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Bridges
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the locations of all the lift-up bridges and swing bridges on trunk roads in Britain. [7856]
Ms Glenda Jackson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to reply to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Bob Blizzard, dated 11 July 1997:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked Lawrie Haynes, Chief Executive, to reply to your recent question about the number of lift-up and swing bridges on trunk roads in Britain. Lawrie Haynes has asked me to reply as he is away from the office at present.
We do not have records of bridges in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. These would be kept by the respective Government Departments. There are three lift-up bridges and five swing bridges on trunk roads in England, they are:
Lift-up Bridges:
Lowestoft Bascule Bridge--A12 over Lowestoft inner harbour, Suffolk
Breydon Bridge--A12 at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Kingsferry Bridge--A249 over River Swale, Isle of Sheppey, Kent*
Swing Bridges:
Cross Keys Bridge--A17 over River Nene, Sutton Bridge Lincs
Fosdyke Bridge--A17 over River Welland, South of Fosdyke, Lincs
Selby Bridge--A19 over River Ouse, Selby, North Yorks.#
Acton Bridge--A49 over River Weaver, North of Weaverham, Cheshire.¡
Myton Bridge--A63 over River Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull, Humberside.
* Jointly owned with Railtrack
# In Local Authority ownership
¡ Owned by British Waterways Board
I hope this information is helpful.
Traffic Noise
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy for reducing the noise of traffic on motorways and trunk roads which pass through residential areas; and if he will make funds available for noise-reducing programmes. [8122]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The policy towards the mitigation of the noise of traffic on motorways and trunk roads near to residential properties derives from the Land Compensation Act 1973 and the associated Noise Insulation Regulations. On roads or motorways constructed or improved since 17 October 1969, appropriate measures to mitigate the impact of traffic noise have been provided and owners of affected properties have been able to claim additional compensation for the consequential lowering of the value of their property. It is not our policy to provide further measures to reduce the noise of traffic on trunk roads and motorways after the works have been completed and there are no plans to allocate funds for this purpose. In exceptional cases, where a trunk road was built before 17 October 1969 and not subsequently improved, noise barriers have been provided where it could be shown that
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these would be a feasible and cost--effective alternative to noise insulation of a significant number of affected properties, had that option been available.
Mr. Nicholls:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy towards the building of the Kingskerswell Bypass. [7877]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by me to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Sanders) on 16 May, columns 4-5.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if drivers of private buses are entitled to refuse to carry a pupil they believe will cause dangers to safety on the bus. [7821]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Public Service Vehicle (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990 entitle a bus driver both to remove any passenger who puts at risk or unreasonably impedes or causes discomfort to any other passenger or to operating staff, and to request a police constable to remove such a person. The driver also has responsibility under general legislation to exercise proper control of the vehicle, and to ensure that the vehicle does not exceed its legal carrying capacity.
If the vehicle is operating under contract, any additional grounds on which drivers may refuse the right of carriage are a matter for the operator and the body hiring it under the terms of the contract. A relevant factor in the case of a vehicle hired by a school may be whether the pupils are accompanied by a supervisor or not.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on the publication of guidelines to local authorities regarding their responsibilities under the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997; and if he will make a statement. [8492]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Work is under way on the drawing up of guidance to local authorities on meeting their responsibilities under the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997. The Government intends issuing this in draft later this year to allow interested parties to comment on its contents.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his proposals to involve local authorities in checking vehicle emissions at the roadside. [8489]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government hopes to make an announcement shortly about proposals to involve local authorities in checking vehicle emissions at the roadside. The proposals will be subject to public consultation and parliamentary approval.
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Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure that the imposition of the windfall tax on Railtrack plc does not affect (a) investment, (b) charges and (c) employment; and if he will make a statement. [7571]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I understand that the Rail Regulator's initial analysis suggests that the windfall tax will not affect Railtrack's ability to deliver its existing investment commitments at current levels of access charges.
Employment issues are a matter for Railtrack.
Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the effectiveness of Government advertising to prevent road accidents involving alcohol; and if he will make a statement. [7570]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government campaigns to prevent road accidents involving alcohol have been instrumental in changing driver behaviour and making drinking and driving unacceptable to the public.
All campaigns are evaluated for effectiveness through market research and public attitudes to drinking and driving are regularly monitored. Research carried out over the last twenty years, among men who drive and also drink outside the home, shows that:
These campaigns, together with enforcement action by police forces, have helped reduce drink/drive fatalities from 1,550 in 1982 to 540 in 1995.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the draft Fourth EU Motor directive concerning motor insurance. [6490]
Mrs. Roche:
In its recent Communication, "Financial Services: Enhancing Consumer Confidence", the European Commission has indicated its intention to bring forward, by autumn 1997, proposals for a fourth directive on motor liability insurance to address the problems faced by persons who have suffered injury or loss in a road accident while visiting another member State. In the course of drawing up its proposals for this directive, the
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Commission has been holding discussions with member State representatives. The Government is participating in these informal discussions but will wish to consider its position further when the Commission presents a formal proposal to the Council of Ministers.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will place in the Library a copy of the consultation document which was the basis of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's consultation exercise with its customers about its future policy on the disclosure of information. [6428]
Mrs. Roche:
No consultation document as such was produced for this exercise, but ECGD wrote to its major customers on 29 October 1996 regarding its policy on disclosure of business information. I will arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
those who had driven after drinking on at least one occasion in the last week had fallen from 51 per cent. to 25 per cent.
the proportion drinking 6+ units (1 unit equals about ½ pint of ordinary strength beer, 25ml of spirits or 100ml wine) and then driving on at least one occasion in the last week fell from 15 per cent. to 4 per cent.
The proportion claiming to leave the car at home increased from 54 per cent. to 75 per cent. and the proportion claiming to arrange for someone else to drive increased from 48 per cent. to 61 per cent.
There has also been a marked reduction in belief that it is difficult to avoid drinking and driving in the social context (61 per cent. to 25 per cent.) and that knowing you will have to drive spoils the evening.
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