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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 25 January 2006

TRANSPORT

A19

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will put the (a) four major interchange improvements along the A19 from Hebburn to Seaton Burn and (b) major realignment of the A19/A1058 Coast Road interchange into the trunk road programme; and if he will make a statement. [45534]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government announced in December 2004 that they would seek the regions' advice on their priorities for schemes for housing, regeneration and transport expenditure. Indicative allocations for the next 10 years were given to each region. The North East Interim Regional Transport Board has been established to determine each region's priorities. The four junction upgrade schemes on the A19 around Tyneside at Testos, Coast Road, Moor Farm and Seaton Burn junctions, are part of that process.

We are expecting to receive each region's advice and priorities at the end of January. Once these have been assessed there will a further announcement of the Department's initial response to the proposals.

East West Rail (Western Section)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the proposed East West Rail (western section); and what estimate he has made of its cost. [43293]

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport continues to work with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and local stakeholders to investigate the transport needs of the Milton Keynes to Oxford corridor as part of the Sustainable Communities agenda. East West Rail (western section) scheme is one potential component and we continue to investigate it.

The last cost estimate for the scheme is £55 million capital costs (based on basic scheme—Oxford to Bedford, December 2003). These costs require further development and should be seen as indicative.

Humber Bridge

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the debt on the Humber Bridge has been written off; when it was written off; for what reasons; and what mechanism was used. [45337]

Dr. Ladyman: Under a loan agreement signed between the Humber Bridge Board (the Bridge Board) and the Secretary of State on 1 July 1998 and subject to an order under the Humber Bridge (Debts) Act 1996—The Humber Bridge (Debts) Order 1998 which came into force on 19 August 1998, it was agreed that the
 
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Bridge Board would not have to repay a £62 million debt owed to the Public Works Loan Board. This was part of a package of measures designed to help ensure the long-term financial future of the bridge.

Light Rail Schemes

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new light rail schemes in large cities are planned; how many light rail schemes have been delivered in the last five years; and how many he expects will be delivered by July 2010. [40844]

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 18 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1385–6W and 24 January 2006 [UIN40581] to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).

Railways

Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the consultants' report on the review of the Northern Rail franchise; and whether he expects the results of that review to be incorporated into the 2006 timetable. [44826]

Derek Twigg: The review of the Northern rail franchise is continuing, and an announcement will be made in due course. It has yet to be decided whether any train service changes recommended by the review would be incorporated in the December 2006 timetable, or at a later date.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1150W, on train operating companies, what mechanisms exist to ensure that the interests of (a) passengers and (b) the public purse are protected through the franchise specification and tendering process for train operating companies. [39387]

Derek Twigg: Passenger interests are protected by ensuring that franchises specify an appropriate level of service, backed by punctuality and reliability targets and penalties for non-compliance. The public purse is protected by developing a financial model of the franchise against which bids are assessed to ensure value for money and by the competitive tendering process itself.

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of domestic freight traffic is transported by rail. [40863]

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 January 2006, Official Report, column 1384W to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that railway ticket prices represent value for money for passengers. [42514]

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 January 2006, Official Report, column 1383W to the hon. Member for Windsor (Adam Afriyie).

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Strategic Rail Authority expects to report the findings of its consultation on the future of the Watford junction to Brighton service. [41605]

 
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Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport has reviewed the work carried out by the Strategic Rail Authority on the Brighton main line route utilisation strategy (RUS), which included recommendations on the future of the Watford junction to Brighton service. The finalised RUS will be published shortly.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of the rail network has the train protection and warning system; and if he will list those lines which do not; [40567]

(2) on which lines train safety systems have been installed since 2000. [40573]

Derek Twigg: Operation of the rail network in Great Britain is the responsibility of Network Rail (NR). I have asked NR to write direct to the hon. Member.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make an announcement on the future of the direct train link between Hastings and London Victoria. [43958]

Derek Twigg: The direct Hastings to Victoria service is being considered as part of the Brighton main line route utilisation strategy (RUS). An announcement about the publication of the RUS will be made shortly.

Road Accidents

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether an individual who is subject to medical treatment in a hospital over a period including midnight following a road accident is automatically classified in official statistics as having been seriously injured. [44668]

Dr. Ladyman: Personal injury road accident data in Great Britain are collected by the police and reported to the Department using the STATS19 accident report format. Any casualty who is admitted to hospital as an in-patient should be coded as a serious casualty in this system. Furthermore, casualties with certain types of injury such as fractures, should be coded as a serious casualty regardless of whether they were detained as an in-patient or not. However, not all personal injury road accidents are reported to the police.

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal and (b) serious road traffic accidents occurred in the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in each year since 1997. [45266]

 
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Dr. Ladyman: The number of (a) fatal and (b) serious personal injury road accidents in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham between 1997 and 2004 (the latest year which figures are available), is given in table.

Year of accident	(a) Fatal accident	(b) Serious accident
1997	6	136
1998	6	147
1999	6	148
2000	4	127
2001	6	135
2002	4	113
2003	6	94
2004	6	102

Source:
Transport for London (TfL)

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