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13 Dec 2005 : Column 1857W—continued

Driving Test

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time for a driving test was in the last period for which figures are available. [36792]

Dr. Ladyman: The national average waiting time fora practical car driving test was six weeks on 5 December 2005.

EU Rail Regulation

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional powers will be granted to the European railway industry as a result of the review of Regulation 881/2004 and Directives (a) 2004/49/EC, (b) 2001/14/EC and (c) 95/18/EC. [32895]

Derek Twigg: The Commission has not published any plans to review any of these measures. However, there are a number of proposals under discussion or planned by the EC institutions that involve minor amendments to Regulation 881/2004 and Directives 2004/49/EC and 2001/14/EC. None of these proposals would grant additional powers to the European rail industry. There are no proposals to amend Directive 95/18/EC.

First Great Western

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the (a) reliability and (b) punctuality of First Great Western services between London and Worcestershire in (i) the most recent period for which figures are available and (ii) the equivalent period in the previous year. [35667]

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not keep records on the reliability and punctuality of First Great Western services between London and Worcestershire. However, in the year to 30 June 2005, the Public Performance Measure for FGW passenger train services overall was 77.8 per cent.

Highways Agency

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the national targets are for the Highways Agency; and what the performance of its offices in South Devon has been in relation to those targets. [36888]

Dr. Ladyman: The national targets for the Highways Agency are as published in its annual business plan and reported to the House on 24 March 2005, Official Report, column 94WS. The Highways Agency is a national organisation and work is divided between its offices in different ways for different functions, to match staff resources and changing work loads. Performance of individual offices is not therefore separately monitored.

Ladbroke Grove Crash

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implementation of Lord Cullen's recommendations after the Ladbroke Grove crash. [35438]

Derek Twigg: On 24 November, the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) published its tenth and final progress report on the recommendations made following recent
 
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rail public inquiries, including Lord Cullen's inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove collision. Of the total of 295 recommendations arising form the four public inquiry reports only four recommendations remain to be completed. Work continues on implementing the remaining recommendations.

HSC's report is available in the House Library and on the Health and Safety Executive's website at: www.hse.gov.uk/railways/railpublic4.pdf.

Leeds Supertram

Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his statement of 3 November 2005, Official Report, columns 60–62WS, on Leeds supertram, what funding his Department plans to provide for a Leeds rapid bus scheme. [35473]

Derek Twigg: We expect to put significant investment into transport in West Yorkshire in the coming years. We are talking to West Yorkshire passenger transport executive about working up proposals for a Leeds rapid bus scheme, and we expect advice on regional priorities in January, so it is too early to say what the funding will be.

Light Rail Systems

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the study into the wider benefits of light rail systems is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [34707]

Derek Twigg [holding answer 12 December 2005]: The Department does not currently have a study into the wider benefits of light rail systems or any other single mode.

The Department published guidance in July 2005 on wider benefits, including agglomeration and increases in employment and productivity, and how they can be appraised (http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_econappr/documents/page/dft_econappr_038893.pdf). The Government intend to test this new approach by asking bids for the Transport Innovation Fund to estimate these wider benefits as part of the appraisal.

In addition, the benefits arising from additional jobs in regeneration areas can be captured in Economic Impact Reports. These have been submitted alongside appraisals for a number of schemes, including light rail schemes.

Low-carbon Vehicles

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken under the UK's EU Presidency to encourage vehicle manufacturers to speed up the development of low carbon vehicles. [36618]

Dr. Ladyman: The UK Government have made climate change one of the main priorities of its EU and G8 presidencies this year, and has sought wherever possible to highlight the importance of improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles as a way of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from the transport sector. The communique that was agreed at the G8 Gleneagles summit on 8 July, for example, included a climate change, clean energy and sustainable development
 
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action plan. This contained a commitment to a package of measures to encourage the development and uptake of clean, low carbon vehicles. A copy of the full communique text is available at http://www.g8.gov.uk.

The UK also hosted an international Environmentally Friendly Vehicles (EFV) conference on 10–11 November 2005, providing a forum for global dialogue on the promotion and uptake of cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles. Over 250 delegates from more than 30 countries attended, and the chairman's conclusions, together with copies of the presentations and other supporting material, are available at http://www.livegroup.co.uk/efvc.

The UK has also been actively involved in the European CARS 21 initiative this year. This has considered ways to encourage further development of low carbon vehicles as part of an integrated approach towards reducing CO ₂ emissions in the transport sector.

Within the UK, we have continued to incentivise the development and uptake of clean, fuel efficient vehicles as set out in our 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, which is available via the Department for Transport's website. We also launched during 2005 a new system of colour-coded fuel efficiency labels for cars to raise consumer awareness and help boost demand for fuel efficient vehicles. The labels are now in the majority of new car showrooms in the UK.

M6

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average daily volume of traffic was on the M6 motorway in the last period for which figures are available. [36791]

Dr. Ladyman: Average daily traffic flows during the 12 months to the end of October 2005 are available at several locations on the M6.

Flows on the M6 vary according to the location along the motorway. On the first section west of the M1 there are 78,000 vehicles per day (vpd) rising to 129,000 vpd on section 4a-5 in Birmingham and 145,000 vpd on junction 30–31 north of Manchester. The lowest levels are in Cumbria, on junction 38–39, at 39,000 vpd.

The two highest flows on the M6 in the Bolton area are 140,500 vpd between junctions 21 and 21 a and 145,000 vpd between junctions 31 and 31a. The lowest is 78,000 vpd between junctions 29 and 30.

Ports (Security)

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Department's review of ports policy will include a comprehensive assessment of security. [36619]

Dr. Ladyman: The ports policy review will take account of the security regime at UK ports but will not include a comprehensive assessment of it.

Railways

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding arrangements for the rail network. [35540]

 
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Derek Twigg [holding answer 8 December 2005]: There have been frequent discussions with our counterparts in the Treasury. The result is that an unprecedented £87 million a week of public money is being invested in the rail network. A similar sum is being attracted from the private sector.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much additional funding has been paid to South West Trains for operating the direct services between Bristol and London Waterloo since they took over the service; and if he will make a statement. [31195]

Derek Twigg: No additional sums have been paid to South West Trains (SWT) in respect of this service. However, the arrangements under which SWT pay back a proportion of revenue and profit to the Department have been adjusted to take account of their operation of Bristol to Waterloo trains. The effect has been to reduce the payment to the Department by £1,068,084 in 2005–06.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on capacity on the rail freight network. [34692]

Derek Twigg: The Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for ensuring that track capacity is allocated fairly and efficiently, taking into account the needs of both passenger and freight operators. For the longer term, Network Rail's Utilisation Strategies will establish the capacity available for freight and how it might be developed.

The amount of freight moved by rail has increased by nearly 60 per cent. since privatisation in 1995. In 2004–05, 20.7 billion net tonne kilometres of freight was moved on the railway.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions South Eastern trains have had with Govia since the award of the Integrated Kent franchise; and what representations he has received on the award since the bidding process began. [36595]

Derek Twigg [holding answer 12 December 2005]:The first meeting to discuss the transition between South Eastern Trains and the new franchisee was held on 1 December 2005. These meetings are continuing.

Around 100 letters about proposed service patterns and other aspects of the Department's franchise specification have been received from MPs, local organisations or councils since January 2004. I have met Kent MPs to discuss these issues. Over the same period, around 1280 letters on the subject of the Integrated Kent Franchise were dealt with by the Strategic Rail Authority, principally from members of the public.

The Department have also received around 150 letters from MPs, local organisations or councils supported by a postcard campaign, on the related issue of South Eastern Trains being retained in the public sector.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the competitive procurement process for the replacement of high speed trains will begin. [37042]

Derek Twigg: The Department is committed to developing proposals for new high speed trains. The proposed date for invitations to tender is March 2007.
 
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