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Mr. Watts: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State confirmed on 11 October that the Newbury bypass will go ahead.
We are aiming to complete the tendering process in order to meet that commitment. Work will start as soon as possible in 1996 and we would anticipate that construction would be completed some two or so years after award of contract.
Following upon the previous Secretary of State's decision to go ahead with the bypass, work has continued to complete EC procedures for competition and bring the tender documents up to date. There has been no undue delay. The Highways Agency has moved as quickly as possible. We currently expect tenders to be invited within a few weeks.
Oil Tankers (Movements)
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to review safety procedures and pollution control regarding movements of oil tankers. [41459]
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. Cynog Dafis, dated 7 November 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about oil tanker movements.
A number of internationally-agreed routeing measures are in place around the United Kingdom (UK) to enhance safe navigation and protect the marine environment. Measures include Areas to be Avoided, Precautionary Areas, Recommended Routes, Traffic Separation Schemes and a Deep-Water Route west of the Hebrides, specifically for large tankers.
This Agency reviews the effectiveness of the routeing measures around the UK and takes rigorous action to follow up reported infringements. In particular, the Agency considers carefully any recommendations on routeing matters made by the Department of Transport's Marine Accident Investigation Branch as a result of its investigations into collisions and groundings.
Recent amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention will allow for the introduction of compulsory ship-reporting systems from 1 January 1996 and compulsory ship-routeing systems from 1 January 1997, subject to their acceptance at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The UK is at the forefront of efforts to develop a workable system of automatic ship-identification transponders and is pressing at the IMO for the early introduction of this equipment on oil tankers. Transponders will increase the ability of coastal states to monitor the movement of shipping.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new plans he has to tighten regulations regarding movements of bulk oil tankers. [41490]
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Mr. Norris: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by type of project (a) how many schemes have been approved to date under the private finance initiative, (b) what is the value of those schemes and (c) what public sector contribution will be required, both initially and as revenue support during the lifetime of the schemes. [41748]
Mr. Watts: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Transport and Road Safety to the hon. Member for Nottinhgam, North (Mr. Allen) and 6 November. As to public sector contributions for approved projects, the position is as follows:
x
Project |Public funding
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Line trains |Payments to GEC over the period of the
|contract are confidential.
Midland Metro Line 1 |In total, some £130 million is being
|contributed by the public sector
|towards the capital cost of the scheme.
|There is no public sector revenue
|support.
Emergency Tugs
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost in the financial year of stationing emergency tugs at (a) Stornoway and (b) Dover; and what is the estimated cost for the stationing emergency tugs at the same ports during the forthcoming winter for six months from 1 November. [41730]
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Coastguard Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. James Wallace, dated 7 November 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as the question deals with operational matters, for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive.
The cost for the emergency tugs for winter 1994 95 (4 months) was as follows:
(a) Stornoway: £425,500
(b) Dover Strait: £418,400
The estimated cost of the vessels for winter 1995 96 (6 months) is as follows:
(a) Stornoway: £1,000,000
(b) Dover Strait: £1,100,000
Red Routes
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the new priority routes, red routes, to be introduced in Islington; on which roads; at what costs; and if he will make a statement. [42043]
Mr. Norris: The programme of implementation of red routes is a matter for the traffic director for London. In Islington, he is currently introducing red route measures on the A501 Pentonville road, at a cost of
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around £500,000, and measures on the A503 Seven Sisters road are planned for 1997, subject to finance, at a cost of around £1 million.Car-free Areas (London)
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to authorise car-free areas in inner London; and if he will make a statement. [42041]
Mr. Norris: It is for local highway authorities to consider whether to introduce such schemes.
Traffic-Free Zones (London)
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been undertaken by the Government office for London into the possibility of creating traffic-free zones in inner London; and if he will make a statement. [42040]
Car Commuting Estimates
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his latest estimates for the level of daily car commuting into central London for 1996 to the year 2000; and if he will make a statement. [42042]
Mr. Norris: The Department's most recent cordon survey recorded 114,000 cars entering central London between 7 am and 10 am on a typical weekday in 1993. Projections are not made for short spans of years but on present assumptions, growth is expected to average about 0.5 per cent. per year between 1991 and 2011.
Burnley and Pendle Bus Co.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what indication he has given to Pendle council or any of its councillors regarding his consent to the sale of Burnley and Pendle Bus Co. [41920]
Mr. Norris: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not my practice to disclose the details of any correspondence with a local authority on such an issue.
Vehicle Emission Checks
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget is allocated for enforcing emission standards; how many vehicle owners are fined for failing emission standards every year; and how many light vehicles fail emission standards at road tests every year. [42117]
Mr. Norris: The total budget for vehicle emissions checks in 1995 96 is £621,900, which includes £400,000 for the special emission blitzes we have been running over the past year. Latest figures show that around 16 per cent. of taxis, 4 per cent. of cars, and 8 per cent. of light goods vehicles exceed prescribed emission limits. Offenders are normally given 14 days to obtain a new MOT certificate in order to demonstrate that any roadworthiness defects have been corrected. Most comply and so there is only a very small number of prosecutions.
Column 765
Bus and Coach Industry
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the EC bus and coach directive on the United Kingdom industry. [42115]
Mr. Norris: We are currently awaiting a formal proposal for a bus and coach construction directive from the Commission. We have had full discussions with the manufacturing and operating industry and will do everything possible to ensure that any directive protects both the interests of industry and the future of existing UK vehicle types.
Transport Policy
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the main findings of the interactive survey to examine public attitudes to transport policy and the environment. [42116]
Mr. Norris: Results from the first stage of this research are not expected until the new year.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish a response to the 18th report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, transport and the environment. [41755]
Mr. Norris: Decisions on the Government's response will be taken in the light of the national debate on transport policy.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is proposing (a) to promote (i) cycling, (ii) walking and (iii) use of public transport and (b) to reduce the amount of road traffic. [41756]
Mr. Norris: A range of measures is already in place. Views on further measures were invited as part of the national debate on transport policy.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to reduce the proportion of urban journeys undertaken by car (a) in London from 50 per cent. in the London area to (i) 45 per cent. by 2000 and (ii) to 35 per cent. by 2020 and (b) in other urban areas from 65 per cent. (i) to 60 per cent. by 2000 and (ii) 50 per cent. by 2020. [41762]
Mr. Norris: Views on the desirability of such targets, and the measures required to meet them, were invited as part of the national debate on transport policy.
Ship-identification Transponders
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has currently been made through the International Maritime Organisation for the early introduction of ship-identification transponders on oil tankers. [41864]
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. Elliot Morley, dated 7 November 1995 :
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about transponders.
Column 766
There appears to be broad international acceptance of the principle of transponders and it is encouraging that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has now developed a performance standard for a system based on VHF radio, which is particularly suitable for monitoring coastal shipping.The United Kingdom is continuing its efforts at the IMO to secure the compulsory carriage of transponders on larger ships as soon as possible. As part of that drive, this Agency is conducting a trial using automatic ship- identification transponders on a number of ships in the Dover Strait.
Official Hospitality (Expenditure)
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the total amount spent by his Department on hospitality and (b) each item of expenditure over £1,000 spent on hospitality by his Department in each of the last five years. [40995]
Mr. Norris: The Department of Transport--excluding its agencies--has spent the following amounts on official hospitality over the past five years.
1990 91: £204,040
1991 92: £170,015
1992 93: £233,762
1993 94: £234,986
1994 95: £127,247
These figures have been obtained from the Department's computerised accounts system. The categories of expenditure used to obtain the figures are:
C1300: Entertainment UK (superseded in 1993 94 by C1305 and C1306)
C1301: Official teas/working lunches
C1305: Entertainment UK (ministers)
C1306: Entertainment UK (others)
C1310: Entertainment overseas (ministers)
C1311: Entertainment overseas (others)
C1320: Road opening ceremonies
C1321: Medal ceremony costs.
The number of items of expenditure over £1,000 in each of the above categories over the past five years is as follows:
|C1300|C1301|C1306|C1311|C1320|C1321|Total
--------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |13 |11 |- |3 |1 |1 |29
1991-92 |1 |1 |- |3 |8 |3 |16
1992-93 |4 |2 |- |2 |3 |1 |12
1993-94 |- |2 |1 |1 |2 |- |6
1994-95 |- |- |3 |2 |- |- |5
Freight Transport
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the percentage of freight sent by (a) road and (b) rail in each year since 1979. [41811]
Mr. Watts: The percentage of total freight sent by (a) road and (b) rail in each year since 1979 is as follows:
|Rail percentage |Road percentage
|of billion tonne|of billion tonne
Year |KMs |KMs
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |11 |55
1980 |10 |53
1981 |10 |54
1982 |9 |53
1983 |9 |52
1984 |7 |55
1985 |8 |55
1986 |9 |56
1987 |9 |58
1988 |8 |60
1989 |8 |62
1990 |7 |62
1991 |7 |61
1992 |7 |61
1993 |7 |64
1994 |6 |65
Source:
TSGB, 1995.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to increase the proportion of freight carried by rail and decrease the proportion of freight carried by road. [41758]
Mr. Watts: Rail must improve its performance if it is to attract new traffic and retain existing freight customers. The key to this is liberalisation and privatisation. We have already opened up the rail network to competition. Privatisation of British Rail's freight businesses will follow as soon as possible.
Rail freight is being further encouraged by a considerably enhanced grants regime. Some 145 grants have been awarded since 1979, with a total value of £100 million at today's prices, securing traffic to rail equivalent to over 2.5 million lorry journeys per year.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total amount of EU funds that have been made available to the channel tunnel rail link; for what purposes and to which organisations; and if he will make a statement. [41761]
Mr. Watts: Grant has been provided from the transport infrastructure programme since 1991 to support Union Railway's expenditure on feasibility studies for the channel tunnel rail link project. The payments made are as follows:
-
Year |£ million
------------------------------
1991 |4.0
1992 |9.6
1993 |8.0
1994 |14.7
Total |36.3
Note:
£1=1.25 ECU.
The Commission has recently awarded £13.6 million feasibility studies grant to Union Railways from the 1995 trans-European networks programme. This programme has replaced the transport infrastructure programme.
Union Railways, a Government-owned company, is responsible for CTRL project development. Its feasibility studies work includes environmental and consultation work, geotechnical surveys, business planning and engineering design.
Drivers' and Pilots' Working Hours
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transport issues relating to (a) drivers' hours and (b) pilots' hours are currently before the EC's Social Committee and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on each of them. [41766]
Mr. Norris: The European Commission's Joint Transport Committee on Road Transport is carrying out a survey of drivers' working hours in member states and has been asked to produce conclusions on the adoption of working time into the EU regulation on drivers' hours rules. The committee comprises representatives from employer organisations and unions. The Government are not party to these discussions but will consider the report when produced.
We are not aware of any issues relating to pilots' hours before European Commission committees at present. However, flight and duty time for aircrew are being considered by the joint aviation authorities and we will consider any recommendation they propose.
European Directives
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 31 October, Official Report , column 136 , if he will list the 12 directives under consideration indicating the action required or being taken in each case and the timetable for parliamentary consideration in each case. [41598]
Mr. Watts: My answer of 31 October should have said that only 11 directives require secondary legislation. These directives are listed, along with the action required or being taken in each case:
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Directive number |Title |Outstanding action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
95/21/EC |On the enforcement, in respect of shipping using
|Community ports and sailing in the waters under
|the jurisdiction of the member states, of
|international standards for ship safety, pollution
|prevention and shipboard living and working
|conditions (port state control).The Regulations are
|being redrafted and it is intended to have domestic
|legislation in place at the beginning of 1996.
94/57/EC |Concerning common rules and standards for ship |Draft regulations are being prepared and will be
|inspection and survey organisations and for the |the subject of public consultation. No Parliamentary
|relevant activities of maritime administrations. |timetable has yet been set.
94/58/EC |Concerning the minimum level of training for |The vast majority of the IMO Standards for
|seafarers. |Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
|regulations have already been implemented. New
|legislation is required only for that part dealing
|with communication by the crew.
Number not yet assigned |On the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity|Discussions are underway with industry partners in
|and the charging of infrastructure fees. |advance of preparation of secondary legislation.
Number not yet assigned |On the licensing of railway undertakings. |Discussions are underway with industry partners in
|advance of preparation of secondary legislation.
87/540 |Access to the occupation of carrier of goods by |The United Kingdom benefits from a derogation for
|waterway in national and international transport, | United Kingdom domestic carriers. Secondary
|and on the mutual recognition of diplomas, |legislation is being drafted to provide for
|certificates and other evidence of formal |certification for United Kingdom carriers
|qualifications for this occupation. |operating in other member states and for the
|recognition in the United Kingdom of certificates
|granted in other member states for non-United
|Kingdom carriers using United Kingdom inland
|waterways.
94/56 |On the investigation of civil aviation accidents and|Implementation of this directive entails amendments
|incidents. | to both primary and secondary legislation. It is
|anticipated that this will be completed before the
|obligatory date of 21 November.
92/97 |Amends 70/157 in respect of the permissible sound |Regulations applying this directive to new vehicle
|level and the exhaust system of vehicles. |types came into effect on 1 October 1995.
|Regulations applying it to all vehicles entering
|into service are in preparation and will come into
|effect on 1 October 1996. Subject to statutory
|consultation the latter will be made and laid in
|Parliament early in 1996.
93/75 |Minimum requirements for vessels bound for or |This directive as implemented on 31 October 1995.
|leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous
|or polluting goods.
94/55 |On the approximation of the laws of member states |The Health and Safety Executive will soon publish
|with regard to the transport of dangerous goods |draft regulations for consultation. The regulations
|by road. |are expected to be laid before Parliament in the
|summer of 1996.
91/439 |On driving licences. |Draft regulations amending primary legislation are
|now with Parliamentary Counsel. The drafting of
|regulations to amend secondary legislation is in
|hand. It is not possible at present to indicate when
|either set of regulations will be submitted to
|Parliament.
Cycling
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures exist, or are proposed, to increase cycle use to 10 per cent. of all urban journeys by 2005. [41757]
Mr. Norris: We have taken a number of initiatives which are designed to encourage and increase the number of people cycling. I announced in June this year that we intended to identify national targets for more cycling use. The steering group that we have set up to generate a national strategy for cycling will consider what targets are most appropriate.
Railways (Expenditure)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list figures for total Government spending on the railways for the current year and in each of the last 10 years. [41809]
Column 770
Mr. Watts: The table provides details of the railways' external finance requirement for each year since 1985 86.
|£ million cash
---------------------------------------------
1985-86 |910
1986-87 |777
1987-88 |545
1988-89 |376
1989-90 |711
1990-91 |1,077
1991-92 |1,464
1992-93 |2,064
1993-94 |1,461
1994-95 |1,541
1995-96 |<1 >975
Notes:
<1> Planned figure.
1. From 1987-88, figures exclude movements
in payroll creditors.
Ro-ro Ferries
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the decision by the Council of Ministers in respect of the European Parliament's proposal in respect of the safety management certificates of ro-ro ferries visiting EU ports. [41759]
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. Graham Allen dated 7 November 1995 :
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your request that he make a statement on the decision by the Council of Ministers in respect of the European Parliament's proposal in respect of the Safety Management Certificates of ro-ro ferries visiting EU ports.
The UK fully supports this proposal which will require all such ro-ro passenger ferries to carry a Safety Management Certificate from the 1 July 1996 regardless of the flag of the vessel.
Council of Transport Ministers
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make available the minutes of the last EU Council of Transport Ministers meeting on 28 September. [41760]
Mr. Watts: Details of the voting at the Transport Council were set out in my right hon. Friend's reply of 6 November to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes). Minutes of the Council meetings prior to a Council decision of 2 October 1995 on the release of such minutes were not routinely made public. However, the Council Secretariat has issued a press release reporting on the outcome of the Transport Council. I shall send a copy to the hon. Member.
Rail Commuters
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which five cities have the lowest percentage of commuters using rail. [41331]
Mr. Watts: This information is not held by my Department.
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