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23 Feb 2004 : Column 50W—continued
Civil Servants
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants, broken down by grade, there are in the Department and the agencies for which the Department is responsible; and what the figures were in January 1997. [150270]
23 Feb 2004 : Column 51W
Mr. McNulty [pursuant to my answer, 12 February 2004, Official Report, c. 1661W]: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 9 February 2004, Official Report, columns 1293–98W.
Local Authority Parking Places
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much surplus income from parking places each local authority received in the last year for which figures are available. [154959]
Mr. McNulty: Separate statistics on surplus income from parking places are not collected centrally. Information is provided by local authorities down to district council level showing gross income and expenditure on all activities relating to parking. I have arranged for a table showing income and expenditure for authorities in England for 2002/03 to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Low-sulphur Diesel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage the use in diesel trains of low-sulphur diesel; what percentage of diesel trains use low-sulphur diesel; and if he will make a statement. [155415]
Mr. McNulty: The Sulphur Content of Liquid Fuels (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 set a maximum sulphur limit of 0.1 per cent. which will come into effect in 2008. Currently the maximum permissible level is 0.2 per cent. Diesel trains on the UK network operate on gas oil, which typically has a sulphur content of 0.15 per cent. The Strategic Rail Authority is planning a summit of rail industry bodies to manage a transition to low sulphur gas oil.
Motorways
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a road safety campaign to discourage heavy goods vehicles from using the third lane on motorways. [153251]
Dr. Howells: Heavy goods vehicles have been prohibited from using the right hand lane of motorways with three or more lanes, since 1967. This is explained in Rule 239 of the Highway Code. The evidence is that the law is appropriate, respected by drivers and effective.
Public Transport
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefits of the introduction of reward cards to users of public transport. [155021]
Mr. McNulty: The introduction of reward or loyalty cards is a commercial matter for public service operators and the Department has made no direct assessment of their benefits. But the Department will continue to encourage all public transport operators to explore new approaches with the potential to increase patronage and provide benefits to passengers.
23 Feb 2004 : Column 52W
Rail Services
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reinstate railway track between Salisbury and Exeter on the Waterloo Line. [155301]
Mr. McNulty: There are no such plans at present. However, South West Trains will be introducing an hourly service from Waterloo to Yeovil in December. The Strategic Rail Authority has agreed with local authorities that they will then assess whether likely demand would justify extending the hourly service to Exeter and whether any infrastructure enhancements would be needed to allow this to happen.
Road Accidents
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents resulting in death or serious injury have occurred on the hard shoulders of motorways in England in each of the last five years. [155542]
Mr. Jamieson: The table shows the number of accidents resulting in death or serious injury that have occurred on the hard shoulders of motorways in England for which The Highways Agency is responsible. This is shown in each of the last five years for which validated data are currently available.
| Number of accidents | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 63 |
| 1999 | 38 |
| 2000 | 40 |
| 2001 | 49 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| Total | 234 |
Road Noise
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget was set for noise mitigation measures on roads in each financial year since 2001–02; and what percentage of this budget was used for noise mitigation measures in each year, including 2003–04 to date. [155102]
Mr. Darling: A budget of £5 million was set for noise mitigation measures on roads for 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04. 100 per cent. of the budget was used for noise mitigation purposes in 2001–02 and 2002–03 and we estimate that 100 per cent. of the budget will be used for noise mitigation purposes in 2003–04.
Road Safety
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's progress towards its targets of reducing the number of (a) road deaths and serious injuries by 40 per cent. and (b) child deaths and serious injuries on roads by 50 per cent. by 2010. [153020]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 10 February 2004]: Good progress is being made towards our casualty reduction targets for 2010 set in the Government's Road Safety Strategy. Overall deaths and serious injuries in 2002 were 17 per cent. down from their baseline, which is nearly halfway to the 40 per cent. target. Child deaths and serious injuries were 33 per cent. down, which is
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two-thirds of the way to that 50 per cent. reduction target. We aim to publish the first three-year review of the Road Safety Strategy in April, analysing the progress made in detail.
Ryanair
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 9 February 2004, Official Report, column 1241W, on Ryanair Decision, when he expects to receive the full text of the European Commission's decision on the case of Ryanair at Charleroi Airport; and if he will make a statement on its implications for regional airports in the UK. [155237]
Mr. McNulty: The European Commission will publish its Decision on Ryanair once the parties to the case have had the opportunity to consider it. We do not know how long that will take. We will need to see the full Decision before we can make a proper assessment of the implications, if any, for UK aviation.
Speed Management
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was raised in fines from speed cameras in Essex in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) court proceedings and (b) fixed penalties. [152475]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 3 February 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 January 2004, Official Report, columns 243–44W. These are the latest figures available.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when speed cameras were first introduced in Southend; and what the total number of speed cameras introduced was in each year since that date. [153808]
Mr. Jamieson: Fixed speed cameras were first introduced in Southend in March 1995. The number of locations introduced in each year since that date is shown in the following table:
| Additional locations established | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | (5)4 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | (6)51 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | (6)13 |
(5) Fixed camera locations.
(6) Fixed and mobile camera locations.
The increase in sites in 2001 coincides with the Essex Partnership joining the safety camera netting off scheme.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have to commission a review of speed limits according to levels of risk on each category of road. [155809]
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Mr. Jamieson: The Department's review of speed management policy, published in March 2000, concluded that there was no case for a general change in the present 30 mph and 70 mph limits, but indicated that we intended to update the guidance to local authorities on the setting of local speed limits. The Transport Select Committee also recommended revised guidance in their 2002 report on Road Traffic Speed policy. Copies of these documents are available in the House of Commons Library.
We plan to issue the new guidance later this year, following consultation with local authorities and other interested parties.
Stansted
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport further to the written statement of 10 February 2004, Official Report, column 68WS, what supporting documentation he intends to publish in relation to increased airport capacity at Stansted. [155238]
Mr. Darling: Supporting documentation for the decisions in "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper at Stansted and other locations has been published and placed in the Libraries of the House.
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