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28 Jan 2003 : Column 722W—continued

Wales Railway Franchise

19. Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the specifications set out in the Wales railway franchise. [93547]

Mr. Jamieson: The franchise will include all local and regional passenger services within Wales, and some cross-border services. Its terms will reflect the outcome of negotiations with bidders, among other things.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 723W

Strategic Rail Authority

20. Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority about improving local rail services. [93548]

Mr. Spellar: I, and other departmental Ministers, meet the Chair and Chief Executive of the Strategic Rail Authority on a regular basis; and discuss a range of issues.

Air Travel Trust Fund

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will introduce legislation to increase the air travel trust fund. [93661]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 January 2003 Official Report, column 38W.

Bus Services (Shropshire)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) new, (b) improved and (c) withdrawn bus services there were in (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (ii) Shropshire in each year since 1997. [93086]

Mr. Jamieson: My Department does not collect this information. However, I am informed by Shropshire County Council that since 1998 the total number of commercial bus journeys in the county withdrawn by operators is 1,936. In the same period the county council has provided subsidy for 2,500 new additional bus journeys some of which replaced those commercial ones that have been withdrawn.

The council does not have available separate information about services in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Concessionary Travel (Pensioners)

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce free off-peak travel for pensioners on public transport. [93698]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 30 October 2002, Official Report, column 863W.

Cross-Solent Fares

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received since 1977, other than from hon. Members, that the Government should subsidise cross-solent fares. [93863]

Mr. Jamieson: Since 1997, 15 representations from members of the public have been received on this matter.

Cycling (Protective Equipment)

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation to compel cyclists to wear personal protective equipment; and if he will make a statement. [93734]

Mr. Jamieson: We have no current plans to make the wearing of personal protective equipment by cyclists compulsory. The Highway Code advises cyclists to wear clothing which will make them visible and which is

28 Jan 2003 : Column 724W

appropriate for cycling. It also advises them to wear helmets. We have engaged TRL to monitor wearing rates. The latest study shows that in 1999 the overall wearing rate was 22 per cent. on major built up roads. That is not a high enough level of public acceptance to introduce compulsory wearing. There would be enforcement difficulties and it could have adverse effects on the levels of cycling. However, we will continue to monitor wearing rates and will review the option of compulsory wearing from time to time.

External Consultants

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefit to (a) his Department, (b) taxpayers and (c) road users of the value of each external consultant used by his Department since its inception. [93957]

Mr. Jamieson: Guidance on the use of consultants by my Department requires that each consultancy project should have a sound business case which sets out the deliverables and benefits expected to accrue . Details of individual consultancies and supporting business cases are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Freight (Shipping)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much freight was carried by water in and around the UK in (a) May 1992, (b) May 1997 and (c) September 2002 by (i) all flagged ships and (ii) UK flagged ships; and if he will make a statement. [93662]

Mr. Jamieson: The available information relates to UK coastal shipping. The statistics are compiled on an annual basis only. Coastal freight traffic carried (i) in all flagged ships and (ii) in UK flagged ships for years 1991, 1996 and 2001 (the latest available year), in terms of goods lifted (tonnage) and goods moved (tonne-kilometres), were as follows:

	Goods lifted (million tonnes)		Goods moved (billion tonne-kilometres)
Year	All flagged ships	UK flagged ships	All flagged ships	UK flagged ships
1991	63.10	22.44	40.69	9.84
1996	70.87	17.30	45.14	7.27
2001	58.53	7.74	34.12	2.96

Minimum Wage

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the impact of increasing the minimum wage (a) in line with average earnings, (b) to £4.17 per hour, (c) to £4.87 per hour, (d) to £5.00 per hour and (e) to £5.30 per hour, on the cost of salaries of departmental employees (i) in total and (ii) for each nation of the United Kingdom in the next financial year. [90597]

Mr. Jamieson: Increasing the minimum wage in the manner described would have no impact on the cost of salaries for employees in my Department.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 725W

Ports (Security Breaches)

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many official breaches of security have taken place at UK ports in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) region, (b) port and (c) type of breach. [93244]

Mr. Jamieson: Since 1997 my Department has recorded a total of 20 breaches of port security, ie instances where individuals have gained unauthorised access to Restricted Zones at ports. It is not appropriate to give a detailed breakdown of either the specific port or region where these breaches took place for obvious reasons.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) court actions and other prosecutions have taken place and (b) fines or other actions have been imposed, against (i) UK ports and (ii) other marine organisations and activities in response to breaches of security which have taken place at UK ports in each year since 1997; and what the nature of the breaches were in each case. [93245]

Mr. Jamieson: No court actions and/or other prosecutions have taken place. From 1 January 1997 until 31 December 2002 a total of seven Enforcement Notices (ENs) have been served on UK harbour authorities and harbour operators. The ENs were served under the provisions of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 and related to failings to meet the requirements of that Act. Details are as follows:

Year	Number of ENs	Failings
1997	1	Restricted Zone(RZ) access control
1998	0
1999	0
2000	1	RZ access control
2001	4	Pass display (2); lack of suitably trained search staff; RZ access control
2002	1	RZ access control

Public Transport (Safety)

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about new measures to protect the safety of people using public transport, with particular reference to women. [93482]

Mr. Jamieson: We receive representations from a number of different organisations, including some regarding personal safety on public transport. For example, last year we received a representation by the Rail Safety Task Force of Soroptomist International of south east England regarding improving safety in rail travel.

Redhill Aerodrome

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions on which Ministers in his Department have met representatives of Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. since 7 June 2001. [93787]

Mr. Jamieson: Since 7 June 2001, no meetings have been held between Ministers in my Department and representatives of Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ld.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 726W

Road Accidents

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department of the number of (a) accidents associated with heavy commercial vehicles in each year since 1997 and (b) the associated fatalities. [93808]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of accidents involving at least one HGV in each year since 1997, and the associated fatalities from those accidents are shown in the table:

Accidents involving at least one HGV: GB 1997–2001Accidents/fatalities

	HGV accidents	Fatalities(1)
1997	13,132	535
1998	13,278	576
1999	13,951	620
2000	13,894	560
2001	13,631	575

⁽¹⁾ Total number of fatalities in accidents involving at least on HGV.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) pedestrians and (b) cyclists were (i) killed, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) slightly injured in road accidents in each year since 1997; and how many were under the age of 18 years in each category. [93826]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of pedestrians and cyclists of all ages, and those aged under 18 that were killed or injured in each year since 1997, are shown in the following tables:

Pedestrian and pedal cycle casualty data: GB 1997–2001Casualties

Road user type/severity	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
All ages
Pedestrians
Killed	973	906	870	857	826
Serious	10,053	9,575	8,955	8,641	8,238
Slight	34,575	34,405	33,063	32,535	31,513
All	45,601	44,886	42,888	42,033	40,577
Pedal cycle
Killed	183	158	172	127	138
Serious	3,409	3,154	3,004	2,643	2,540
Slight	21,044	19,611	19,664	17,842	16,436
All	24,636	22,923	22,840	20,612	19,114
	Casualties under 18
Pedestrians
Killed	165	120	128	120	130
Serious	4,228	3,988	3,682	3,465	3,393
Slight	16,004	15,729	14,846	14,375	14,097
All	20,397	19,837	18,656	17,960	17,620
Pedal cycle
Killed	41	35	44	34	31
Serious	1,199	1,072	1,069	850	773
Slight	8,241	7,247	7,446	6,425	5,692
All	9,481	8,534	8,559	7,309	6,496

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