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3 Jun 2003 : Column 178W—continued

Registration Plates

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the cloning of car registration plates. [116023]

Mr. Jamieson: Evidence from Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems suggests that cloning is being used by a small minority of motorists to evade fines and charges.

In order to combat the problem and prevent people obtaining number plates to which they are not entitled, we have introduced measures to tighten up on the supply of plates. Since 1 January, all suppliers of number plates have been required to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and to keep records of sales. Purchasers of plates are required to produce evidence of their identity as well as the vehicle's registration document.

We are now working on measures to make number plates more secure and to ensure that they can be clearly and visibly linked to the vehicle on which they are displayed. A consultation paper on number plate security will be issued shortly.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many car registration plates were reported to police forces as having been cloned in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [116026]

Mr. Jamieson: Statistics on the number of vehicles reported to police forces as having been cloned in each of the last three years are not available.

Road Accidents

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of new cars have ABS

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brakes fitted; what assessment he has made of the effect of ABS brakes on the number of road accidents; and what his policy is on making the fitting of ABS brakes compulsory on all new cars. [115733]

Mr. Jamieson: The major European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers have made a commitment to fit ABS to all new cars sold from 1 July 2004. Only certain sports car and specialist vehicle manufacturers are not bound by this commitment. These represent a very small proportion of vehicles entering the vehicle fleet.

The Department for Transport commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to carry out research into the effectiveness of ABS in reducing accidents. The results indicated a 3 per cent. overall reduction in accidents. The report concluded that, although ABS had the potential to reduce the number of accidents, this had not yet been fully realised, in part because many drivers had little or no knowledge of how ABS can help in an emergency. The Department's Driving Standards Agency is considering how driver understanding of ABS can be improved.

Copies of the TRL report, "A Survey of the Effectiveness of ABS in Reducing Accidents" have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Given the almost total coverage achieved by the industry commitment, the Department will not be seeking the compulsory fitting of ABS in new cars.

Road Haulage Fund

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much of the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund was spent in 2001–02 and 2002–03; how much will be spent in 2003–04; and to what purpose any balance will be put; [114087]

(2) if he will make it the policy of his Department to invest the unspent balance of the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund in training for drivers; and if he will make a statement. [114086]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 16 May 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given him today ref. [114072].

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the projects which the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund has supported; and the expenditure on each. [114072]

Mr. Jamieson: DfT has spent the following on the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund (RHMF) in England:

2001–02: £6.07 million

2002–03: £8.61 million

Just as in 2001–02 and 2002–03, spend in the final year of the fund in England (2003–04) will be determined by industry demand for fund schemes. Demand has been disappointingly low. The road haulage modernisation fund in England requires a shift by industry towards better business practices. It is therefore reliant on industry taking up what is on offer. All schemes in

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England have been worked up with the industry through the Road Haulage Forum and its subgroups. The projects supported so far include:

Clean Up haulage: £3.93 million


Enforcement in GB: £5.9 million


Fuel Economy Advisers: £2.53 million


Modernising Operator Scheme (pilot): £0.19 million


Training Schemes: £2.13 million (made up of Young Drivers Scheme, Modern Apprenticeships, Investment in Training, Training simulator, driver shortage survey)

In addition to the projects above other projects are coming on stream this year, and are supported by the fund in England. They include:

Driver Development Scheme


Driver Simulator Project


Respect for People Scheme


Careers Website


Modernising Operator Scheme (main scheme)

These schemes are extant and can be applied for by industry operators now.

The RHMF was announced as a 3-year, ring-fenced fund and subject to take-up by the industry. As such there is no balance available for reallocation. However, all schemes under the RHMF will be evaluated and decisions taken on whether there is justification to extend any of them separately. The Department continues to discuss with the industry on how best to promote modernisation within the industry.

Separate funds for road haulage modernisation exist in the Devolved Administrations.

Road Schemes (Public Inquiries)

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road schemes promoted by the Highways Agency went to public inquiry in 2002; and in respect of which ones decisions have been announced. [116790]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to reply to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 3 June 2003:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about road schemes that went to public inquiry in 2002; and in respect of which ones have decisions been announced.

The A500 City Road & Stoke Road Junction Improvement and the A1 Stannington Junction both went to public inquiry in 2002 and decisions have been announced. The A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction also went to public inquiry in 2002 and a decision has not yet been announced.

In addition to this, the A1(M) Wetherby-Walshford and the A21 Lamberhurst Bypass went to public inquiry in 2002 to examine modifications to the original proposals and in both cases the decisions have been announced.

If you require any further information, please contact Martin Steward. He can be contacted at the Agency's office at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL or by telephone on 0121 678 8324.

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Road Traffic Accidents

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide rest areas on motorways. [115921]

Mr. Jamieson: My officials are working up proposals to take forward a pilot scheme under which we will provide a purpose-built rest area directly accessed from the motorway network. If successful, such rest areas will be in addition to rest facilities provided by existing motorway service areas, which are available at approximately 30-mile intervals on most of the motorway network in England.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred in the last three years for which figures are available because of (a) motorists and (b) cyclists ignoring red traffic lights. [115922]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is not available.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents were caused by litter on the roads in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [115923]

Mr. Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in sleep-related road traffic accidents in each of the last five years. [116022]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is not available. Research has established that tiredness is a principle factor in around 10 per cent. of car driver accidents and about 15–20 per cent. of all accidents on motorways and other similar roads

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to prevent road traffic accidents caused by motorists and cyclists ignoring red traffic light signals. [116027]

Mr. Jamieson: Red light enforcement cameras have proved to be highly effective at reducing redlight jumping by motorists and accident casualties have fallen as a result. More are now being deployed within the Safety Camera Netting-off Scheme that allows some fine revenue from fixed penalties to be re-invested in camera activity.

The minority of cyclists who irresponsibly ignore red traffic light signals, putting themselves and other road users at risk are liable to prosecution and the offences of careless and dangerous cycling currently carry maximum fines of £1,000 and £2,500 respectively. Enforcement of the law is of course a matter for the police.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much rubbish was removed from motorways in England in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [116235]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to reply to my hon. Friend.

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Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Tom Watson dated 3 June 2003:

The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the amount of rubbish removed from the motorway network.

The information you asked for is not available. Our Managing Agent Contractors clear litter from the motorway network as part of their routine maintenance work but they are not required to record how much they collect. It would not be practical to record the information because collection methods differ widely. Some Contractors pick by hand, others use machines.

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