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9 Mar 2005 : Column 1857W—continued
London Underground
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much central Government funding was provided to London Underground in each financial year between 1997–98 and 2004–05 (a) at current prices and (b) at constant prices, separately identifying amounts provided for the Jubilee Line Extension. [220698]
Mr. McNulty
[holding answer 7 March 2005]: The following tables set out:
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(a) For the period up to July 2003, the amounts London Underground (LU) received from the London Regional Transport (LRT) grant. (Up to July 2000, when Transport for London was established, a single grant was paid to LRT to support LU, buses, river services, Croydon Tramlink, etc, and the Department's estimates do not record a separate element for LU. Between July 2000 and July 2003, the grant provided to LRT was only for LU.)
(b) For the period since July 2003, the element of GLA transport grant the Government have identified as being for London Underground. (The GLA transport grant is paid as a single block, and it is for the Mayor to determine LU's budget).
1 Source: London Underground accounts for 1997–98 to 2003–04.
2 In 2001–02, LRT spent £24 million on re-structuring and re-organising LT Group.
3 In 2003–04, the grant for LU was paid to LRT until July 2003 with the balance of £346 million being paid as part of the GLA Transport Grant from August 2003.
4 The element of the GLA transport grant identified by Government for London Underground.
(24) Constant 2003–04 prices—HMT GDP Deflator
Motorcycling Strategy
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation the Government conducted with organisations or interests other than motorcycle users and manufacturers prior to publishing its recent motor cycling strategy; and what responses it received. [220846]
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Mr. Jamieson: When developing the National Motorcycling Strategy, the Government took account of the views of the Advisory Group on Motorcycling. This Group represented motorcycling interests, motoring organisations, local government and the police.
The Strategy is a framework for motorcycling to become fully recognised as a mode of transport. It embraces a whole range of actions both for government and non-government organisations to pursue in order for this mainstreaming" of motorcycling to be successfully achieved. Consultation with both motorcycling interests and other affected parties will take place, where necessary, as these specific actions are taken forwards.
Motorway Speed Limits
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under whose authority temporary speed limits on motorways are imposed when roadworks are taking place; and what criteria are used to decide the level of the speed limit. [220457]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 8 March 2005]: Temporary speed limits are imposed by means of an Order made, or a Notice issued, by the Secretary of State under the provisions of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991.
The criteria for deciding the level of the speed limit are set out in the Highways Agency's Interim Advice Note 57/04, a copy of which has been placed in the House Library.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons a temporary speed limit of 40 mph was in place on the M1 motorway on the northbound carriageway south of junction 5 on 24 February; for what reasons the speed limit was set at 40 mph; and if he will make a statement. [220458]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 8 March 2005]: On 24 February, a mandatory 40 mph speed limit was in place on the Ml Motorway between Junctions 4 and 5 on both the north and southbound carriageways to protect both drivers and the workforce during road works. This had been agreed with the police.
The police set an advisory 40 mph speed limit, using the signals in the central reserve, north of the works, following a minor road traffic accident in lane 3 at 1745 hours. This was for the safety of drivers and those dealing with the incident.
Pilots (Security Clearance)
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to have an appeals system in place to review the removal of pilots' security clearance. [220347]
Charlotte Atkins: I expect the new procedure to be in place in the next few weeks.
School Buses
John Thurso:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to provide capital funding to
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local authorities for school bus schemes using accessible low floor buses fitted with satellite tracking equipment to provide services to primary schools. [220599]
Charlotte Atkins: We know that well-designed school bus schemes have the potential to reduce car dependency for journeys to school and the traffic congestion that results from this.
The Department does, from time-to-time, receive applications from local authorities for the funding of school buses as a major schemes" under the Local Transport Plan process. Each of these is considered on its merits, taking account of value for money, regional priorities and affordability. It is for the authorities to determine the precise nature of the bid based on local needs, but the Department would insist that for future schemes vehicles must be DDA compliant.
Snow Ploughs
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many snow ploughs and other snow-moving vehicles are operated by each local authority in England. [220464]
Charlotte Atkins [holding answer 8 March 2005]: This information is not collated centrally by the Department for Transport.
The Department strongly recommends that local authorities provide a winter service, including snow ploughing, in accordance with the Code of Practice for Maintenance Management Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance" published in 2001 by the Institution of Highways and Transportation. This recommends that local highway authorities consult road users on a winter operational plan on an annual basis, and publish and implement it. This plan will inform deliberations on the numbers of specialised winter maintenance vehicles required.
Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce congestion on the inter-urban trunk road network below 2000 levels will be met by 2010; [219083]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce congestion in large urban areas in England below 2000 levels will be met by 2010. [219084]
Mr. Jamieson:
The Commission for Integrated Transport and the Select Committee on Transport, Local Government and the Regions criticised the congestion PSA targets set in 2000 on the grounds that they did not relate to specific roads and were not meaningful to road users, since they did not capture important aspects of road users experience such as journey time reliability. In the light of these concerns the Government announced in the White Paper The Future of Transport" (July 2004) that it was replacing the previous targets with new ones, to be published in July 2005. In the Transport 10-Year Plan 2000: Delivering better transport—progress report" (December 2002) the Government said that congestion forecasts were higher than previously, largely due to
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higher economic growth. The report went on to say that although the measures set out in the 10-Year Plan will deliver significant reductions in projected levels of congestion, these may not be sufficient to secure a return to 2000 levels.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to secure improvements in rail punctuality will be met by 2010. [219085]
Mr. McNulty: An assessment of progress for all the Department's current public service agreement targets was published in December 2004 in our Autumn Performance Report"—copies of which were placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to improve the punctuality and reliability of rail services to at least 85 per cent. by 2006 will be met. [219087]
Mr. McNulty: This new public service agreement (PSA) target comes into effect in April 2005.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase rail use in Great Britain by 50 per cent. from 2000 levels will be met by 2010. [219088]
Mr. McNulty: An assessment of progress for all the Department's current public service agreement targets was published in December 2004 in our Annual Performance Report"—copies of which were placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents by 40 per cent. compared with the average for 1994 to 1998 will be met by 2010. [219091]
Mr. Jamieson: We are making good progress. Provisional data for the third quarter of 2004 (to end September 2004) has been published and shows continuing overall progress and trends with killed and seriously injured casualties showing a 26 per cent. reduction against the 1994–98 baseline.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured in road accidents by 50 per cent. compared with the average for 1994 to 1998 will be met by 2010. [219092]
Mr. Jamieson: Provisional data for the second quarter of 2004 (to end June 2004) shows that we are making excellent progress. By the end of June 2004, child deaths or serious injuries were down 40 per cent. from their baseline; over three-quarters of the way towards our 50 per cent. target.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target to reduce
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the significantly higher incidence within disadvantaged communities of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents. [219093]
Mr. Jamieson: The target is to secure a greater reduction in the overall number of road casualties in the 88 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Areas in England designated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, than for England as a whole, comparing the figure for 2005 with the baseline for 1999 to 2001. Latest data for 2003 show there has been a greater reduction, since the baseline, in the number of road accident casualties in disadvantaged districts than in England as a whole (10.6 per cent. reduction in deprived districts compared with 9.0 per cent. nationwide).
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target to improve air quality by meeting the National Air Quality strategy objectives for carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particles, sulphur dioxide, benzene and 1,3-butadiene. [219094]
Mr. Jamieson: Preliminary results show that, last year, we met the four Air Quality Strategy objectives in the public service agreement target for carbon monoxide, benzene, 1.3-butadiene and lead. Objectives for particles and sulphur dioxide, due to be met last year, have not yet been achieved in every part of the country.
Modelling shows that more work will be needed if we are to meet future objectives for nitrogen dioxide and particles in all parts of the country. We are reviewing the Air Quality Strategy and the Climate Change Programme to see what more can be done to make faster progress. At the same time, we are taking forward initiatives announced in the Future of Transport White Paper. These include working with our European partners to develop tighter standards for both vehicles and fuels, and ensuring that local authorities' Air Quality Action Plans are integrated into their Local Transport Plans in areas where transport has a significant impact on local air quality.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010 will be met. [219095]
Mr. Jamieson: Recent assessments are that the Government will meet their target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. on base year levels by 2010. Indeed, they expect to do considerably better. The UK is currently on track to achieve a 21 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, thereby achieving more the target by 17 MtC.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target of moving towards a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010. [219096]
Mr. Jamieson:
Recent progress on policies and other programmes to reduce emissions from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the transport sector
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and other sectors was published in Review of the UK Climate Change Programme: consultation paper" on 8 December 2004.
Examples of measures which have led to reductions in carbon emissions from the transport sector include the Government's support for low carbon vehicles and fuels through fiscal and other incentives and support for research, development and demonstration programmes such as the New Vehicle Technology Fund. Policy measures in the transport sector alone are forecast to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by some 4.4 million tonnes of carbon a year by 2010.
The Government expect that, as a result of their policies, carbon dioxide emissions will fall. In 2003, they are estimated to have been about 7 per cent. below 1990 levels. By 2010, they are forecast to be 14 per cent. below 1990 levels based on current projections. This figure includes only the estimated emission reductions gained from measures that are firm and funded. It does not include, for example, measures that may happen but are not yet finalised, such as a possible further round of voluntary agreements on average new car fuel efficiency between the European Commission and the automotive industry after the current agreements expire in 2008.
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