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Croxley Rail Link

Claire Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions on the Croxley rail link project. [83822]

Mr. Jamieson: The scheme is currently being considered in our preparations for this year's local transport settlement; an announcement on which will be made shortly.

Cycle Facilities (Railway Stations)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of railway stations in England with cycle-friendly facilities; how many have (a) gulleys for taking bikes up stairs and (b) cycle parks; and what measures he has taken to encourage cycle-friendly facilities at railway stations. [83797]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally. The Strategic Rail Authority encourages all train operators to provide appropriate facilities at stations for the safe and secure storage of cycles.

Detrunked Roads Programme

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what method the detrunked roads programme will be incorporated into the local government finance system; and when he expects the integration programme to be (a) started and (b) completed. [84512]

Mr. Jamieson: Transfers of revenue to local authorities in respect of detrunked roads are provided by special grant under section 88B of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. The timing and method of the integration of the Special Grant into Formula Spending Shares (previously Standard Spending Assessments) is currently under consideration.

Government Sponsorship

Ms Shipley: Ms Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his sponsorship of (a) the New Government Building,Leeds and (b) the Highway Agency's Stonehenge improvement entails. [83351]

Mr. Jamieson: The new Government Building, Leeds and the Highways Agency's Stonehenge improvement are two Departmental projects selected by the former DTLR for inclusion in the Better Public Building Initiative.

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The Highways Agency is the largest and the leading partner in a project to co-locate five departments in a single new office at Leeds. The design of the new office is being developed with input from the Commission for Architecture in the Built Environment (CABE).

The project is a Private Finance Initiative scheme and is at a stage where five outline proposals have been submitted by developers. It aims to provide a combination of a pleasant working environment for staff with high quality exterior design which enhances the local environment and meets government targets on sustainability.

The Highways Agency's A303 Stonehenge Improvement is a central component of the Stonehenge Project, which will help to restore the setting of the scheduled monument within the Stonehenge World Heritage Site. The Project brings together a number of government and non-government agencies and other organisations in partnership. Detailed development work is currently being undertaken by the Agency.

The principal feature of the improvement will be a tunnel past the Stones. High quality design will be essential for all parts of the scheme that have an impact on the World Heritage Site. CABE is already involved in assessing the detail of the proposals.

Grants

Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the grants funded by his Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if he will make a statement as to (a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs. [82198]

Mr. Jamieson: Total funding and number of awards for grants funded by my Department, for which individual members of the public and organisations may have applied in the last financial year, are set out in the table. The administration of grant programmes is carried out by a number of different units within the Department to which a range of staff make a contribution. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of those costs centrally.

Grants	Total funding in 2001–02 (£000)	Awards in 2001–02
Bus Service Operator's Grant	304.300	1,800
Rail Freight Grant	32.800	23
Track Access Grant	24.200	21
Powershift	3.998	4,491
CleanUp	3.455	2,424
CleanUp Haulage	1.255	341
Road Safety Grants	0.334	9
Mobility Grants	0.620	12
Water Freight Grant	16.981	13

HGV Licences

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the valid heavy goods vehicle operator licences in effect in (a) Wychavon, (b) Cotswold, and (c) Stratford-upon-Avon district council areas. [84911]

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Mr. Jamieson: The Traffic Area Network electronic database of HGV and PSV operator licences can be accessed through their website on www.tan.gov.uk. Data can be extracted by post-code area, but not by local authority district, and by operator name. There are more than 100 operators in the areas.

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy to require the Transport Commissioners to notify local councils of applications for heavy goods vehicle operator licenses within their council area; [84914]

(2) if he will list those bodies and individuals the Traffic Commissioners are obliged to consult before issuing operators licences; and what plans he has to add bodies and individuals to this list; [84920]

(3) why the responsibility to advertise an application for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence rests with the applicant. [84915]

Mr. Jamieson: An applicant for a heavy goods vehicle operating licence must advertise the details of the application in a local newspaper circulating in the locality of a proposed operating centre and send a copy of the advertisement to the Traffic Commissioner. A Traffic Commissioner must satisfy himself that this meets the requirements. If not, he must refuse the application. Independent verification by the Traffic Commissioner provides a better safeguard for local residents than if he were responsible for advertising applications.

The Traffic Commissioner has the responsibility for publishing applications received, other than minor variations, and for notifying those bodies with a statutory right to object to the grant of a licence. The bodies a Traffic Commissioner is obliged to consult are: prescribed trade unions; a chief officer of police; a local authority; a planning authority. There are no plans to add to this list. Local residents affected may make representations.

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the need for the Traffic Commissioners to take account of environmental issues when granting operator licences for the use of heavy goods vehicles; [84921]

(2) what account the Transport Commissioners are required to take of local road safety congestion and the amenity of local committees when granting a heavy goods vehicle operator licence; [84912]

(3) what steps the Traffic Commissioners take to ensure an applicant for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence is a bona fide business and otherwise suitably qualified individual; [84917]

(4) if he will make it his policy to require the Transport Commissioners to satisfy themselves that an appropriate planning permission exists on a site for which an application for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence has been made before granting any such licence; [84913]

(5) for what reason the independent Traffic Commissioners are limited in what they may consider when deciding an operator's licence application; [84916]

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(6) what account the Traffic Commissioners take of practicability of (a) gaining access to and (b) manoeuvring vehicles on a site before granting an operator licence for heavy goods vehicles; [84919]

(7) what steps the Traffic Commissioners take to ensure that a site on which a heavy goods vehicle operator licence is applied for has the appropriate planning permission. [84918]

Mr. Jamieson: The Goods Vehicle (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 determines the matters which a Traffic Commissioner takes into account in granting an application for a goods vehicle operating licence. These relate to the suitability of:

(a) a site for use as an operating centre for heavy goods vehicles, including parking; safety of access to a public road; and impact on the local environment; and


(b) an operator in terms of good repute; financial standing; and professional competence.

Traffic Commissioners are responsible for deciding whether the criteria have been met. It follows that Traffic Commissioners do not have the power to take into account other matters such as the absence of planning permission for an operating centre or its impact on road congestion. These are the responsibility of the local planning authority and the local highway authority respectively.

Highways Agency

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers a Traffic Manager will have; what plans he has to change the role of the Highways Agency; and what discussions he has had with the insurance industry on the implications of removing vehicles soon after an accident. [84244]

Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have recently completed a comprehensive review of police and Agency roles for network operation. The review investigated how greater co-operation could improve the effective operation of the network and the way in which incidents and the effects of incidents could be jointly managed.

Implementation will be carefully managed and carried out in partnership with the police. There will be detailed consultation with internal and external stakeholders.

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