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16 Mar 2004 : Column 172W—continued
TRANSPORT
Aviation Industry
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations the Government has made in the last year to the (a) International Civil Aviation Organisation and (b) its other member states regarding the possible removal of the exemption of aviation fuel from taxation. [158954]
Mr. McNulty: At a meeting of ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection in February 2004 the UK supported the use of economic instruments like emissions trading or charging to tackle the climate change impact of aviation. When the matter was raised formally at the ICAO 33rd Assembly in Autumn 2001, the overwhelming majority of states spoke out against the introduction of a tax on aviation fuel. The Government remains committed to finding alternative ways of applying the 'polluter pays' principle to civil aviation. Specific proposals were set out in the Future of Air Transport White Paper published on 16 December 2003.
Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects his Department to (a) commence and (b) complete its review of the security regime tailored for smaller and lighter aircraft and the airports from which they operate. [161978]
Mr. McNulty: We keep our aviation security regime under regular review, consulting with the industry as necessary. Indeed officials are meeting with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. and the aircraft operators in Glasgow today. As I said to the hon. Gentleman in my answer to his oral question on 9 March we shall consult the industry fully on proposals for a tailored regime for lighter and smaller aircraft.
Computerised MOT Test
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answers of 8 March 2004, Official Report, columns 1237–38W, on computerised MOT test, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of succession planning of this project. [161555]
Mr. Jamieson: In the event of termination, the contract with SBS provides a variety of options for transfer of key elements of the system to VOSA or a new contractor including, outright purchase, lease, replacement or alternative source. In summary these include:
- access to system hardware and accommodation;
- access to software or other licences and to sub-contracted services;
- transfer of staff.
The approach, in the event, will depend whether the affected elements are used solely for MOT Computerisation or whether as a whole, or in part, they are used to provide other services. It will also depend on the extent to which they are critical to computerisation and cannot be obtained elsewhere. Where an item itself cannot be provided, SBS has to provide replacements or appropriate alternatives.
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Container Vehicles
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how many closed container vehicles and trailers, including curtain-sided ones, (a) operating from the UK travelled to Europe and (b) operating in mainland Europe travelled to the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [160328]
Mr. Jamieson: Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is as follows.
| UK registered | Foreign registered | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 518 | 1,174 |
| 2002 | 493 | 1,290 |
| 2003 | 471 | 1,322 |
(1) Number of one-way vehicle trips.
Source:
Roll-on Roll-off goods vehicle survey: DfT.
Carbon Emissions
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the amount of carbon that will be produced by cars in each year up to 2010. [161551]
Mr. Jamieson: We estimate that in 2000, cars in England emitted 15.44 million tonnes of carbon (MtC). We expect emissions to be between 14.85 and 15.64 MtC in 2010. We do not estimate carbon emissions for each year and do not estimate emissions for the UK as a whole.
Cycle Lanes
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Crosby since 1997. [160545]
Mr. McNulty: The Department's figures extend back only as far as 1998 and cover the whole of the Sefton metropolitan borough area. Figures are set out in the following table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | 5 |
| 2001–02 | 5 |
| 2002–03 (Forecast outturn) | 4 |
| 2003–04 (Forecast) | 15 |
| Total | 31 |
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided in Chorley since 1997. [161534]
Mr. McNulty: The Department does not hold this information for Chorley borough council or for the 1997 financial year. The following table lists cycle lanes in kilometres constructed by Lancashire county council for subsequent years.
16 Mar 2004 : Column 174W
| Cycle lanes (Kilometres) | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | 30 |
| 2001–02 | 6 |
| 2002–03 | 1 |
Lime Street Station
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the latest position on improvements at Lime Street station. [161661]
Mr. McNulty: Network Rail is working with Mersey Travel and Liverpool Vision on plans to develop the station. However, since it took over responsibility for the station on 16 November 2003, Network Rail has made several improvements already, and is looking to make a number of others: these include refurbishment of the toilet facilities, improved security, including plans for a new CCTV system, and improvements to passenger announcement equipment and signage.
Railways
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government grant is being allocated to improve (a) Chorley and (b) Adlington railway stations. [161532]
Mr. McNulty: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 March 2004, Official Report, column 922W, about Chorley. There are currently no grant payments being made for improvements at Adlington station.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government grants are available to fund (a) a footbridge and (b) an underpass on railway line crossing Adlington. [161535]
Mr. McNulty: There are no Government grants available to fund a footbridge and an underpass in Adlington. However, Local Transport Plan funding may be appropriate for these proposals. The local transport authority is Lancashire county council who should be approached in the first instance with these proposals.
Road Safety
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcyclists were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured where (i) no other vehicle was involved, (ii) the motorcyclist was on a bend in the road when the accident happened and (iii) the motorcyclist was categorised as inexperienced in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [159469]
Mr. Jamieson: In accidents during 2002 where (i) no other vehicle was involved, 167 motorcyclists were killed and 1,614 were seriously injured, and (ii) in accidents where the motorcyclist was on the bend of a road when the accident happened, 230 motorcyclists were killed and 1,374 were seriously injured.
16 Mar 2004 : Column 175W
The information regarding driver/rider inexperience is not available as routine accident reports do not currently record contributory factors to accidents. But under a pilot scheme, the incidence of rider inexperience was recorded as a contributory factor in about 5 per cent. of injury accidents in 2002 where the factor which precipitated the accident was attributed to the motorcyclist.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many road traffic accidents drug taking was a contributory factor in the accident in each year since 1997. [159035]
Mr. Jamieson: The information is not available as routine accident reports do not currently record contributory factors to accidents. But under a pilot scheme, information on contributory factors to road accidents has been collected by 15 police forces. The influence of drugs was recorded as a contributory factor in about 1 per cent. of injury accidents recorded under this pilot scheme in both 2001 and 2002.
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