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17 Jul 2003 : Column 617W—continued
Rail Freight
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2003, Official Report, column 190W, on freight grants, how much the Track Access Grants with a Scottish element awarded by (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority were at (i) current prices and (ii) outturn prices for each year since 1996. [125660]
Mr. McNulty: The value of Track Access Grants (TAGs) with a Scottish element awarded by either the Department or the Strategic Rail Authority and their value at 2002–03 prices is listed in the table.
| Value of | ||
|---|---|---|
| TAGs | TAGs at 2002–03 | |
| 1996–97 | 355,000 | 415,730 |
| 1997–98 | 386,954 | 440,760 |
| 1998–99 | 1,177,560 | 1,302,639 |
| 1999–2000 | 579,708 | 626,496 |
| 2000–01 | — | — |
| 2001–02 | 1,722,240 | 1,775,798 |
| 2002–03 | 2,466,176 | 2,466,176 |
Rail Services
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role signallers play in minimising delays to fast long distance trains. [126832]
Dr. Howells: Network Rail advises that its signallers are responsible for regulating all trains regardless of type, speed or destination to minimise delays where possible.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures will be put in place to prevent train operating companies adopting train crew relief strategies which will stand trains at strategic points along the railway. [126833]
Dr. Howells: This is an operational matter for the train operating companies, having regard to their contractual commitments such as the maximum journey time for services specified in their passenger service requirement, the "rules of the plan" which are agreed with Network Rail and which specify station dwell times, and safety rules.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the European rail traffic management system level 2 will be installed on the UK high speed lines; and for what reasons ERTMS level 1 could not be installed on UK high speed lines with a view to future migration to level 2. [126834]
Dr. Howells:
The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has identified the Cambrian coast as an ERTMS Level 2 test site. Further work is required before a robust timetable for fitting to high- speed lines can be developed.
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The SRA advises that implementation of ERTMS Level 1, followed by subsequent migration to Level 2, would reduce network capacity and track worker safety as a result of increased trackside infrastructure and the costs would far outweigh the benefits. The industry recommendation therefore was to focus development and implementation on ERTMS Level 2. This was supported by the work of the Health and Safety Executive that led to the Health and Safety Commission's recommendation which the Secretary of State accepted in February 2003.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the introduction of the train protection and warning system has affected line capacity in congested areas of the network. [126835]
Dr. Howells: Network Rail advises that the train protection and warning system (TPWS) has no effect on line capacity.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to improve the reliability of the train protection and warning system, with reference to (a) delays to trains running into terminal stations and (b) drivers needing to apply power between the TPWS and the buffer stops. [126836]
Dr. Howells: Network Rail advises that the train protection and warning system (TPWS) has a good record of reliability. TPWS at buffer stops is set to intervene only if trains exceed 10mph. Network Rail is working with the train operators and their drivers to ensure that all trains are controlled to below this trigger point and to enter terminal stations at this low speed. Network Rail works with the train operators to assist drivers in controlling their train speeds into termini.
Rail Travel
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average length of (a) journey and (b) time taken for train passengers to travel to and from the rail station. [125749]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers on average travelled on each diesel multiple unit train journey in the last year for which figures are available. [125750]
Dr. Howells: This information is not held centrally.
Railway Stations
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what station improvements are planned which are funded under (a) the Rail Passenger Partnership, (b) the Incremental Output Statements and (c) the Modern Facilities at Stations Scheme. [125687]
Mr. McNulty:
Under the Strategic Rail Authority's Rail Passenger Partnership Scheme, there are a total of 30 schemes that have been approved for RPP funding, that include station improvements. Under the Strategic Rail Authority's Incremental Output Statement (IOS), Modern Facilities at Stations Scheme (MFAS), there are a further 68 stations that are under consideration by the authority.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 619W
Road Repairs (Deaths and Injuries)
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people working on road repairs and improvements over each of the last three years have been (a) injured and (b) killed working on (i) motorways, (ii) other trunk roads and (iii) all other roads. [120672]
Mr. Jamieson [pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2003, Official Report, c. 502W]: The available information on numbers of people injured and killed while working on road repairs and improvements on motorways and other trunk roads in England over the last three years, as reported to the Highways Agency by its contractors, is shown in the table. Information for other roads is not available.
Note:
n/a = not available
Source:
Highways Agency
Road Schemes
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which statutory bodies will be involved in evaluating the potential environmental impacts of (a) route improvements to the A21 between Kippings Cross and Robertsbridge and (b) the building of the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road. [126426]
Mr. Jamieson: In designing and evaluating potential road schemes, the Highways Agency works closely with the four statutory environmental bodies: the Environment Agency, English Nature, English Heritage and the Countryside Agency. The Local Transport Plan guidance places a similar requirement on local authorities bringing forward bids for major road and public transport schemes.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received concerning the (a) projected cost and (b) timeframe of building an A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road; [126428]
(2) what representations he has received (a) in favour and (b) against the building of the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road. [126427]
Mr. Jamieson:
The Secretary of State has received a number of representations from individuals and bodies about this scheme. Among those in favour are the South East of England Regional Assembly, the South East of
17 Jul 2003 : Column 620W
England Development Agency, East Sussex county council and some business organisations in the area. The four statutory environmental bodies are among those that have expressed concern over the proposal. The representation from the regional assembly asked that all study recommendations should be progressed quickly. The Secretary of State has asked East Sussex county council to progress the scheme in close liaison with the statutory environmental bodies.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received concerning the A21 from (a) Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst and (b) Flimwell to Robertsbridge. [126429]
Mr. Jamieson: By the closing date (24 March 2003) of the public consultation on these two improvements a total of 905 completed questionnaires and 341 letters had been received. As the questionnaire related to both schemes it is not possible to give figures for the split between the two schemes, however, 327 of the letters related to the Flimwell to Robertsbridge section with 14 related to the Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst section. After the closing date a further 31 letters were received, 24 related to Flimwell to Robertsbridge and seven to the Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst. In addition, a 1,540 signature petition and 159 responses from a questionnaire organised by Hurst Green parish council were also received. Responses were also received from all the local authorities along the route and from statutory and non-statutory environmental bodies.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the expected start date is for road improvements on the A21 from (a) Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst and (b) Flimwell to Robertsbridge. [126432]
Mr. Jamieson: These schemes are not yet in the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI). A public consultation exercise was held recently and a report is expected from the Highways Agency in the autumn. We will make an announcement on these improvements following consideration of the report. If it is decided that either of these schemes should enter the TPI the announcement will include likely start dates.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on progress made by (a) East Sussex county council and (b) statutory environmental bodies in developing the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road scheme, with particular reference to environmental considerations; [126433]
(2) what discussions the Department has held with (a) East Sussex county council and (b) statutory environmental bodies on environmental considerations in developing the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road scheme. [126434]
Mr. Jamieson: On the 9 July 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport invited East Sussex county council to develop proposals for Bexhill to Hastings Link Road, working closely with the statutory environmental bodies during the process.
My officials will be discussing details with East Sussex county council in the near future on how to take this work forward.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 621W
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list new road construction schemes in East Sussex which have been allocated for design, build, finance and operate funding; and what the estimated cost of construction is at current prices. [126444]
Mr. Jamieson: There are currently no new road construction schemes in East Sussex which have been allocated for design build finance and operate funding.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual expenditure of his Department on public local inquiries in East Sussex was in each of the last 10 years; on what dates each inquiry was held; and what the cost was in each year. [126445]
Mr. Jamieson: One public local inquiry into road schemes has been held in East Sussex in the last 10 years. This inquiry was into three separate draft proposals on the A259 between Pevensey and Guestling Thorn including bypasses of Bexhill and Hastings and was held between October 1995 and July 1996. The estimated cost was in the region of £1 million.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements are planned for the A259 over the next three years. [126446]
Mr. Jamieson: The section of the A259 between Brenzett and Folkestone will be detrunked in September this year, with responsibility for the identification and implementation of any future improvements being transferred to Kent county council. The remaining sections of the A259 trunk road, east of Hastings to Brenzett and west of Hastings to Pevensey, will remain the responsibility of the Highways Agency. A route management strategy is being prepared for these sections of the route, which will identify future local improvements. Improvements in future years will be dependent on the availability of funding.
There are seven improvement schemes programmed for the current financial year. These are:
De la Warr Road/King Offa Way Junction, Bexhill—Improvements to signals to aid right-turn and pedestrian movements
In addition to the above works, a number of studies of potential improvements to safety, the environment and integration are also being carried out.
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