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14 Jun 2005 : Column 249W—continued
North London Line
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail journeys were made by freight trains on the North London Line in each year since 1997. [2504]
Derek Twigg: The Department does not hold this type of statistical information regarding the number of train journeys on specific lines of the rail network.
Specific inquiries of this nature should be directed to Network Rail and the train operating companies.
Park and Ride
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) new and (b) expansions of existing park and ride facilities are proposed in the most recent annual progress reports. [2170]
Ms Buck: The projected numbers of new and expanded existing schemes recorded by local authorities in the 2003–04 annual progress reports are in the table. A few authorities did not provide returns.
| New | Expansion to existing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 20 | 28 | 48 |
| 2005–06 | 32 | 25 | 57 |
| 2006–07 | 21 | 21 | 42 |
| 2007–08 | 23 | 11 | 34 |
Pedestrian Crossings
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for the claim that puffin crossings cause less vehicle delay than pelican crossings; what assessment the Department has made of which type of crossing pedestrians prefer and what guidance his Department gives to local authorities as to which system to install for newly implemented pedestrian crossings. [3724]
Dr. Ladyman:
The reduced vehicle delay at a puffin crossing is primarily a result of cancelling the call for a pedestrian stage when no pedestrians are waiting. This
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frequently occurs when pedestrians see a gap in the traffic after pressing the call button. The benefit published in the Transport Research Laboratory study, (TRL Research Report 364), was derived from observations at sites where the call cancelling facility was trialled.
Puffin crossings were developed to address the problems that pedestrians were encountering in using traditional signalled controlled crossings, including pelicans. We are currently carrying out further research to assess the operation of conversions from pelicans to puffins, including the behaviour and perception of pedestrians.
The Department issued guidance to practitioners in the form of Local Transport Notes 1/95 The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings" and 2/95—"Design of Pedestrian Crossings". These include information about both pelican and puffin crossings. They do not recommend one against the other, although they do say that it is intended that the puffin operational cycle will become the standard form of pedestrian crossing at all types of crossings.
PFI/PPP
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. [2362]
Ms Buck: The Department for Transport has awarded private finance initiative/public private partnership contracts for the following contracts. All of the projects are operational.
Quieter Road Surfaces
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the target in the 10-year plan for transport on quieter road surfaces remains a Government target. [2169]
Dr. Ladyman:
The 10-year plan for transport included an illustration of the delivery programme possible by 2010–11, given the levels of investment set out in the
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plan. Included in the illustration was the installation of quieter surfacing on over 60 per cent. of the strategic road network. The Highways Agency had surfaced approximately 27 per cent. of the network with quieter surfacing by the end of March 2005 and is currently on target to resurface 60 per cent. by the end of March 2011.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Quiet Lanes Regulations to be published. [2171]
Dr. Ladyman:
The Department for Transport expects to publish the Quiet Lanes and Home Zones Regulations in autumn 2005.
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Railways
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) incidents of and (b) prosecutions there were for (i) vandalism and (ii) trespass on rail lines by (A) adults and (B) juveniles in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [1469]
Derek Twigg: The British Transport police have provided the following table which shows the number of reported incidents of criminal damage/malicious mischief and of trespass on the railway over the last five years. There are no separate statistics for vandalism and the statistics are not available by region.
The following table shows the number of offences prosecuted for criminal damage and for railway trespass for adults and juveniles, based on the date of the offence. The British Transport police do not hold data on Scottish prosecutions.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met (a) Network Rail and (b) the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the siting of whistleboards. [4670]
Derek Twigg: There have been no meetings between Ministers at the Department, Network Rail and the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the siting of whistleboards. The railway industry has a duty under health and safety legislation to ensure that risks to those on or near railway lines are reduced. The location of whistleboards is the responsibility of Network Rail, who apply the requirements laid down by the Health and Safety Executive.
Train drivers are required to sound train horns where whistleboards are located: on the approaches to footpath crossings and at unprotected crossings, in order to alert pedestrians to approaching trains. This is an important safeguard for those using footpath and level crossings, as there have been a number of fatal accidents at such locations.
Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action is being taken to improve services on the South Wales Main Passenger Rail Service. [4040]
Derek Twigg:
The introduction of the Arriva Trains Wales Standard Pattern Timetable in December 2005 will bring a more regular, clockface timetable for services in South Wales. A 60-day consultation began on 2 June on future services in the new Greater Western franchise to run from 1 April 2006, which includes services between London and South Wales.
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Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish a timetable for the break-up of Central Trains; and which franchise he expects will then be responsible for the Derby to Matlock services. [4063]
Derek Twigg: The Strategic Rail Authority has begun informal consultation with industry stakeholders including passenger transport executives and local authorities. Specific proposals for the re-allocation of Central Trains' services to other franchises will be considered later in the year.
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