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7 Jul 2005 : Column 600W—continued
Driver Vision
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce a lesser sanction than removal of a driving licence for an individual who marginally fails the minimum standard of at least 120 degrees horizontal width in the visual field. [10360]
Dr. Ladyman: Where the prescribed standard for visual field is not met, there is already provision for the issue of a licence in exceptional cases supported by a favourable medical opinion.
Four-wheel Drive Cars
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of cars owned in (a) Kingston and Surbiton, (b) South West London, (c) London and (d) England; and what percentage of these cars he estimates are four-wheel drive. [9221]
Dr. Ladyman: The numbers of cars licensed at the end of December 2004 in the areas for which information is available are:
Local figures are not available but, of new cars registered in 2004, 6.99 per cent. were 4-wheel drive (figures derived from SMMT data).
Learner Drivers
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many refunds have been given to purchasers of the Complete Official Learner Driver packs; how many more he expects to issue; and what the total cost has been. [9416]
Dr. Ladyman: We have provided one refund, and sent replacement DVDs to three people free of charge.
We do not expect demand for refunds to be significant, given that we are offering a replacement disc. DSA's publishing activities are commercially self-funding. Providing refunds and replacement DVDs represents no direct cost to the public.
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Complete Official Learner Driver packs have been withdrawn from sale; and at what cost. [9417]
Dr. Ladyman: All sales of the Learning to Drive DVD to retail outlets were suspended following the discovery of the error. DSA's publishing activities are commercially self-funding. Replacing stock represents no direct cost to the public.
Maximum Driving Times
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adherence of foreign drivers in the UK to EU regulations on maximum driving times. [9740]
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Dr. Ladyman: The enforcement of drivers hours legislation is carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). The outcomes of VOSA's enforcement activities are included in an annual Effectiveness Report which is available on their internet site.
Mini-Motos
Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to introduce to prevent the use of miniature motorcycles (mini-motos) on public highways. [10452]
Dr. Ladyman: New measures are not necessary. It is for the courts to provide an authoritative interpretation of the law, but the Department's view is that it is already illegal to use vehicles which are not compliant with road traffic law on public highways. Powered vehicles (whether internal combustion or electric) are motor vehicles within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as amended. Any powered vehicle used on the public highway must comply with all aspects of road traffic law, including construction requirements, registration, road tax, insurance etc. The rider/driver should hold an appropriate licence and, where required, wear a suitable helmet.
Enforcement is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police. Powers under the Police Reform Act 2002 allow a constable in uniform, after giving a warning, to stop and seize a motor vehicle if he/she has grounds for believing that it is being used in a careless and inconsiderate manner, or being driven illegally off-road, or being used (or is likely to be used) in an antisocial manner causing harassment, alarm or distress.
I understand that that the packaging on powered items such as miniature motorcycles generally includes a warning that they are not for highway use. However it may be that, once such packaging is discarded, this is overlooked or ignored. My Department is working with the Home Office to consider how advice reminding purchasers and others of this issue might usefully be disseminated.
Motorway Advertising
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with motoring and road safety organisations on the impact of advertisements situated next to motorways. [9226]
Dr. Ladyman:
The Department has not had any recent specific discussions with motoring and road safety organisations on the impact of advertisements situated next to motorways.
7 Jul 2005 : Column 602W
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the police about advertising boards in fields adjacent to the motorway network. [8748]
Dr. Ladyman: My Department has not had any recent specific discussions with the police about advertising boards in fields adjacent to the motorway network.
Pedestrian Crossings
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria the Highways Agency takes into account before a decision is taken to install a pedestrian crossing. [8694]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency has adopted the advice provided by the Department for Transport in Local Transport Note 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings.
Factors taken into account include:
surroundings, including lighting, accesses, side roads, street furniture, and the visibility for drivers and pedestrians
vehicle and pedestrian flows and composition, including the proportion of children and elderly people, and the proportion of heavy goods and public service vehicles
There are three types of crossings:
1. A pedestrian refuge island is the minimum provision and can be used on roads with national speed limit.
2. Light signal controlled Pedestrian crossings are for heavily used roads and can be used wherever the speed limit is 50 mph or less.
3. Zebra Pedestrian crossings minimise delays to pedestrians but should only be used with moderate vehicle flows on roads with a 30 mph speed limit or less.
The choice of crossing will consider pedestrian delays and difficulty in crossing, vehicle delays, vehicle speeds, costs and local representation.
Railways
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he expects existing rail services at stations on the (a) Hastings to Charing Cross and (b) Bexhill to London lines to be maintained at their current level. [9308]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 4 July 2005]: There are no current plans for significant service changes between Hastings and Charing Cross until December 2009. Bidders for the Integrated Kent Franchise have then been asked to make bids based on the service pattern set out as follows. For Bexhill passengers travelling to London Victoria via the Brighton Main Line, there is a proposal in the Strategic Rail Authority's draft Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy that would increase capacity on the Main Line, but would require passengers from Bexhill to change trains at Eastbourne or Polegate.
7 Jul 2005 : Column 603W
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether his Department will fund the fitting-out of the interchange box under St. Pancras Station; and if he will make a statement; [9663]
(2) if he will estimate the cost of fitting-out the interchange box under St. Pancras Station; and if he will make a statement on the current industry estimates; [9664]
(3) who owns the interchange box under St. Pancras Station; and if he will make a statement; [9665]
(4) how much public money has been invested so far in the (a) construction and (b) planning of the interchange box under St. Pancras Station; and if he will make a statement. [9666]
Derek Twigg: The box which has been built for the planned Thameslink Midland Road station is intended to be fitted out by Network Rail as part of the Thameslink 2000 project, for which statutory powers and funding arrangements have yet to be settled. The Government remains committed to completing the station, estimates the cost of the fit-out and associated track and signalling work to be around £60m, and is looking further at the options for completing the work in advance of Thameslink 2000.
The Secretary of State for Transport owns the freehold of the Thameslink box and has agreed to grant a long lease (999 years) to Network Rail.
The station box was financed by London and Continental Railways (LCR) as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project (CTRL). It is not possible to separately identify that element of Government support for the CTRL project that has been expended on the Thameslink box.
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