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1993 expenditure
Programme |£ million
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Columbus
European element for International Space Station;
development of Columbus Polar Platform;
studies for future European Space Station |330
Ariane
Satellite Launcher |643
Hermes
Manned space flight study |159
ERS
European Remote Sensing Satellite |115
TRANSPORT
Concessionary Fares
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the local authorities in England and Wales which operate concessionary fare schemes for travel on the railways, indicating which of them operate schemes for (a) the elderly, (b) the disabled, (c) the blind and (d) young people.
Mr. Freeman : I am placing the information in the Library of the House, and I have sent the hon. Gentleman a copy direct.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes in design or alignment he expects over those sections of the newly proposed fast rail route from London to the channel tunnel following an alignment and design already announced ; and if he will give the reason for each such change.
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Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made a statement on the rail link on 22 March. Details of the route for consultation, the changes made in refining the route and the reasons for the changes are contained in the Union Railways report and other material deposited in the Vote Office.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the approximate capital sum, at 1993 prices, which he expects will be required to construct the fast channel rail link from St. Pancras to Cheritan ; and by what means he expects a return on such sums to be achieved.
Mr. Freeman : The estimated cost of the link is about £2.5 billion, towards which some Government support will be available in respect of domestic passenger benefits. Main sources of income will be fares, track charges and ancillary revenues.
London Crossrail Project
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what means he expects private capital invested into the London crossrail project to make a return comparable to that obtainable from other forms of lending.
Mr. Norris : The re-examination announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement of 16 March will be directed particularly at means to make the project attractive to the private sector.
Bridge Strengthening
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on rail bridge strengthening ; when the programme will be concluded ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I understand that the British Railways Board does not currently have any specific programme of rail bridge strengthening.
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what progress has been made on the road bridge strengthening programme ; when it will be completed ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what progress has been made by local authorities in their road bridge strengthening programme ; when the programme will be completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Heavier lorries, of 40 tonnes gross weight and 11.5 tonnes drive axle, will be allowed on roads in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1999. On trunk roads and motorways in England, some 8,000 structures are being assessed to determine whether they can safely carry this additional load. Strengthening is being carried out where necessary as part of a co-ordinated and cost-effective programme of road and bridge improvements.
Good progress is being made. All assessments are planned to be completed by the end of 1995, at a total cost of about £50 million. All strengthening is planned to be completed by the end of 1998, at a total cost of about £200 million.
Local highway authorities in England are being encouraged, through the transport supplementary grant
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system, to undertake a similar programme on structures for which they are responsible and they will be asked to include a progress report in this year's transport policies and programme submissions. Arrangements are also being made for a programme of inspection and strengthening of road bridges owned by British Rail and other transport undertakings.Road Schemes (North-West)
Mr. Matthew Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made with plans for the link road from the M57 to the A565 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : This is Sefton metropolitan borough council's scheme, and its progress is a matter for the council. I understand that a public inquiry was held recently into the council's planning application.
Mr. Matthew Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade the A570 Ormskirk to Southport road ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We have two schemes in the national programme ; the A570 Ormskirk bypass and the A570 Scarisbrick-Pinfold bypass. We expect to consult the public about possible route options later this year.
Mr. Matthew Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what road schemes are (a) under construction and (b) planned but not under construction in the north-west ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The major (over £1 million) schemes in our trunk roads programme are as follows :
Schemes on non-trunk roads are the responsibility of the region's 18 local highway authorities.
(a) Road schemes under construction
Cheshire
M6 Junction 20-21A improvement (Thelwall Viaduct)
A568 Widnes Easterly Bypass (northern section)
Cumbria
A590 Dalton Bypass
A595 Egremont Bypass
A596 Wigton Bypass
Lancashire
M6 Junctions 30-32 widening
A59 Greengates-Gutteridge
(b) Road schemes planned but not yet under construction Cheshire
M6 Junction 16-20 widening
A556(M) GWMNRR (Stage 1)
M56 Junction 7-M6 Junction 19
A6(M)-M56 Manchester Airport Link
A6 High Lane-Disley
A41 Christleton-Waverton Bypass
A41 Milton Green Bypass
A41 Nomansheath and Macefen Bypass
A49 Weaverham and Lower Whitley improvement
A51 Burford and the Green Bypass improvement
A51 Tarporley-Calveley Bypass (including Tiverton Bypass) A51 Duddon and Clotton Bypass
A51 (A41-A54) improvement
A54 Kelsall Bypass-A556
A500 Basford-Hough-Shavington Bypass
A523 Poynton Bypass
A523 Poynton-Macclesfield improvement
A550 Deeside Park-Ledsham improvement
A550 Ledsham-M53 improvement
A556 M6-A559 improvement
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A556 A54 Northwick BypassA568 Widnes Easterly Bypass (southern section)
Cumbria
M6 Extension, Carlisle to Scottish border
A65 Hornsbarrow diversion
A65 Moss Side-Lupton improvement
A66 Stainmore-Banksgate improvement
A66 Temple Sowerby Bypass
A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass
A590 Bouth Toll Bar to Greenodd
A590 High and Low Newton Bypass
A590 Ulverston-Dalton Bypass
A595 Carlisle Southern Bypass
A595 Duddon Bridge improvement
A595 Parton-Lillyhall improvement
Greater Manchester
M56 Junction 4-6 widening
M56-M62 Greater Manchester Western and Northern Relief
Road Stage II
M62-M66 Greater Manchester Western and Northern Relief
Road Stage III
M62 Junction 12-14 widening
M62 Junction 14-17 widening
M62 Junction 18-22 widening
M62 Junction 20 improvement
M63 Junction 6-9 widening
M66 Manchester Outer Ring Road (four contracts)
Denton-Middleton
A6(M) Stockport North-South Bypass
A6(M)-M56 Manchester Airport Link (western section)
A6 Disley-High Lane Bypass
A57/A628 Mottram-Hollingworth-Tintwistle Bypass
A5225 Wigan-Hindley-Westhoughton Bypass
Lancashire
M65 Blackburn Southern Bypass
Preston Southern and Western Bypass
A59 Ormskirk-Walmer Bridge improvement
A570 Ormskirk Bypass
A570 Scarisbrick-Pinfold Bypass
A585 Norcross-M55 Link
Merseyside
M62 Junction 6-7 widening
A580 Liverpool-Manchester improvements
Road Schemes (Compulsory Purchase)
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the rules for assessing compensation for property compulsory purchased for road schemes ; what allowance is made for negative equity ; in how many cases in the last two years compulsory purchase orders have been made in respect of property which is subject to negative equity ; and what advice is given to owners of such property by his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The long-standing principle of the statutory compensation code is that the owner of property subject to compulsory purchase is compensated on the basis of its current value on the open market, discounting any depreciation or enhancement attributable to the scheme for which the property is needed. Residential owner-occupiers normally qualify in addition for a home loss payment of 10 per cent. of market value, up to a maximum of £15,000. I am aware of, and fully understand, the concern that in current housing market conditions there could be cases where compensation offered fell short of the mortgage debt. No such cases have arisen. However, where people fear they may be affected in this way in future as a consequence of forthcoming schemes, we are inviting them to write to us with full details of their situation. This will help me, my right hon. Friend and my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning, who has the main responsibility for the compensation code, to assess the position and consider what action might be needed.
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