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20 Oct 2004 : Column 688W—continued

Green Ministers

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers were attended by the Department's Green Minister in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [190856]

Charlotte Atkins: As my Department's Green Minister, I am a member of ENV(G) Committee.

It has been established practice under successive Governments not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees. This practice is now formalised by Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
 
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Journeys (Alternative Transport)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of journeys in (a) England, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the City of York were taken by (i) walking, (ii) bicycle, (iii) private vehicle, (iv) bus, (v) other public road vehicle, (vi) rail and (vii) other means at the latest date for which figures are available. [192420]

Charlotte Atkins: The National Travel Survey provides the data requested for 2002–03 shown in the following table for the main method of transport used for residents of (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber. Data are not available for residents of York.
Percentage/trips

2002–03Yorkshire and the HumberEngland
Walk2524
Bicycle12
Private vehicle6665
Local bus66
Other public road vehicle11
Rail(1)—1
Other means(1)—1
All modes100100


(1) Negligible (less than half the final digit shown).

Leeds Tram Network

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed tram network in Leeds. [191448]

Mr. McNulty: The Secretary of State announced on 20 July 2004 that the current proposal for the proposed tram system in Leeds can no longer be approved, on the basis of cost escalation. The scheme was originally approved for government funding in March 2001. The public sector contribution was capped at £355 million (present value), however the estimated costs increased to more than £500 million. The promoters are now developing revised options and the Department for Transport has been assisting them in that work.

M1

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason all lanes on the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway other than the hard shoulder were closed on the evening of 30 September between junctions 24 and 25; why such closure was allowed to take place before midnight; when he expects this stretch of motorway to be free of roadworks; and if he will make a statement. [192271]

Mr. Jamieson: On the 30 September 2004 the northbound carriageway of the M1, between Junctions 24A and 25, was closed and the hard shoulder opened to traffic to enable essential maintenance works to be carried out to the River Trent bridge. The work required was extensive and took place from 27 September for five nights between the hours of 2200 and 0500, in order to avoid peak periods and minimise disruption to road users.
 
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This stretch of motorway is currently free from roadworks. Routine maintenance will be undertaken as required.

The closure was facilitated under the provisions of a temporary Traffic Regulation Order and there was advance publicity in local newspapers and on the Highways Agency's website.

Ministerial Expenses

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [191396]

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport has no residential properties used by Ministers or officials.

Railways

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by the Strategic Rail Authority on running the South Eastern franchise; and how much expenditure is projected for future years. [192229]

Mr. McNulty: In the period from taking over the South Eastern franchise in November 2003 until the end of September 2004 the cost of the franchise was £85.6 million and the estimated expenditure for the period October 2004 to the end of March 2005 is £41.4 million. The budget beyond that has not yet been formulated.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the rail passenger partnership schemes put forward to the Strategic Rail Authority (a) which have not been given funding approval and (b) in which construction has not taken place, broken down by (i) year of submission and (ii) cost of scheme. [192239]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not readily available in the form requested. The following table lists the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme proposals that have been rejected since 1999.

The bidding process is often iterative—involving detailed project development between the Strategic Rail Authority and the project sponsors—and it would therefore be difficult to be consistent about the exact date on which the submission of the scheme was formalised. Similarly it is difficult to provide final cost estimates for schemes as this would only be quantifiable when a project had reached the contractualisation stage.

Schemes might be rejected for a number of reasons including failure to meet the SRA's value for money and affordability criteria or failure to secure adequate third party sponsorship.

Rejected Rail Passenger Partnership Schemes


 
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