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23 Oct 2003 : Column 679W—continued
Concessionary Travel
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the costs to (a) each local authority, (b) London boroughs and (c) local government as a whole of extending the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes to give people over the age of 70 a 100 per cent. discount on fares; [133960]
- (2) what estimate he has made of the increase in the local government finance settlement necessary fully to reimburse local government for the costs of increasing the national minimum standards for concessionary
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- travel schemes from a 50 per cent. discount to a (a) 60 per cent.,(b) 75 per cent., (c) 90 per cent. and (d) 100 per cent. discount for (i) people over the age of 60, (ii) the disabled and (iii) in total; [133961]
(3) what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) each local authority, (b) London boroughs and (c) local government as a whole, of increasing the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes from a 50 per cent. discount to a (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 75 per cent., (iii) 90 per cent. and (iv) 100 per cent. discount for (A) people over the age of 60 years, (B) the disabled and (C) in total; [133962]
(4) what estimate he has made of the change in the local government finance settlement necessary fully to reimburse local government for the costs of extending the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes to give people over the age of 70 a 100 per cent. discount on fares. [133963]
Mr. McNulty: The extension this year of the minimum statutory requirement to men aged 60 to 65 cost £50 million per year. The Government do not plan further extensions of concessionary fares. We estimate that free concessionary travel for pensioners in England (women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over) would cost in excess of an extra £300 million a year. We have not costed all the variants listed in the question and could do so only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the recognition and acceptance of public transport concessionary passes, issued in Northern Ireland, by public transport services in England. [133242]
Dr. Howells: There are no arrangements in place between England and Northern Ireland over the recognition and acceptance of concessionary travel passes, nor do we have plans to set up such a scheme.
In England, local authorities implement concessionary bus travel schemes for their eligible residents. Beyond the statutory half-fare minimum requirement, local authorities are free to determine the extent and generosity of their schemes within their areas.
Local authorities can negotiate with train operating companies to participate in local concessionary rail fare schemes, or ask the Strategic Rail Authority to require franchised train operators to participate in them. The SRA will only do this if it does not result in additional cost to it or the operator. In addition, national discounted railcard schemes for the elderly, disabled and young in Great Britain are protected by the Railways Act 1993.
MOT Certificates
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles he estimates are on British roads without a valid MOT certificate. [133728]
Mr. McNulty: The information is not currently available. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is responsible for supervision of the MOT testing scheme and is involved in a private finance initiative contract with Siemens Business Services to establish a central MOT database which will hold information on every test carried out in Great Britain.
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Roll-out is currently planned for 2004. Twelve months after the completion of roll-out, when the database is fully populated, it will be possible to compare the MOT data held by VOSA against the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) database of registered vehicles to establish the number of vehicles without current MOT certificates.
Port of Tyne Authority
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Port of Tyne Authority concerning issues of environmental pollution connected to the dredging of the river. [133391]
Dr. Howells: Officials from the Transport team at the Government Office for the North East have held recent, without prejudice discussions with representatives from the Port of Tyne Authority about the port's application to DEFRA for a licence for the dredging and sea disposal of contaminated sediment from various locations on the River Tyne. This matter is, of course, the subject of on-going negotiations between the port and DEFRA.
Railway Stations (Wales)
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the improvements to railway stations in Wales, broken down by (a) location and (b) cost in each of the last five years; and what the proposed improvements are for the next three years. [133054]
Mr. McNulty [pursuant to the answer, 22 October 2003, Official Report, c. 567–68W]: In September 2002 £2.4 million was provided by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) for the installation of 'Inform Cymru' at 46 stations in Wales; in April 2002 £99,000 for additional car parking spaces, improved security and better passenger facilities at Haverfordwest Station; and £1.1 million for a new waiting room, toilet with disabled access, CCTV and Customer Information Service/PublicAnnouncement (CIS/PA) at Trefforest Station.
The new Wales and Borders franchise agreement which was signed on 20 October 2003 provides £400,000 for improving car parks, including those at Cardiff Central (Wood Street) and Newport. Under the Vale of Glamorgan scheme the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is meeting the costs for the building of the two new stations at Rhoose and Llanwit Major. The Vale of Glamorgan line is expected to re-open in December 2004. The Welsh Assembly Government has also set aside £2.5 million for Wales and Borders to improve 47 of their stations before April 2004. The Ebbw Valley scheme, which provides for up to six new stations, is still under consideration by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Railways
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the railway industry has for station renewal and improvement in the Thames Valley. [133665]
Dr. Howells: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), in conjunction with Reading borough council, is developing a business case for major capacity enhancements at Reading. The project would require a
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Transport and Works Act Order, an application for which would be made around 2005. The business case will form part of that application.
Local stakeholders are also looking to commission a feasibility study on a proposal to relocate Oxford station to increase platform capacity.
More generally, the SRA has held a competition for the right to run the Thames Trains franchise in the 2004–06 period. The competition required bidders to propose ways of improving station environments. The bids are currently being evaluated by the Strategic Rail Authority. A decision is expected shortly.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans (a) he and (b) the railway industry have to expand track capacity on (i) the Reading to Waterloo line and (ii) the Great Western Reading to Paddington line. [133666]
Dr. Howells: The Great Western Main Line will be the subject of one of the first of the Strategic Rail Authority's route utilisation strategies, on which the SRA expect to consult in summer 2004. The work will help inform decisions on any future route upgrades.
Combining the Thames, Great Western and Wessex franchises from 2006 will create a single operator at Paddington and so free up some capacity. The SRA are also considering track layout revisions at Reading which, subject to affordability, could be undertaken when resignalling takes place in 2008.
River Traffic
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the introduction of a navigation authority in England to regulate river traffic; and if he will make a statement. [134048]
Dr. Howells: No representations have been received.
Road Journey Times
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to reduce journey times on roads. [133204]
Dr. Howells: The 10-year plan for transport published in July 2000, set out a £180 billion integrated investment strategy in roads, rail and local transport of which £59 billion was for roads. The Government's clear priority is to reduce congestion, and offer a wider choice of quicker, safer, more reliable travel on road, rail and other public transport.
The Secretary of State for Transport made a statement to the House of Commons on 9 July in which he announced details of a £7 billion package of improvements to keep the traffic flowing on some of Britain's most congested strategic roads which will be funded out of the roads element of the 10-year plan.
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