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TRANSPORT
Air Services/Travellers
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidelines to airline companies on levels of salt in in-flight meals. [6807]
Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
The Food Standards Agency, in consultation with the Department and stakeholders, is in the process of setting target levels for salt in key product categories that contribute most to intakes. It is anticipated that all sectors of the food industry, including caterers, will work to meet these targets. We will ensure that suppliers of meals to airline passengers are included in this initiative and that airline companies are aware.
All adult consumers are advised to eat a balanced diet, but specific advice has not been issued to airline passengers about the salt content of in-flight meals.
I have not received any representations on the impact of in-flight meals on the health of passengers and have no plans to undertake a survey of such meals.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of consumers' understanding of financial protection schemes for air travellers; and if he will make a statement; [8396]
(2) what assessment he has made of changes in the number of UK consumers buying unprotected air travel; and what steps he is taking to address the problem. [8398]
Ms Buck: I am advised by the Civil Aviation Authority that 66 per cent. of UK leisure air travellers are protected by the ATOL scheme compared to 98 per cent. in 1997, although some travellers are protected in other ways e.g. insurance or credit card purchasing. We are currently considering a range of options to address this situation.
British Transport Police
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pension and other benefits packages offered to new British Transport Police constables are in London. [8702]
Derek Twigg:
New police constables to London and to any other location within the British Transport Police (BTP) are entitled to join the BTP Superannuation
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Fund upon commencement of service. The Fund is a contributory final salary scheme and provides benefits at early or normal retirement dates depending upon eligibility within the scheme rules.
The main terms and conditions of service package for BTP covering pay, allowances, sickness and leave mirror those in Police Regulations for Home Department Forces.
BTP officers serving London are also entitled to:
They are further entitled to free or reduced rate rail travel facilities for work to home purposes only, in accordance with the current regulations.
Crossrail
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account has been taken of the likely effects on the (a) incremental net present value and (b) cost benefit ratio of the Crossrail plan if the planned additional trains services from Stansted and Hertford East stations do not proceed. [7495]
Derek Twigg: Cross London Rail Links have not carried out a separate cost-benefit analysis of the additional Lea Valley services into Liverpool Street.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which part of the Crossrail network will become operational first. [8540]
Derek Twigg: Based on the currently proposed programme, Crossrail trains will initially replace those operating the existing service between Shenfield and Liverpool Street. The first part of the new Crossrail infrastructure that trains will operate over is the section between Farringdon and the Isle of Dogs.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the walkway in Romford know as Nursery Walk will remain open during construction of Crossrail. [8558]
Derek Twigg: The northern section of Nursery Walk passes in subway beneath the Great Eastern Main Line railway tracks. This section will be subject to occasional closures over a period of up to two years while Crossrail extends the subway beneath new tracks in the proposed Romford Depot.
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of Crossrail on the Cotswold Line service from Paddington to Worcester; and if he will make a statement. [8972]
Derek Twigg: During normal operations on the Great Western Main Line into Paddington, Crossrail will operate on the northern pair of tracks, known as the relief lines. This will not affect the southern pair of lines, known as the main lines, on which services to Worcester operate, as there is no intention of displacing existing traffic from the relief to the main lines.
Cycling
Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures the Government are taking to encourage cycling. [8693]
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Derek Twigg: The Walking and Cycling Action Plan published in June 2004 detailed more than over 40 initiatives from across Government to encourage walking and cycling through provision of improved facilities, training and promotion. The main DfT initiatives on cycling include:
1. £10 million investment in a Links to Schools" programme of new routes from schools and residential areas to the National Cycle Network benefiting over 300 schools.
2. Funding for improved bike parking at over 130 rail stations previously identified in a survey as not having capacity to meet demand.
3. The development and roll-out of a new National Standard for child cycle training in co-operation with 20 road safety and cycling groups.
4. Improved training and technical guidance to local authority and other practitioners on the design of cycling infrastructure.
Local spend on cycle facilities through the Local Transport Plan system has increased from £29.5 million in 2001–02 to a projected £46 million in 2005–06, while Transport for London is projecting a spend of £19 million on cycling in London in 2005–06.
We also created in March this year a new body, Cycling England", to plan and co-ordinate the development of cycling across the country. Cycling England will have a budget of at least £5 million a year for the next three years to allocate to cycling programmes. I expect its work plan to be published soon.
Network Rail
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which projects originally intended to be (a) completed and (b) commenced by Network Rail in the financial year 2004–05 have been deferred. [3985]
Derek Twigg: A number of projects were deferred by Network Rail in 2004–05 but the company expects all outputs to be delivered over the five year period to 2008–09. Network Rail's funding and delivery of outputs for the five year period from 2004–05 to 2008–09 were set by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in its Final Conclusions to the Access Charges Review 2003.
Railways
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the results of the (a) autumn 2004 and (b) autumn 2003 count were showing what the (i)passenger in excess of capacity and (ii) total number of passengers figures were (A) for each train operator providing commuter services into London and (B) in total, broken down into am peak and pm peak and (iii)the change between years. [8083]
Derek Twigg: The Strategic Rail Authority publishes the results of the autumn Passengers in Excess of Capacity counts for individual London train operators, in its National Rail Trends Yearbook. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library of the House.
Alistair Burt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received following the recent publication of the report from the Association of Train Operating Companies advocating rail peak pricing; and if he will make a statement; [7883]
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(2) whether he plans to introduce further rail peak pricing. [7977]
Derek Twigg: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made it clear that pricing people off the railway is not the answer to capacity issues. There are no plans to introduce further rail peak pricing. The Department for Transport has to date received five representations from members of the public, following the publication of ATOC's report.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the final decision on the reopening of the Kettering-Corby railway line to regular passenger traffic; and what the timetable is for the assessment of the project before then. [9335]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 4 July 2005]: Work is currently in hand to establish the costs and feasibility of providing a direct passenger service between Corby and London. If the outcome of this work demonstrates that such a service is feasible, the next Midland Main Line franchise specification will include a costed option for a Corby-London service to be introduced at some point during the life of the next franchise which is currently due to commence in 2008.
When the bids for the franchise are received, the Secretary Of State will need to determine whether the proposed service gives value for money and is affordable before deciding when or whether a service will be introduced.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the new platforms at Moor Street station are not being used; and when they will brought into use. [7736]
Derek Twigg: Network Rail decided at an early stage in the refurbishment of Moor Street station that economies could be found by linking the re-opening of the two terminal platforms with the longer term proposal of the major Saltley area re-signalling project. Network Rail's decision was endorsed by both the Strategic Rail Authority and Chiltern Railways.
Network Rail and Chiltern Railways have worked closely to accelerate the opening of platforms 3 and 4 prior to Saltley re-signalling, and currently the timing for their re-opening is in late 2006. This date is subject to the creation of a robust construction timetable and completion of the legal processes to allow the terminal platforms to be re-connected with the network.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to Pitsea Station on the c2c line are planned; and what the timescale is. [9275]
Derek Twigg: Improvements are being made by c2c. These include a new booking hall with automatic sliding door access; a new waiting room, toilets and retail unit; installation of CCTV and automatic ticket gates; replacement of fencing and paving; and installation of night security gates. Work began on 21 February and is scheduled for completion by autumn 2005.
Tom Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on ensuring that necessary engineering work is carried out to enable commuter
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trains to use the platforms at Waterloo station which will be vacated by Eurostar in 2007; and if he will make a statement. [8217]
Derek Twigg: The Strategic Rail Authority has led a study for the Department into the future uses of Waterloo International after Eurostar vacate the station. Discussions with Network Rail on various matters, including engineering works, took place during the course of the study.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths there were on railway lines in London in each year since 1997. [8394]
Derek Twigg: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is only able to provide the following data for the number of fatalities on the railway in London from 1 April 2002 onwards. Prior to this date, rail fatality data was not broken down by region.
| Total fatalities | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 78 |
| 2003–04 | 70 |
| 2004(15) | 40 |
(14)Data covers London Underground, Croydon Tramlink and Serco Docklands Light Railway, as well as the mainline railway network.
(15)These figures cover only the nine months April to December 2004, following a change from financial year to calendar year reporting.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the South West Trains franchise renewal; and if he will make a statement. [8609]
Derek Twigg: The South Western franchise will comprise the existing franchises of South West Trains and Island Line. The new franchise is planned to commence in February 2007 on expiry of the existing South West Trains and Island Line contracts.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the Association of Train Operating Companies on overcrowding (a) in the south-east and (b) on the c2c line. [9280]
Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport has recently held discussions with Association of Train Operating Companies about crowding in future years in response to potential growth as a result of the Thames Gateway initiative. There have been no recent discussions on crowding on the c2c line.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1418W, on railways, if he will take steps to change the limits prescribed to control overcrowding to increase passenger capacity for those travelling for over 40 minutes on the c2c line. [9290]
Derek Twigg:
The limits are the Passengers in Excess of Capacity" (PiXC) limits and there are currently no plans to change them.
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