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23 May 2005 : Column 9W—continued
M5 (Junction 14)
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of the recent works by the Highways Agency to Junction 14 on the M5; at what times of day the newly-installed traffic lights will be in service; and if he will make a statement. [648]
Dr. Ladyman: The current cost of the works to Junction 14 on the M5 is £698,869. The lights were installed because of concerns over accidents. They are in service all day apart from between 07.30 and 09.00 Monday to Friday when they are switched off to reduce traffic queuing on the B4509. Monitoring of traffic queues will continue on a regular basis and, if found to be appropriate, the Highways Agency will adjust the timing of the lights.
Motorways (Speed Limits)
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of an increase in the speed limit on motorways. [476]
Dr. Ladyman:
The last assessment of the possible effects of raising the motorway speed limit was conducted in 2001. This concluded that to raise the motorway speed limit would run too great a risk of increasing accidents and casualties. However, the Department will continue to keep the motorway speed limit under review to ensure it remains appropriate.
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Motorways/Flyovers (Aesthetics)
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy on the development of aesthetics in the design of motorways and flyovers. [491]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport and the Highways Agency's policy and guidance on the development of aesthetics in the design of motorways and flyovers is set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.
Advice specifically for designers of structures is found in Volume 1 in a guidance document titled "The Design and Appearance of Bridges". Volume 10, The Good Roads Guide, is a series of advice notes that encourages the design team to seek to integrate the highway and its structures and earthworks with the landscape and to respect the special character of each individual location.
Complimentary to these volumes is the Highways Agency publication 'The Appearance of Bridges and Other Highway Structures'. This book provides guidance that helps to ensure that all aspects of visual excellence are considered and achieved in bridge building as well as in the design and provision of tunnels, retaining walls and associated lighting and signs.
Northern Distributor Road
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the schedule for completion is for the Northern Distributor Road around Sittingbourne. [417]
Ms Buck: You will be aware that in December 2004 Kent county council was given provisional approval for the Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road. The provisional approval, of £29 million towards the total scheme cost of £43 million, is subject to a number of provisions. Those provisions are:
Subject to these conditions being met, final approval will be determined at ministerial level in due course.
Subject to such approval, Kent county council intends that work would begin on the scheme in the financial year 2007–08, with completion scheduled for 2009–10.
In line with the requirement for the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, Kent county council's planning committee will consider a planning application associated this scheme on 14 June 2005.
Potters Bar Derailment
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce his decision on whether to hold a public inquiry into the Potters Bar derailment. [108]
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Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State expects to be in a position to decide whether to hold a public inquiry into the Potters Bar derailment once the Crown Prosecution Service has decided whether to bring prosecutions.
Railways
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on through services between London Paddington and all stations west of Maidenhead of the loss of two lines to Crossrail services. [211]
Derek Twigg: During normal hours of operation Crossrail will operate on the northern pair of lines, known as the relief lines. This will not affect the southern pair of lines, known as the main lines, on which longer distance services operate to destinations such as Cheltenham, Worcester, Hereford, Bristol, Swansea and Penzance.
Crossrail services will start and terminate at Maidenhead. There will be capacity for other operators to provide services from Paddington Main Line station to local stations west of Maidenhead.
Road Humps
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have taken place over the last 12 months with EU countries on design and effectiveness of road humps. [408]
Dr. Ladyman: There have been no discussions with EU countries over the last 12 months about the design and effectiveness of road humps.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the merits of the design of the cushion road hump last underwent scientific testing; and what the conclusions of those tests were. [518]
Dr. Ladyman: A speed cushion was one of the hump types tested in recent research into the impact of road humps on vehicles and their occupants. The results, published in 2004, found:
no evidence of vehicle damage from repeated traverses, although some small changes in steering geometry were noted;
peak vertical accelerations (which strongly correlate to discomfort ratings) for all vehicles (including an ambulance, bus and minibus) were lower when traversing cushions than when traversing other types of hump;
no evidence that alternative hump dimensions to those currently recommended could remove any unnecessary discomfort and maintain safety objectives;
predicted spinal ligament forces were almost an order of magnitude smaller than the damage threshold for such ligaments and predicted forces transmitted through the spine were at least a factor of four smaller than those generated in discs by heavy lifting. Therefore, although it is not possible to predict the effect of such forces on people with pre-existing spinal conditions, it was considered that vehicle occupants with healthy spines were very unlikely to be injured as a result of single or repeated traversing of road humps (including cushions) constructed to recommended dimensions.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sets of cushion road humps have been installed in England and Wales. [519]
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Dr. Ladyman: Local authorities have the power to introduce speed cushions without approval from the Department. As such there are no central records which contain this information.
Roadworks
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) motorways and (b) trunk roads were affected by major roadworks on 18 May. [466]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency publishes a list of major roadworks on its website which is updated weekly. A list of those planned roadworks affecting motorways and all-purpose trunk roads on the 18 May has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Suspension Bridges
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the estimated end of life of the UK's suspension bridges. [457]
Dr. Ladyman: The design life for bridges, including suspension bridges, in the United Kingdom is 120 years, based on the assumption of regular maintenance and inspections being carried out at frequent intervals.
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