| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 Dec 2004 : Column 386W—continued
Road Furniture
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what quantity of (a) street lights and (b) other road furniture was replaced in the last year for which figures are available; what the cost of such replacement was; and what proportion of the (i) quantity and (ii) cost of such replacement was as a result of collisions on (A) Highways Agency roads and (B) local authority roads. [202769]
Charlotte Atkins: Highway maintenance, including the upkeep of street lighting, is the responsibility of local highway authorities in respect of local roads and the Highways Agency in respect of the trunk road network. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Wheel Loss
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the results of the wheel loss survey completed on 30 April 1997; and what steps have been taken in the light of these results. [201196]
Mr. Jamieson: Copies of the report have been placed in the House Library. Although the report was aimed primarily at assessing the size of the problem, it also indicated that a major contributing factor was lack of adequate maintenance and checking of wheel fixings. The then Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions issued a leaflet, in association with relevant stakeholders such as the Freight Transport Association, giving guidance on appropriate measures to reduce wheel loss. Copies of the leaflet are available in the Library. A further piece of research into the incidence of heavy goods vehicle wheel loss, commissioned by my Department, will report soon, and more work is under consideration for launch next year. In addition, there are a number of initiatives such as the Heavy Vehicle Accident Study in which wheel loss will form one of a variety of issues investigated.
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has made available to investigate incidents of wheel loss involving heavy goods vehicles. [201200]
Mr. Jamieson:
A contribution of £35,000 was made by the Department for Trade and Industry to research carried out in the late 1980s. In 1997 the then Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions prepared a report based upon surveys carried
6 Dec 2004 : Column 387W
out by the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Association of Chief Police Officers. No figures are available for this work. A new project is currently under way to update the accident statistics of wheel loss from heavy vehicles. This project is part of the present Department for Transport's wide ranging programme of research into vehicle safety which is currently valued at £7.1 million. There is not a specific sum in this budget for investigation of wheel loss incidents.
Roadworks
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which roads are being considered by the Highways Agency for treatment for non-maintenance reasons in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07. [200637]
Mr. Jamieson: It is the Government's intention to bring forward resurfacing of concrete roads ahead of maintenance need, as resources allow, as announced by the Secretary of State on 1 April 2003. The following roads are being resurfaced ahead of maintenance need in 2004–05:
In addition the following sections of concrete road are being resurfaced in 2004–05 for maintenance reasons:
It is too early to say which roads might be brought forward for resurfacing ahead of maintenance need in 2005–06 and 2006–07. The Highways Agency is currently developing its detailed programme following the spending review settlement.
Rolling Stock Companies
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his oral answer of 25 November 2004, Official Report, column 252, on the Railways Bill, if he will make a statement on the nature and purpose of the discussions under way with the rolling stock companies. [202147]
Mr. McNulty: As set out in the 'Future of Rail' White Paper, the Department for Transport is currently considering further whether and how the operation of the rolling stock market can be improved. The White Paper also said that to support this the Department would prepare a rolling stock strategy to help the industry plan more effectively.
Sheerness Port
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the Harbourmaster at Sheerness Port restricts the opening of the Kingsferry Bridge to a single lift during rush hours; and if he will make a statement. [201070]
Mr. Jamieson:
Responsibility for the operation of Kingsferry Bridge is a matter for Network Rail. The Harbour Master has no authority to restrict its opening.
6 Dec 2004 : Column 388W
Slam-door Trains
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the oldest slam-door trains have received a waiver allowing them to run beyond the statutory deadline of 31 December for removing them from the network; and when they will be replaced by new trains. [202539]
Mr. McNulty: The exemption issued by the Health and Safety Executive on 22 October does not apply to a specified number of vehicles. It says, instead, that all Mark 1 slam door trains must be removed from passenger service by November 2005. By 13 November 2004, 889 Mark 1 slam door vehicles had been withdrawn from service across the three south-of-the-Thames train operating companies, leaving another 849 available for service and covered by the exemption. We expect them all to have been removed by August 2005.
Speed Cameras
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras have been in operation in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) region and (b) class of road. [201195]
Mr. Jamieson: Cameras have been in use since the early 1990's. Prior to the start of the Safety Camera Programme in April 2000, there was no requirement for local authorities or Police authorities to report on the number or location of safety cameras. Since the Safety Camera Programme started in 2000, partnerships have been required to provide the information requested and the current Department for Transport database shows the data, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Stations (Crime)
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria stations need to meet to be designated secure stations under the Secure Stations scheme; and how much money has been spent advertising the scheme. [202767]
Mr. McNulty: The Secure Stations scheme is designed to improve and standardise good security practices at overground and underground stations. The scheme awards Secure Stations status to those stations that have worked with their local British Transport Police Crime Reduction Officer to reach specified standards in crime management, station design, station management, and passenger perceptions. Criteria covered include lighting, maintenance procedures, passenger information, incident reporting, and staff training.
Approximately £15,000 has been spent on the printing and distribution of the Secure Stations scheme guidance. The scheme is also "advertised" through various meetings, presentations, magazine articles, seminars and conferences with relevant interested parties. Accredited stations are also able to make their own advertising through local news features and their own publicity materials (eg posters, company magazines).
John Thurso:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many stations with Secure Station status have subsequently had their designation removed in
6 Dec 2004 : Column 389W
each year since the scheme's inception; and which stations have been designated secure stations under the Secure Station scheme. [202768]
Mr. McNulty: Stations are awarded Secure Stations status for a two year period once they have met the required accreditation standards on station design, station management, crime management, and passenger perceptions. There is provision for the accreditation to be withdrawn if there is a clear breach of standards during that time. No stations have breached the standards during their accreditation period.
Accredited stations can apply for reaccreditation after their two year award period has expired. As shown as follows, although a large number of stations have become reaccredited, 59 stations have not sought or achieved reaccreditation and, therefore, their accreditation status has been removed. There were two of these stations during 2000, three during 2001, 18 during 2002, 21 during 2003, and 15 during 2004.
A total of 225 stations have been accredited under the Secure Stations scheme. Of these 81 are first time accreditations, 85 have been reaccredited and 59 have lapsed. A list of accredited stations has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Approximately two thirds of all overground rail journeys and approximately one half of all London Underground journeys involve passengers starting or finishing their journeys at a Secure Station.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |