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InterCity East Coast
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bids were received for the franchise for InterCity East Coast; and what is the subsidy required by the winners, Great Northern Railway Co. Ltd. and by the runner up. [26536]
Mr. Watts: Details of the number of bids received for individual franchises and the levels of subsidy required by unsuccessful bidders are commercially confidential.
The Great Northern Railway Company Ltd. will receive support of £64 million in the first year of the seven-year franchise, falling to zero in the seventh year. It will receive a total of £164.88 million over the duration of the franchise. Figures are in 1996-97 prices and exclude any additional payments arising from level crossing grant. British Rail's preliminary claim for InterCity East Coast for 1996-97 is £76.25 million.
Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff (a) will be employed by the Great Northern Railway Company and (b) will have had previous employment experiences in the rail industry; and what are the equivalent figures for those employed by InterCity East Coast Ltd. in 1995-96 and by British Rail in 1992-93 in the provision of those same services. [26512]
Mr. Watts:
The number and experience of staff employed by the Great Northern Railway Company Ltd.--GNR--in the provision of InterCity East Coast services is a matter for GNR. As at 1 April 1996, InterCity East Coast employed 2,867 staff. A comparable figure for 1992-93 is not available as this was prior to the restructuring of the railway.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of freight moved over land was moved by road vehicles in Great Britain in (a) 1965, (b) 1979 and (c) 1994. [24698]
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Mr. Norris:
The information requested is as follows:
1965: 74 per cent.
1979: 77 per cent.
1994: 85 per cent.
East Coast Main Line
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total investment made in the maintenance and development of the east coast main line in 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96; and what is the expected investment by Railtrack in 1996-97. [26511]
Mr. Watts: Railtrack informs me that investment figures for the east coast main line are as follows:
Track renewal
1993-94: Figures not held by Railtrack
1994-95: £23.1 million
1995-96: £23.2 million
1996-97: £18.3 million (forecast).
Other than track renewal
1993-94: £5.9 million
1994-95: £6.2 million
1995-96: £6.6 million
1996-97: £7.0 million (forecast).
Mr. Watts: The costs and the revenue for InterCity services on the east coast main line for the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96 are as follows.
| 1994-95 | (1)1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 241 | 292 |
| Costs | 307 | 340 |
| Administered profit | 4 | 18 |
| Grant support | 70 | 66 |
(1) Provisional
The figures for 1993-94 are not comparable because they do not reflect total costs for the use of infrastructure and rolling stock.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions over the past five years operators or employers have been prosecuted simultaneously with their drivers for offences relating to the regulations governing heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches; and on how many occasions prosecutions have been made against the operators alone. [26674]
Mr. Norris: Separate statistics are not available in the form requested.
Bus Safety, Manchester
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the quality and safety of buses in Greater Manchester. [27538]
Mr. Norris: Ensuring the quality and safety of buses is an integral element in the overall enforcement activities carried out by the Vehicle Inspectorate.
2 May 1996 : Column: 584
The VI is aware of concerns about the quality of some buses in use in Great Manchester and has worked with the local police to target operators with poor standards of vehicle maintenance. In the Greater Manchester and Derbyshire area during 1995-96, 12.75 per cent. of vehicles tested at spot checks were issued with immediate prohibitions and 13.38 per cent. with delayed prohibitions.
New investment by bus companies operating in Greater Manchester is expected to impact favourably on vehicle standards in the coming months.
Mr. Lloyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of (a) the number of bus operators in Greater Manchester and (b) the number of occasions on which consideration has been given to withdrawing operators' licences for failing to reach and maintain an acceptable safety standard; how many licences have been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement. [27539]
Mr. Norris:
There are 36 bus operators running local services and claiming fuel duty rebate in the Greater Manchester area. Data about disciplinary action taken by the Traffic Commissioner are not available in the form requested.
Mr. Austin Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of the total number of tunnels on the British Rail network has been inspected in the last (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years; [27791]
Mr. Watts:
I understand that all Railtrack's bridges and tunnels are subject to regular visual inspection; in addition, all tunnels receive a full structural inspection annually and all bridges receive a full structural inspection on a six-year cycle.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the total number of tunnels in the British rail network; and how many were built (a) before 1875, (b) 1876 to 1900, (c) 1901 to 1950 and since 1950; [27789]
Mr. Watts:
Railtrack's network encompasses around 40,000 bridges, viaducts and tunnels. Many were constructed more than 100 years ago. Further information on the dates of construction could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what dates the latest X-ray inspections of the steelwork on the approach roads to the second Severn crossing took place; if he will list those structures where
2 May 1996 : Column: 585
the outcome of the inspection involved the non-acceptance of the steelwork as satisfactory; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the inspections on the contract completion and opening dates for (a) the crossing, (b) the M4 approach roads and (c) the M5 approach roads; and if he will make a statement; [27824]
(3) what representations he has had in relation to the (a) delayed and (b) defective supply of fabricated Spanish steelwork for the bridge decks on the approach roads to the second Severn crossing and methods used by Balfour Beatty to make good the deficiencies. [27825]
Mr. Watts:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
(2) what proportion of bridges on the British Rail network has been inspected in the last (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years. [27792]
(2) how many bridges there are in the British rail network; and how many were built (a) before 1875, (b) 1876 to 1900, (c) 1901 to 1950 and (d) since 1950. [27786]
(2) what measures he has discussed with the director of the Highways Agency in relation to the delays in the Balfour Beatty contract for the approach roads to the second Severn crossing; [27826]
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