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9 Nov 2005 : Column 518W—continued
Road Schemes
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received opposing the Bexhill to Hastings link road; and if he will make a statement. [25237]
Dr. Ladyman:
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 668W. Since then there have been around 10 further written representations, all of which have been against the scheme.
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Seat Belts
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) males and (b) females travelling in coaches were (i) killed, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) injured in road accidents in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and of these how many were wearing a seat belt. [25736]
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Dr. Ladyman: The following table gives number of fatal, seriously injured and injured bus and coach users that were seated by gender .for 2000–04. Figures for coach users cannot be identified separately. Bus and coach casualties in the table are not necessarily those from vehicles used for public service. Routine statistics on accidents do not include information on seat belt usage.
(11) Includes cases where gender was not reported.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the current seat belt wearing rate in coaches by (a) males and (b) females; and what the estimated rates were in each of the last two years for which figures are available. [25737]
Dr. Ladyman: Information is not collected to make such estimates. Roadside observers undertake regular surveys for the Department of the seat belt wearing of drivers and passengers in cars and goods vehicles but cannot collect such information in respect of passengers in buses or coaches.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government plans to introduce the use of seat belts on buses. [26452]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer to the answer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southend West (Mr. Amess) today (UIN 25735) about seat belt wearing in coaches. There are no plans to require seat belts to be installed in vehicles that are not presently required to have them fitted.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the penalty is if a driver is found not to be wearing a seat belt while driving. [26459]
Dr. Ladyman: If a driver accepts a fixed penalty notice, the fine is £30. If convicted in court, the maximum fine is £500.
Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial support the Transport Security Directorate has offered to International Maritime Organisation regional missions in each of the past three years. [24196]
Dr. Ladyman: The Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate has won support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund (Counter Terrorism) funds in respect of:
Transport for London
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to amend the relevant legislation to strengthen the requirements for consultation by Transport for London. [26024]
Ms Buck: We have no plans at present to amend the legislation.
Transport Investment (Eastern Region)
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 384W, on what date a committee was appointed to advise on priorities for investment in transport for the Eastern region; and who the members of the committee are. [24984]
Dr. Ladyman:
No committee has been specifically appointed to advise on priorities for investment in transport in the East of England. The advice will be
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delivered through the East of England Regional Assembly following consideration by the Regional Planning Panel of that body. Details of the membership of the Regional Planning Panel can be obtained from the Regional Assembly's website.
Transport Projects
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transport projects his Department is planning for (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency, (b) the Wearside area and (c) the North East Region. [25512]
Ms Buck: The Secretary of State for Transport plans and funds through his Department and its agencies a variety of capital and revenue projects. He also funds projects which are planned by others, particularly local authorities, through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) process and Revenue Support Grant allocations.
The LTP system provides capital funding to local authorities to cover expenditure on major schemes (those costing more than £5 million) and minor improvement works and maintenance by way of block allocations.
In terms of the block allocations, the guideline figures for the five years from 2006–07 are in the order of:
(a) The Houghton and Washington East Constituency
£25 million 1 for Sunderland city council. It is not possible to provide this information for the constituency.
1 Exact figures are confirmed annually and relate to the assessments of progress in delivering the LTPs.
In terms of Local Authority and Highways Agency capital transport infrastructure improvement projects costing more than £5 million, it should be noted that, in July 2005, regions were provided with indicative annual capital allocations to 2015–16 for transport (excluding rail funding) in order that they could prioritise schemes and provide advice to the Secretary of State in January 2006. Highways Agency trunk road projects in the North East included in this process are all bar those on the A1 in the region to its junction with the A19 from the south.
There are a number of major schemes in the region which have recently been completed or are currently under construction:
There are currently two major schemes in the region which are planned to commence construction in early 2006:
In addition, the Department is involved with its regional partners in the planning or funding of the following major projects. Progress and timing for these schemes will be subject to regional advice, the future availability of finance and individual projects representing value for money:
(a) The Houghton and Washington East Constituency
In addition to the above, there are further schemes which are identified in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy recently submitted to Ministers and which are emerging through Local Transport Plans and the on-going development of the trunk road and rail networks, which will be considered in due course but which have no degree of funding commitment at this stage.
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