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Mr. Watts: Railtrack advises me that this information is not held centrally and that it would involve a disproportionate cost to attempt to collect it.
Integrated Public Transport
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the level of expenditure on integrated public transport and road schemes in the current year, indicating its percentage of the total transport budget; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the last 10 years. [27156]
Mr. Norris: There is no generally accepted definition of an integrated public transport and road scheme. It is not therefore possible to provide this information in the form requested.
Railway Investment
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the level of railway investment in each EU country in the last year for which figures are available, calculated in sterling at current exchange rates; and what are those levels of railway investment per kilometre of rail track; [27155]
(2) what was the level of railways investment per head of the population in each EU country calculated in sterling at current exchange rates, in each of the last 20 years; and if he will list these levels of investment expressed as an index where the United Kingdom rail investment equals 100. [27154]
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Mr. Watts: The information available is published in "Statistical Trends in Transport 1965 1989", prepared by the European conference of Ministers of Transport. Copies will be placed in the Library in due course.
Pedestrian Casualties
Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he will publish the Transport Research Laboratory's report on pedestrian casualty rates among children. [26763]
Mr. Norris: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle under Lyme (Mrs. Golding) on 1 May 1995, Official Report, column 61 .
Gliders
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of glider flights on grazing animals. [26938]
Transport Supplementary Grants
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to extend transport supplementary grant bids to expenditure on transport packages; [27193]
(2) what progress he has made in implementing recommendation 42 of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution's 18th report on transport and the environment. [27194]
Mr. Norris: Section 88(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 restricts the payment of transport supplementary grant in England to expenditure in connection with highways or the regulation of traffic. In order to provide greater flexibility for local authorities to switch resources between different types of expenditure, it was agreed with the local authority associations that works costing less than £2 million within transport package bids would be funded through supplementary credit approvals. The borrowing costs associated with the use of SCAs are reflected in the calculation of local authorities' entitlement to revenue support grant.
We are still considering whether any change to the existing legislative framework, as suggested by the royal commission, is needed.
Vehicle Owner Details
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are taken to ensure that the tracing facility relating to the disclosure of names and addresses of vehicle owners to organisations showing good cause for disclosure is not abused; what percentage of requests for disclosure have been refused over the last year; if he will list the tracing agencies using Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency data for tracing purposes; and if he will make a statement. [26410]
Mr. Norris: Individual written requests for personal details of vehicle keepers from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's vehicle record are vetted prior to processing. One and a half million were received during the last 12 months. Two per cent. were rejected.
Five million requests from the police, local authorities and other approved organisations using a bulk inquiry facility were processed during the same period. These organisations, with the exception of the police, are bound
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by agreements with DVLA to provide facilities to enable the agency to check that only bona fide requests are made.A list of organisations submitting written inquiries is not available. Arrangements have been made for a complete list of bulk inquiries to be lodged in the Library of the House.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many disclosures of names and addresses of vehicle owners there were from Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vehicle owner indexes over the last 12 months; how many of these were made to (a) the police, (b) local authorities and (c) organisations showing good cause for disclosure; and if he will make a statement. [26409]
Mr. Norris: Approximately 6.5 million requests for the names and addresses of vehicle keepers were processed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency during the period April 1994 to March 1995. The majority originated from the police and local authorities. Detailed statistics are not available.
Aircraft Emergency Medical Equipment
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the emergency medical equipment that has to be carried on all scheduled flights by British-registered aircraft. [26508]
Mr. Norris: The Air Navigation Order 1995 requires all UK registered aircraft to carry first aid equipment of good quality, sufficient in quantity, having regard to the number of persons on board the aircraft, and including the following:
Roller bandages, triangular bandages, adhesive plaster, absorbent gauze, cotton wool (or wound dressings in place of the absorbent gauze and cotton wool), burn dressings, safety pins;
Haemostatic bandages or tourniquets, scissors;
Antiseptic, analgesic and stimulant drugs;
Splints, in the case of aeroplanes the maximum total weight authorised of which exceeds 5,700 kg;
A handbook on first aid.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the membership of the tender adjudication steering group that considered the bids for the construction of the channel rail link. [26574]
Mr. Watts: The steering group comprises officials from the Department of Transport and the other Government Departments concerned, together with senior representatives from the companies providing advice to the Department on the project.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the subsidy from public funds that will be required to ensure the completion of the channel tunnel rail link. [26451]
Mr. Watts: The precise amount of public sector support which the Government will make available for this project will depend on the outcome of the competition currently under way to select a private sector promoter. We anticipate that the contribution will be substantial.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the name of the successful bidder for the channel rail link construction contract. [26575]
Mr. Watts: The Government intend to make an announcement towards the end of this year.
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Motorways
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of motorways in each county currently have traffic levels which exceed on average 75,000 vehicles per day; and which sections of motorways in each county are expected to have such traffic levels by the year 2000. [26311]
Mr. Watts: The table lists the motorway sections in each county which, in 1994, has an estimated annual average daily traffic level--for both directions in total--of more than 75,000 vehicles. This information is derived from the national traffic census.
Forecasts of traffic flows on individual sections of motorway are not made as a matter of routine.
Motorway links with average daily traffic levels of more than
75,000 vehicles in 1994
|Start |End
County<1> |Road |junction |junction
---------------------------------------------------------------
Greater London |M1 |4 |A411
|M25 |29 |30
|M4 |1 |4B
|A102M |A102 |A2
|A40M |M41 |A404
Greater Manchester |M6 |24 |25
|M6 |26 |27
|M62 |12 |14
|M62 |15 |M61(1)
|M62 |15 |21
|M63 |3 |4
|M63 |6 |9
|M63 |10 |A560
|M63 |12 |13
|M63 |A560 |A5145
|M56 |3 |6
|M61 |1 |2
South Yorkshire |M1 |31 |35A
West Midlands |M5 |M6(8) |1
|M5 |1 |2
|M6 |4A |9
|M6 |10 |10A
|A38M |A4400 |M6(6)
|M42 |6 |7
West Yorkshire |M62 |25 |27
|M62 |27 |A62
|M62 |30 |31
|M621 |M62 |A62
|A58M |A660 |A66
Tyne and Wear |A167M |A186 |A187
Avon |M4 |19 |20
|M5 |17 |19
|M32 |1 |2
Bedfordshire |M1 |10 |13
Berkshire |M4 |4B |6
|M4 |7 |11
Buckinghamshire |M1 |13 |15
|M25 |15 |17
|M40 |1A |4
Cheshire |M6 |16 |23
|M6 |M56(9) |20
|M62 |10 |12
|M56 |6 |7
|M56 |9 |10
Derbyshire |M1 |24 |26
|M1 |27 |29
|M1 |30 |31
Essex |M25 |25 |29
Hampshire |M27 |3 |4
|M27 |5 |8
|M27 |11 |12
|M27 |M275 |A27
|M3 |5 |6
Hereford and Worcester |M5 |4 |M42(4A)
|M5 |M42(4A) |5
|M42 |2 |3
Hertfordshire |M1 |A411 |5
|M1 |9 |10
|M25 |17 |25
Kent |M20 |5 |6
|M25 |2 |5
Lancashire |M6 |30 |32
Northamptonshire |M1 |15 |17
Nottinghamshire |M1 |26 |27
Oxfordshire |M40 |9 |10
Staffordshire |M6 |10A |16
Surrey |M25 |5 |15
|M23 |7 |9
|M23 |9 |10
|M3 |2 |3
|M3 |3 |4
Warwickshire |M6 |2 |4
|M42 |3 |3A
|M42 |5 |6
<1> Where motorway links cross county boundaries the link has
been assigned to the county in which the traffic count was
carried out.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons his Department will not consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed. [26361]
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 6 June 1995:
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for what reasons his Department will not consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed.
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As I explained in answer to your earlier question, presented in the Official Report dated 9 May, column 351, it is not the Agency's policy to apply mitigation to existing roads. The statutory duty to provide noise reduction measures applies only to those new roads or improved roads opened since 17 October 1969. Owners of residential properties in the vicinity of these trunk roads and motorways will have had the opportunity of being considered for noise insulation and of claiming compensation for consequential loss of value of their property under the Land Compensation Act 1973.Any compensation provided under the Land Compensation Act 1973 will have taken account of the noise levels at affected properties, allowing where appropriate for the contribution of noise mitigation measures included as part of the scheme. We do not provide any further noise mitigation once compensation has been settled since this would incur double counting.
I trust this explains the reason for it not being possible to consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed.
Lead Monitoring
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what continuous monitoring of blood lead levels in children is carried out by his Department; and if he will publish the reports for the last three years for which information is available. [26605]
Mr. Norris: Monitoring of levels of lead in children is a matter for the Department of Health. However, I understand that monitoring programmes have shown a continuing fall in blood lead levels. This is in part due to the Government's successful policy of encouraging the use of unleaded petrol.
Departmental Performance
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what policy and procedure exist for dealing with complaints against his Department by members of the public; when his Department last updated its policy; what time limit and target for dealing with such complaints his Department has; and what follow-up procedure exists where complainants are not satisfied with his Department's response to a complaint; [26214]
(2) what performance indicators and performance targets there are for measuring the performance of his Department in (a) answering letters from members of the public and (b) answering telephone calls from members of the public; how performance is monitored; and what are the latest figures for performance measured against the target set. [26230]
Mr. Norris: In June 1994 the Department launched the "Serving the Public" initiative, developed in response to the citizens charter and designed to improve its service to the public when answering letters, taking telephone calls and handling complaints. Departmental standards and procedures are contained in a leaflet "Serving the Public".
There is a target of 15 working days for responding to letters and complaints from the public. A correspondence monitoring system has been put in place across the Central Transport Group to measure performance. Results for the first quarter of 1995 show that 91.5 per cent. were answered within the 15-day target.
The Department is also currently working on methods of monitoring telephone performance across the whole central transport group. Performance figures for 1994 show that 95 per cent. of all calls to the Department's public inquiry unit were answered within 15 seconds.
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The Department has recently reviewed its complaints handling procedures and is currently finalising details to provide for independent arbitration where complainants are not satisfied with the departmental response.Local Road Safety Schemes
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the allocation of funding for local road safety schemes in real and constant terms for (a) 1995 96, (b) 1996 97 and 1997 98. [26172]
Mr. Norris: Some £50 million is allocated to local safety schemes in 1995 96. This is programmed to rise to £55 million in 1996 97 and £60 million in 1997 98. Based on the latest estimate of the GDP deflator, the figures--in 1995 96 prices--amount to £50 million in 1995 96, £53.66 million in 1996 97 and £57.25 million in 1997 98.
Angel Junction
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to release or dispose of the properties owned by his Department at 353 359 Goswell road, London EC1. [25964]
Mr. Watts: The Highways Agency will shortly be commissioning a study of the Angel junction to consider modest improvements, recognising the importance of striking an appropriate balance between safety, the environment and the needs of all road users, including pedestrians.
The results of the study will be known in about six months and a decision about the release or disposal of 353 359 Goswell road will be taken shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, steps are being taken to ensure the properties are weathertight and secure.
Buses
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers are available to traffic commissioners to restrict the routes and number of vehicles operating on local bus routes. [25908]
Mr. Norris: Powers are available to traffic commissioners under section 7 of the Transport Act 1985 whereby they may determine traffic regulation conditions to regulate, inter alia, the routes of services and to limit the number of vehicles which may be used in the provision of a local service.
Commissioners may determine traffic regulation conditions only at the request of a traffic authority and only if satisfied that such conditions are required in order to prevent danger to road users or reduce severe traffic congestion.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by traffic area office the number of staff employed specifically on bus monitoring and the number of hours spent on this task for each of the last 12 months. [25909]
Mr. Norris: The only staff employed specifically by traffic area offices on this task are casual--often retired staff--working part time. These are used to varying degrees depending on local arrangements. Precise staff numbers and the breakdown of hours spent per month are not easily available, but the total annual number of hours by all staff, including permanent traffic area office and vehicle inspectorate staff, in 1994 95 is given.
Column 45
Annual number of hours worked on bus monitoring
by each traffic area
|Total number of
Traffic area office |hours 1994-95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Eastern (Leeds) |740
North Western (Manchester |525
West Midland (Birmingham) |900
Eastern (Cambridge) |257
South Wales (Cardiff) |840
Western (Bristol) |398
South Eastern & Metropolitan (Eastbourne) |0
Scottish (Edinburgh) |936
Total |4,596
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action (a) his Department and (b) the north-eastern traffic commissioner have taken in respect of predatory behaviour by bus companies in Darlington. [25910]
Mr. Norris: It is not for the Department to take action in respect of predatory behaviour by bus companies. Anti-competitive conduct is a matter for the competition authorities.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the penalties available to traffic commissioners for dealing with public service vehicle operators who fail to operate local bus services in a proper manner. [25913]
Mr. Norris: The penalties are set out in sections 26 and 111 of the Transport Act 1985. In summary, they are as follows:
A traffic commissioner may attach to the operator's licence a condition prohibiting the operator from using vehicles under the licence to provide any local service of a description specified in the condition or one prohibiting him from so using vehicles to provide local services of any description.
A traffic commissioner may make a determination that an operator has failed to operate a local service as registered and notify the Secretary of State accordingly. The Secretary of State will then reduce by 20 per cent. any fuel duty rebate payable to the operator for the previous 3 months in respect of all his local service operations.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by traffic area for each of the last five years the number of staff employed in sections dealing with the registration of local bus services and public service vehicle operator licensing. [25914]
Mr. Norris: The numbers of staff years in each of the last five years were:
Traffic Area Office: Staff working in PSV and bus
registration
sections
|1990-|1991-|1992-|1993-|1994-
|91 |92 |93 |94 |95
----------------------------------------------------------
North Eastern
(Newcastle) |1.20 |- |- |- |-
North Eastern (Leeds) |7.90 |8.36 |9.74 |9.71 |8.20
North Western
(Manchester) |8.50 |9.78 |11.14|10.54|10.80
West Midlands
(Birmingham) |5.20 |5.21 |5.79 |5.38 |4.68
Eastern (Nottingham) |3.60 |- |- |- |-
Eastern (Cambridge) |4.10 |6.80 |5.99 |4.58 |4.86
South Wales (Cardiff) |3.60 |3.82 |4.82 |4.63 |3.61
Western (Bristol) |5.50 |7.84 |8.19 |7.30 |7.01
Metropolitan (London) |4.90 |0.31 |- |- |-
South Eastern and
Metropolitan
(Eastbourne) |3.40 |6.11 |5.56 |5.93 |5.71
Scottish (Edinburgh) |7.50 |8.39 |9.15 |9.04 |8.52
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the amount spent by his Department publicising the fact that members of the public can complain to traffic commissioners regarding the operation of local bus services. [25915]
Mr. Norris: No specific funds are allocated for this purpose.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what extra resources have been provided in the traffic area offices to deal with the new regulations relating to the registration of local bus services; and what assessment he has made of the additional resources required. [25917]
Mr. Norris: No additional resources have been provided to traffic area offices. The Department's assessment is that the resources currently available will be sufficient to deal with enforcement of the new regulations.
Traffic Regulation Conditions
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by traffic area office for each of the last five years the traffic regulation conditions imposed by traffic commissioners indicating the reasons for their imposition. [25916]
Mr. Norris: The information requested is given in the table.
Traffic regulation conditions imposed since 1990
Traffic
area |Locality |Reason
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990
NWTA |Oldham |Danger to the public
|Several roads in Shaw
1991
NWTA |Trafford |Severe congestion and
|Ayres Road and Henrietta St |danger to the public
|Restricted size of vehicle to no
|more than 7.04 m in length and
|2.21 m in width
1992
NWTA |Bolton |Severe congestion and
|Glengarth Drive |danger to the public
NETA |Sheffield |Severe congestion
|Various central streets and part
|of Ecclesall Rd
NETA |Barnsley |Severe congestion
|Kendray St and Pontefract Rd
1993
SCOT TA |Edinburgh |Severe congestion
|St. Andrew's Sq, South St.
|Davids St and York Place
|Waiting times at bus stops
|controlled
NWTA |Liverpool |Danger to the public and
|Sir Thomas St (part),Victoria |severe congestion
|St (part), Whitechapel,
|Crosshall St, Hood St, Roe St
|Brythen St, Dawson St ie area
|known locally as the Gyratory
1994
NETA |Sheffield |Severe congestion
|Church St and part of High
|Street No new registrations will be
|accepted on this route
WMTA |Birmingham |Severe congestion
|Priory Queensway, Corporation
|St, Lower New St, St. Martins
|Circus, Hill St, Paradise St,
|Dale End, Upper Bull Street
|Waiting times at bus stops
|controlled
1995
NWTA |Manchester |Severe congestion
|Wilmslow Road between Willowbank and Old Hall Lane,
|Fallowfield
|Waiting times at bus stops
|controlled and use of bus stops
|restricted to buses on specified
|services
Staff
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what changes there have been in the number of staff employed by grade in (a) his Department and (b) each agency for which his Department is responsible in(i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96; [25556]
(2) what changes there have been in the number staff in employment by grade in (a) his Department and (b) each agency for which his Department is responsible in (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25631]
Mr. Norris: The numbers of staff--permanent and casual--employed by my Department, and each of its executive agencies, in 1993 94, projected outturn for 1994 95, and plans for 1995 96 are published in my Department's annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many posts were lost in (a) the Department of Transport and (b) agencies for which the Department of Transport is responsible, listing the total lost posts by agency in (i) 1993 94 (ii) 1994 95 and (iii) projected posts lost for 1995 96. [25070]
Mr. Norris: My Department does not keep a central record of posts. The number of staff employed by my Department and each of its executive agencies in 1993 94, the projected outturn for 1994 95 and the plan for 1995 96 are published in my Department's annual report, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Column 48
Ferries
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the evacuation exercise conducted by Sally Line in Ramsgate seven years ago; and what lessons may be drawn from that exercise for plans for evacuation of ferries operating from United Kingdom ports. [24921]
Mr. Norris [holding answer 18 May 1995]: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn dated 6 June 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the evacuation exercise conducted by Sally Line in Ramsgate seven years ago.
A ferry exercise "FEREX '86" was carried out from the Sally Line ferry, "THE VIKING", one mile off Broadstairs in January 1986. The exercise was arranged by the RNLI in co-operation with the Sally-Line, the Director of Naval Operations and Trade, Royal Marines Deal, RAF Manston and HMCG Dover. All agreed that FEREX '86 proved to be a most useful exercise. As a result of this operation, which was the first of its kind in UK waters, similar exercises have been conducted since, whenever the opportunity has arisen.
Consultants
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the level of expenditure on consultancy by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible for (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25650]
Mr. Norris: The figures requested are as follows:
|Department |Agencies
----------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |23,016,700 |<1>1,200,800
1994-95 |20,956,100 |<1>8,093,100
1995-96<2> |20,000,000 |10,000,000
<1> The Highways Agency, Marine Safety Agency and
Coastguard agency were formed 1 April 1994. Figures
for these three agencies move from the Departmental
figure to the agencies figure in the year 1994-95.
The totals exclude expenditure by the Highways
Agency on road schemes.
<2> Estimated.
Bilateral Air Service Agreements
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government will undertake to impose a veto on any attempt by the European Commission to extend its authority in the field of civil aviation to include negotiations with the United States and other countries on landing rights or any other matter which is now dealt with by him direct with the countries concerned. [25380]
Mr. Norris: It is the Government's policy that member states should remain free to negotiate bilateral air service agreements, except in those cases, for example with Switzerland, where a mandate has been agreed in the Council of Ministers.
Fishing Vessels
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are taken to check that the engine capacity registered for fishing vessels is accurate; whether torque meters are used to check reported capacity; and what checks are made with the engine manufacturers. [25386]
Column 49
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 6 June 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the steps taken to check that the engine capacity of fishing vessels is recorded accurately. In view of the reference to torque meters I have assumed that the Question refers to engine power rather than capacity.
Vessels to be placed on the United Kingdom Register are subject to survey by a Marine Safety Agency Surveyor, or a Surveyor of one of the Classification Societies acting on behalf of the MSA. He must ensure that the information being recorded accurately reflects that vessel, since the information will subsequently be forwarded to the Registry.
The power of the engine is normally furnished by the shipbuilder who should be in possession of the engine test-bed specification as provided by the engine manufacturer. Where there are serious grounds for concern that the recorded details of engine power may no longer be accurate, then a further survey will be required to ascertain that the details are indeed correct.
Empty Dwellings
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of houses owned by his Department that have been empty for (a) more than six months and (b) more than 12 months; and what action his Department is taking to reduce the
numbers. [25858]
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