in parallel.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The M6 and M42 motorways run in parallel for approximately two and a quarter miles.
Coaches and Buses (Safety)
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 February, Official Report, column 586-87, if he will make it his policy to reduce the maximum permitted speed for coaches and large buses which are not fitted with anti-lock brakes or seat belts on exposed seats and will not have to comply with European superstructure strength requirements from 1 April.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No. There is no evidence that the current maximum speed for such vehicles constitutes a road safety risk.
Contracting Out
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from his Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance, the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.
Mr. Norris : None since the two cases to which I referred in my answer on 12 February, Official Report, columns 864-65 ; those cases were dealt with under the procedures which pre-dated the publication of "Competing for Quality" (Cm. 1730)).
Trunk Roads Manchester
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the planned trunk road schemes for Greater Manchester, (b) the construction costs at 1993 prices and (c) the expected date of commencement for each scheme.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The information is given in the table.
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Greater Manchester
|Construction cost
|excluding VAT
Scheme |<1>£ million |Next stage<2>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M56 widening junction 4-6 |15.2 |Works start spring 1993
M62 widening and improvement junctions 14-17 |11.1 |Works start spring 1993
M62 widening and improvement junctions 18-24 |256.0 |Public consultation summer 1993
M63 widening junctions 6-9 |46.3 |Order publication
M66 MORR (Denton to Middleton) |27.6 |Works start spring 1993
contract 4-M62 to River Irk diversion
M66 MORR (Denton to Middleton) |38.1 |Works start spring 1994
contract 2-Advance side roads
M66 MORR (Denton to Middleton) |54.2 |Works start spring 1995
contract 1-Denton to River Medlock
M66 MORR (Denton to Middleton) |40.6 |Works start spring 1996
contract 3-River Medlock to River Irk
A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass |53.0 |Supplementary orders published.
|Offerton road junction under review
A6(M)-M56 (Manchester airport) link (central section) |13.6 |Works start summer 1993
A6(M)-M56 (Manchester airport) link (western section) |10.6 |Public consultation summer 1993
A6 Disley and High lane bypass |55.4 |Order publication
A57/A628 Mottram, Hollingworth, Tintwistle bypass |14.8 |Preferred route announcement summer 1993
A5225 Wigan Hindley and Westhoughton bypass |103.0 |Order publication summer 1993
Greater Manchester western and northern relief road-M56 to M62 140.8 Preferred route announcement
Greater Manchester western and northern relief road-M62 to M66 205.0 Public consultation 1993
<1>Costs are at quarter 1 1992 prices; the latest date for which firm prices are available.
<2>Details of next stage are given as timing of construction largely depends upon the outcome of that stage.
Cycling
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to set targets to increase cycle use.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No. It is for local authorities to decide what provision for cycling is appropriate in their areas.
Seat Belts
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to the effectiveness of rear seat belts of the half-belt type.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Statistics on the effectiveness of rear lap belts in the United Kingdom are not available, but research in the United States indicates that lap belts reduce death and serious injury by 25 to 40 per cent. and three-point belts by 40 to 55 per cent. Although there is no current research specifically into lap belts, the Department is monitoring the effectiveness of all seat belts in its accident crash investigations.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure that rear seat belts in cars are all of the full-belt type.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I expect agreement to be reached shortly in the European Community permitting member states to require the compulsory fitment of three point belts for the rear outer seats of new cars from 1 January 1995 and obliging them to do so from 1 January 1996. There are at present no plans to extend this requirement to three point belts for the centre rear seat as fitting such belts can be technically complex. I believe the quickest and most effective way forward is for manufacturers voluntarily to introduce three-point belts for centre rear seats wherever technically possible. I will continue to encourage this.
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Road Mileage
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated mileage of (a) major trunk roads, (b) motorways, (c) local highways and (d) cycle routes.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The latest available figures for Great Britain are for 1 April 1992 when there were 7,669 miles of major trunk road, 1,955 miles of motorway, 22,180 miles of other major roads and 193,338 miles of minor roads. Figures for cycle routes in Great Britain are not available, however, there were 512 miles of purpose-built cycleways.
Car Furnishings (Safety)
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what materials are used in the air bags being installed in cars ; what gas is used to inflate these bags ; and what assessment has been made of the environmental and health effects of the release of gas in the event of a bag bursting or catching fire.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : A typical airbag is constructed of nylon coated with a rubber compound. The gas source is normally sodium azide, which is hermetically sealed within a strong metal container in the steering wheel hub. When the bag is deployed, the sodium azide converts into harmless nitrogen to inflate the bag ; in some cases, there will be a small residue of sodium hydroxide present, which may cause skin irritation.
In the case of a fire, most systems are designed to inflate normally when the temperature reaches 300 F. There should be no risk of the inflator exploding.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what controls exist over the materials used in the interior furnishings of cars including sound proofing and foams used in car seats.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1984 prescribe standards for interior fittings which all new cars must
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meet. These standards cover the minimum dimensional and/or energy absorbing properties of certain components.Following consultation with the Department, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has made a number of recommendations to its members on fire risk. One of those recommendations covers the flammability of the materials used in the interior furnishings of cars.
Roads, West Yorkshire
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will monitor the air quality along the route of the M62 and the A1 through the Ferrybridge and Pontefract areas in West Yorkshire.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Measurements of air quality will be undertaken at selected locations along these routes as part of detailed scheme preparation for the upgrading of the A1 to motorway.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the proposed distance between the new A1 route through Ferrybridge and the Ferrybridge junior and infants school.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : On present plans the minimum distance of the proposed A1 motorway from the Ferrybridge junior and infants school would be about 250 yards. A proposed junction slip road would be located about 180 yards away.
Transport Supplementary Grant
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice has been issued to local authorities in respect of submissions for transport supplementary grant.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We are consulting the local authority associations about the drafting of this year's circular, which we expect to issue during April.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what share of the latest transport supplementary grant settlements was allocated to (a) road construction, (b) road maintenance, (c) bus priority measures, (d) measures specifically introduced to improve road safety, (e) improvements to rail services and (f) light rail.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 9 March 1993] : Of the £1, 046.7 million available for the local roads capital settlement for 1993-94, £659.5 million was allocated for road construction, £172.8 million for structural maintenance of principal roads, £4.7 million for bus measures, and £50 million for local safety schemes. No resources were allocated for rail or light rail, as transport supplementary grant is limited by statute in England to expenditure in connection with highways or the regulation of traffic.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require cycle route networks in all proposals submitted to transport supplementary grant approval.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No. It will be for local authorities to decide whether to include a specific section on cycling in their 1994-95 transport policies and programmes submission.
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Hazardous Substances
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned or carried out in each of the last five years into the transportation of hazardous substances.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : My Department commissioned surveys of the transport into and out of British ports of dangerous goods in packages, in 1989, and of bulk chemicals and gases, in 1992. It has commissioned, sometimes jointly with the Health and Safety Executive, a number of reports from the National Radiological Protection Board into aspects of the transport of radioactive material. My Department also took part in an important study, under the aegis of the Health and Safety Commission's advisory committee on dangerous substances, of the major hazards aspects of the transport of dangerous substances : its report was published in 1991. Copies of these reports are in the Library, except for those on the port movements, which contained commercially confidential information.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to apply the control of Major Accident Hazards regulations to the transportation of hazardous materials to and from existing CIMAH sites.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1984 (CIMAH) implement EC directives on the major accident hazards of certain industrial activities. They apply where specific dangerous substances are stored in more than specified quantities and require the preparation of emergency plans by both the operator of the site and by local authorities. It would be inappropriate and confusing to attempt to apply the CIMAH regulations to transport operations.
Regulations for the transport of dangerous goods by road apply from the commencement of loading until the vehicle is unloaded and made safe. Furthermore, the wide ranging general requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 cover all aspects of interface activities including loading and unloading from all modes of transport, storage and arrangements for emergencies. The Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations 1987 apply in harbour areas. The transport of dangerous goods internationally is covered by long established conventions, principally under United Kingdom aegis. The European Commission is currently considering the direct application of the international rail and road rules within member states. It would be for the Community to decide in due course whether supplementing transport requirements, similar to those under the CIMAH Regulations, might be needed.
A1 (Bypasses)
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the towns and villages that are planned to be bypassed in the route of the new A1 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The sections of the A1 for which preferred routes have been announced, for upgrading to motorway, provide for the communities of Brotherton, Fairburn and Ferrybridge to be bypassed.
Mr. William: O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a breakdown of the estimated
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operational costs for the additional three quarters of a mile of motorway if the new A1 was diverted to bypass Knottingley in West Yorkshire.Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The first year operational costs of £100 million in respect of a route for the A1 motorway from Redhouse to Hook Moor, including a bypass to the east of Knottingley, is broken down as follows :
Costs |£ millions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) time |29.827
(ii) fuel |18.013
(iii) other vehicle costs such as depreciation and
maintenance |51.502
(iv) routine maintenance such as sign replacement,
drainage-renovation and condition inspections |0.347
|----
Total |<1>99.689
<1>Rounded to £100 million.
Heathrow Rail Link
Sir Keith Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the earliest date, assuming the satisfactory completion of all procedures, that the Paddington to Heathrow rail link could be open to passenger traffic.
Mr. Freeman : I understand that the earliest date at which the Paddington to Heathrow link could be open to passenger traffic is 1997.
Landscaping
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the criteria for inviting people to become members of the landscape advisory committee ; and if he will list the qualifications of each of the current members.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 9 March 1993] : My right hon. Friend has set no specific criteria for inviting members to serve on the landscape advisory committee. Appointments are made so as to maintain a wide range of interests and expertise in landscape matters. Some of the qualifications of the current members are as follows :
Professor David K. C. Jones, BSc, FRGS appointed Chairman 1993 Professor of physical geography at the London School of Economics ; consultant geomorphologist specialising in engineering, geomorphological mapping and landslide studies.
Sir Henry E. Aubrey-Fletcher
Member of the council of Country Landowners Association ; member of Agricultural Land Tribunal South East Area and the Bucks and Oxon Naturalist Trust Conservation Group.
Professor Mary Benwell B.A., PH.D., F.C.I.T.
Head of School of Business at Oxford Brookes University ; previously a Reader in Transport at Cranfield and a Research Director of a transport consultancy.
Dr. John A. Bergg BSc phD C.ENG FICE
Recently retired from the post of County Engineer for Surrey County Council ; currently a part time consultant for a civil enginering firm.
Professor Gordon E. Cherry BA DSc (Hon) FRICS
Recently retired from the post of Head of the Geography Department at the University of Birmingham ; now an independent traffic/planning consultant.
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Mr. Len J. Clark CBEChairman of the Youth Hostels Trust (Vice President Youth Hostel Association) ; member of Council for National Parks and Countryside Link ; member of National Trust Council & Committees.
Professor Monica M. Cole BSc Phd FIMM FRGS FGS
Retired Professor of Geography and Director of Research in Geobotany, Terrain Analysis and related resource use at the Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Surrey.
Mr. Geoffrey P. Crow BSc DipTE CEng FIHT MICE
Independent Transportation Planning Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Transport (part time) at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.
Ms E. Evans AA Dipl (Hons) SADG RIBA TP
Partner in firm of architects ; architect and town planner with experience in urban planning.
Mr John V S Evans Dip.Arch DipLA RIBA ALI
Registered architect ; consultant to the Travers Morgan Group since 1991 ; Former Partner of Travers Morgan Planning and Chairman of Travers Morgan Landscape ; member of the Landscape Institute External Affairs Committee.
Mr C Richard Ferens MA (CANTAB) FRICS
Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors ; Consultant with firm of Surveyors & valuers ; a Vice-President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England ; valuer for the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation and the Lord Chancellor's panel of Agricultural Arbitrators.
Professor Peter J Fowler MA PHd FSA FRHistS MIFA
Professor of Archaeology, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne ; former Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England ; currently Forestry Commission archaeological consultant ; member of National Trust Council and Executive & Properties Committees.
Mrs Elizabeth J Garland BA
Secretary of the Council for the Protection of Rural England (Sheffield, Peak District and South Yorkshire Branch) ; executive member for Council of National Parks (CNP) ; Chair of Development Panel of CNP.
Mr Hugh J R Geddes MA RIBA MLA (USA)
Partner and director in firm of architects ; Director Pilot Properties, specialising in housing schemes on derelict urban land. Mr Arthur D Gill
Vice-President of the Petersfield Society ; member of the executive Committee of the Gwent Farming, Forestry and Wild Life Advisory Group ; Director of RAC and is the nominee of the Joint Standing Committee of the RAC, AA and RSAC on the National Executive of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) ; member of the Executive Committee of the Gwent branch of the CPRW.
Mrs Janet Jack AA Dipl RIBA TP ALI
Former partner, now consultant to architect's practice ; was responsible for the architectural and landscape proposals for the Channel Tunnel project.
Mrs Patricia E Lunn CGLI FRSA
Head of Horticulture, Derbyshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture ; working Partner in landscape and nursery business ; independent member of Horticultural Development Council and Convenor of its Levy Appeals Panel since its formation in 1986 ; former member of the Women's National Commission and past National President, UK Federation of Business and Professional Women.
Ms Wendy M Lutley MSc Adel (Econ Geol), BSc Lond (Geol) Previously employed by the National Trust in management plan preparation for its open space properties and as a member of its biological survey team ; more recently assistant
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general secretary of the Open Spaces Society working on common land, urban open space and community action in the environment ; author of the society's book "Making Space--protecting and creating open space for local communities'; now Co-director of Folk South West. Mr. Jim M. McCluskey BSc (Civil Engineering) MICE MISTRUCT MINT ALIDirector of McCluskey Associates, a landscape architectural and planning consultancy ; experienced civil structural engineer and landscape architect ; author of a number of books on environmental design including "Road Form and Townscape" and "Parking : An Environmental Design Handbook".
Professor Margaret A. Mackeith MA PHD DIP TP DIP ARCH CONS FRTPI FRGS
Dean of the Faculty of Design and Technology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston ; Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute ; Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society ; Member of Institute of Environmental Science.
Mr. Michael R. Porter OBE DIPLA FLI
Former Landscape Adviser to the Department of Transport which he served for 25 years.
Miss Kay S. Powell BSc MSc MRTPI MIHT
Corporate Support Officer, Chief Executive's Department South Glamorgan County Council.
Miss Wendy E. Powell MLA FLI
In private practice as landscape architect and part time lecturer ; nationally elected member of the Council of the Landscape Institute. Mrs. Valerie Russell BA (Hons)
Former Chair of the Council for National Parks ; former Wealden District Councillor (Chair of the Personnel and Central Services Sub-Committee) ; member of the Institute of Directors, the British Institute of Management, Women in Management and the Sussex Archaeological Society.
Mr. Martin O. Slocock BA
Director of Nursery business ; former President of the Horticultural Trade Association 1967-70 ; member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society since 1984 ; Chairman of the BSI Committee for Nursery Stock Production.
Mr. Michael E. G. Taylor FCIT
Former Managing Director of transportation company ; currently consultant to firm of parcels carriers ; member of Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment, four Road Haulage Association committees and the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Small Business.
Mrs. Victoria R. Wakefield
Member of Committee A' Royal Horticultural Society ; Trustee Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
Mr. Roy W. Winter RIBA ALI DipArch DipLD
In private practice as a landscape architect ; formerly landscape architect to Redditch new town development corporation ; now course director of the diploma/MA in landscape architecture at Birmingham polytechnic.
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