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Light Rail Schemes

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what light rail schemes are under development and what their estimated completion dates are. [28483]

Ms Keeble: Two light rail schemes are currently under construction: the Sunderland extension to Tyne and Wear Metro, which is due to open in March 2002, and Nottingham Express Transit, which is due to open in November 2003.

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Three extensions to the Manchester Metrolink, three lines for Leeds Supertram and South Hampshire Rapid Transit have also been approved. Construction of these lines will probably begin in 2003, and is likely to take around three years.

The City Airport extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London is awaiting approval under the Transport and Works Act 1992 (TWA). An announcement on that is likely to be made shortly. Transport for London is also considering the possibility of extending the DLR to Woolwich.

The economic appraisal for two extensions to the Midland Metro was approved in December 2000 and I understand that the promoters will be submitting a TWA application shortly. Whether or not these extensions are built will depend on the outcome of the TWA process.

Transport for London is currently consulting on proposals for four intermediate mode corridors in London: Cross river, Uxbridge road, Greenwich waterfront and east London. Transport for London's Business Plan states that a light rail or tram scheme is an option on one of these routes.

There are also proposals for light rail schemes in Bristol, Merseyside, Medway and Hull, and for further extensions to existing systems. These proposals would have to satisfy the Government's appraisal process and obtain TWA powers before construction could begin.

Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what opportunity there will be for the Strategic Rail Authority to provide a passenger station for Canvey Island on an extension of the Stanford le Hope-Tilbury East goods rail link when that link is upgraded. [28131]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 17 January 2002]: The SRA has no plans to provide a passenger station at Canvey Island. If there were a demand for a rail link it would be for the local authority, or other sponsoring party, to raise the matter with c2c and Railtrack in the first instance. If support were required from Government it may be available through the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme, administered by the SRA.

Benfleet Station

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what opportunity there will be to influence the plans of the Strategic Rail Authority to increase the capacity of Benfleet station. [28128]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 17 January 2002]: Through the Incremental Outputs Statement (IOS) scheme the SRA is supporting work to increase the capacity of Benfleet station from 2005–06, allowing eight trains per hour in the peak direction. The IOS programme was designed by the SRA following detailed consultation with stakeholders and the industry, including Railtrack and the Train Operating Companies.

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Bus and Rail Integration

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he will take to secure better integration of bus and rail services. [28129]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 17 January 2002]: Our 10-Year Plan makes a commitment to looking at transport as a whole, matching solutions to specific problems.

The Strategic Rail Authority's new Strategic Plan describes a number of examples of better integration which are being taken forward and how further progress will be made. Copies of the Strategic Plan are available in the Library of the House.

The UK transport industry has developed "Journey Solutions", aimed at promoting and improving integration between bus and train. They aim to showcase the best examples of integration across the country as models from which further schemes can be developed.

At the local level, local authorities, within their five-year local transport plans and bus strategies, have been asked to consider the important contribution that better interchange can make in improving local transport provision. Our guidance to authorities makes clear the need for authorities, in conjunction with their local partners and the transport operators, to provide improvements to both infrastructure and services which can bring about better interchange between different modes of transport.

European/British Railways

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the railways in (a) other European countries and (b) Britain. [28739]

Mr. Spellar: Following decades of underinvestment, it is clear that the performance of Britain's railways needs to improve. The 10-Year Plan for Transport and the Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan set out the strategy and resources to improve Britain's rail system and enable us to achieve our objective of benchmarking our performance against railways in other European countries.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will extend the Tenancy Deposit Scheme nationally when the five local pilot schemes end; and which of the two piloted options will be used. [28599]

Ms Keeble: We hope shortly to reach a decision on the voluntary pilot tenancy deposit scheme and on such alternative options as there might be for safeguarding tenants' deposits from unjustified appropriation by landlords.

A14

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether in relation to the proposed major A14 improvements included in the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal

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study, it is proposed that the opening of the new A14 bypass will be contemporaneous with the opening of the remainder of the works to the A14 road. [27736]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 18 January 2002]: The phasing of the proposed improvements to the A14, included in the Preferred Plan of the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study, can only be addressed when work is more advanced.

Planning Appeals

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many planning appeals have been (a) upheld and (b) dismissed in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [28748]

Ms Keeble: The information for England on the number of planning appeals allowed and not allowed in 1996–97 to 2000–01 is given in the table.

Planning appeals decidedPlanning appeals allowedPlanning appeals not allowed
1996–9712,0294,2107,819
1997–9813,0514,6858,366
1998–9912,9914,5618,430
1999–200012,5754,5458,030
2000–0112,9394,5258,414

Radioactive Material

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy that accidents involving the transportation of radioactive material are made public. [28615]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 18 January 2002]: Information on accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK is published annually and placed in the House Library.

The latest report, "Radiological Consequences resulting from Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK—2000 Review, NRPB-M1320", was published in October 2001.

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list incidents whereby trains carrying radioactive material have been involved in (a) accidents and (b) safety-related incidents in each of the last five years, indicating the (i) date and (ii) location of each incident. [28614]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 18 January 2002]: There have been no accidents or incidents with radiological safety implications involving trains carrying radioactive material in the UK during the last five years.

Information on accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive material by all modes in the UK, including rail, is published annually. The reports covering events in each year have been placed in the House Library.

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Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what regulations cover the transport of radioactive material in the UK. [28613]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 18 January 2002]: The following regulations cover the transport of radioactive material in the UK:
















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