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TRANSPORT
North West Regional Railways
19. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure the final version of the North West Regional Railways Ltd. passenger service requirement issued by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising maintains the current timetable. [581]
Motor Car Commuting
21. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he plans to deter commuting by motor car. [570]
Mr. Watts: The Green Paper stresses the benefits of companies drawing up commuting plans to reduce car dependency. Improved rail services by private operators and better promotion of bus travel will encourage a switch to public transport.
Helicopters
23. Miss Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss helicopter use. [572]
Rail Privatisation
24. Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the decision was made not to pursue proposals for profit participation or revenue risk sharing with bidders for rail franchises. [573]
Mr. Watts:
The decision not to pursue proposals for profit participation was taken prior to the publication of invitations to tender for the first three rail franchises in May 1995. The decision not to pursue revenue risk sharing was taken in October 1995, after the receipt of indicative bids for those three franchises.
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25. Mr. Evennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the A2 road through the London borough of Bexley. [574]
Mr. Bowis:
I have received representations about a number of issues on the A2 in Bexley.
26. Mr. Gallie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects National Air Traffic Services to announce the successful bid for the building and operation of the new Scottish air traffic control centre; and if he will make a statement. [575]
Sir George Young:
The original timetable for this project assumed an announcement in February 1997. I understand that, in the light of the current Civil Aviation Authority review of the two-centre strategy, a paper will be presented to the CAA board in November on the tenders for the new Scottish centre.
27. Mr. O'Hara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to support those agencies planning to provide travel training for the people with mobility impairments who might wish to transfer to forms of public transport recently made accessible. [576]
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to support those agencies planning to provide travel training for people with mobility impairments who might wish to transfer to forms of public transport recently made accessible; and if he will make a statement. [398]
Mr. Bowis:
The Department of Transport works closely with transport operators and with disability organisations on this and many other issues arising from the growing move towards fully accessible public transport.
The importance of travel training will also be highlighted in guidance issued by the Department in parallel with regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which will set standards to ensure that future public transport is accessible.
28. Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on upgrading the A30 across Goss moor. [577]
Mr. Watts:
The main road programme includes a scheme to improve the A30 from Bodmin to Indian Queens across Goss moor. The scheme will be brought forward when funds allow.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the Fenchurch Street line service. [579]
Mr. Watts:
I have received two letters this year.
28 Oct 1996 : Column: 44
Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve cycling safety. [571]
Mr. Bowis:
Providing a safer environment for cyclists, as well as more convenient one, will be important for achieving national targets for increasing cycling set out in the national cycling strategy, which was launched in July. The Government will play their part towards achieving this: for example, through our education, publicity and research programmes; through advice to local authorities, and funding for their transport packages and local safety schemes; and through our involvement in the National Cycling Forum, the first meeting of which I am chairing next month.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if German type approval of vehicle parts is sufficient basis for them to conform to British standards. [13]
Mr. Bowis:
In Britain, most vehicle components are type approved in accordance with the appropriate European standards. Components approved to those standards in Germany are acceptable in Britain.
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy on road signs announcing distances in miles/yards and kilometres/metres. [203]
Mr. Watts:
The current Traffic Signs Regulations specify that all distances must be shown in miles and yards. I have no plans to change that.
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the scheduled departure time for Euston of the train which overshot Watford Junction station on Wednesday 10 July. [122]
Mr. Watts:
The scheduled departure time from Euston was 08.00.
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of car parking spaces at his Department's building on the basis of equivalent central London charges. [769]
Mr. Bowis:
There is provision for 23 car parking spaces in the Department's headquarters building, Great Minster house, which houses approximately 1,100 staff. On the basis of equivalent local commercial rates, these would cost some £69,000 per annum.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to extend passenger rail services from Matlock to Buxton; and what finance he proposes to make available for this project; [162]
28 Oct 1996 : Column: 45
(3) what plans he has to reintroduce passenger services on the Aylesbury to Bletchley to Bicester line; and if he will make a statement. [161]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the operational needs of the police to enable them to combat excessive noise emitted from stereo systems in motor vehicles; [221]
(3) what existing powers and practices exist to enable environmental health officers to combat excessive noise emitted from stereo systems in motor vehicles. [220]
Mr. Bowis:
Following the failure of a prosecution under regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, which relates to excessive noise from vehicles, the Metropolitan police have suggested that the regulation be amended so as specifically to include noise from car accessories, such as stereo systems or radios. This would enable the police to continue to issue fixed penalty notices to offenders.
In response, I have sought comments from bodies representing environmental, local authority, police and motoring interests to ascertain their views on the scale of the problem and the adequacy or otherwise of existing powers to deal with it. I am currently considering these comments.
Local authority environmental health officers have powers under part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as amended by the Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993 to deal with noise of all types from vehicles parked on premises and in the street. I understand that a number of local authorities have also recently brought successful prosecutions for noise from car stereos under the loudspeaker provisions of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.
Mr. Bendall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from users and service providers of the London concessionary fares and taxicard schemes regarding the proposals recommended in a review of the operation of those schemes carried out for the London committee on accessible transport; and if he will make it his policy that the present administration of these schemes will not be impaired. [496]
Mr. Bowis:
I have received representations from the company which is contracted to provide the London taxicard scheme.
These are matters for the London boroughs and my Department is not able to intervene.
28 Oct 1996 : Column: 46
(2) what plans he has to re-introduce passenger traffic on the Bletchley to Bicester line; what assessment he has made of the quality of the track; and if he will make a statement; [160]
(2) what representations he has received from environmental and enforcement bodies (a) on the scale of the problem of excessive noise emitted from stereo systems in motor vehicles and (b) the most effective way for dealing with it; [222]
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