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12 Dec 2005 : Column 1619W—continued
Lamberhurst Bypass
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding schemes the Government have used to pay for the Lamberhurst bypass in East Sussex; and how much money was used in each scheme. [36593]
Dr. Ladyman: The Lamberhurst bypass was fundedentirely by the Government's 10-year targeted programme of improvements (TPI). The estimated final cost of the scheme is £25.24 million.
The scheme was funded from the Highways Agency budget, which is part of the Department for Transport's voted expenditure.
M2
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answers of 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 145–46W, on the M2, when he expects (a) the roadworks on the M2 between junctions 5 and 6 to be completed and (b) all lanes on both carriageways of the motorway between junctions 5 and 6 to reopen. [36597]
Dr. Ladyman: Due to adverse weather conditions, including fog, frost and rain, the resurfacing work on the M2 between junctions 5 and 6 was delayed. Completion is now expected on 16 December 2005 when all traffic management will be removed and both carriageways of the motorway will be open to traffic.
M5
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct an evaluation of traffic flows at Junction 7 of the M5, with particular reference to (a) queuing on the slip road on the northbound carriageway and (b) related use of the Southern Link Road. [36243]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency will evaluate traffic flows at this junction. This will also include an assessment of movements to and from the Southern Link Road. Worcestershire county council are responsible for the Link Road.
Quiet Lanes
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to publish regulations for local authorities on the designation of quiet lanes before 20 December 2005. [35682]
Ms Buck: The Department for Transport is currently finalising the work on the draft regulations and intends to publish them soon. But publication will not occur before 20 December.
Railways
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on developing passenger services on the Coventry-Nuneaton railway line; and what recent discussions he has had with Coventry city council on this. [34703]
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Derek Twigg [holding answer 7 December 2005]: The train service between Coventry and Nuneaton was restored in May 2005. Local authorities including Coventry city council have met with the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss their aspirations for longer term transport developments over the Coventry-Nuneaton corridor. My Department has not had any recent discussion with Coventry city council on this.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to encourage in-house maintenance on the railways. [35485]
Derek Twigg: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, which completed its programme to take all infrastructure maintenance in-house on 24 July 2004.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) capital and (b) revenue subsidy per passenger mile travelled was to bus companies by transport authorities in England for the most recent year for which information is available. [34861]
Ms Buck [holding answer 6 December 2005]: In 2004–05 English local transport authorities, including Transport for London, spent a total of £854 million on revenue support for bus services, excluding re-imbursement to operators of the costs of providing concessionary fares. In that year there were 4,032 million passenger journeys made on all local bus services implying an overall average revenue subsidy of about 21p per journey. However, outside London only slightly over 20 per cent. of the local bus network receives revenue subsidy. Separate data on passenger numbers on these subsidised services is not collected by the Department so it is not possible to calculate average subsidy costs per journey for subsidised services outside London.
In 2004–05 local transport authorities, again including Transport for London, spent a total of £285 million on capital projects primarily to improve bus-related infrastructure and traffic management schemes to improve facilities for both commercial and subsidised bus services.
Road Schemes
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used in balancing the needs of local communities affected by road schemes with wider strategic objectives. [35842]
Dr. Ladyman: Under our appraisal criteria the impact of road schemes on local areas and communities is assessed very carefully, in particular impacts on noise, local air quality, townscape, landscape, biodiversity, safety, severance and land-use policy.
These impacts are judged alongside a scheme's costs and economic benefits, in particular, from reduced congestion, time savings to travellers and wider economic benefits in reaching an overall assessment of its justification.
Rochdale/Oldham Loop Line
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on the Rochdale/Oldham loop line in the last eight years; and if he will make a statement. [34634]
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Derek Twigg: Network Rail is responsible for operating, maintaining and renewing the main rail network, including the Oldham loop line. I have therefore asked them to reply directly to the hon. Member.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in his Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement. [34258]
Ms Buck: Statutory instruments are drafted by departmental lawyers based on instructions from policy divisions. Where instruments amend primary legislation, Parliamentary Counsel are consulted.
As members of the Government Legal Service (GLS), departmental lawyers receive extensive training in the preparation and drafting of statutory instruments. This consists of a combination of lectures and practical exercises run by experienced practitioners in the GLS, coupled with training given by legal advisers who advise the parliamentary scrutiny committees. In addition, senior managers in the GLS take a close interest in the quality of statutory instruments and provide frequent feedback and on-the-job training to those with lead responsibility for drafting. This is an on-going process and part of the continuing education of government legal advisers.
Transport (Financial Support)
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the financial support provided by (a) by central Government, (b) via local government and (c) via passenger transport authorities in England for (i) local bus services, (ii) local bus service infrastructure, (iii) rail services, (iv) rail infrastructure, (v) air services and (vi) aviation infrastructure in each year between 1995–96 and 2004–05. [32153]
Ms Buck [holding answer 1 December 2005]: The following table provides the information held centrally. The Department for Transport was formed in 2002.
Support for rail infrastructure is made through directcapital grants to Network Rail and London and Continental Railways.
Central Government support for aviation is in the form of research and development, international subscriptions, support for Royal Travel and loans to
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National Air Traffic Services. Direct support is not provided for air services or aviation infrastructure.
(3)Includes support for local bus service infrastructure.
(4)Source: National Rail Trends.
(5)Includes capital grant to London and Continental Railways for 2003–03 and 2003–04.
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