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24 Oct 2002 : Column 452W—continued
Traffic Levels
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research (a) has been conducted since 1997 and (b) is planned by or for his Department comparing forecast and actual traffic levels for (i) the building of new roads and motorways and (ii) the widening of existing roads and motorways; and if he will place the documentation in the Library. [75015]
Mr. Jamieson: A programme of comparisons of forecast and actual traffic levels on new trunk road schemes was started in 1981. The latest report on this monitoring work, the tenth in the series, was published in May 2001. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
More detailed post implementation studies have been done on 19 projects; 6 of these have been carried out since 1997. Reports on these studies will be published in the next few months and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Since August 2001 a new system of project evaluation has replaced the two systems described above. It covers all projects over #1m and it is planned to extend this to smaller projects next year. It involves gathering data on traffic, journey times and accidents, before opening and one and five years after. In addition, an analysis of changes in flows on surrounding local roads at the time of opening is usually carried out for schemes over #5m.
Midlands Airport
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many letters he has received (a) in support of and (b) in opposition to the proposal for a new airport between Rugby and Coventry. [74906]
Mr. Jamieson: We have not yet analysed all the responses but will produce a summary after the consultation ends on 30 November.
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Radioactive Materials
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the International Atomic Energy Agency Transas Mission to the United Kingdom this year in respect of the transport of nuclear materials. [75454]
Mr. Jamieson: The International Atomic Energy Agency carried out a Transport Safety Appraisal Service (TranSAS) to the UK, at our request, during the period 9 to 21 June this year. The appraisal team, consisting of fourteen participants and observers from several countries and international bodies, carried out an examination of the regulatory and enforcement infrastructure in the United Kingdom relating to the transport of radioactive material. The IAEA's Report was published on its web site on 6 September 2002 and may be found at http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/. I will place hard copies in the House Libraries as they become available.
The report's three main recommendations relate to:
- the manner in which the UK competent authority documents some of its reviews and assessments;
- the need to establish a more systematic approach to the review of package designs used to transport smaller quantities of radioactive material; and
- the need to enhance inspection and enforcement activities for minor consignors and consignors of mobile sources.
The report also contains 21 Suggestions and 15 Citations of Good Practice.
The UK has reviewed the Recommendations and Suggestions and updated procedures as necessary.
Modal Shift
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the studies and research used in support of the claim made in Chapter 1, 1.1 of his Department's publication using the Planning Process to Secure Travel Plans that (a) a 30 per cent. Modal shift in transport is a possibility and (b) that 10 to 20 per cent. has been achieved. [74981]
Mr. Jamieson: These assessments of the potential for modal shift are based on research carried out in the preparation of our guidance document ''Making travel plans work: Lessons from UK case studies'' which we published in August. The research report and case study summaries were published separately.
I am arranging for these documents to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what scope for modal shift has been identified in each of the multi-modal studies that have reported to date. [74982]
Mr. Jamieson: The scope for modal shift varies considerably due to differences in the characteristics of the study areas. In broad terms studies focused on urban areas have identified greater scope for modal shift than studies examining inter-urban corridors.
Eurostar
Mr. Fallen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans exist for the continued use of the
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Waterloo terminal for Eurostar services after Phase II of the CTRL has been fully completed; and if he will make a statement. [76234]
Mr. Jamieson: The development of plans for the continued use of Waterloo International terminal for Eurostar services following the completion of CTRL Section 2 is the responsibility of Eurostar (UK) Ltd (EUKL) in conjunction with its Eurostar partners. EUKL has not yet reached any firm decisions on this matter.
EU Railway Package
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list statutory instruments which have been laid before Parliament in response to the First Railway Package introduced through the European Commission; and if he will indicate the date laid in each case. [76500]
Traffic Area Network
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions his Department has had, and what representations have been received, on the TAN21 self service online service for road hauliers to update operators licences; [76498]
- (2) if he will list the percentage changes in electronic utilisation by customers of the Transport Area Network; and what assessment has been made; [76485]
(3) when new e-commerce services for the transport industry under the auspices of the Transport Area Network were introduced; what changes there have been to the timetable for the introduction and nature of this scheme; and what assessment has been made of its progress. [76478]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Monday 21 October 2002, Official Report, columns 20–21W.
The Department has had informal discussions with the road haulage industry trade bodies who support this project. No representations have been received. The Traffic Area Network is piloting the use of electronic self-service, the aim being to have 20 per cent. utilisation within 12 months of going live.
27 per cent. of recipients of Traffic Commissioners' Applications and Decisions and 26 per cent. of recipients of Notices & Proceedings now receive them by e-mail. They are also available on the TAN website www.tan.gov.uk.
Railway Industry
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority of the impact of the Competition Act 1998 upon the railway industry. [76401]
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Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints have arisen against railway businesses in each year since 1998 under the terms of the Competition Act 1998. [76211]
Mr. Jamieson: Since the Competition Act 1998 came into force on 31 March 2000, the Regulator has considered the following numbers of cases concerning services relating to railways arising from complaints from individuals, companies, groups or representatives of groups:
- 2000–2001 7 cases
- 2001–2002 5 cases
- 2002–to date 3 cases
Transport 10-year Plan
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much private investment has been (a) spent and (b) procured for the railways under the 10-year plan; how much is projected by 2004–05; and what is projected for the 10 year plan (i) at today's prices and (ii) at outturn cost. [76194]
Mr. Jamieson: Table 5.2 of ''National Rail Trends'' published by the Strategic Rail Authority, every three months, sets out investment in the rail industry. In 2001–2 which is the first full year of the 10 year plan period, the rail industry attracted total investment of #4070m of which #3386m was private investment.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the estimated start-dates for construction of each of the projects in the 10-year plan. [76467]
Mr. Jamieson: The 10 Year Plan provides an overarching investment framework. While it included some illustrative outputs to show the scale and type of projects that could be delivered, it is for the key Delivery Agencies involved to determine how that investment is ultimately deployed to deliver the Plan targets.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the public expenditure on transport listed in the 10-year plan remains uncommitted. [76468]
Mr. Jamieson: This information will be published in due course in the report on the 10 Year Plan setting out progress to date.
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