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Highways Agency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources were allocated to the Highways Agency in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [117731]

Mr. Jamieson: The resources allocated to, and consumed by, the Highways Agency in each year since 1997 are identified in Agency's published annual Business Plans for the years 1996–97 to 2003–04 and Annual Report and Accounts for the years 1996–97 to 2001–02.

Hotel Accommodation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the amount spent by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on hotel accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) others, and if he will list the average cost per hotel room, in each year since 1997. [117565]

Mr. Jamieson: The detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

All accommodation booked by Civil Servants is in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.

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The Government publish an annual report of ministerial travel overseas. The total cost of ministerial travel provided in the annual report includes the costs of accommodation. The information sought in respect of accommodation within the UK is not held centrally. All travel is conducted in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.

Pensioners (Free Travel)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with local authorities regarding free travel for pensioners. [117859]

Mr. Jamieson: There have been no recent discussions with local authorities regarding free travel for pensioners.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with pensioners groups regarding national free travel for the elderly. [117862]

Mr. Jamieson: The Minister of State for Transport (John Spellar) met representatives from the National Pensioners' Convention on 7 April 2003, when the matter was discussed.

Rail Freight

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight train miles were travelled in (a) 1997 and (b) the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [117745]

Mr. Jamieson: The figure for freight train kilometres for 1997–98 is 34,331 thousand kilometres. The figure for 2001–02 (the last complete year for which figures are available) is 49,105 thousand kilometres.

Rail Services (Disabled Access)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on people with disabilities, who have the use of a motorised scooter, having access to the rail network; whether he has discussed this issue with the rail industry; what guidance he has issued to them; and if he will make a statement. [118076]

Mr. Jamieson: Scooters are intended to provide local outdoor mobility for disabled people. The majority of train operating companies, and indeed other transport operators, will not carry scooters. Many are physically too big to fit in a train or a bus and are not sufficiently stable to travel safely in vehicles.

It is a matter for individual operators to decide what is safe and appropriate for their particular type of operation.

The regulations that have been introduced under the Disability Discrimination Act to require access for disabled people to trains and buses specify the maximum wheelchair dimensions that need to be accommodated. These dimensions are based on the international wheelchair standard and are bigger than the great majority of wheelchairs in this country. They are not, however, intended to accommodate scooters. They were set after extensive consultation and with the

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agreement of our statutory advisers on disability the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

We have been working with the wheelchair manufacturing industry to produce guidance for disabled people on the compatibility of the full range of currently available products with public transport. That guidance will be published very shortly.

Road Accidents

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of accidents involving (a) cyclists, (b) pedestrians and (c) motorcyclists; and if he will list his Department's advisers on accident reduction. [117729]

Mr. Jamieson: Our Road Safety Strategy, "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone", published in March 2000, set out the Department's proposals for achieving casualty reductions for all road-users, including cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. The Road Safety Advisory Panel, whose membership represents road safety expertise both within and outside government, reviews progress being made and discusses a wide range of relevant issues.

Thelwall Viaduct

Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work on the Thelwall viaduct on the M6 will be completed; and who will bear the costs incurred. [115245]

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

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Neil Turner, dated 10 June 2003:

I have been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about on-going works to the northbound bridge of the M6 Motorway Thelwall Viaduct, in Warrington, Cheshire. As you may be aware, this matter was the subject of an Adjournment Debate in the House on 12 May, secured by Helen Southworth MP.

The Highways Agency is responsible for the operation, management, maintenance, and improvement, of the trunk road and motorway network in England, including the Thelwall Viaduct, which typically carries some 150,000—160,000 vehicles per day. All but one lane of the viaduct carrying northbound traffic was closed in July 2002 following the discovery of a failed roller bearing. Detailed investigations were urgently earned out and these revealed other failures in the bridge roller bearings. Continuing intensive investigations found that all 136 roller bearings on the northbound viaduct should be replaced, before further traffic lanes can be opened on that structure. As you may be aware, the Minister stated during the Adjournment Debate, that it might take until March 2005 to complete all the remedial work. The Minister also acknowledged that the cost of the remedial work is likely to be substantial, but did not wish to say anything further on that aspect, given that the question of liability for the failed roller bearings is likely to be decided through litigation and the courts. Notwithstanding that, he also said that funds would be made available to the Agency to enable the remedial work to be carried out.

The current restrictions comprise three narrow lanes in each direction on the new southbound viaduct and a single lane on the northbound viaduct, to facilitate traffic leaving the M6 at Junction 21, for Warrington. There are advance warning signs on

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all the motorway approaches to the works advising of likely delays, but there is no convenient diversion route using the motorway network. We will continue to monitor traffic patterns closely and keep under review all possible diversion routes to mitigate the effect of the restrictions.

Laboratory testing and investigations into how the roller bearings have failed is substantially complete. These findings are being used to inform the design process for the replacement of the bearings and associated works required to bring the structure back fully into long-term service.

The Agency is conscious of the need to re-open the northbound viaduct as soon as is practicable, and is investigating the possibility of phasing the work to secure the early release of additional traffic lanes on that structure.

I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information about this matter, you may wish to contact the Agency's Project Manager for the viaduct repairs, David Brindle, Room 406, Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, Ml 4BE (Tel [phone]).

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research was undertaken on the impact of corrosion from de-icing chemicals on the bridge bearings of the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 at the design stage; and what research has been undertaken since into alternative technologies that could reduce the levels of corrosion. [118096]

Mr. Jamieson: The risk of corrosion from environmental pollutants including de-icing chemicals on Thelwell Viaduct was minimised by using stainless steel and provision of enclosures (skirts) around the steel roller bearings. The majority of the bearing locations do not have expansion joints at the road level, thus reducing the risk of surface water and de-icing salts reaching the surfaces of the roller bearings.

The effectiveness of non-corrosive de-icing agents has been researched over many years in UK and other countries. There are limitations on their effectiveness at low temperatures and the use of rock salt is then necessary. Such agents are used in the UK on some major bridges where the higher cost can be justified in whole life terms.

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