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Small Petrol Engine Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are planned to reduce emissions from small petrol engines, including lawnmowers. [192310]

Mr. Jamieson: Emissions from new equipment, including lawnmowers, powered by small petrol engines under 19kW engine power are regulated by the Non-Road Mobile Machinery (Emission of Gaseous and Particulate Pollutants) Regulations 2004 (S.L 2004 No. 2034). These Regulations transpose EU Directive 2002/88/EC into UK law and take effect for new engines being placed on the market from 11 February 2005. The Regulations also apply a second stage of more stringent standards that will take effect for most engines by 1 February 2009, the actual date dependent on engine size.

A303

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to construct a bypass for the village of Chicklade on the A303(T) in Wiltshire. [191770]

Mr. Jamieson: The bypass of Chicklade forms part of the Chicklade Bottom to Mere scheme on the A303 and is one of a number of strategic highway schemes currently being considered for entry into the Targeted Programme of Improvements.

A36

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the (a) planned and (b) actual completion dates were of the works at Skew Bridge on the A36(T) west of Salisbury; what the (i) estimated and (ii) out-turn costs were; and if he will make a statement; [191760]

(2) what the causes were of the delay to the completion of the Skew Bridge project on the A36(T) west of Salisbury. [191765]

 
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Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 5 July 2004, Official Report, column 494W. The works at Skew Bridge on the A36 were expected to be complete by 9 March 2004. The works were actually completed on 30 September 2004.

The contract was let for the estimated cost of £2.51 million. The out-turn costs have yet to be determined as the final account has not yet been agreed.

A66

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Department has to build a road across Curwen Park in Workington at the western end of the A66. [191939]

Mr. Jamieson: The Department has no plans for a new road across Curwen Park, in Workington.

Any proposals for improvements to local roads, outside the trunk road network, are the responsibility of Cumbria County Council.

Air Quality (Aircraft Cabins)

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken, since 1997, to ensure that health risks arising from contaminated cabin air in BAE 146 aircraft are fully and independently investigated. [191635]

Charlotte Atkins: The Civil Aviation Authority on the basis of a thorough, independent study has investigated the safety risks associated with contaminated cabin air in BAE 146 aircraft. The Aviation Health Unit, which is funded by the Department, is currently looking into the potential long term health risks associated with contaminated cabin air.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the EU Ideal Cabin Environment project, due to start in 2005, will examine the issue of contaminated aircraft cabin air; and if he will make a statement. [191636]

Charlotte Atkins: The proposed EU Ideal Cabin Environment Project is likely to focus on cabin air pressure and is not expected to include the issue of cabin air quality.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has investigated the issues raised by the British Airline Pilots Association in relation to the Civil Aviation Authority Cabin Air Quality paper of 2004; and if he will make a statement. [191637]

Charlotte Atkins: Following representations made to the Department by the British Airline Pilots Association, its Aircraft Environment Task Group has been invited to present a paper on cabin air quality to the Aviation Health Working Group at its meeting on 27 October 2004.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to investigate the differences between Civil Aviation Authority mandatory occurrence reports and British Airline Pilots Association survey results concerning contaminated cabin air quality incidents in UK aircraft. [191638]

 
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Charlotte Atkins: The Civil Aviation Authority compared the British Airline Pilots Association survey results with its mandatory occurrence reports. Much of the survey data related to low level events, often with inconclusive connections to contaminated air. Inclusion of the survey data in the Authority's database would not have advanced or improved the formal intervention action taken to mitigate the threat to safety posed by impairment of pilot performance through exposure to contaminated air. BALPA's data aligns with the CAA's assessment that there is a downward trend in the number of air contamination events now being reported.

Ambulance Service

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of publicly-owned ambulances in England are Mercedes Sprinters; and if he will make a statement. [191793]

Mr. Jamieson: Information available from the DVLA record does not distinguish whether a vehicle was publicly owned. At the end of June 2004, there were 10,264 ambulances registered to keepers in England which were not private individuals, of which 1,024 (10.0 per cent.) were Mercedes Sprinters.

Crossrail

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what he expects the total cost of the Crossrail project to be; what percentage will be provided by (a) the Government and (b) private finance; and what form the private finance will take; [191463]

(2) how much funding the Government plans to give to the Crossrail project over the next five years. [191465]

Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement on Crossrail that the Secretary of State for Transport made on 20 July 2004, Official Report, column 23WS, and to the written answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Withington (Keith Bradley) on 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1383W.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria will be set for the compulsory purchase of land for the Crossrail scheme. [191467]

Mr. McNulty: The criteria will be defined in the Crossrail Bill.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much land which is not part of the rail network he expects Crossrail to need to acquire in order to complete the project. [191468]

Mr. McNulty: No figures are readily available and to obtain them would involve disproportionate cost. The land required to construct Crossrail will be included in the Crossrail Bill.

Dartford Crossing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) total toll revenue, (b) total operating cost and (c) surplus for the Dartford Crossing was in its last year of operation for which figures exist. [190730]

 
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Mr. Jamieson: Subject to verification by the Comptroller and Auditor General, the outturn for the year ended 31 March 2004 in respect of the Dartford Crossing was:

	£ million
(a) Road user charges	69.1
(b) Operating costs	14.6
(c) Surplus	54.5

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will use part of the operating surplus from the Dartford Crossing to create a new access road for Canvey Island; and if he will make a statement. [190731]

Mr. Jamieson: The Secretary of State has no such plans.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the use of the surplus from the operation of the Dartford Crossing. [190732]

Mr. Jamieson: The Secretary of State has received numerous representations regarding the use of net income from charging at the Dartford Crossing. All income from charging at the Dartford Crossing is taken into account in the funding for the 10-year plan.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the operating surplus from the Dartford Crossing for the current year; and what uses will be made of the surplus. [190733]

Mr. Jamieson: Estimated total income from charging at the Dartford Crossing for the current year (2004–05) is £69 million. Operational costs are estimated to be approximately £17 million. All income from charging at the Dartford Crossing is taken into account in the funding for the 10-year plan.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles per day on average use the Dartford crossing. [190734]

Mr. Jamieson: The average daily traffic volume is 149,000. This figure is the average for the period between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 for vehicles travelling both northbound through the tunnels and southbound over the bridge.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what safety rating is given to the Dartford Tunnel crossing; and if he will make a statement; [190735]

(2) what plans he has to improve safety of the Dartford Tunnel crossing. [190736]

Mr. Jamieson: The safety of tunnel users is the Highways Agency's primary consideration and the Dartford tunnels are kept under continual review in accordance with the relevant standards for design and operation. There is no formal system for rating the safety of UK road tunnels.

The agency has commissioned a study to assess what work may be required for the Dartford tunnels to comply with the EU Directive on safety in Road Tunnels, published earlier this year. This study is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.
 
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