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A540

23. Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the delayed start of the A540 Ormskirk bypass. [13040]

Mr. Watts: I met a delegation from Ormskirk in September 1995. I visited Ormskirk and the bypass route in October 1995. I answered a question from my

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hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 9 January. Following the review of the trunk road programme, the Ormskirk bypass remains in the main programme.

Gospel Oak-Barking Line

25. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had recently with local authorities regarding infrastructure improvements on the Gospel Oak to Barking line. [13042]

Mr. Norris: None.

Public Transport Investment

27. Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the level of investment in public transport. [13044]

Mr. Norris: Funding for public transport was given priority in allocating the Department's resources in the last public expenditure round, and we are pressing forward with the policies we have announced for privatising and deregulating the transport market, so giving the private sector the chance to respond to passengers' demands for efficient, modern transport services.

Safe Town Initiative

30. Mr. Anthony Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the first results of his Department's safe town initiative will be available. [13047]

Mr. Norris: The initiative will be closely monitored by the Transport Research Laboratory in conjunction with Gloucester city and county councils to ensure the maximum road safety benefits are obtained. Although full results will not be available until some time after the project is completed in 2001, interim results relating to some of the measures should become available in two to three years.

West Coast Main Line

Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when consultation work will start on the modernisation of the west coast main line. [14252]

Mr. Watts: Railtrack consulted extensively with local authorities and other parties during the feasibility study. Railtrack continues to communicate with, and inform, those people likely to be affected by the modernisation and will be considering their views at each stage of the modernisation project.

Rail Safety

Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail vehicles are being prevented from entering service awaiting completion of Railtrack's safety procedure; what is the total value of these vehicles; and what charge is being made by Railtrack for their safety assessment. [14487]

Mr. Watts: Railtrack has advised me that it is not preventing any rail vehicle from entering service. I understand that the relevant safety work is being carried out by the train manufacturers and operators, who are preparing their own safety assessments. Railtrack is

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working with the manufacturers and operators in accepting these safety assessments. Railtrack does not charge for the acceptance procedure.

Railtrack has appointed a panel of independent experts to review the safety appraisal process for new rolling stock, and to recommend areas for improvement while safeguarding safety.

Driver Licensing

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on (a) the progress of the implementation of the second EC directive on driver licensing and (b) how the Driving Standards Agency intends to comply with the directive with regard to large goods vehicles. [14434]

Mr. Norris: Work on preparation of the regulations and the operational arrangements to implement the directive is in hand. Last November, the Driving Standards Agency wrote to some 600 interested parties announcing the detailed plans for implementing the directive with regard to driving tests for large goods vehicles, and I have arranged for a copy of that letter to be placed in the Library.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources he intends to make available to the Driving Standards Agency for compliance with the second EC directive on driver licensing by July 1996. [14437]

Mr. Norris: The Driving Standards Agency is an on vote non-statutory trading body whose expenditure is fully recovered by the income it receives in fees and charges. Its resources are planned in accordance with expected levels of demand for tests within unit cost targets at agreed service levels. The agency's business plan for 1996-97 is in preparation and will be deposited in the House Libraries, when completed, in accordance with our usual practice.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many large goods vehicle driving tests were conducted by delegated examiners in each of the last three years; and what were the results of those tests; [14433]

Mr. Norris: The Secretary of State for Transport has not appointed any delegated driving examiners to undertake large goods vehicle tests.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many heavy goods vehicles were (a) inspected and (b) found defective in the last year for which figures are available. [14489]

Mr. Norris: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Vehicle Inspectorate Executive Agency to write to the hon. Member.

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Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 12 February 1996:


Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the maximum driving hours within which HGV drivers must operate in the United Kingdom. [14521]

Mr. Norris: Drivers of HGVs over 3.5 tonnes, with the exception of vehicles used for certain purposes, are subject to European Union rules on drivers' hour. They may drive for not more than 90 hours in any fortnight, 56 hours between weekly rest periods, and nine hours between daily rest periods, extendable to 10 hours twice a week. They must also take a break of at least 45 minutes for every four and a half hours of driving.

Certain categories of HGV which are exempt from the EU rules are subject to United Kingdom national rules on drivers' hours which restrict daily driving to 10 hours and daily duty to 11 hours.

Driving Instructors

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the risk assessment of the operational aspects of the duties of the senior examiner (approved driving instructor) grade within his Department to be completed; and if he intends to place a copy of the results in the Library. [14435]

Mr. Norris: The working practices of supervising examiners--approved driving instructor--are covered by several existing generic risk assessments. I will have these placed in the Library.

Peakes Parkway

Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when funds from his Department will be released to enable Humberside county council and its successor authorities to construct phase 3 of the Peakes parkway; and if he will make a statement. [14325]

Mr. Norris: My Department is supporting stage 3 of the Peakes parkway with a supplementary credit approval of £2.55 million in 1995-96. This has enabled Humberside country council to carry out works in advance of the main contract. North East Lincolnshire district council has been allocated funds of £1 million to continue work on the scheme 1996-97. It is expected that this will enable the start to be made on the main contract. Subject to satisfactory progress, we expect to continue support for the scheme until its completion.

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Departmental Publications

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of his Department's administrative manuals and internal guidance are now made public; and which remain private. [14025]

Mr. Norris: My Department is reviewing its manuals and guidance. The aim is to make information available to staff and the public in a clear and accessible form. Material may be kept private for security, commercial or legal reasons. The following material is either published by the Department or may be seen on request:



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