---

Road Safety

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 520W, on road works injuries, what safety guidelines are issued to contractors working on the road; and what plans the Government have to introduce further safety measures for contractors working on the roads. [57930]

Dr. Whitehead: Following is a list of documents which provide safety guidelines for contractors working on the road:

The Traffic Signs Manual, chapter 8 on Traffic Safety Measures and Signs for Road Works and Temporary Situations 1991 (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)


Planning for Safety—Guidance notes for the health and safety of workers at in-service motorway roadwork sites (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)


The Mobile Lane Closure Technique—TD49/97 (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)


Notes for Guidance on Safety at Roadwork—County Surveyors Society and Department Transport (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)


Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)


Crossing high-speed roads on foot during temporary traffic- management works—CIS 53 (Health and safety Executive).

The Highways Agency established a steering group last year, consisting of representatives from public bodies and from across industry to look at safe practice in temporary traffic management operations on high speed roads. It has prepared an action plan consisting of short, medium and long term aims and is reviewing current guidance and practice.

Rail Safety

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned into the prevention of rail failures and accidents. [58207]

Mr. Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive and the Office of the Rail Regulator jointly funded research into the causation and treatment of gauge corner cracking by Arup and Partners International Ltd., and the Transportation Technology Centre Incorporated. Additional research is currently planned into track integrity and the effect on rolling stock.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what alterations were made to Railtrack plc's safety case following the appointment of an administrator. [58019]

Mr. Byers: On 8 October 2001, following Railtrack plc's entry into railway administration and consequent changes to the organisation, the HSE directed Railtrack plc to prepare and submit a revision to its safety case. Railtrack plc complied with the direction and HSE

23 May 2002 : Column 511W

accepted this revised safety case, covering minor administrative and organisational changes, on 14 November 2001.

In compliance with the requirements of the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 2000, Railtrack plc submitted a new thoroughly revised safety case to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 28 June 2001. The HSE process of assessment was completed and the safety case was accepted on 1 May 2002.

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received over the past six months about the condition of the railway track between Colchester and London Liverpool Street from (a) Railtrack, (b) train operating companies, (c) rail unions and (d) others; and if he will make a statement. [58615]

Mr. Jamieson: None.

Terrorist Activity (Railways)

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many incidents of (a) terrorist activity and (b) suspected terrorist activity have been recorded by (i) the British Transport Police and (ii) other organisations relating to the railways in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [58192]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: After consultation with the British Transport Police, I can confirm that since 1997 the following numbers of incidents have been recorded in relation to security of the UK's rail network:

1997: 562 threats, three viable devices or explosions, 33 hoax bomb items


1998: 280 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 30 hoax bomb items


1999: 323 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 20 hoax bomb items


2000: 253 threats, two viable devices or explosions, 10 hoax bomb items


2001: 347 threats, three viable devices or explosions, 18 hoax bomb items (plus 94 hoax biological items, eg white powder)


2002: 58 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 9 hoax bomb items.

In this instance "threat" means the number of times that railway infrastructure has specifically been indicated as a possible target in each given year, and "hoax bomb items" constitutes the number of items that have deliberately been assembled to resemble an explosive device.

Railway Vandalism

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to combat acts of vandalism on railway lines; and if he will make a statement on the implementation of anti-vandalism programmes on the railways. [58200]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: The problem of vandalism on the railways is taken very seriously by the Government, the Health and Safety Executive, Railtrack, the British Transport police and the railway industry.

23 May 2002 : Column 512W

Current initiatives to reduce vandalism on the rail network include:

"Leave Sites Safe and Secure"—a Railtrack campaign to clear lineside debris which could be used in acts of vandalism. The overall aim of the campaign is to remove or safely secure all lineside materials by October 2002. The railway industry is working closely with HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) to achieve this objective;


"National Route Crime Week" 17–25 June sponsored by the National Co-ordinating Group for Trespass and Vandalism (an SRA/Railway Safety body). There will be a number of activities including an open debate at the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) Rail Industry Advisory Committee meeting on 25 June;


Industry programmes for reducing vandalism, including a range of targeted engineering measures such as improved railway fencing and caging bridges at vulnerable locations. HMRI monitor these programmes and take action if necessary.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) incidents of and (b) prosecutions there were for (i) vandalism, (ii) informed vandalism and (iii) trespass on rail lines in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [58196]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: Information held by the British Transport police on reported vandalism offences (there is no defined difference between informed and non-informed vandalism) in each of the last five years is contained in the following table:

	Number of offences
1997–98	13,751
1998–99	12,855
1999–2000	13,743
2000–01	13,349
2001–02	15,075

Information held by the British Transport police on adults/juveniles charged or summonsed to court for vandalism from 1998–99 onwards is contained in the following table (due to archiving issues the BTP are unable to supply data prior to this data):

	Number
1998–99	2,262
1999–2000	1,928
2000–01	1,963
2001–02	2,200

Note:

Those persons charged or summonsed to court may or may not have been convicted and the data do not include cautions.

Information held by the British Transport police on reported trespass offences in each of the last five years is contained in the following table:

	Number of reported trespass offences
1997–98	17,451
1998–99	16,535
1999–2000	13,896
2000–01	14,964
2001–02	15,395

Information held by the British Transport police on adults/juveniles charged or summonsed to court for

23 May 2002 : Column 513W

trespassing from 1998–99 onwards is contained in the following table (due to archiving issues the BTP are unable to supply data prior to this data):

	Number
1998–99	1,170
1999–2000	973
2000–01	1,215
2001–02	903

Note:

Those persons charged or summonsed to court may or may not have been convicted and the data do not include cautions.

Mass Decontamination

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those groups and individuals from which he has taken advice in preparing the UK's strategy for mass decontamination in the event of (a) chemical and (b) biological attack. [50857]

Mr. Hutton: In preparing the United Kingdom's response, advice has been taken from the following sources:

Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR)


Ambulance Services Association


Defence Science and Technology Laboratory


The nuclear industry, including Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group, National Radiological Protection Board, and Atomic Weapons Establishment


Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs


Environment Agency


Civil Contingency Secretariat


Health and Safety Executive


Defence and Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Centre


London Resilience Committee


Association of Chief Police Officers


Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers' Association


Local Government Association.

The Department of Health and DTLR continue to research the approaches of other countries, including Japan and the United States of America.

---