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A46/M5/M50/A40

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Highways Agency is not holding public meetings in Droitwich and Worcester as part of its consultation on the A46/M5/M50/A40 route management study. [181734]

Mr. Jamieson: In deciding where to hold exhibitions the Highways Agency considers the resources required against the likely level of response. Where sections of motorway are involved there is generally a much better response to information leaflets and questionnaires than to exhibitions. These are used where the route passes through communities.

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is being invited to participate in the Highways Agency's consultation on the A46/M5/M50/A40 route management strategy; and how the consultation is being publicised. [181737]

 
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Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency is consulting both interested authorities and individuals who live near or use the A46, A40 trunk roads, the M5 (Junctions 5–9) and the M50, for their views on its proposed Route Management Strategy (RMS).

The consultation process has been publicised through a wide variety of media and communications outlets, including leaflets and questionnaires.

Airport Security

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what promotional material relating to airport security was prepared by his Department, its predecessors and agencies and offered for potential broadcast (a) on TV, (b) on radio and (c) in cinemas since 11 September 2000; what has been broadcast by whom and when; which (i) programmes, (ii) companies and (iii) organisations have refused to broadcast such material; and if he will make a statement. [180844]

Mr. McNulty: The Department has not produced any promotional material relating to airport security for potential broadcast on TV, radio and in cinemas. Airports/airlines however have provided passengers with information on security related issues, for example, items that are not allowed in hand luggage.

Aviation Fuel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the annual (a) tonnes of aviation fuel consumed and (b) carbon emissions resulting from the circling of aircraft over London while in holding patterns. [182241]

Mr. McNulty: Assessments of this nature tend to be undertaken at the international level on account of the structure of the industry. The IPCC Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999) noted that enhanced air traffic management had the potential to lead to a global fuel saving of between 6 per cent. and 12 per cent. of total fuel consumption. Estimates of fuel savings include inefficiencies linked to airspace structure and current management practices as well as the more local phenomenon of holding due to airport congestion. Implementation of the EC Single European Sky initiative, which came into force on the 20 April 2004, should lead to more direct routing and consequential fuel savings, estimated to be of the order of 10 per cent. The UK has also supported the production and promulgation of guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organisation entitled Operational Opportunities to Minimise Fuel Use and Reduce Emissions (Circular 303, February 2004).

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether (a) he and (b) other EU member states raised, at the Transport Council on 11 June (i) taxation options for aviation fuel and (ii) an emissions trading regime for aviation. [182243]

Mr. McNulty: These issues were not discussed at Transport Council on 11 June. However, emissions trading is under active consideration at official level, and we will be working at all levels over the coming months to promote the Government's policy on this subject.
 
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British Transport Police

Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will propose legislation to extend permanently the jurisdiction of the British Transport Police. [181331]

Mr. McNulty: With effect from 1 July 2004, the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 provides the British Transport Police with a wholly statutory jurisdiction over railway property throughout Great Britain. It provides BTP constables with all the powers and privileges of a Home Office police constable when they are on the railways. The Act also provides for BTP's jurisdiction to extend outside railway property on all matters connected to the railways.

The British Transport Police also have jurisdiction outside the railways on non-railway matters. This jurisdiction is provided by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. This Act allows a British Transport Police officer to act as a constable anywhere in Great Britain when asked for assistance by a local police officer, or in an emergency. The Government has welcomed the endorsement of the provisions that extend BTP's jurisdiction in limited circumstances by the Privy Counsellor Committee which reviewed the Act. At this time, the Government does not consider it necessary to introduce any further legislation in respect of BTP's jurisdiction but, as recommended by the Committee, the Government is content to revisit, the BTP provisions in the Act when a suitable legislative vehicle becomes available.

Bus Sector

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken since October 2003 to disseminate good practice in the bus sector to (a) individual authorities, (b) bus companies, (c) regulators and (d) professional and trade bodies, including trade unions; what the (i) cost and (ii) means of dissemination were; what assessment has been made in each case; and if he will make a statement. [180818]

Mr. McNulty: Publications since my Written Answer to the hon. Member for Bath (Don Foster) on 28 October 2003, Official Report, columns 142–43W, include the following:

(a) "Rural Bus Service Provision", drawing on experience with Rural Bus Grant and the Rural Bus Challenge, and aimed at local authority officers and elected Members, transport operators and other local interest groups;

(b) "Protecting bus and coach crews", which advises bus drivers and crews, operators and local authorities on measures they can take to reduce the incidence and fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in bus travel;

(c) "Ticketing templates". On behalf of the Bus Partnership Forum, the Department has published models of multi-operator ticketing agreements based on ones that have been approved by the Office of Fair Trading, with the aim of encouraging other such agreements being made.

The guidance on local authority procurement of local bus services, referred to in the previous answer, is still in preparation.

The Department intends to publish guidance later this year on applications by local authorities for quality contracts schemes under the Transport Act 2000 and is about to consult on a draft of this guidance.
 
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In April 2004 the Government announced the award of Beacon Council status to six local authorities under the theme of Better Local Public Transport. Each of the six authorities has demonstrated excellence in improving public transport in its area, and partnership working with local bus operators accounts for a large part of this. The six authorities are undertaking a series of events with the support of the Improvement and Development Agency specifically designed to enable them to spread their good practice to other authorities. The first of these events, at which I will be speaking, is a National Learning Exchange on 14 July.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to promote the use of quality bus partnerships and corridors; and if he will list the (i) local authorities and (ii) bus companies involved in quality bus partnerships and corridors, (A) number of passengers carried (1) before and (2) after implementation, (B) number of services run and (C) length of the schemes involved. [180819]

Mr. McNulty: I regularly encourage local authorities and bus companies to work together in partnership and am pleased that the majority of local transport authorities in England are involved in one or more voluntary quality bus partnership agreements. Many such agreements comprise one or more bus corridor improvements. Because these agreements are voluntary there is no requirement to report them and the comprehensive information requested is not available. Local transport in Wales and Scotland is a matter for the devolved Administrations.

The Department provides funding to English local authorities for bus priority measures such as quality bus corridors. Funding provided in 2003–04 was forecast to deliver over 1,300 kilometres of improved bus routes in that year.

In September 2003 the Bus Partnership Forum published an information pack "Bus Priority: The Way Ahead" to help local authorities get the most out of bus priority measures including bus corridors. Further leaflets are being produced to be added to this pack and will be published within the next few months.

Research shows that quality partnership schemes typically increase bus patronage by between 5 per cent. and 20 per cent. within the first 12 months of operation. These schemes also contribute towards modal shift, with surveys showing that around 33 per cent. of new users had previously undertaken their journey by car.

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