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15 Nov 2005 : Column 1146W—continued
Road Accidents
Mr. Anthony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal motor vehicle accidents, (b) fatalities, (c) motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injury and (d) motor vehicle accidents requiring the attendance of an ambulance there were on the A47 Acle Straight in each of the last five years. [28043]
Dr. Ladyman: The data related to A47 Acle Straight are in a format supplied by the Highways Agency.
The period of data covers 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2005.
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 12 |
| 2001 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 31 |
| 2002 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 22 |
| 2003 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 20 |
| 2004 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 20 |
| 2005(15) | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| Total | 3 | 18 | 93 | 114 |
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 15 |
| 2001 | 0 | 7 | 45 | 52 |
| 2002 | 1 | 3 | 28 | 32 |
| 2003 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 30 |
| 2004 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 29 |
| 2005(15) | 1 | 1 | 20 | 22 |
| Total | 3 | 21 | 156 | 180 |
(15) 2005 data are current up to 30 September 2005.
The Highways Agency does not hold information on the attendance of ambulances at accidents. The Ambulance Service may be able to provide this information.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatal automobile accidents occurred in Coventry South in the last 12 months. [28063]
Dr. Ladyman: There were two fatal accidents involving cars in Coventry South in 2004, the last 12 months for which data is available.
Road Maintenance
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relationship between the relative level of expenditure on routine road maintenance by highway authorities and the cost of capital road replacement works by those authorities. [27311]
Dr. Ladyman:
For local authorities funding for routine road maintenance is provided through the formula spending share element of revenue support grant and for capital road maintenance through the maintenance block element of the Local Transport Plan settlement. Neither of these provisions is ring fenced. Routine maintenance consists of work to keep the road network safe and in good condition, for example, minor repairs, drainage cleansing, sign cleaning, grass cutting, gritting in winter, street lighting work and energy, etc.
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Capital maintenance consists of structural work to strengthen and renew carriageways, footways, bridges and street lighting columns.
The following table shows the outturns for revenue and capital maintenance in England outside London for the six years to 2003–04, the last year for which outturn figures are available.
Road maintenance in London is a matter for the Mayor and the Greater London Assembly. Figures for motorways and trunk road maintenance are not comparable with local roads as the method of accounting used, renewals accounting, is different.
Speed Cameras
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the amount of revenue raised from speed cameras in Coventry. [28062]
Dr. Ladyman:
The Department's information on fines following offences detected by safety cameras (both speed and red light cameras) relates to the totals for safety camera partnerships, and not to individual camera sites or boroughs.
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Coventry is part of the West Midlands Safety Camera Partnership. The following table shows the total of fines following offences detected by the West Midlands partnership since joining the national programme in October 2002:
| Total fines | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 (6 months) | 704,520 |
| 2003–04 | 2,760,000 |
As a result of the partnership joining in October 2002, the total fines collected in 2002–03 relate to six months only and reflect the fact that the partnership was in its early stages. Figures for 2004–05 will be published on the DfT website in due course.
Train Operating Companies
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which company holds each rail franchise; what targets each has (a) met and (b) missed; and when each franchise (i) began and (ii) will expire. [25642]
Derek Twigg: Details of franchise holders and the start and end dates of their franchises are set out in the table.
Franchise agreements contain numerous targets relating to service quality, punctuality, financial performance, customer service and a range of other issues. It is not practicable to list them all here. However, customer service information is available from the Office of Rail Regulation's website and punctuality data from Network Rail's website.
Franchise agreements and associated documents are available through the Department for Transport's Public Register:
(16) but to be further extended to 11 November 2007
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Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations have taken place with the rail franchises on safety; how much each franchisee spent on safety in 2004–05; what assessment has been made by the Department about the adequacy of this spending. [26514]
Derek Twigg: As a condition of their licence from the Office of Rail Regulation, train operators are required to have a Railway Safety Case which has been assessed and accepted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), or an agreed exemption. Operators' safety cases are reviewed by HSE every three years. In addition, during the re-franchising process HSE is consulted and provides advice to the Department for Transport on the quality of bidders' proposals in terms of health and safety. Spending on safety is not separately accounted for by train operators.
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of liaison is required to take place between rail franchises and passenger groups; how many of these meetings have taken place; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of such meetings. [26517]
Derek Twigg: Franchise agreements requires train operators to consult with statutory consumer bodies over any changes that will impact on passengers. These consumer bodies are the Rail Passengers Council and London TravelWatch. Both of these organisations are able to pursue any dissatisfaction they may have on the effectiveness of such meetings with the Department for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation, as the appropriate enforcement bodies. No such representations have been received.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of train operating companies' total costs were represented by labour costs in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement; [26946]
(2) what the (a) average and (b) total combined operating profit of train operating companies before interest and tax (i) without and (ii) including subsidies was in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement; [26947]
(3) what the (a) average and (b) total combined amount of dividends paid by train operating companies to their parent companies was in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement; [26948]
(4) how many emergency bailouts of train operating companies there were in each year between 1997 and 2004; what the total cost of each bailout was; and if he will make a statement; [26950]
(5) what the total amount of subsidies paid by the Strategic Rail Authority to train operating companies was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004; and if he will make a statement. [26951]
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Derek Twigg: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which franchising agreements between Network Rail and train operating companies (a) ensure value for money, (b) encourage competition in the railway industry, (c) are in the interest of taxpayers, (d) protect the interest of passengers and (e) transfer risk to the private sector. [26953]
Derek Twigg: Franchising agreements are made between the Department and the train operators rather than with Network Rail.
The Department seeks to ensure that the interests of passengers and the taxpayer are protected through the franchise specification and tendering process. The assessment of value for money is undertaken at the point of franchise re-letting when the costs and benefits of propositions from franchise bidders are evaluated.
The new franchise template is designed to ensure that an appropriate level of risk is transferred to the private sector.
Competition within the rail industry is secured through the competitive tendering process for franchises. The delivery of these benefits is monitored and enforced through continuous management of the franchise contract, which is carried out by a specialist team within the Department.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what residual interest he retains in the pension funds of the train operating companies; and if he will make a statement. [27650]
Derek Twigg: Train operating companies (TOCs) participate in the Railways Pension Scheme, with generally separate sections for each TOC employer. It is the responsibility of each TOC to manage the pension arrangements for its staff, in accordance with general pensions legislation and the specific legislation relating to railway pensions.
The Secretary of State's interest in the pension funds of the TOCs is contained in the terms of the franchise agreement with each franchise holder.
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial requirements are made of rail franchisees during the tendering process. [28053]
Derek Twigg:
No additional financial burden is placed on incumbent franchisees during the tendering process. They are, however, required to provide access to information (including financial and operational information) in connection with the preparation for the re-letting of a franchise and to provide information in response to bidders' clarification questions during the bidding process.
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