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Building Research Establishment
Mr. Garel-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the shortlist of prospective purchasers of the Building Research Establishment. [9555]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Following our consideration of a number of indicative offers for the Building Research Establishment, we have decided to short list two bids, the Built Environment Research Foundation, formed by University College London, and the BRE management bid team. They have been invited to submit final bids by 20 January 1997, following which a preferred bidder will be chosen.
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TRANSPORT
London Transport Staff
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are employed by London Transport in (a) managerial and (b) administrative posts; and, for each category, what is the annual cost. [9155]
Mr. Bowis: The total number of staff employed by London Transport at October 1996 was 19,424. The total staff cost for London Transport for the year ending 31 March 1997 is forecast to be £548.3 million. My Department does not have a detailed breakdown between managerial and administrative posts. This is an operational matter for London Transport.
Jubilee Line
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Jubilee line extension to be completed; and what was the target date for completion.[9154]
Mr. Bowis: London Transport assure me that it is me still aiming for the original target opening date of 28 March 1998.
Trans-European Transport
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the United Kingdom's share of funds available in 1996 for priority projects and other schemes under the European Community's financing programme for trans-European transport networks. [9638]
Sir George Young: Priority projects in the United Kingdom will receive some £27.6 million, which is over 16 per cent. of the total funds available for priority projects in 1996 and more than any other member state will receive from the EC fund, apart from Germany. A total of £20 million will go towards the Channel tunnel rail link, with £5.75 million for the west coast main line and £1.85 million for schemes along the Ireland-UK-Benelux road link. The UK will also receive almost £2 million for other schemes, of which £1.34 million is for four traffic management projects and £0.65 million for a development study of the great western line between Bristol and Penzance.
Traffic Projections
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the traffic capacity of the M65; and what is the current traffic volume; [8196]
- (2) what is the traffic capacity of the A59 between Clitheroe and Skipton; and what is the current traffic volume; [8195]
(3) what projections his Department has made of trans-Pennine traffic growth on the M62 over the next 20 years. [8194]
Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 16 December 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about the M62 and M65 motorways and the A59 trunk road.
M62 Motorway
You asked what projections the Department has made of Trans-Pennine traffic growth on the M62 over the next 20 years. Based on National Traffic Growth Forecasts which were last updated in 1989, the forecast annual traffic growth on the M62 over the next 20 years ranges between 31% and 44% for cars and from 45% to 72% for heavy goods vehicles.
M65 Motorway
You asked about the traffic capacity of the M65 and the current traffic volume. A measure of capacity is the Congestion Reference Flow (CRF), which is derived from a number of factors including carriageway width, vertical and horizontal alignment, and the proportion of HGVs. Regional maps with explanatory notes have been deposited in the House of Commons library (Vol 282, Columns 1100-1101) which describe the relationship between CRFs, congestion and capacity.
The CRF of the M65 ranges from 80,000 on the two lane section between Junctions 9 and 10, to 125,000 vehicles per day on the section between Junctions 7 and 8.
The existing traffic flows on the M65 range from 35,000 to 45,000 vehicles per day.
A59 Between Clitheroe and Skipton
You asked about the traffic capacity of the A59 between Clitheroe and Skipton and the current traffic volume. The Congestion Reference Flow (CRF) of the A59 between Clitheroe and Skipton is within the range 18,000 to 22,000 vehicles per day subject to the varying standard of the route.
Existing traffic flows on the A59 are 10,000 vehicles per day at Clitheroe dropping to 6,000 between Gisburn and the Lancashire/North Yorkshire county boundary, and rising to 14,300 between the A56 and Skipton.
Road Projects
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road projects (a) completed since 1991-92 and (b) not yet completed included private sector involvements. [6743]
Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
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