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23 Mar 2006 : Column 497W—continued
Highway Code
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on revisions to The Highway Code; and who is being consulted thereon. [60080]
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Dr. Ladyman: A periodical review of The Highway Code is currently taking place. Consultation on the proposed changes to the Code began on the 15 February and will conclude on the 10 May, with a view to publishing the revised Code during spring 2007. Significant proposed changes to the Code are set out in the DSA's consultation letter dated 15 February. All proposed changes are highlighted in the draft revised Code. DSA's letter, draft revised Code and list of organisations sent the consultation package can be found on the following website www.dsa.gov.uk/highwaycode/where anyone can suggest amendments to the Code.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given the Driving Standards Agency on changes to the provisions relating to cyclists in the consultation on amendments to The Highway Code; and if he will make a statement. [60252]
Dr. Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency is taking forward the revision of The Highway Code, under Section 38 of The Road Traffic Act 1988. The consultation draft of the Highway Code, including the provisions relating to cyclists, represents the initial view of the Department for Transport, including the Driving Standards Agency, as a basis for public consultation. Much of it is similar to the previous version, with suggested changes to bring it up to date with current circumstances. We will carefully consider the responses to the public consultation before taking any final decisions on the Code's revised content.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given the Driving Standards Agency on framing the planned consultation on the revision of The Highway Code. [60253]
Dr. Ladyman: The framework for revising The Highway Code is set out in Section 38 of The Road Traffic Act 1988. The consultation is also being done in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation.
M20
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there were on the M20 starting at Trottiscliffe Road Bridge at junction 3 down to the on and off slips at junction 5 in 2005, broken down by (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight. [59158]
Dr. Ladyman: In 2005 there have been 37 accidents on the M20 starting at Trottiscliffe Road Bridge at Junction 3 down to the on and off slips at Junction 5. The table shows the number of accidents broken down by degree of seriousness of personal injury.
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 February-30 September 2005 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 1 October-31 December 2005(19) | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Total | 1 | 4 | 32 |
(19) provisional data
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Public Transport (Accidents)
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving (a) buses and (b) trains were recorded in (i) each English region, (ii) the Tees Valley and (iii) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the last period for which figures are available. [59927]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents involving one or more buses in each English region, the Tees Valley and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) are shown in the table.
(20) Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Darlington unitary authorities.
(21) The accidents in the table are those that occurred within the 2004 boundary for the constituency.
Information on accidents involving trains are published in the Health and Safety Executive's annual report on railway safety (http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/annualreport04/index.htm), which is also available from the House of Commons Library. While most of the information is only available at a national (Great Britain) level, limited information (including fatal incidents) is available at county level.
Railways
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he received from (a) Transport for London, (b) regional transport boards and (c) passenger action groups about proposals to extend the Mayor of London's rail powers beyond the London boundary before his Department's consultation launch in March 2006. [60408]
Derek Twigg: Ministers and officials have engaged with a range of key stakeholders in developing the consultation proposals, including Transport for London and Regional Transport Boards.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) incidents of and (b) prosecutions for (i) vandalism and (ii) trespass on (A) railway lines and (B) underground lines in London by (1) adults and (2) juveniles there were in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [60563]
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Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 101W given to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather).
Regional Transport Prioritisation
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department requires local public consultation as part of the Regional Transport Prioritisation process. [60222]
Dr. Ladyman: In launching the Regional Funding Allocations process last year we were looking to obtain a clear view of what each region saw as the priorities for spending in their region across the interrelated fields of housing, transport and economic development. In doing this we recognised there could be different factors at play in different regions, and so did not prescribe the exact approach which regions should follow in preparing their advice. However, guidance issued to the regions last July made clear that advice should, as far as possible, represent wide agreement across each region on what the region's priorities were and that it would be more credible to Government if it was the product of a wide consensus.
Road Traffic Accidents (Wild Animals)
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents involving deer were reported in 2004–05; and how many such accidents resulted in serious injury or fatality to drivers and passengers. [60461]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department does not collect information on personal injury road traffic accidents involving deer.
Rural Transport Services
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to disseminate best practice in providing innovative rural transport services. [60703]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department's Rural Bus Challenge scheme has provided funding for the development of many innovative projects which have successfully demonstrated the potential of new approaches to meeting rural transport needs.
We have also published the following good practice guides relevant to rural transport:
Intermode—Innovations in Demand Responsive Transport (in conjunction with Greater Manchester PTE) ( June 2004)
All these documents are available on the Department's website.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support his Department (a) has given in the 2005–06 financial year and (b) plans to give in the 2006–07 financial year for rural transport services. [60704]
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Dr. Ladyman: The Government are committed to improving public transport in rural areas. Local and central Government provides funding of £1.7 billion annually to support bus services, including those in rural areas.
We have allocated grant to local authorities specifically for the support of rural bus services mainly in the form of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG). In 2005–06 RBSG totalled £53 million. This will rise to £54.3 million in 2006–07.
Last year we announced 'Kickstart' support, totalling £20 million, for 43 projects involving new and improved bus services which will become viable through growth in passenger numbers after an initial period of pump-priming from Government funds. 11 of these schemes will serve areas which are mainly rural in character.
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