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Rail Services (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many railway stations were opened in Scotland in each year between 1992 and 1999. [15875]

Mr. Jamieson: The new stations opened in Scotland between 1992 and 1999 include those shown in the table.

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YearStation
1999Drumfrochar
1998Dalgety Bay
1994Prestwick International
1994Camelon
1994Sanquhar
1994Wallyford
1993Maryhill
1993Summerston
1993Lambhill
1993Possilpark and Parkhouse
1993Ashfield
1993Kirkwood
1993Baillieston
1993Mount Vernon
1993Carmyle
1992Whifflet
1992Glenrothes with Thornton
1992Bentley

Route Management Strategies

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list (a) route management strategies under way and (b) those which are planned to commence. [15730]

Mr. Jamieson: The following route management strategies are under way:


The following route management strategies have yet to commence:


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The Highways Agency intends to have a route management strategy in place by March 2004 for each of the routes comprising the core trunk road network. The agency is currently revising the timing and boundaries of individual route management strategies yet to commence, to ensure that they dovetail with the multi-modal and roads-based studies.

Roads (Surrey)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much his Department has spent on roads in Surrey in each of the past seven years. [16174]

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Mr. Jamieson: The provision made for capital expenditure on local major road schemes and maintenance of local roads and bridges in Surrey in the period 1995–96 to 2001–02 is set out in the table:

Type of road spend
£ million

YearCapital maintenance of roads and bridgesMajor road schemes(6)Totals
1995–967.61917.16424.783
1996–974.1149.68013.794
1997–984.5803.5008.080
1998–994.4000.8005.200
1999–20005.7421.5007.242
2000–016.97206.972
2001–0211.763011.763

(6) Individual schemes with a gross cost in excess of £2 million (£5 million since 2000–01)


The revenue funding provided for structural and routine maintenance of non-principal roads and routine maintenance of principal roads in Surrey in that period is set out in the table.

Structural and routine maintenance

Year£ million
1995–9642.07
1996–9741.11
1997–9839.93
1998–9940.76
1999–200041.67
2000–0143.33
2001–0244.56

Surrey county council may also have chosen to make additional amounts of capital and revenue available for expenditure on roads and road related schemes. Information on expenditure on the trunk road network is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Urban Bus Challenge

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the criteria and timetable for the Urban Bus Challenge; and if he will make a statement. [16050]

Ms Keeble: The first Urban Bus Challenge competition was held earlier this year. Criteria were sent to local authorities in June with a closing date for bids of 31 August. The criteria are available on my Department's website. The outcome of the competition was announced on 2 November 2001, Official Report, columns 921–22W. It is envisaged that the timetable for next year's Urban Bus Challenge competition will be similar.

GNER

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reason he rejected the advice of the SRA to grant a 20 year franchise to GNER. [16032R]

Mr. Jamieson: The SRA may only award a franchise to a person who has submitted a tender in response to an invitation to tender under section 26 of the Railways Act

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1993 unless the Secretary of State otherwise directs. Such a direction is required if the SRA plans to replace a franchise before its expiry.

When considering whether to grant a direction, the Secretary of State has to decide whether the benefits offered outweigh the desirability of a franchise being subject to the tendering process under sections 26 to 26C.

The Secretary of State did not give a direction in relation to the Inter City East Coast franchise. He noted that better terms were more likely to be achieved nearer the expiry of the current franchise when the infrastructure upgrade for the East Coast Main Line would be better defined.

Railtrack

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is the (a) procedure and (b) timetable for consideration of the bids for Railtrack; and what is the cut-off date for bids to be considered. [15802]

Mr. Spellar: These are matters for the Administrator to determine.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what financial guarantees the Administrator of Railtrack plc has sought from the Government concerning new investment projects. [16366]

Mr. Spellar: The Government's Loan Agreement with the Administrator, copies of which have been placed in the House Library, means that Government will provide sufficient funding to continue on a 'business as usual' basis—including investment expenditure decisions—during the administration period.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancies planned by Railtrack in administration. [16361]

Mr. Spellar: There are no plans for redundancies as a result of Administration.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much of the financial guarantee to Railtrack in administration represents cash spent; and how much remains as a facility to draw down. [16379]

Mr. Spellar: The £800 million loan instalment has been fully drawn down. It represents part of the loan agreement entered into with the Administrator—copies of which have been placed in the House Library—in order to enable Railtrack plc (in administration) to continue trading and to repay financial creditors as they become due. The loan is to be repaid either as or before Railtrack plc moves out of administration.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the investment projects over £5 million in value awaiting decision by the administrator of Railtrack plc. [16357]

Mr. Spellar: All planned investment projects by Railtrack were outlined in its Network Management Statement published in May 2001. Government have committed to provide the Administrator with access to

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sufficient funding to continue on a 'business as usual' basis—including investment expenditure decisions—during the administration period.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many separate rail investment projects are awaiting decision by the administrator of Railtrack; and what their combined value is. [16358]

Mr. Spellar: All planned investment projects by Railtrack were outlined in its Network Management Statement published in May 2001.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which (a) creditors and (b) contractors of Railtrack plc have approached the Government for (i) letters of comfort and (ii) guidance concerning payments for work done for Railtrack. [16367]

Mr. Spellar: No. For the Government's intentions with regard to creditors I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 671W.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the time Railtrack plc will stay in administration. [16380]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Administrator.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which investment projects have been approved by the administrator since taking over Railtrack plc. [16365]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Administrator. Government have committed to provide the Administrator with access to sufficient funding to continue on a 'business as usual' basis—including investment expenditure decisions—during the administration period.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when bids will close for the (a) assets and (b) liabilities of Railtrack plc in administration. [16370]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Administrator.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he has taken with respect to the plan to cut costs at Railtrack plc drawn up by the board before the company was put into administration. [16371]

Mr. Spellar: The running of the company during administration is a matter for the Administrator.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the forecast is of the investment expenditure of Railtrack in administration and its successor for (a) the period from being placed in administration to 31 March 2002 and (b) the 2002–03 financial year. [16362]

Mr. Spellar: While Railtrack plc is in railway administration, the day-to-day expenditure decisions are a matter for the Administrator. The Government's Loan Agreement with the Administrator, copies of which have been placed in the House Library, means that Government

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will provide sufficient funding to continue on a 'business as usual' basis during the administration period. Investment decisions in future years will be a matter for the successor company to Railtrack plc.


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