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8 Mar 2004 : Column 1239W—continued
Cycling
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the Government are planning to focus resources on the provision of a bicycle-friendly road network within its 10 year Transport Plan. [156866]
Mr. McNulty: Local authority investment in cycling has increased by more than a third since 2001–02 and we will continue to encourage such investment. The Department has also obtained reports on highway authority provision for, and promotion of, cycling, with a view to encouraging specific actions to increase cycling levels. The Department's design guidance will also be updated.
Dibden Bay Container Port
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received from the promoters of the Dibden Bay container port proposal a legally binding undertaking for an environmental mitigation compensation scheme in the vicinity of Dibden Bay. [159499]
Disabled Drivers
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government has to address road fuel poverty (a) in remote and rural areas and (b) for disabled drivers. [159324]
Mr. McNulty: Transport and accessibility are vitally important factors in social exclusion in remote and rural areas. The Government's strategy for improving access to jobs and key services for people in remote and deprived areas is set out in the SEU Report "Making the connections" which the DfT is responsible for implementing. The strategy contains 37 key policies, which crucially do not just involve improving transport but changing where and how services are delivered. Sixteen of the policies have already been implemented
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and a further thirteen policies and initiatives are under way, including a project to improve travel information and journey planning for job seekers.
Fuel duty rates and other forms of motoring taxation are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who takes decisions on a Budget by Budget basis taking a range of economic, social and environmental factors into consideration. Some disabled people, for example, are able to claim an exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty, which can mean a saving of up to £165 a year.
Driving (Mobile Phones)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's message of safer driving with particular reference to using mobile telephones while driving. [156865]
Mr. Jamieson: Good progress is being made on the government's message of safer driving, which is taken forward under the THINK! road safety publicity campaign. THINK! uses a range of media channels—TV, radio, press, posters etc.—to provide a national platform to complement regional police and local authority activities. In addition it encourages broader support from private sector partners and works to generate media interest in road safety issues. Current awareness of THINK! stands at 71 per cent. among all drivers and 89 per cent. among male drivers under 35-years-old.
The THINK! campaign covers various themes throughout the year. The dangers of driver distraction caused by use of mobiles phones while driving was a key safety message in spring last year. More recently, we ran promotional activity to publicise the new regulations regarding hand held mobile phones introduced in December 2003.
Activity included national radio advertising, national press advertising, e-mail information to the top 1,000 UK companies/central and local government departments, a national press release, plus use of Variable Message Signs on motorways. We also produced new guidance, including leaflets, posters and information on the THINK! and DfT websites, for road safety officers in Local Authorities and others.
Research carried out for the Department by TNS in February 2004 showed that 96 per cent. of drivers were aware of the new mobile phones law. The research also showed that, there was an increase in the number of drivers claiming to keep their mobile phones switched off while driving, from 17 per cent. in November 2003 to 23 per cent. in February 2004.
The Department will continue to re-iterate the dangers of driver distraction surrounding the use of mobile phones, focussing on the simple message "Switch off before you drive off". Radio advertising ran in January 2004 and advertising in cinemas runs from 5 March 2004 for three weeks.
Driving Tests
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving theory tests were booked in each year since 19 December 2001; and what proportion of such tests was booked online. [159329]
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Mr. Jamieson: The total number of theory tests booked, and the proportion booked online, since 19 December 2001 when the facility to book via the Driving Standards Agency's website became available are:
| Total number of theory test bookings | Percentagebooked online | |
|---|---|---|
| December 2001 | 56,460 | 0.278 |
| 2002 | 1,484,944 | 9.382 |
| 2003 | 1,486,261 | 24.497 |
| 2004 to date | 129,326 | 39.761 |
Emissions Regulations
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce statutory regulation on emissions from (a) motorcycles and (b) powered two-wheel vehicles. [159179]
Mr. Jamieson: Emissions from new motor cycles and other powered two wheeled machines are already regulated by the Motor Cycles Etc (EC Type Approval) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999 No. 2920) as amended by The Motorcycles Etc. (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. The former mandates the emissions standards in EU directive 97/24/EC to be met by all new machines entering service from 17 June 2003. The 2003 regulations mandate the more stringent two stage standards in EU directive 2002/51/EC for new motorcycles entering service from 1 July 2004 and from 1 January 2007.
Flying (Urban Areas)
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received for changes to be made to the Rules of the Air to limit helicopters and other recreational aircraft from flying over urban areas. [159319]
Mr. McNulty: I receive letters from time to time, from individual members of the public, requesting for reasons of safety, privacy and nuisance that helicopters and light aircraft should be restricted from flying over urban areas.
A number of respondents to the consultation in 2000 on "Control of Noise from Civil Aircraft" suggested that the height restrictions specified in Rule 5 (Low Flying) of the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996 should be tightened so as to lessen noise. However, that consultation did not specifically encompass the Rules of the Air regulations, which are primarily safety-related.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the danger and nuisance of (a) helicopters and (b) other recreational aircraft from flying over urban areas. [159877]
Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today (ref 159319).
Greener Vehicles
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department is working with the Treasury to provide greater purchase incentives for smaller, cleaner vehicles. [156867]
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Mr. Jamieson: The Government provides a number of incentives to encourage the purchase and use of clean, low carbon vehicles. The Vehicle Excise Duty regime, for example, is structured so that those who choose the cleanest, most fuel efficient vehicles can save themselves up to £110 a year (or up to £165 if they choose a fully electric car). The new company car tax system introduced in April 2002 provides very large incentives to encourage the purchase of clean, fuel-efficient cars. Early evidence suggests that it has already had a significant impact in the company car market. And, under the Government's PowerShift programme, which is administered by the Energy Saving Trust, purchase grants are available to incentivise the market for clean, low carbon vehicles and technologies. Officials in my Department work closely with their colleagues in the Treasury and Inland Revenue on these and other transport taxation issues.
Hybrid Cars
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hybrid petrol/electric cars were sold in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997. [159314]
Mr. Jamieson: The following table, based on vehicle registration data, sets out the number of hybrid electric cars sold since 2001—the earliest year for which this data is available.
| Number of cars sold | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 568 |
| 2002 | 281 |
| 2003 | 373 |
The Government support the take-up of clean, low carbon vehicles, including hybrid electric vehicles, primarily through purchase grants and fiscal incentives, including the CO2-linked graduated Vehicle Excise Duty and Company Car Tax systems. New hybrid electric models have recently been launched, and manufacturers are predicting total sales in excess of 2,000 vehicles for 2004.
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