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Highways Agency (Quality of Service Indicators)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Highways Agency will be publishing its quality of service indicators for safety, average journey times and the extent of congestion on trunk roads and motorways. [11706]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The latest information on accidents and casualties on trunk roads and motorways in England is contained in "Road Accident Statistics in English Regions: 1995". Average speeds on the various road classes in the network are in "Traffic Speeds on English Trunk Roads: 1995". Both these documents are published by the Government statistical service. The Highways Agency will be publishing congestion monitoring information later this year. The agency is currently developing a more comprehensive set of indicators for the quality of service on trunk roads.
Traffic Problems (Salisbury)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the terms of reference for his study into alternative solutions to traffic problems in the Salisbury area; when it will (a) start and (b) finish; and if there will be public consultation. [11839]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The study will be led by the Government office for the south-west, which will seek to agree terms of reference with a wide range of interested parties over the next two months. The time scale for the study will depend on the terms of reference and on the amount of additional information that will need to be collected. It is intended to be an inclusive process and emerging ideas will be shared with the local communities.
Car Accidents (Young Drivers)
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many car accidents involved drivers between 17 and 21 years of age in the last year for which figures are available; how many of these resulted in (a) personal injury and (b) death; and in how many of these accidents the driver was alone.[11790]
Ms Glenda Jackson: In 1996, there were 41,989 injury accidents involving car drivers between 17 and 21 years of age in which there were 718 fatalities and 66,072 casualties. It is not possible to distinguish from reported accident data whether a driver was alone.
London Underground (Safety Measures)
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been
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the result of the Health and Safety Executive's monitoring of London Underground's progress in developing (a) barriers between adjacent carriages to stop persons falling in the gap between them, (b) the provision in the driver's cab of television pictures of the platforms as the train approaches and as it is leaving, (c) modifications to the on-train passenger emergency devices so that they stop the train if one is operated as the train leaves a platform but warns the driver thereafter and (d) selective provision of platform attendants with an emergency button to stop a train. [11942]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
London Underground Ltd. is primarily responsible for safety on the underground, and is either testing or implementing these four measures, which are intended to improve safety on platforms. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive is continuing actively to monitor the way in which London Underground Ltd. is proceeding with each of these measures.
Mr. Curry:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much compensation will be paid to each of the four consortiums bidding for the Bradford-Cumbria design, build, finance and operate scheme as a result of the deferment of a decision whether to proceed. [11996]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
It will be for the tenderers to submit claims to the Highways Agency with full supporting evidence for the sum they believe due. The agency will process those claims after any necessary clarification with tenderers.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what was the cost of constructing the pedestrian-cycleway on the A31 between Ashley Heath and Ringwood; [12253]
(3) when he plans to carry out the signing of the pedestrian-cycleway which has been constructed between Ashley Heath and Ringwood. [12252]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 31 July 1997:
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Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will order a public inquiry into the scheme for a 10 to 12-lane M25 between junctions 12 and 15 as part of the Government's further review of the scheme. [12183]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
No. The statutory processes regarding the publish proposals for this scheme were completed when the decision on the environmental impact statement was made.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his assessment of the potential safety benefits of fitting lights to all bicycles; what is his policy on the fitting of lights to all bicycles; and what representations he has had from the cycle industry and from groups representing cyclists. [12228]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Under the road vehicles lighting regulations, the fitting and use of lights on pedal cycles is already mandatory between sunset and sunrise.
Since a large proportion of pedal cycles are never used in darkness and would receive no benefit from the fitment of lights, the costs of retrospectively requiring all cycles to have lights fitted would be difficult to justify.
Views expressed by cycling interest groups and the bicycle industry on these issues have been mixed. Those in favour of the fitment of lights to cycles at the point of sale have maintained that the user's choice to subsequently remove them, either permanently or temporarily, should be preserved.
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement about his policy on business aviation; [12233]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government recognise the importance of business aviation. Guidance to planning authorities on their approach to air transport, including business and general aviation, along with the impact of airports on the environment, will be part of the wide-ranging review of policy leading to the White Paper on integrated transport strategy.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what stage negotiations with the London borough of Enfield has reached regarding compensation for the removal from Pymmes park, N18, of a cedar tree as part of the compulsory purchase of license land relating to the widening of the A406; when these negotiations are expected to be concluded; and if he will make a statement. [12250]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
(2) what is the estimated cost of signing the pedestrian-cycleway which has been constructed between Ashley Heath and Ringwood; [12254]
The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent questions about the cost of constructing the pedestrian-cycleway on the A31 between Ashley Heath and Ringwood, the cost of signing the pedestrian-cycleway and when the signing of the pedestrian-cycleway will be carried out.
The cost of constructing the pedestrian-cycleway was £22,000, and the estimated cost of signing approximately £16,000-£18,000. At this stage I am unable to confirm precisely when we will be able to start the signing work, although a bid will be submitted for its inclusion in the Network Enhancement Project budget for implementation in 1998-99. However, I should point out that this scheme will be in competition with other safety improvement schemes on the network, and will also be subject to Hampshire County Council modifying the No Entry Order at West Street to a Prohibited Driving Order with a cycle exemption.
(2) if it is his policy to maintain access for business aviation to the widest possible network of United Kingdom airfields. [12234]
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