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Traffic Wardens
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities outside London have taken up his Department's offer to take on the responsibility for traffic wardens. [6]
Mr. Norris: We have invited local authorities to apply to take over parking enforcement, which would be decriminalised. Traffic wardens would be replaced by local authority parking attendants. So far, we have received one formal application--from Hampshire county council with regard to Winchester. We have received drafts of two other applications for comment and a number of expressions of interest.
Train Incidents (Reading)
Mr. Heppell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incidents or accidents have occurred on both the South West Trains and Great Western railway lines in the vicinity of Reading station since July. [896]
Mr. Watts: The following accidents and incidents in the vicinity of Reading station have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate since July 1995:
12 July 1995: Reading Depot A driver sustained a strain to his leg whilst climbing out of his cab.
20 July 1995: Near Reading Station A track circuit failure caused delay to services.
4 August 1995: Reading Station A Royal Scotsman charter train was delayed at platform 8 for two hours after smoke was observed coming from a defective coach. A tyre on the coach had shifted due to brake drag.
15 August 1995: Near Reading Station A track man was struck in the eye by a piece of wire protruding from a bush.
7 September 1995: Near Reading Station Fourteen sets of points fused, which resulted in platforms 6 and 10 being out of use.
10 September 1995: Reading West Yard An employee fell over discarded rail chairs, sustaining bruising.
4 October 1995: Reading Depot An employee fractured his hand after trapping it in a gate.
Rolling Stock
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what levels of investment in new rolling stock the rolling stock companies agreed to undertake with his Department. [48]
Mr. Watts: All three passenger rolling stock leasing companies have confirmed to my right hon. Friend their readiness to invest on commercial terms in response to customers' requirements.
21 Nov 1995 : Column: 53
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce the right of appeal for railway operators against private monopolies who increase the cost of rolling stock. [1614]
Mr. Watts: I do not recognise the circumstances described by the hon. Member.
Heathrow Airport (Rail Links)
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further rail links his Department estimates will be built to Heathrow airport; and what assessment he has made of the impact that rail privatisation will have on (a) delaying or (b) expediting plans. [49]
Mr. Watts: The Heathrow Express rail link, a joint venture between BAA, British Rail and Railtrack, is under construction. Heathrow Express is due to start services in 1998 and will operate a service every quarter of an hour with a journey time from Paddington to Heathrow of 16 minutes.
Rail access to Heathrow airport is being considered within the London airports surface access study, which was set up in April by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State and is examining the opportunities for economically beneficial improvements in access to and between London's main airports.
Rail privatisation should encourage rather than delay investment in infrastructure. Privatisation should allow greater use of private sector skills in encouraging investment and will also allow greater access to private sector finance. Railtrack's investment programme will be commercially driven, and will therefore be more directly responsive to the demands of its customers. Both operators and passengers will benefit because Railtrack will have incentives to use investment to increase efficiency.
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail locomotives have been (a) scrapped since 1992 and (b) offered for sale; and if he will make a statement. [529]
Mr. Watts:
The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions over the past five years British Rail has been successfully prosecuted or served with abatement notices under noise or air pollution regulations. [16]
Mr. Watts:
Complete records of the service of abatement notices or of successful prosecutions under noise and air pollution regulations are not held centrally by British Rail. The information available shows that there has been one successful prosecution in the past five years. Abatement notices have been served on at least two occasions.
21 Nov 1995 : Column: 54
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the sampling of pollution taken by Mr. A. J. Hickman in the Ferrybridge area as submitted to public inquiry by the Highways Agency in respect of the A1 diversion. [1314]
Mr. Watts:
We are satisfied as to the adequacy of the pollution samples taken by Mr. Hickman.
Ms Short:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost to public funds of the first four shadow toll road contracts over the length of each contract. [1502]
Mr. Watts:
Commercial negotiations have not yet concluded, but we expect to benefit from substantial private sector efficiencies.
Mr. Battle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility in each year since 1990. [1440]
Mr. Norris:
My Department has cut energy use cumulatively as follows:
Mr. Tracey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future of transport in London. [2047]
Sir George Young:
The Government will publish a document setting out our transport strategy for London in the new year.
I warmly welcome London Pride's action programme for transport in London. It is an important contribution to the transport debate. I believe London Pride is right to highlight London's excellent international links and the improved quality of public transport. The Government will consider carefully the recommendations made by London Pride in preparing our own strategy document.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport where are each of the speed restrictions currently in place between Paddington and Plymouth; for how long is each; and what the speed restriction is in each case; and in each case when he expects the track to be repaired so the restriction can be lifted. [1323]
Mr. Watts:
Railtrack informs me that there are approximately 16 speed restrictions currently in place between Paddington and Plymouth. Information regarding the precise location, length, and speed limit for each speed restriction is not held centrally and can be obtained only
21 Nov 1995 : Column: 55
at disproportionate cost. However, Railtrack confirms that repair time scales are in accordance with both operational requirements and Railtrack's rigorous safety standards.
Mr. Gallie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have occurred in respect of the time scales set out in his answer of 13 December 1994, Official Report, column 549, for the implementation of the new Scottish air traffic control centre; and if he will list the parties responsible for achieving the objectives. [1325]
Mr. Norris:
Primary responsibility for achieving objectives for the implementation of the new Scottish centre will lie with the successful tenderer for the contract. The National Air Traffic Service will, however, be responsible for the safety and operational aspects of the project.
NATS expects the new Scottish centre to become operational in the winter of 2000-2001.
Mr. Gallie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new en-route air traffic control centre at Swanwick will become operational; and to what extent this is in accordance with the original time scales for the project. [1217]
Mr. Norris:
The CAA presented a case for a new air traffic control centre to the Government in 1987. The target date set for the centre to enter operation was the end of 1996.
1991-92: -6.9 per cent.
1992-93: -7 per cent.
1993-94: -12.4 per cent.
1994-95: -16.9 per cent.
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