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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 26 April 2006
TRANSPORT
Airport Security (Northern Ireland)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents regarded as sufficiently serious to be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority occurred during 2005 involving aircraft at (a) Belfast International, (b) Belfast City and (c) Londonderry airports. [64907]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 24 April 2006]: During 2005 the Civil Aviation Authority investigated 23 incidents at Belfast International airport, 18 incidents at Belfast City airport and two incidents at Londonderry airport.
Bicycle Transportation
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the rail companies to seek agreed policies on the transportation of bikes on trains. [65789]
Derek Twigg: As part of our ongoing commitment to bike and rail journeys I am discussing with our advisory body on cycling, Cycling England, how we might further encourage such journeys and will be reviewing this issue with the TOCs later this year.
In addition, the franchise replacement process provides an opportunity to improve cycle facilities at stations, and to address the requirements of cyclists who wish to use trains. Bidders for new franchises will be asked to consider cycle-rail integration matters in their bid submissions.
Blue Badges
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce temporary parking exemption Blue Badges for those suffering short-term impairment; and if he will make a statement. [65910]
Derek Twigg:
The Department for Transport has accepted a recommendation made by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Department's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, that the Blue Badge scheme should be extended to people with temporary mobility impairments which severely affect their walking ability and are likely to do so for at least 12 months. We intend to consult on draft regulations later this year.
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Cycle Route Signs
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued on the requirement for local highway authorities to erect cycle route signs on highways; and on what date the guidance was published. [66271]
Dr. Ladyman: There is no specific requirement for authorities to erect cycle route signs. However, the Department issued a Local Transport Note LTN 2/87 Signs for Cycle Facilities" in November 1987.
General guidance on the complete range of traffic signs is contained in the Traffic Signs Manual.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of (a) staff and (b) new staff employed in (i) his Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which he has responsibility, were registered as disabled in each of the last three years for which data are available. [61385]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following tables as far as it is available.
(1) The Government Car and Despatch Agency became part of the Department for Transport as of 8 November 2005.
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Metrolink
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2006 Official Report, column 1650W, on Metrolink phase 3, whether the matters discussed included (a) reducing the number of lines, (b) shortening the route on any of the three lines and (c) a timetable for work to commence on building phase 3; and if he will make a statement. [59060]
Derek Twigg: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive have recently submitted a draft business case seeking Government funding, from the Regional Funding Allocation. Discussions are ongoing.
Olympic Games
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) demand and (b) required capacity on the (i) London transport network, (ii) national rail network and (iii) road network for the 2012 Olympics; what timetable he envisages for delivering increased capacity to meet demand; what budget will be made available; and if he will make a statement. [65701]
Derek Twigg: The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) are responsible for developing and delivering the plans for transport for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
These plans, which included estimates of spectator demand and transport network capacity, were initially set out in the candidature file submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004. This document is available in the House of Commons Library.
Table 14.14 set out the predicted spectator demand for each venue and table 14.8 set out the predicted 2012 capacity of the public transport fleet which would serve the Games.
On average the total demand for spectator transport for the Games is predicted to be some 500,000 per day, peaking at 770,000 on the busiest day. This includes regional events such as sailing at Weymouth and Olympic football matches.
Peak demand for the Olympic Park in Stratford is around 300,000 spectators per day. The 10 railway lines which will serve the Olympic Park will be capable of transporting some 240,000 passengers per hour during the peak, ensuring that there will be adequate capacity for both spectators and normal transport users.
Both transport capacity and spectator demand will be kept under review by LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority as the work preparing for the 2012 Games progresses.
Transport specifically for the 2012 Games will be paid for from the Olympic Public Sector Funding Package agreed between the Government and Mayor of London, which is funded from the National Lottery, the London Development Agency and London council tax.
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Prestwick/Stansted Airports
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date (a) Prestwick and (b) Stansted Airports were designated as bases from which to deal with security alerts over UK airspace involving terrorist threats. [64893]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 24 April 2006]: All UK airports are required to maintain contingency plans for dealing with security alerts. Beyond that it would not be appropriate to comment on specific security matters at individual airports.
Railways
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what means he assesses the work of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch; what assessment he has made of its performance to date; whether he plans changes to the methods of assessment; and if he will make a statement. [65702]
Derek Twigg: The RAIB produces reports on all its investigations and copies are provided to the Secretary of State. These reports are also put into the public domain.
The reports enable the Secretary of State to assess, on an ongoing basis, the work of the RAIB. This is in addition to meetings that the Secretary of State holds with the Chief Inspector of the RAIB.
There are no plans to change the methods of assessment.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation governs the use of (a) private hire vehicles and (b) unlicensed drivers and vehicles as transport for rail replacement; and if he will make a statement. [65494]
Derek Twigg: s40 of the Railways Act 2005 provides for where a railway passenger service is temporarily interrupted or has been discontinued, the Secretary of State (or Scottish Ministers in the case of Scotland) may secure the provision of a substitute service for the carriage of passengers by road by means of public service vehicles (i.e. buses) or private hire vehicles.
A private hire vehicle means a vehicle licensed under s37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, s6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, s48 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 or s7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 (or additionally in the case of Scotland taxis or private hire cars licensed under s10 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to replace rail services with bus services on the (a) Par to Newquay, (b) Liskeard to Looe, (c) Totnes and Ivybridge to Plymouth, (d) Chippenham to Frome and (e) Severn Beach routes. [64774]
Derek Twigg:
Other than the continuation of existing arrangements whereby buses provide some services between Avonmouth and Severn Beach, there is no policy to replace rail services with buses on any of these routes.
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Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of previously closed branch lines have been re-opened since May 1997. [62373]
Derek Twigg: In England and Wales, approximately 17 miles of former freight line have been re-opened for passenger use since 1997.
David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether funding has been allocated to the Scottish Executive in respect of Railways for All. [59328]
Derek Twigg: Following the enactment of the Railways Act 2005, responsibility for the funding and specifying the outputs of the rail network in Scotland transferred to Scottish Ministers on 1 April 2006. Over £360 million per annum has been transferred from the Department for Transport to Transport Scotland to enable Scottish Ministers to discharge these new responsibilities. The operation and funding of the Access for All programme in Scotland is under discussion between the Department and Transport Scotland.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times nuclear flasks have been transported by rail in each of the last five years. [65521]
Derek Twigg: This information is available in a report commissioned last year by this Department entitled Survey into the Radiological Impact of the Normal Transport of Radioactive Material in the UK by Road and Rail", reference NRPB-W66. Copies of this report have been placed in the House Library and are available on the internet at the following address:
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates the Department has made of the amount of nuclear waste that has been transported by rail in each of the last 10 years; and how much he expects to be transported by rail in the next five years. [65522]
Derek Twigg: This Department does not hold detailed information on quantities of radioactive waste transported.
Information on shipments of radioactive waste by rail is available in a report commissioned last year by this Department entitled Survey into the Radiological Impact of the Normal Transport of Radioactive Material in the UK by Road and Rail", reference NRPB-W66. Copies of this report have been placed in the House Library and are available on the internet at the following address:
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