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27 Jun 2005 : Column 1273W—continued
Railways
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many community rail line designations have been made so far. [7115]
Mr. Darling: Three lines have been designated as community rail lines. These are the routes from Watford Junction to St. Albans Abbey (the Abbey line); Middlesbrough to Whitby (the Esk Valley line); and St.Ives to St. Erth (the St. Ives Bay line).
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the railway industry about the construction of increased capacity at pinch points on the network. [7117]
Mr. Darling: The Strategic Rail Authority has begun a series of route utilisation strategies (RUS) to determine the most efficient use of existing network infrastructure which will help to inform the need for future network development. Network Rail will take this work on as the SRA is wound-down under the provisions of the Railways Act 2005.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which light rail schemes his Department expects to be completed and in operation by 2010. [7119]
Mr. Darling: My Department is considering a number of new light rail scheme proposals, including extensions to existing systems. Completion and operation dates for schemes will depend on the outcomes of our consideration of these proposals.
Road Charging Research
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he commissioned his research on road charging; what the cost was of the research; whether he announced the commissioning of the research at the time it was commissioned; when he made his decisions about the use that would be made of the research; and if he will make a statement. [4974]
Dr. Ladyman: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport announced in a statement to the House on 9 July 2003 a feasibility study into the potential for road pricing in the UK. The Feasibility Study of Road Pricing in the UK was published by the Department for Transport in July 2004.
The total cost of road pricing research contracts issued between the announcement and publication of the feasibility study was £1,072,838 including VAT.
In line with its manifesto commitment, the Government are examining the potential of moving away from the current system of motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing. Further research will be undertaken in due course.
Road Pricing
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will allow a reduced rate for people with disabilities as part of his proposed road pricing system. [6282]
Dr. Ladyman:
In line with their manifesto commitments, the Government are examining the potential of moving away from the current system of
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motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing. The issue of exemptions and discounts for people with restricted mobility would need careful consideration in any scheme design.
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set up his proposed road pricing system to charge more to more heavily polluting vehicles and less to vehicles with a lower environmental impact. [6283]
Dr. Ladyman: In line with their manifesto commitments, the Government are examining the potential of moving away from the current system of motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing. For any road pricing scheme developed, we would ensure that incentives for cleaner vehicles are safeguarded in order to contribute to meeting our environmental targets.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the proposed pilot schemes for road pricing will operate; when he expects the first pilot scheme to become operational; and if he will make a statement. [5920]
Dr. Ladyman: As our manifesto promised, the Government are examining the potential of moving away from the current system of motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing. Although there would need to be one or more pilots for a future national road pricing scheme, no decisions have been made about the timing, nature or location of any such pilots. The Future of Transport" White Paper (July 2004) announced our intention to establish a Transport Innovation Fund to give incentives to develop and deploy innovative local transport packages, support innovative mechanisms which raise alternative funding mechanisms and support the funding of regional, inter-regional and local schemes that are beneficial to national productivity. Further details on the aims and operation of the Fund will be published shortly.
However, the Secretary of State has confirmed that ultimately up to £200 million a year will be made available from the Fund to support local authorities implementing innovative solutions to congestion problems in their local areas where these include demand management based on pricing.
Road Safety
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn) of 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 26W, on road safety, if he will discuss with the Highways Agency conducting further research on distraction to drivers caused by roadside advertising on motorways. [5768]
Dr. Ladyman:
It is difficult to derive a direct causal relationship between the presence of roadside advertisements and other potential distractions to road accidents because accidents do not happen very often, and when they do, are the result of a number of factors. Therefore, while the Highways Agency will continue to assess the impact and likely safety consequences of individual roadside advertisements, I do not believe that further research is likely to be any more effective in establishing such a link.
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Safety Cameras
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving (a) injuries and (b) loss of life (i) have taken place in each year since the installation of speed cameras and (ii) took place in the year before the installation of speed cameras at the site of each fixed speed camera in the Stroud constituency. [5190]
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Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not held centrally, but the Gloucestershire Safety Camera Partnership has provided the information shown in the attached table on the numbers of personal injury collisions (PICs"), and the number involving fatalities, before and after the setting up of the camera sites.
The Gloucestershire Safety Camera Partnership can be contacted via their website at www.glossafetycameras.org.uk.
(7)Including 1 fatal collision
(8)Including 1 fatal
(9)0 fatal
Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on (a) installation of new speed cameras and (b) maintenance and removal of existing speed cameras in (i) Cumbria, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) Cheshire, (iv) Greater Manchester and (v) Lancashire in the last year for which figures are available; and how much was raised in revenue by speed cameras in each area in that year. [6186]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department holds funding information for the overall operation of safety camera partnerships, and not the costs relating to the installation, maintenance or removal of camera sites. Detailed information is available from partnerships.
The Department has published on its website the audit certificates for all partnerships. The latest published information is for 2003–04 and this shows that receipts from Fixed Penalty Notices in four of these five areas are as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Cumbria | 1,618,740 |
| Cheshire | 1,803,840 |
| Greater Manchester | 2,887,080 |
| Lancashire | 5,073,600 |
Merseyside joined the safety camera programme on 1 April 2005, so no historic information is available for that partnership.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which 20 speed camera sites have generated the largest income from fines. [7108]
Mr. Darling: The Department's information on fines following offences detected by safety cameras relates to the totals for safety camera partnerships, and not to individual camera sites. Information on the total fine receipts and number of fines for each partnership for the latest audited year 2003–04 is available on the Department's website of responses to Freedom of Information requests.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fixed speed cameras have been installed in the last six months. [7109]
Mr. Darling: In the six months to 31 May 2005, 54 fixed speed camera sites—approved as part of operational cases submitted by partnerships in 2004–05 or earlier —have been installed by partnerships in England and Wales.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of speed cameras are non-operational at a given time. [7111]
Mr. Darling:
Forces' enforcement strategies and the detailed deployment of speed camera equipment between camera sites are police operational matters, and the Department does not hold information on this.
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Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras are installed on roads. [7112]
Mr. Darling: The latest information, as held by the Department, was provided in the answer of 9 June 2005, Official Report, columns 617–19W. Further details of all sites within the safety camera programme are available on the Department's website at www.dft.gov.uk.
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