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20 Jun 2005 : Column 683W—continued
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate what percentage of road accidents in the area corresponding as closely as available to the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency involved heavy goods vehicles in 2004. [5860]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not yet available for 2004. There were five accidents involving at least one heavy goods vehicle in the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency in 2003, which is 3 per cent. of the 181 reported road accidents in Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the damage to roads caused by heavy goods vehicles. [5902]
Dr. Ladyman:
UK design and assessment loading standards for highway structures were last made to cover the effects of 40-tonne EU vehicles prior to them being permitted on UK roads from 1 January 1999. Extensive research has shown that road pavement damage is strongly influenced by axle loadings, which have not increased since that time; for an individual axle mass of 10.5 tonne, there is approximately 40 per cent. less road wear than for an axle mass of 11.5 tonnes. Thus 44 tonnes gross weight vehicles as are now permitted to operate on UK roads and mainly fitted with six axles, each with a limit of 10.5 tonnes, cause less road wear than 40 tonne vehicles operating with five axles each with an 11.5 tonne limit.
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Motorway Repairs
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance is given to contractors on motorways about the length of carriageway that should be coned off in order to achieve the optimum balance between completing road works efficiently and not increasing congestion unduly. [4989]
Dr. Ladyman: Guidance on the effects of road works and the steps that can be taken to minimise these are provided in Chapter 8 of the Department for Transport's traffic signs manual published by the Stationery Office. Specific advice is given on the maximum lengths of roadworks and the minimum distance between adjacent roadworks on trunk and principal roads. This advice is intended to provide the balance between enabling the work to be done efficiently and safely and minimising inconvenience to the public.
The Highways Agency also uses a computer based system to enable contractors to determine the potential delays caused by different layouts, so that they can be minimised.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the five miles of one of the carriageways of the M1 motorway in both directions was coned off and closed to traffic on 3 June, when work was only being carried out over a distance of 100 yards; and if he will make a statement. [4990]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency commenced major maintenance work on the M1 between junctions 29 to 30 northbound and southbound on 4 May 2005. The work is to replace worn out sections of the carriageways. The Agency is also taking the opportunity to renew central reservation safety fencing and the joints of five separate bridges that are located along the length of the traffic cones. All of this work is undertaken at night.
On 3 June, the night operations included work at all five bridge locations and safety fence works. The cones remain in place during the day because it would not be safe or practical to remove and reset the traffic cones daily, as this would be an added danger to the workforce and incur considerable costs to the project.
The traffic management layouts and works programme have been carefully designed to maximise lane availability for road users. Three lanes are maintained during peak hours in the day and two at night in both directions, while maintaining safety for the workforce and travelling public.
The work is progressing well and is on course for completion by the end of August 2005.
Off-Road Vehicle Licensing
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much surplus revenue was raised from the Statutory Off-Road Notification vehicle licensing scheme over and above the costs of administering the scheme in 2004–05. [5276]
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Dr. Ladyman: The surplus revenue from the Statutory Off-Road Notification vehicle licensing scheme in 2004–05 was £13,000.
Pedicabs
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations 2006 will apply to pedicabs; and what assessment his Department has made of whether pedicab vehicles comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; [6041]
(2) if he will meet the operators of pedicabs to discuss ways in which their vehicles can be redesigned to conform with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [6042]
Ms Buck: To the extent that pedicabs fall within the definition of taxi" as defined in the regulations, which we published in draft in November 2004, then it is proposed that they will be covered.
Accessibility regulations have not yet been made under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. When those regulations are made they will require that taxis, as defined in the Act, are subject to the accessibility requirements. We have no immediate plans to meet with pedicab operators to discuss accessibility issues.
Public Transport (Fatal Accidents)
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatal accidents there were on public transport in England in each year since 1997. [1386]
Ms Buck: The table gives number of fatalities in road accidents on buses or coaches, minibuses and taxis. These include passengers, drivers and other staff on the vehicle. They do not include casualties in accidents which occurred off the public highway, such as in bus depots. Road vehicles are recorded by construction rather than use. Bus, coach and minibus casualties in the table are not necessarily those from vehicles used for public service.
Rail fatalities are given for train accidents and accidents through movement of railway vehicles such as boarding and alighting from trains.
| Taxi | Minibus(2) | Bus or coach | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 12 | — | 14 |
| 1998 | 5 | — | 18 |
| 1999 | 10 | 15 | 11 |
| 2000 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| 2001 | 4 | 24 | 14 |
| 2002 | 6 | 7 | 19 |
| 2003 | 11 | 16 | 11 |
(2)Prior to 1999, data for minibuses were included with motor caravans.
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| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 21 |
| 1997–98 | 42 |
| 1998–99 | 32 |
| 1999–2000 | 60 |
| 2000–01 | 34 |
| 2001–02 | 26 |
| 2002–03 | 42 |
(3)Rail accidents are train accidents and accidents through movement of railway vehicles.
Race Relations
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are in place to ensure that bodies within the responsibility of his Department comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [3536]
Ms Buck: The Department for Transport is strongly committed to promoting race equality as an employer, in the services that the Department and its agencies deliver and in the policies that it develops. The Department published its Race Equality Scheme 2005–08 on 31 May 2005.
The Race Equality Scheme and the associated Action Plans for 2005–08 set out how the Department, its six Executive agencies and other organisations for which the Department is responsible, will comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
The Department monitors, analyses and publishes the outcomes of the following on an annual basis: recruitment activity including promotions; training and development; performance appraisals; discipline cases; grievance cases; and ceased employment. All the Department's functions and policies have been assessed and will continue to be assessed for their race relevance to meet the specific duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
Road Accidents
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State forTransport how many accidents occurred on the A49 between Ludlow and Shrewsbury in the last 12 months. [3654]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Severity | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Fatal | 1 |
| Serious | 2 |
| Slight | 45 |
| Total | 48 |
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