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M25

Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the accident record of junction 13 of the M25 over the last five years. [59447]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 24 May 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

In the five years up to July 2001 67 personal injury accidents have been reported at this junction. Of these five have been serious and the rest slight. There have been no fatalities. Some 72 per cent. of the accidents over this period have been nose to tail shunts.

The number and severity of accidents at this junction are similar to those recorded at other motorway junctions with high volumes of traffic.

Last summer the Highways Agency took action to improve driver awareness of the layout by enhancing the signing at this junction. It is too early to conclude how effective this has been in reducing the number of accidents. Traffic signals are due to be installed at the junction as part of the widening of the M25 between Junctions 12 to 15. The road markings are to be renewed shortly and further improvements to the signing are currently being considered. In the meantime the Highways Agency will continue to monitor the situation.

M4

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of the M4 bus lane on (a) motorcyclists, (b) traffic speeds at off-peak hours and (c) congestion between Junction 4 and Junction 7 of the M4; [60638]

(2) when he will publish the results of his consultation on the use of the M4 bus lane. [60637]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Fiona Mactaggart, dated 10 June 2002:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the M4 Bus Lane.

The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) monitored use of the Bus lane during its first year of operation including the effects of the bus lane on off-peak traffic and congestion to the west of Junction 4. A copy of their report was placed in the House of Commons Library in January 2001.

The effectiveness of the bus lane has been closely monitored by the Highways Agency. They reported that it continues to alleviate peak congestion on this busy section of the motorway. However

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they recommended that the scheme could be improved by raising the speed limit between junction 4 and the elevated section to 60 mph and allowing motorcycles to use the lane designated for buses and taxis.

Accident monitoring since the bus lane was introduced in June 1999 indicate that motorcycles are now slightly more at risk in peak periods. The numbers involved are small, but we believe that safety for motorcyclists will be improved by allowing them to use the bus lane.

Roads

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the cost of making junction 20 of the M6 fully directional; [60316]

(2) what assessment he has made of the cost of building the proposed M556; [60315]

(3) what plans he has to reduce traffic flows on the A556 between junction 19 of the M6 and the M56. [60317]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. George Osborne, dated 10 June 2002:

The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your three recent Parliamentary Questions about the cost of building a new motorway link between the M6 in the vicinity of J19 and the M56 in the vicinity of J7, plans to reduce traffic flows on the A556, and the cost of making Junction 20 of the M6 Motorway fully directional.

At the time of the Government's trunk roads review of 1998 the estimated cost of constructing the A556(M) was £100m. The cost-estimate is currently under review as part of the A556 Area Study being carried out to inform the West Midlands to North West Conurbations Multi-Modal Study (MIDMAN) consideration. The purpose of MIDMAN was to develop an overarching strategy for transport between the conurbations.

The Highways Agency is currently undertaking the A556 Area Study in support of the MIDMAN Multi-Modal Study, which is also exploring different options for a link between Junction 19 of the M6 and Junction 7 of the M56. Reduction of traffic flows and the associated environmental relief to communities along the A556 are key aims. That report is expected to be completed this Summer.

A scheme, which would make Junction 20 of the M6 fully- directional is currently being investigated as part of the A556 Area Study. The cost-estimate is currently being developed and will form part of the final report on that Study.

I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information about these issues, please contact Gerald Cooper, Room 703, Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BE (telephone [phone]).

Road Safety

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many children have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in each year since 1997 in road traffic accidents as a result of failing to wear seat belts. [59432]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 24 May 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

These data are not collected because of the difficulty in establishing accurately, after the event, whether seat belts were worn.

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Vehicle Safety

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on pedestrian protection in relation to the tests developed by the European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee. [60070]

Mr. Jamieson: The UK will continue actively to support the work of the EEVC working group on pedestrian protection. It is intended that methods developed by this group will be used to assess new car designs against the requirements of the proposed negotiated agreement with the motor industry on pedestrian protection.

Drivers' Hours Regulations

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the EU draft regulations on drivers' hours on the UK livestock industry. [59667]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

My Department carried out an extensive public consultation exercise on the European Commission proposal to amend the existing European Union (EU) drivers' hours rules as part of our consideration of the likely impact of this proposal on UK industry. Those consulted include DEFRA, the Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage Association, the National Farmers' Union (NFU), NFU Scotland, Farmers Union for Wales, and the Dairy Industry Federation.

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what meetings he has had with his counterparts in the other nations of the EU to discuss the impact of the EU draft regulations on drivers' hours on the animal transport industry within the UK. [59669]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

None. There is to be an orientation debate on this issue at the Transport Council on 17 June which will provide the opportunity for Ministers from all member states to express their views. In the meantime, discussions will continue to take place at official level.

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the (a) Scottish Executive, (b) National Assembly for Wales and (c) Northern Ireland Assembly on the impact on the UK livestock industry of the EU draft regulations on drivers' hours. [59678]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

My Department carried out an extensive public consultation exercise on the European Commission proposal to amend the existing European Union (EU) drivers' hours rules. The Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Executive were invited to contribute.

Safety Cameras

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the new criteria are for the siting of safety cameras under the netting off scheme; on what research the new criteria were based; and if he will place a copy of the research in the Library. [60077]

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Mr. Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell), on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 623W.

Speed Cameras

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his policy to restrict the siting of speed cameras to sites where serious accidents have already taken place. [60242]

Mr. Jamieson: Guidance on deployment for the siting of cameras is contained in Circular Roads 1/92 which states that cameras should be placed at sites with a history of speed related accidents. That remains key advice to local authorities.

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