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English Regions Cycling Development Team

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the report of the English Regions Cycling Development team will be published. [114713]

Mr. Jamieson: The English Regions Cycling Development Team has been assessing highway authorities ¹ planning and provision for cycling. They are due to report their findings to the National Cycling Strategy Board in June. The Board expects then to publish reports in July.

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London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2003, Official Report, column 47W, on London Underground, if he will provide the whole year figures for 2002–03. [115149]

Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for London Underground who have provided the information set out in the following table.

London Underground rolling stock, track and signal failures by line

Line	2002–03 rolling stock failures	2002–03 track and signals failures
Bakerloo	1,156	298
Central	2,419	609
Circle/Hammersmith and City	2,045	431
District	1,433	849
East London	99	77
Jubilee	1,281	443
Metropolitan	1,296	667
Northern	1,597	843
Piccadilly	2,821	572
Waterloo and City	86	38
Victoria	1,140	487
Total	15,373	5,314

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he estimates passengers will experience improvements in (a) reliability and (b) comfort under the PPP contracts for the London Underground. [115587]

Mr. Jamieson: Tube Lines have announced that, for the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, within the first 12 months of the contract they will be cutting delays by nearly 10 per cent., saving passengers some 430,000 hours. They have also improved the cleaning regime implementing deep cleans of trains and stations much more frequently than before. At the same time they are beginning the long-term work to upgrade the lines and increase capacity, including additional rolling stock for the Jubilee Line to increase train lengths from 6 to 7 cars, and awarding a contract for new signalling systems for the Jubilee and Northern Lines to allow a substantial increase in the service capability on these lines. These new signalling systems should be in place by 2009 and 2011 respectively.

For the lines being maintained and modernised by Metronet, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 8 May 2003, Official Report, column 830W.

Motorway Tolls

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the agreement setting out the basis for the determination of toll levels on the BNRR/M6 Toll was (a) made and (b) approved. [115680]

Mr. Jamieson: The Concession Agreement between the Government and Midland Expressway Limited for the M6 Toll (formerly the Birmingham Northern Relief Road) was signed on 28 February 1992.

22 May 2003 : Column 942W

SARS

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of passengers and crew of (a) airlines and (b) passenger ships against the SARS outbreak. [111003]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 28 April 2003 Official Report, columns 38–41. My officials have worked closely with the Department of Health to ensure that appropriate information on recognising the symptoms of SARs and on how to seek appropriate medical advice is given to those travelling to the UK from infected areas. The situation is being monitored closely and further action will be taken if necessary on public health grounds.

Staff Numbers

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why he plans to increase the number of staff as measured in staff years in his Department by 190 in 2003–04 compared with 2002–03. [114773]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 20 May 2003]: The increase in the number of staff is mainly due to the need for specialist external recruitment.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the number of staff measured in staff years in the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency increased in 2002–03 by 903 compared with 2001–02. [114937]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 20 May 2003]: The difference of 903 staff years between 2001–02 and 2002–03 reflects a change in the way that staffing figures are recorded, to include casual staff and a number of changes in DVLA operations.

The main operational changes that contributed to the actual increase were:

(a) new policy initiatives such as the mandatory vehicle registration document scheme and to support London congestion charging;

(b) to safeguard delivery of the core business such as improving the accuracy of the database and the new strategic partnership to support DVLA's substantial change programme for service delivery improvements; and

(c) increased workload involving initiatives to improve customer service delivery such as the introduction of extended hours in the Agency's call centre and growth in business volumes (5.9 per cent. higher in 2002–03), offset by more efficient working practices and the increase in electronic business.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the number of staff measured in staff years in the Drug Standards Agency is planned to increase in 2003–04 by 547 compared with 2001–02. [114938]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 20 May 2003]: Demand for driving tests has increased from some 1,481, 210 in 2001–02 to an estimated 1,635,500 in 2003–04. To meet this rising demand, and to reduce waiting times for driving tests, the Driving Standards Agency has recently recruited over 130 driving examiners and plans to recruit 330 more in the coming

22 May 2003 : Column 943W

year. The increased levels of test demand also impact on the number of support staff, such as call centre agents, that are needed.

In addition, DSA is boosting other activities in line with commitments in the Government's "Road Safety Strategy", such as delivering a national programme of "Arrive Alive" presentations to youngsters in schools and colleges. In 2003–04, some 6,000 presentations are planned, compared with some 2,700 in 2001–02.

The increase in full-time equivalent staff for the Agency, shown in the Department's recently published Annual Report for 2003, reflects these higher levels of activity and changes in the way that staffing figures are recorded.

Stansted Airport

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a second or third new runway at Stansted Airport on (a) the local environment, (b) the quality of life of the residents and (c) economic development if there is a dependence on low-cost carriers.[R] [115376]

Mr. Jamieson: We have conducted no detailed assessment of this kind other than what has already been published as part of the on-going consultation, 'The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East'.

Strategic Rail Authority

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to achieve greater transparency in relation to the SRA's use of funds. [114820]

Mr. Jamieson: On 14 April 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued a revised SRA Financial Framework, setting rules governing the financial aspects of the Strategic Rail Authority's activities and transactions. My right hon. Friend will also shortly issue an accounts direction, which will direct the Authority to ensure that its annual accounts 2002–03 give a true and fair view of the income and expenditure and cash flows for the year. Finally, the Authority is statutorily required to produce an annual report including a section on accounts, copies of which are placed in the Libraries of the House.

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the SRA's assumptions and plans for rail traffic and capacity growth in the next five years. [115247]

Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's plans and priorities are set out in its Strategic Plan, published at the end of January, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Sustainable Communities

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the change in the annual number of (a) journeys and (b) kilometres travelled that will result from housing development in the four growth areas within the Sustainable Communities Plan. [115725]

22 May 2003 : Column 944W

Mr. Jamieson: We are currently considering, in connection with the ODPM, how far and to what time scale we should seek to develop the Thames Gateway and the other growth areas. Assessing the transport needs related to these developments is one of the main issues being considered.

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