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Emergency Towing Vessel
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the annual cost of the placing of an emergency towing vessel in (a) the Dover strait, (b) north-western Scotland and (c) the western approaches from 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997. [3640]
Mr. Bowis: I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Nick Grainger, dated 25 November 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the cost of placing an emergency towing vessel (ETV) in (a) the Dover Strait, (b) north western Scotland and (c) the western Approaches from 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997.
The cost of each contract for emergency towing vessels at (a),(b) and (c) above are commercial in confidence between the Coastguard Agency and the companies involved. However the total budget for the three ETVs for these areas (to cover charter and running costs) between 1 October 1996 and 31 March 1997 is £3.2m.
M1
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the design capacity of the M1 from junction 1 to Luton; and what is the current traffic flow for the hours of 7 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 7 pm. [4099]
Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 56
Letter from Laurie Haynes to Mr. James Pawsey, dated 25 November 1996:
There is no precise definition of a road's capacity since it is dependent upon a number of factors such as alignment, frequency and type of junctions, volume of traffic entering and leaving at junctions, flow composition eg the proportion of heavy goods vehicles, and the weather. There is a relationship between speed and volume such that as a road get busier speeds reduce. However, at lower speeds flows may not decrease but may even increase with vehicles being able to travel safely more closely together. On motorways, speeds normally start to reduce when the flow increases beyond 1,600 vehicles per lane per hour. During a three hour period this equates to a unidirectional vehicular flow of about 14,400 vehicles on a dual three lane motorway, ie Junction 1 to 2, and 19,200 vehicles on a dual four lane motorway, ie Junction 7 to 8. However, the characteristics of the M1 close to London mean that speeds would reduce at lower flows than these.
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about design capacity and traffic flows on the M1 between Junction 1 and Luton (Junction 10).
Between M1 Junction 1 and 10, certain lengths of the motorway are much busier than others. Traffic counts on motorways are carried out junction to junction. Data for one small section of this length of the M1 (Junctions 6-6a) are not currently available. Between Junctions 1 and 10 the average flow is therefore the arithmetic mean of traffic for the 8 sections of motorway, but excluding the section between Junction 6 and 6a. The highest recorded flows are between Junctions 7-8 and the lowest flows are between Junctions 1-2. For the three hour periods requested the flows are typically as follows:
Junction Vehicles Southbound 7 am-10 am Vehicles Northbound 7 am-10 am Vehicles Southbound 4 pm-7 pm Vehicles Northbound 4 pm-7 pm Average between Junctions 1-10 13,000 8,900 9,500 13,500
Junction 7-8 (dual 4 lanes) 17,800 14,100 14,600 18,070
Junction 1-2 (dual 3 lanes) 10,000 4,500 5,100 9,100
Environmental Auditing
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4533]
Mr. Bowis: The appraisal of environmental issues is a key part of the processes of formulating, developing and implementing my Department's own policies and programmes. We also contribute to the Government's inter-departmental work on green issues, and are taking forward our areas of action as set out in "This Common Inheritance--the 1996 UK Annual Report".
The Department has an environmental policy statement and action plan which follows the principles of BS 7750 on environmental management systems. The aim is to promote cost effective action within the Department to comply with government commitments, legal requirements, approved technical standards and emerging best practice.
Progress made in improving the Department's environmental performance is published in the Department's working environment annual report.
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 57
The Government's Green Paper, "Transport: the Way Forward", published in April 1996, sets out the ways in which the Department aims to promote the efficiency, competitiveness and environmental sustainability of transport in the UK.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of advanced train protection in preventing accidents; what assessment he has made of the absence of advanced train protection in respect of the Watford accident; and if he will install advanced train protection mechanisms at those locations his Department assesses as presenting the greatest risk of accidents. [5064]
Mr. Watts:
The costs and benefits of the BR version of automatic train protection were assessed by the British Railways Board and the independent Health and Safety Commission in 1994-95. On 30 March 1995, the Government endorsed the HSC's view on the future of ATP.
Railtrack remains committed to a co-ordinated programme of measures to reduce the risks of ATP preventable accidents. These measurers comprise Railtrack's train protection strategy and include a driver reminder appliance due to be installed in train cabs during 1997, and a train protection warning system due to be piloted in 1997 and to commence installation by early 1998. TPWS will be installed at those locations assessed by Railtrack to be at greatest risk of TP preventable accidents.
The independent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate into the railway accident near Watford junction on 8 August 1996 is continuing. A report will be published by HSE when the investigation is complete.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent Railtrack has complied with the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive report into the Cowden collision. [5283]
Mr. Watts:
The Health and Safety Executive's report into the accident at Cowden made 15 recommendations, of which 12 were for Railtrack and three for the British Railways Board. Eleven of the recommendations relating to Railtrack are being actioned. The remaining recommendation, which relates to automatic train protection, has been partly accepted by Railtrack and discussions with HSE are continuing. HSE's railway inspectorate is monitoring implementation to ensure compliance.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent Railtrack has complied with the recommendation of the Cannon Street inquiry that proposed the installation at stations of new or modified buffer stops that could provide a maximum retardation of 15 per cent.; and if he will make a statement. [5337]
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 58
Mr. Watts:
I understand that the installation of new designs of buffer stops is currently in progress. Railtrack's continuous programme of infrastructure maintenance includes the replacement of buffer stops.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the 50 busiest Railtrack stations; and which of those are equipped with new or modified buffer stops providing a maximum retardation of 15 per cent. [5335]
Mr. Watts:
The Health and Safety Executive and Department of Transport do not hold this information.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the European directive on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a frontal impact, if he will introduce measures to outlaw bull bars. [5063]
Mr. Bowis:
I am pleased to report some progress in this area. My Department has been fully involved in the preparation of a draft amendment to the external projections directive, 74/483/EEC, which will set standards to prevent the fitting of aggressive bull bars. The Commission has put this forward and I hope that it will be adopted early next year.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many roadside tests on the quality of motor car exhaust systems have taken place in England and Wales since 1 January. [5391]
Mr. Bowis:
I have asked the chief executive of the Vehicle Inspectorate executive agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 25 November 1996:
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