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Local Authority Transport Plans

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) unclaimed and (b) returned sums from each local authority's local transport plans were in the last year for which figures are available. [3384]

Ms Buck: Since April 2002 local authorities have been able to keep the single capital pot funding allocated to them for maintenance and smaller schemes. Typically we fund major schemes by 50 per cent. borrowing approvals and 50 per cent. by grant. Before prudential borrowing was introduced, the borrowing support for major schemes was provided through Supplementary Credit Approvals (SCA), and any returned SCAs were reallocated annually.

Following the introduction of prudential borrowing the Department carried out a final SCA reallocation exercise in respect of 2003–04 in August 2004. The amounts were as follows:
Final reallocation of SCAs in respect of 2003–04 amount rounded to nearest £000

Region	Authority	Scheme	Returned SCAs reallocated to the same scheme	Returned SCAs reallocated to another authority
GO-NE	Newcastle	Scotswood Road Improvement Phase III	181	—
GO-NE	Newcastle	Quayside Public Transport	1,230	—
GO-NE	Newcastle	Central Motorway East	438	—
GO-NE	Gateshead	Centrelink	2,752	—
GO-NE	Tyne and Wear PTA	For Lane Ends Interchange	23	—
GO-NE	Tyne and Wear PTA	Stephenson Link	1,397	—
GO-NE	Tyne and Wear PTA	Metro Track Dualling	—	500
GO-SE	Oxfordshire	Detrunking of the A41	1,604	—
GO-SE	Hampshire	A3 Integrated Major Public Transport Scheme	—	785
GO-SE	Kent	Fastrack Major Scheme	—	164
GO-YH	Leeds	Leeds Supertram	6,000	—
GO-NW	Salford	Cadishead Way	—	3,073
GO-EM	Derbyshire	Upper Derwent Charging Scheme	95	—
GO-East	Cambridgeshire	Fordham Bypass	186	—
GO-East	Southend	Priory Crescent	159	—
		Full reserve fed into reallocation	—	6,478
		Total	14,065	11,000

Under the prudential borrowing system a local authority is supported by the allocation of Supported Capital Expenditure (SCE). The SCAs in the final reallocation were allocated as SCEs. A local authority may carry forward unused SCEs for a reasonable period as judged by the Department.

The grant support for local authority public transport major schemes is paid through Public Transport Facilities Grant.

The latest figures available for unclaimed Public Transport Facilities Grant cover 2003–04 and are detailed as follows.
 
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Region	Local authority	Scheme	Amount allocated— rounded to (£000)	Amount claimed (£000)	Difference— unclaimed in 2003–04 (£000)
GONE	Tyne and Wear PTE (Nexus)	Tyne and Wear Track Dualling	500	155	345
GONE	Newcastle City Council	Quayside Public Transport	1,004	658	346
GONW	Greater Manchester PTA	Manchester Metrolink Phase 3	63,000	26,150	36,850
GOSE	Portsmouth CC	South Hampshire Rapid Transit	1,444	0	1,444
GOSE	Hampshire CC	South Hampshire Rapid Transit	1,217	0	1,217
GOWM	Warwickshire CC	Nuneaton Development Project	799	610	189
GONW	Greater Manchester PTA	Northern Orbital Quality Bus Corridor	1,600	712	888
GONW	Greater Manchester PTA	South East Manchester Quality Bus Network (SEMMMS)	3,000	892	2,108

M26/M20

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the study into the provision of lighting at the convergence of the M26 and M20 at junction 3 has commenced; when it is expected to be completed; and what its anticipated cost is; [4569]

(2) how many accidents there have been at the convergence of the M26 and M20 at junction 3 in each of the last 10 years, broken down by degree of seriousness of personal injury sustained. [4570]

Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency has commissioned a study into the provision of lighting at junction 3 of the M20, which will be completed later this year, at a cost of approximately £3,000.

Over the last 10 years there have been 165 accidents on the M20 starting at Trottiscliffe Road Bridge at junction 3 down to the on and off slips at junction 5. The table shows the number of accidents broken down by degree of seriousness of personal injury.
Number of accidents: Boundary at Trottiscliffe Road Bridge to junction 5 before on/off slips

	Fatal	Serious	Slight
1994	0	0	6
1995	0	1	4
1996	2	1	10
1997	0	1	7
1998	0	2	10
1999	1	0	11
2000	1	3	27
2001	2	1	20
2002	0	0	13
2003	1	4	12
2004	0	4	21
Total	7	17	141

MOT Computerisation Programme

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the introduction of the MOT computerisation programme; and what it was when the contract to run the system was awarded. [3959]

Dr. Ladyman: The original contracted date for the first MOT stations to be computerised was May 2002. MOT computerisation went live for the first garages from 18 April 2005.
 
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Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the testing of the MOT computerisation system by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and Siemens Business Systems. [3988]

Dr. Ladyman: MOT computerisation underwent three phases of test and trials; one stage of office based user acceptance testing followed by two phases trialing the system in garages. The test and trials have now concluded; the system went live on 18 April 2005.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the MOT computerisation system to be fully operational. [4009]

Dr. Ladyman: MOT computerisation began being rolled out operationally to garages on 18 April 2005.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment was made of the MOT computerisation trial at 50 garages in 2004; and what conclusions were reached. [4010]

Dr. Ladyman: The second stage of trials in autumn 2004 initially involved 37 garages. Faults were discovered that needed to be corrected and retested so the trial was extended by a further three weeks and was broadened to include 72 garages. Following completion of the extended trial it was concluded that the service should proceed to the final stage of trials which started in February 2005.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the planned installation of the MOT computerisation programme in 1,000 MOT garages is expected to be completed; when the service is due to go live; and when it will be extended to all other MOT garages. [4011]

Dr. Ladyman: MOT computerisation went live on 18 April 2005. There are currently 2,730 garages who have conducted tests using the new system. The roll out of the system to all remaining testing stations depend on continued satisfactory performance and is planned to be completed by 31 March 2006.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was at today's prices of the original contract with Siemens Business Services to run the MOT computerisation programme; when this contract was awarded; how much has been spent to date; and what estimate he has made of how much will have been spent by the time the system is operational. [4012]

 
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Dr. Ladyman: The cost of the contract with Siemens Business Services (SBS) to run the computerised MOT service is £1.09 per test at today's prices. As roll out of the system to the garages has commenced, payments to SBS have also commenced.

The MOT Computerisation Contract was awarded in 2000. Expenditure on the project to the start of rollout (18 April 2005) has been £24 million. Expenditure by the time the service is rolled out to all testing stations is estimated to be £30.5 million.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the MOT computerisation programme; and what assessment (a) has been conducted and (b) is planned of the (i) effectiveness and (ii) value for money of its implementation. [4013]

Dr. Ladyman: MOT computerisation went live in garages on 18 April 2005. To date 2,730 garages have used the new system and in excess of 340,000 tests have been recorded onto the database.
 
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A report on the effectiveness and value for money of the implementation of the service was conducted by the National Audit Office during 2004.

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