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21 Oct 2004 : Column 863W—continued
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take action against those drivers who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who do not take medicine which alleviates the symptoms. [192664]
Mr. Jamieson:
Attention Deficit "Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that should be reported to DVLA and is mentioned in the "At a Glance Guide to the Current Medical Standards of Fitness to Drive" in the Behaviour Disorders section. Due to the variability in the severity of the condition, each case is considered on its merits. If DVLA are not satisfied that any symptoms likely to endanger driving are controlled
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satisfactorily, a licence is refused or revoked. When drivers with mental health conditions are licensed, both the driver and the GP are sent information letters pointing out the need to notify DVLA of any deterioration in the condition during the currency of the licence.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the research being undertaken by Lancashire Police on the impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on driving standards. [192273]
Mr. Jamieson: I welcome any research relevant to road safety. Officials are discussing details of the proposed research with Lancashire Police and considering its eligibility for Department for Transport funding and its priority against other proposals. The results of any research will be considered by the Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Psychiatric Disorders and Driving.
Benfleet/Fenchurch Street Rail Service
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the change in the average time for the journey by train from Benfleet Station to Fenchurch Street. [192352]
Mr. McNulty: The Government do not collect statistics on average journey times from particular stations. However, the performance of c2c for the year to 30 June 2004 was 87.6 per cent. of services arriving on time, up from 85.9 per cent. for the year to 30 March 2004.
Buses
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new bus services have been created using funding from the bus service operators grant in each year since 2000; and how many of these ceased to operate in each of these years (a) in total, (b) broken down by region and (c) broken down by local authority area. [192194]
Charlotte Atkins: This information is not collected. Bus Service Operators Grant takes the form of a rebate of fuel duty paid in operating a local bus service. Payment of the grant is not dependent on whether the service is a new or an existing one, hence no data is collated which would enable us to differentiate. In addition, the grant is only a contribution to operating costs and, while significant, does not provide the main source of funding for services.
Information on the number of local bus routes registered with the Traffic Commissioners, and the number of registrations withdrawn each year, is published in the Commissioners' Annual Reports.
Disability Discrimination Act
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on (a) bus, (b) coach and (c) rail services in England; and if he will make a statement. [192264]
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Charlotte Atkins [holding answer 18 October 2004]: There has been significant progress in making public transport accessible to disabled people through regulations made under the Disability Discrimination Act. This has been widely welcomed by disabled people and our forthcoming Disability Discrimination Bill will further strengthen legislation in this area.
As a result of the accessibility regulations we have made, many more disabled people including wheelchair users, are now able to use public transport. Already around one third of the bus fleet used on scheduled services nationwide is accessible, rising to 90 per cent. in London, and almost 1,900 new rail vehicles have entered service which meet the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations and there will be over 700 more within the next 18 months. New coaches used on scheduled services will have to provide wheelchair access from 1 January 2005.
Drink Driving
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many road traffic accidents were caused by drink driving in each year since 1997 (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority area; [192189]
(2) how many (a) car drivers and (b) passengers died in drink driving related accidents in (i) December and (ii) January of each year since 1997 (A) in total and (B) broken down by local authority area. [192190]
Mr. Jamieson: Estimated numbers of drink drive accidents in Great Britain are calculated on a national basis and shown in the following table for years since 1997. Estimates are not made for the number of drink drive accidents in individual local authorities, nor are estimates available for drink drive casualties among different types of road user by month of the year.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2003(12) | 12,400 |
| 2002 | 13,150 |
| 2001 | 12,270 |
| 2000 | 11,800 |
| 1999 | 11,050 |
| 1998 | 10,100 |
| 1997 | 10,710 |
(12) Provisional.
Source:
Road Casualties Great Britain: 2003 Annual Report.
GNER
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much GNER has invested in York station in each year since its franchise began. [192411]
Mr. McNulty: The information is not held centrally. However, I have asked GNER to write my hon. Friend with the information.
Government Grants
Ms Buck:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which funding streams have been allocated by his Department using a funding formula which includes
21 Oct 2004 : Column 866W
rankings or scores on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000; and if he will list the amount of funding allocated in such a way (a) nationally by the Department and (b) to all Government sponsored bodies reporting to the Department. [191535]
Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport used the Index of Multiple Deprivation to inform allocations in three different programmes:
The Index was used to select 15 authorities that were targeted for funding to improve road safety in their disadvantaged areas. The 15 authorities all have wards in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards nationally. The funds for the DfT's Neighbourhood Road Safety Initiative are for a limited period of three years (2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06).
In May 2001 the Government announced that they would spend £9 million on Kerbcraft, a phased national pilot programme of child pedestrian training schemes for children aged 5–7 years old. The money is being made available to English local authorities demonstrating deprivation and a child casualty problem. The grants have been awarded in three tranches, each tranche running for a total of three years, with the final tranche ending in 2007. 103 schemes in 64 English local authorities have been selected.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation was one of the factors taken, into account in assessing bids to the three annual Urban Bus Challenge competitions held in the period 2001–03. A total of £53 million was awarded to local authorities as a result of these competitions.
No Government sponsored bodies reporting to the Department for Transport have reported the use of the Index in determining the allocation of funding.
King's Cross
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress with his review of the Northern Ticket Hall phase of the redevelopment project at King's Cross. [192196]
Mr. McNulty: The review by the Department's advisers, Mott Parsons Gibb, has been completed and Ministers are currently considering the final report.
London Transport (Olympic Bid)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to ensure that London is able to cope with the increased transport needs that a 2012 Olympics would bring. [192671]
Mr. McNulty: London 2012 will submit the bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the International Olympic Committee by 15 November. The bid will set out how transport will be provided, making the most of the 10 railway lines which will serve the site of the proposed Olympic Park, planned investment in London's transport network and additional measures to increase capacity for the Games.
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