---

22 Jun 2004 : Column 1311W—continued

Private Rental Sector

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the range of options available in private sector rented accommodation in the local authority areas in which the new housing benefit rules are being tested. [179664]

Mr. Pond: The new local housing allowance is being tested in nine local authority areas, for tenants in the private rented sector. The intention is that by paying tenants a flat rate sum of money, based on family size, it will help increase the options open to tenants and provide a much clearer system from the outset for both tenants and landlords.

The nine pathfinders started between November 2003 and February 2004, and therefore it is too early to make any firm assessment about the impact on the choices made by tenants. This will be assessed by the comprehensive and independent evaluation that is in place, to consider the overall impact of the local housing allowance. The first interim evaluation report is due by early 2005.

TRANSPORT

Acoustic Barriers (M1)

10. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of acoustic barriers on the M1 near Junction 21. [179619]

Mr. Jamieson: A recent report into noise from this section of motorway confirmed that noise levels could be reduced by the installation of acoustic barriers. However, the carriageway here is nearing the time when it needs to be resurfaced and the Highways Agency considers that the use of lower noise surfacing would provide a sufficient reduction in noise levels in this location.

Strategic Rail Authority

12. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with stakeholders in Wales on the future of the Strategic Rail Authority. [179621]

 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1312W
 

Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I hosted a seminar about our review of the structure and organisation of the railway industry in Cardiff on 28 April, which the National Assembly for Wales and other Welsh stakeholders attended. We will announce the conclusions of the review in July.

Transport Connections

13. Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure that changes in the frequency of intercity rail services are accompanied by matching changes in connecting local (a) rail and (b) bus services. [179622]

Mr. McNulty: Connections between intercity rail services, local rail services and buses depend on passenger demand and operational practicability. The majority of bus services are provided on a commercial basis and the timetabling of those services is a matter for the operators.

Road Safety (Derby)

14. Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase the funding to Derby city council (a) to relieve traffic congestion and (b) to increase road safety in Derby. [179623]

Mr. Jamieson: The amount of capital transport funding which will be made available to Derby city council for the next financial year will depend upon my Department's assessment of the Derby Joint Local Transport Plan Annual Progress Report to be submitted by the Council on 30 July.

Transport (Leigh)

18. Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the need for better transport in the Leigh area. [179627]

Mr. McNulty: A general assessment of public transport need in the Leigh area is made as part of the Local Transport Plan process by the Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive. As a consequence of this notable projects are:

the £4.8 million Leigh—Bolton corridor, which has seen patronage in 2003–04 rise by 15 per cent.

the night bus services with its 1,700 passengers a week

the successfully piloted Yellow School Bus Scheme.

Transport (EU)

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed transport issues with his EU counterparts; and what subjects were discussed. [179716]

Dr. Howells: The Secretary of State last discussed transport issues with his EU counterparts at the Transport Council in Luxembourg on 11 June. Topics on the agenda for debate were: port security; sanctions for ship-source pollution offences; the Galileo satellite navigation project; charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructure; weekend lorry bans; drivers hours legislation applying to certain drivers of large commercial vehicles, and enforcement of those hours; EU/US air transport negotiations; and aviation safety standards (EU-OPS).
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1313W
 

Road Traffic Accidents

15. Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on reducing transport delays after road traffic incidents. [179624]

Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency has introduced Incident Support Units across most of the strategic road network which, with the new Traffic Officer service, will help clear blocked lanes quicker. The new National Traffic Control Centre will provide improved traffic signing and information on incidents and delays.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of road traffic accidents primarily caused by excessive speed in the last year for which figures are available. [179487]

Dr. Howells: Routine statistics do not record the primary cause of a road accident. However, under a pilot scheme 14 police forces have provided information on contributory factors to accidents. The latest year for which pilot data are available is 2002. Accidents for which "excessive speed" was deemed by the police to be one of the contributory factors, though not necessarily the primary factor, accounted for 13 per cent. of all injury road accidents recorded in the police areas taking part in the pilot scheme. The proportion of accidents where 'excessive speed' is coded as a factor rises with the severity of the accident; it applied to 12 per cent. of slight accidents, 19 per cent. of serious accidents and 30 per cent. of fatal accidents in the pilot areas in 2002.

West Coast Main Line

16. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the date of the completion of the refurbishment of the West Coast Main Line. [179625]

Mr. McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority's progress report on The West Coast Route Modernisation Scheme, published in April, said that the project (other than Stafford remodelling) is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.

National Forest Line

17. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential (a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) social benefits of the reinstatement of passenger rail services to the National Forest Line in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [179626]

Mr. McNulty: Studies by the local authority, Leicestershire county council, were carried out in the early 1990s into the National Forest Line; the "Ivanhoe Line" scheme. Passenger services on Section 1, between Leicester and Loughborough, are currently operating under a subsidy from Leicestershire county council.

A business case has not been made for the re-instatement of passenger services on Section 2, between Leicester and Burton-on-Trent, but it is likely that it will require considerable investment in infrastructure and additional subsidy to the train operator. Any appraisal will need to be considered against other priorities—and in the context of the financial constraints on the industry at the present time.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1314W
 

Road Congestion (South-east)

19. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to relieve road congestion in the South East. [179628]

Mr. Jamieson: The road programme is on track to address major bottlenecks on the strategic road network. The Traffic Management Bill will give far greater powers to the Highways Agency and local authorities to minimise the disruption caused by road works. We are also working closely with local authorities on the next five year Local Transport Plan to develop effective strategies and measures to address local congestion including the need to improve public transport and widen travel choice.

---