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TRANSPORT
Railtrack Asset Register
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the programme developed by the ORR for Railtrack to create an asset register; and what stage (a) they had reached by 5 October 2001 and (b) they have reached. [62298]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 17 June 2002]: Railtrack is required to establish and maintain a register of the condition, capability and capacity of its assets, and to demonstrate that it is taking all necessary steps to do so by the earliest practicable date. Railtrack submits plans for the Rail Regulator's review every six months.
By 5 October 2001, Railtrack had completed its assessment of the state of asset information within the company; finalised its strategy for managing asset information; defined the work that it needed to do to implement that strategy; and completed all data collection for the asset register.
The Rail Regulator is currently reviewing Railtrack's latest plans, submitted in April 2002, taking into account the views of key stakeholders. He will then consider in consultation with Railtrack what should be published and when.
Park-and-ride Schemes
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the park-and-ride schemes introduced in each of the last two years, including the start date for each scheme; and if he will list the further schemes that are being proposed, including their expected start dates. [66567]
Mr. Jamieson: The following chart lists major local public transport projects that contain proposals for park-and-ride within them, that have been approved or provisionally approved. The expected start dates are those provided by the authorities in July 2001 as part of the Local Transport Plans annual progress reports.
| Authority | Scheme | Expected start date |
|---|---|---|
| Bradford | South Bradford Integrated Transport Improvements | November 2001 |
| Cheshire | Chester-Deeside Transport Scheme | May 2004 |
| Durham | Belmont Interchange | October 2003 |
| Tyne and Wear PTA | Four Lanes End Interchange | April 2002 |
| Wiltshire | Salisbury Integrated Transport Measures | April 2002 |
The provision of parking facilities, including park-and-ride, is a matter for the local highway authority and rail operators. In addition to the major schemes, a number of smaller schemes have been implemented or proposed by the local authorities as part of their local transport strategies. These have included proposals for the extension of existing sites or new sites for both bus-based and rail-based schemes. The smaller schemes as presented in the local transport plans annual progress reports submitted in July 2001 are summarised in the table. Details of the smaller schemes, including proposed timetables are not kept centrally.
| Type of scheme | July 2001 | July 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Bus-based P and R—new | 7 | 11 |
| Bus-based P and R—extension | 6 | 7 |
| Rail-based P and R—new | 4 | 6 |
| Rail-based P and R—extension | 7 | 8 |
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which occasions since 7 June 2001 the
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minutes of ministerial meetings have been placed in the Library; what the reason was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [66246]
Mr. Jamieson: Following the undertaking he gave to the Transport Select Committee, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tyneside, North (Mr. Byers) sent to the Committee and placed in the Libraries of the House on 27 November 2001, a copy of the minutes of a meeting he had held with John Robinson, the then chairman of Railtrack, on 25 July.
Car Use
Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to discourage car use by engineering greater road congestion. [67555]
Rural Stations
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources the Government will be putting into rural stations for services and maintenance of stations in the next three years. [69396]
Mr. Jamieson: Station maintenance is funded from the generality of Railtrack's income. Rural stations and services can also benefit from the £430 million funding available through the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) operated by the Strategic Rail Authority. Extended in December 2001 to run for 10 years, the RPP fund is designed to assist in the provision of new or enhanced local and regional rail services or facilities.
A404
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to alter the slip roads on the A404(M) and A404 approaching the junction with the M4 and the M40. [69166]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 11 July 2002]: Proposed improvements to the M40/A404 junction at Handy Cross include a new slip road from the A404 to the westbound M40.
Any major changes to the junction between the A404(M) and the M4 are subject to the Thames Valley Multi-Modal Study. In the interim, it is proposed to widen the immediate approach from the A404(M) to the junction roundabout as a low cost measure to decrease queue lengths and increase throughput on A404(M).
Tubelines and Metronet Consortia
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans he has for the case where there is failure of a key partner in the Tubelines and Metronet consortia; and if he will make a statement. [69786]
Mr. Jamieson: The provisions of the PPP competition process allow for changes in the shareholders of the bidders, subject to the consent of London Underground. The contracts themselves also contain provisions relating to changes in a consortium's shareholders.
16 Jul 2002 : Column 144W
Network Rail
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the SRA has made PAYE-liable salary payments to employees of Network Rail. [69944]
Mr. Jamieson: No. The Strategic Rail Authority does not employ those working on the Network Rail bid team.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date Network Rail was legally named. [69941]
Mr. Jamieson: Network Rail Limited was incorporated on 22 March 2002.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2002, Official Report, column 984–85W, ref. 67062, what estimate he has made of the cost (a) to public funds of providing an indemnity and (b) to Railtrack and its shareholders if such an indemnity were not in place. [70080]
Mr. Jamieson: With Railtrack Group expected to take full advantage of exemptions in tax legislation for disposals by companies of substantial shareholdings, there would be no tax liability as a result of its disposal of Railtrack Plc and, therefore, no additional cost to public funds.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which (a) organisations and (b) individuals the SRA has made payments in relation to the establishment of Network Rail. [69942]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority has made payments to the following bodies:
- Ove Arup and Partners
Natwest Card Centre—Purch
Sita Security Shredding
Pret a Manger
Coucher Pender
Specialised Contract Interior
Astor Lodge Holdings Ltd.
Claire Howard Consultancies
Durance Ltd.
Financial Dynamics
SQE Integrated Solutions
Blue Haven
Egon Zehender International
JJR Partnership
Dentons Catering Equipment
Fastways Flyers
Socite Generale
Partnerships UK plc
Yellow House Consulting
Asset Performance Man. Ltd.
Bechtel Ltd.
Coolwater (London) Ltd.
Demita Plants
Wings Catering Equipment Ltd.
Morgan Spencer c/o LSM
Supplies Team.
16 Jul 2002 : Column 145W
Mr. Jamieson: No, Network Rail intend to prepare and publish an incentive plan annually.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to whom potential applicants to serve as members of Network Rail should apply; and if he will make a statement. [70509]
Mr. Jamieson: Applicants should apply to Network Rail at their registered address.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the members of Network Rail to approve the appointment of directors. [70510]
Mr. Jamieson: The timing of the arrangements for the appointment of directors is a matter for Network Rail.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish reports and accounts for Network Rail for the period between its inception and the date on which it becomes a private sector company in the national accounts. [70513]
Mr. Jamieson: No, this is the responsibility of Network Rail.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the members of Network Rail will be appointed. [70515]
Mr. Jamieson: This is a matter for Network Rail, but I understand that the company wish to appoint members as soon as possible, if their bid is successful.
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