---

22 Jul 2004 : Column 651W—continued

Cycling

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cycle routes there are in England; and what plans his Department has to improve safety for cyclists. [182169]

Dr. Howells: Cycle routes are in the main the responsibility of local highway authorities. A cycle route will often consist of a variety of linked highways such as dedicated cycle tracks, cycle lanes on the carriageway and the use of roads designated as suitable for cycle routes. Sustrans, the Transport charity, predict that the National Cycle Network will consist of 10,000 miles by the end of 2005. In addition local authorities forecast building over 6,000 miles of new cycle lanes and cycle tracks over between 2001–02 and 2005–06.
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 652W
 

We have a safer cycling programme, which is a package of measures including improved infrastructure—better cycle routes, off road cycle tracks, cycle lanes, advance stop lines, toucan crossings etc., better driving standards by improving training and testing for motorists, and publicity aimed both at drivers and cyclists. It also covers the promotion of measures which cyclists can take to protect themselves, such as taking cycle training, making themselves conspicuous and wearing a cycle helmet.

We have also recently published an "Action Plan for Walking and Cycling", which sets out more than 40 actions from across Government to make cycling and walking easier, safer and more attractive, enabling people to get around more by foot and by bicycle. One of the actions will be to fund new sections of the National Cycle Network to link with existing safe cycling and walking routes to schools.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many footpaths and footways had their status formally changed in each of the past three years in order to allow cyclists to use them legally. [181684]

Dr. Howells: The conversion of footways (the pavement) under the Highways Act 1980 is a local highway authority function in which the Secretary of State has no formal role. We therefore have no details of the number of footway conversions.

Powers are available in the Cycle Tracks Act 1984 to enable local highway authorities to convert footpaths (as opposed to pavements) to cycle tracks. Only orders which are opposed by any party are referred to the Secretary of State for confirmation. Details of this subset of cases referred to the Secretary of State in each of the last three years and to date in 2004 are set out in the following table:

	2001	2002	2003	2004
Cycle track orders confirmed	4	5	1	2
Cycle track orders not confirmed	2	1	2	0
Awaiting determination	3	2	2	3
Total	9	8	5	5

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Answer of 16 June 2004, Official Report, columns 934–5W, (1) on pedestrian/cyclist accidents, what assessment he has made of (a) the problems caused by cyclists using footpaths to access destinations adequately served by cycle paths and roads and (b) the reasons cyclists do this; [181685]

(2) if he will commission research into (a) the implications of allowing cyclists to use footpaths and pavements and (b) the effects on older people of cyclists using footpaths and pavements. [181681]

Dr. Howells: The Department has not carried out any formal assessment of the problems caused by cyclists cycling illegally on footpaths and footways (the pavement) and we have no plans to commission specific research into the subject. We are however aware from our post bag that many pedestrians, particularly elderly and disabled people are concerned at the danger and inconvenience caused by cyclists who cycle illegally on footpaths and pavements.
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 653W
 

While we do not condone it, we believe that some cyclists cycle on the pavement because they feel safer there than cycling on heavily trafficked roads. We hope that as facilities for cyclists and cyclist training improve, cyclists will feel safer on the road and that the number of cyclists using footpaths and footways illegally will reduce.

Local Transport Note 2/86 (Stationery Office) concerns Shared Use by Cyclists and Pedestrians. This advises local highway authorities that such shared use facilities are not a general or area-wide remedy to cycle safety problems but should be confined to specific links in cycle routes and quiet footways along heavily trafficked roads. The guidance also advises that shared use may be unacceptable if significant use is made of a pedestrian facility by disabled, blind or partially sighted or elderly people.

Departmental Accountancy Practice

Mr. Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who the Finance Director of (a) the Department and (b) the Office of the Rail Regulator is; what accountancy qualifications each Director holds; and on how many occasions there has been a qualified opinion on (i) the resource accounts and (ii) other accounts of each in the last five years. [183420]

Mr. McNulty: The Finance Director of the Department for Transport is Mr. Ken Beeton. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. There have been no occasions on which DfT accounts have been qualified.

The Executive Director who had responsibility for finance for the Office of the Rail Regulator was Mr. Keith Webb. Responsibility for this appointment rested with the Rail Regulator. Mr. Webb did not hold an accountancy qualification. However, in line with Government Accounting, a senior manager who was a qualified accountant with 15 years post qualification experience, supported the Director and provided the appropriate level of financial advice. The new Office of Rail Regulation, which was established on 5 July 2004, will appoint a Finance Director. It does, however, have a Non-Executive Board member with responsibility for finance who is Mr. Peter Bucks.

Since April 1999, the accounts of the Office of the Rail Regulator have been qualified once. The Resource Accounts-for financial year 2002–03 were qualified. The qualification related to resource expenditure of £0.4 million in excess of the amount authorised for the Request for Resources. The cause of the excess was additional consultancy expenditure incurred on the interim review of Network Rail Access Charges not being forecast in time to secure a supplementary estimate.

Departmental Administration Costs

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total administration costs were in his Department in financial years (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98. [186078]

Mr. McNulty: Details of gross running costs for 1996–97 and 1997–98 for the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions are contained
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 654W
 
in Table 5.5 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2000–01 (Cm 4601). These figures are on a cash basis. From Public Expenditure Analyses 2001–02 (Cm 5101), Departments' administrative expenditure was reported on a resource basis, as administration costs.

Departmental Air Travel

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost of air travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain was for (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department in the latest year for which figures are available. [184533]

Mr. McNulty: Ministers use a variety of public transport services when undertaking departmental business and all ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

The majority of this Department's air tickets are booked through a centrally negotiated travel agency contract. The total cost of travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland booked through that contract in the financial year 2003–04 was £85,974.

The cost of any bookings outside the contract possibly made in the same period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Buildings

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total floor space area has been of buildings owned or leased by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each year since 1997. [185727]

Mr. McNulty: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002 and as a result the information provided relates to the period from then.

No comprehensive figures are available and to obtain them across the estate would involve disproportinate cost. The available estimate we have as at 1 April 2003 is 22,000 m ² for the central Department and 302,000 m ² for the agencies.

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of refurbishments to the fabric of buildings owned by the Department has been since May 1997. [185243]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 21 July 2004]: There have been no refurbishments to any buildings owned by the Department for transport since its inception in May 2002.

---