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TRANSPORT

Anonymous Tip-offs

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases raised through anonymous tip-offs in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003 were referred to the police for further investigation. [164479]

Mr. Jamieson: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency has not had any cases of anonymous tip-offs in the South East that have resulted in a police investigation.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many successful cases were brought against transport companies in Sittingbourne and Sheppey as a result of anonymous tip-offs in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. [164480]

Mr. Jamieson: Neither VOSA or The Office of the Traffic Commissioner in the South East holds a record of the number of successful cases that were brought against companies as the result of an anonymous tip-off.

Buses

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on modernisation of bus fleets under his bus strategy. [164839]

Dr. Howells: Continuation of the currently high levels of investment by the bus industry in new, modern accessible vehicles is an important part of encouraging bus use and improving local transport provision.

We agreed targets in 2002 with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents the vast majority of bus operators in the UK, for reducing the average age of the bus fleet and for increasing the accessibility of vehicles.

The CPT has committed its members in Great Britain to a target which aims to achieve and maintain an average fleet age of eight years for their vehicles which are mainly used for local bus services, during the period up to 2010. The latest available figure shows an average vehicle age of 7.5 years.

We are also tracking the proportion of full size bus fleet that is fully accessible, the aim being to ensure that 50 per cent. of vehicles are fully accessible by 2010. The latest available figure shows that 29.3 per cent. of the full size bus fleet currently meet these requirements.

Crossrail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the viability of the proposal to extend Crossrail to Kingston via Richmond. [164492]

Mr. McNulty: The Crossrail proposals submitted by Cross-London Rail Links Ltd. (CLRL) include a branch to Kingston. The Review set up by my right hon. Friend under the chairmanship of Adrian Montague has necessarily considered this branch as part of its

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assessment of the overall deliverability of the proposed team. My right hon. Friend is currently considering the Review Team's findings, which will be published in due course.

Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicles equipped with cameras are used by or on behalf of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency for the purpose of recording untaxed car use; what the total cost has been of such vehicles and equipment; and upon what basis decisions are made concerning their deployment. [165190]

Dr. Howells: DVLA has 15 automatic number plate reader (ANPR) vans—12 in the UK and three in Northern Ireland. These units have been in operation since October 2001. They are equipped with cameras used to detect unlicensed vehicles on the public road. The annual running cost is approximately £1.2 million.

These vehicles are deployed throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. They work closely with the police on joint operations to target areas of high VED evasion and are also involved in DVLA publicity campaigns. DVLA has a program of campaigns which cover all areas of the UK over an 18 month period.

In addition to DVLA's own vehicles police automatic number plate reader cameras are used to identify unlicensed vehicles. This initiative, named Project Laser, was launched in June 2003 and currently involves 23 police forces in the UK.

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, by county, the areas in which motor vehicles equipped with cameras used by or on behalf of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency for recording untaxed car use have been deployed during the last 12 months. [165192]

Dr. Howells: DVLA's Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) vehicles are deployed throughout the UK and Northern Ireland to target areas of high vehicle excise duty evasion. They work closely with the police on joint operations and are also involved in DVLA publicity campaigns. DVLA has a programme to cover all areas of the UK.

In addition to the DVLA's own vehicles police automatic number plate reader cameras are used to identify unlicensed vehicles. This initiative, named Project Laser, was launched in June 2003 and involves 23 police forces in the UK. This operation also covers large areas of the UK.

Electronic Vehicle Licensing System

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the original targets for the implementation of the Electronic Vehicle Licensing System were; and what the current forecast is; and if he will make a statement. [164617]

Mr. Jamieson: The original target for implementation of the Electronic Vehicle Relicensing system was February 2004. This target was achieved on 18 February when the first customers used the telephone and internet to purchase their vehicle licence. The service also gives customers the opportunity to make a Statutory Off

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Road Notification (known as SORN) using the electronic channels. This service is being introduced in a phased approach, customers will be notified when they are eligible to use the service through their Vehicle Licence Application form.

Eurostar (Near Collision)

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the near collision of two Eurostar trains on 23 March. [164430]

Dr. Howells: Network Rail are undertaking a full internal investigation into an incident involving two Eurostar trains which occurred on 22 March. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be reviewing Network Rail's report on the incident. The HSE advise that one train was stationary at a signal and the other was travelling at very low speed.

Heavy Goods/Public Service Vehicles

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many routine vehicle checks were carried out on (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) public service vehicles on road freight transport operators' premises in each of the last 10 years. [163836]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of roadworthiness fleet checks carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (formerly the Vehicle Inspectorate) on heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles in each of the last 10 years is shown in the following table:

Roadworthiness fleet checks

Vehicle category	HGV	PSV
2002–03	26,487	4,499
2001–02	25,500	4,661
2000–01	39,260	5,197
1999–2000	39,048	5,298
1998–99	39,425	5,759
1997–98	45,170	6,439
1996–97	44,520	7,112
1995–96	48,749	6,800
1994–95	50,942	6,804
1993–94	57,869	8,123

Note:

The figures for HGV include checks carried out on trailers.

The reduction in the number of checks carried out in more recent years reflects a change of focus by VOSA on the way its activities are undertaken. Through better data analysis and more effective targeting, VOSA activities increasingly focus on the value of the activity in terms of improving road safety and environmental protection rather than the pure number of inspections.

Jubilee Line

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the British Transport Police were called to the incident involving a train radio fault on the Jubilee Line on 27 March. [165097]

Mr. McNulty: This is an operational matter for London Underground, who since last July have been part of Transport for London. I understand from London Underground that while British Transport

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Police (BTP) were made aware of the technical fault with the Jubilee Line radio system on 27 March, there was no need for the BTP to attend.

Litterbugs

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many successful prosecutions were carried out against passengers for dropping litter on (a) trains and (b) buses last year. [165151]

Mr. McNulty: The British Transport Police have advised me that there were no successful prosecutions against passengers dropping litter on trains during 2003. Two people were successfully prosecuted for littering offences on railway stations. Information on prosecutions for dropping litter on buses is not collected centrally.

M6

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether funding was provided for the signage for the M6 toll motorway by the CAMBRA construction consortium. [164946]

Mr. Jamieson: Funding for the signage of the M6 Toll and its approaches was provided by Midland Expressway Ltd. Signing within local town centres indicating routes to the toll road was paid for by the relevant local authorities.

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether funding was provided for the signage for the M6 toll motorway by (a) Midland Expressway Ltd., (b) his Department, (c) the Highways Agency and (d) a combination of public and private finance. [164673]

Mr. Jamieson: Funding for the signage of the M6 Toll and its approaches was provided by Midland Expressway Ltd. Signing within local town centres indicating routes to the toll road was paid for by the relevant local authorities.

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