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10 Mar 2003 : Column 50W—continued
Congestion Charging
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the London Congestion Scheme on overcrowding on suburban rail routes into London. [100897]
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Mr. Jamieson: Transport for London (TfL) has projected an increase in overall public transport use of 1–2 per cent. as a result of the introduction of congestion charging. TfL expect that there will be about 5,000 additional passengers on London Underground and national rail services in the morning peak (7–10 am). This is around one extra person per carriage.
TfL are assessing rail patronage using both existing data and an enhanced programme of station and terminal counts at locations in and around the charging zone. TfL will be publishing a comprehensive report detailing all the effects of congestion charging early next year.
Motorways
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the number of journeys on English motorways each (a) day and (b) year, broken down by (i) cars, (ii) lorries and (iii) other vehicles; what information is available to break these figures down by each such motorway; and if he will make a statement. [101528]
Mr. Jamieson: This information is unavailable in the format requested. Statistical information can be found in the document entitled Transport Statistics, Road Traffic Statistics: 2001 and Transport Statistics Bulletin—Traffic in Great Britain: Q4 2002 Data. Access to both these documents can be found at the following websites: http://www.transtat.dft.gov.uk/tables/2002/rts/rts01.htm and www.transtat.dft.gov.uk/qbullets/qtraff.htm.
I have arranged for copies of the downloaded document to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the marginal cost to the (a) motorist, (b) other motorists and (c) society of each marginal additional mile of travel on the M25 motorway for each period of the day; and if he will make a statement. [101529]
Mr. Jamieson: No estimate at this level of detail is available for the marginal costs of travel on the M25 motorway.
Trust Ports
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2003, ref 100668, which of the first ports identified are classified as non-fishery. [102128]
Mr. Jamieson: The non-fishery trust ports on that list are:
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Littlehampton;
Port of London;
Milford Haven;
Orford;
Poole;
Sandwich;
Shoreham;
Teignmouth; and
Port of Tyne.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2003, ref 100668, when a decision will be taken as to whether the ports fall within the classification as public corporations; and what the cause of UK present uncertainty is. [102129]
Mr. Jamieson: As soon as we are able to assess the full impact of the proposed classification, my officials will resume discussions with the Office of National Statistics and the Treasury.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the latest annual account of (a) non-fishery trust ports, and (b) fishery trust ports. [102130]
Mr. Jamieson: Although non-fishery trust ports are required to submit their annual accounts to the Secretary of State, the obligation to make them publicly available lies with the individual harbour authorities, not my Department. Copies of the annual reports and accounts for each trust port, both fishery and non-fishery, are available from the individual authorities.
Railways
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on their (a) objectives, (b) accountability, (c) pay awards and (d) performance bonuses. [102170]
Mr. Jamieson: My right. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State meets the Chairman of Network Rail on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues. Pay awards and performance bonuses are a matter for Network Rail, subject to its licence conditions. These require the preparation of an annual management incentive plan and set out the broad parameters of such a plan.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he was consulted on the Strategic Rail Authority's latest announcement on cuts to rail services to Liverpool; and if he will make a statement. [101430]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 7 March 2003]: The changes to the rail service to Liverpool were made by the SRA to improve the operational effectiveness of the UK rail network. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, was consulted on these changes and fully supports the SRA's strategy to improve the reliability of train services.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of investment in the national railway infrastructure. [101974]
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Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 4 March 2003, Official Report, column 942W.
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed by the Office of the Rail Regulator in each year since 1997. [102226]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 46W.
Rolling Stock
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with (a) the Strategic Rail Authority, (b) South West Trains and (c) Connex South Eastern on their Mark I replacement programme; and when the last Mark I stock will be replaced for each of the operators; [102167]
- (2) what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on (a) the delay to the replacement of Mark I carriages, (b) the safety implications of the delay and (c) compensation claims for the inoperability of new rolling stock. [102165]
Mr. Jamieson: The Government has regular meetings with the Strategic Rail Authority covering a range of issues including Mark 1 replacement. The SRA is leading an industry wide Mark 1 replacement programme to ensure that all Mark 1 rolling stock is removed from the Network by 31 December 2004. Because of the failure of Railtrack to ensure an adequate power supply for the South London Network, it has become clear that it may be necessary to provide for around 300–350 vehicles to operate on the network after December 2004 but the SRA expects these vehicles to be removed from the network in Spring 2005. From 1 April 2003 all Mark 1 vehicles will be fitted with Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS), which seeks to prevent a collision by providing automatic braking if trains pass red signals or travel at excessive speed. Compensation is a commercial matter between the relevant parties.
Motoring Costs
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce motoring costs in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [101637]
Mr. Jamieson: National statistics show that average motoring costs—for motorists in rural areas and elsewhere—have fallen by 5 per cent. in real terms since 1997. This fall is primarily due to lower car prices which we have encouraged through greater retail competition. We have also reduced vehicle excise duty for motorists who use fuel-efficient cars and introduced fuel duty incentives for clean fuels—all of which rural motorists can benefit from.
Roads
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of funding new trunk roads in the private sector through road tolls; and if he will make a statement. [101639]
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Mr. Jamieson: There has been no general assessment of funding new trunk roads in the private sector through road tolls.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the total external social costs in pence per average vehicle mile for road travel in the United Kingdom accounted for by (a) congestion costs, (b) accident costs, (c) air pollution costs, (d) noise pollution costs and (e) climate change costs; and if he will make a statement. [101526]
Mr. Jamieson: A study commissioned by my Department from the Institute for Transport Studies 1 at the University of Leeds made the following estimates of the marginal external social cost of road use per vehicle kilometre in Great Britain:
- a) Congestion costs : 9.71 to 11.16 pence
b) Accident costs : 0.82 to 1.40 pence
c) Air pollution costs: 0.34 to 1.70 pence
d) Noise pollution costs: 0.02 to 0.78 pence
e) Climate change costs: 0.15 to 0.62 pence
1 Surface Transport Costs and Charges, Great Britain 1998, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds July 2001.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the total growth in vehicle miles travelled on United Kingdom roads in each year from 1980–81 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [101527]
Mr. Jamieson: The year on year growth rates for vehicle miles travelled from 1980–81 to 2002–03 are detailed in the table.
| Year | All Motor Vehicles |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.2 |
| 1981 | 1.8 |
| 1982 | 2.7 |
| 1983 | 1.3 |
| 1984 | 5.2 |
| 1985 | 2.2 |
| 1986 | 5.1 |
| 1987 | 7.7 |
| 1988 | 7.2 |
| 1989 | 8.3 |
| 1990 | 1.0 |
| 1991 | 0.2 |
| 1992 | 0.1 |
| 1993 | 0.0 |
| 1994 | 2.5 |
| 1995 | 2.0 |
| 1996 | 2.7 |
| 1997 | 2.3 |
| 1998 | 1.5 |
| 1999 | 1.7 |
| 2000 | 0.3 |
| 2001 | 1.3 |
| 2002 | 2.4 |
The figures on which these are based have been published in the Transport Statistics Bulletin (02)23—Road Traffic Statistics: 2001 (Table 1.1) and Transport Statistics (03)5—Traffic in Great Britain: Q4 2002 Data, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.
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