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A120(T)
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the conclusions were of the stage 1 study into the improvements of the A120(T) in relation to the proposed Bathside Bay development in Harwich; when a decision will be made on formal planning permission; and if he will make a statement. [81100]
Dr. Ladyman: Planning permission for the Bathside Bay development was granted on 29 March this year—subject to final approval of an appropriate road scheme by Ministers.
The developer funded study into options to improve the A120(T) in relation to the proposed development is still under way. It is expected to be completed in September. In the light of this the Secretary of State will decide which, if any of the road options, should be put to public consultation, which could then take place early next year.
Aviation (Climate Change)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative impact on climate change of night flights and day flights when other factors are the same. [80662]
Gillian Merron: No assessments have been made of the relative impacts of night and day flights on climate change. The Department keeps up to date with and seeks to extend its knowledge on climate change issues, including the recent study published by the University of Reading. Further work and scientific understanding of the effects of aviation contrails and particularly cirrus cloud is required to enable aviation to minimise its climate impact through technical advances and policy measures.
Bus Fares
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the practice of some bus companies which require local authorities to reimburse them under the national travel scheme on the basis of two single fares rather than a return fare where this would be applicable; what estimate he has made of the resulting cost to local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [80761]
Gillian Merron: None. The main principle which applies to reimbursement is that bus operators are ‘no better/no worse off’ as a result of taking part in concessionary fares schemes. Reimbursement for lost revenue should be based on the average amount each concessionary traveller would have paid in the absence of the scheme (the average equivalent full fare).
It is for each Concessionary
Travel Authority and its bus operators to reach local agreement on the
appropriate ‘average fare’. Reimbursement payments
are subject to audits of ticket sales data and, if the authority
requires further information, on-bus surveys of patronage.
Commuter Delays
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average delay was experienced by commuters in each of the last 12 months on overland trains into London. [78627]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department in the format requested.
Motorways
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many kilometres of motorway have been resurfaced with quiet noise surface in each year since 1997; and how many kilometres were so resurfaced before they reached the normal life requirement for renewal in each year. [81065]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of lane kilometres of motorway laid with quieter surfacing in each calendar year since 1997 is set out in the following table:
| Calendar year | Lane kilometres of motorway resurfaced |
| Source: Information
taken from the Highways Agency Pavement Management System (HA-PMS) as
at 27 June
2006. | |
As our priority has been to maintain a safe and serviceable network, no resurfacing works have been undertaken ahead of maintenance requirements.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the relevance to the United Kingdom of the Austrian vignette scheme for charging for motorway use. [81067]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department monitors closely the development and operation of road tolling and pricing schemes throughout the world, including the Austrian lorry charge. We recognise that the experience of running road charging schemes in other countries may provide valuable lessons for the United Kingdom as we continue to consider how a system of national road pricing might be developed. At the same time, our analysis takes into account the fact that schemes in other countries are inevitably tailored to meet local circumstances.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger kilometres were travelled on each motorway of the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [81086]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is not available.
Olympics
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what undertakings were entered into with the organisers of the Olympic Games concerning the journey time between Heathrow and Weymouth; what the journey time is; and what plans there are to meet those undertakings. [81088]
Gillian Merron: In the Candidature File, submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004, London 2012 estimated a journey time of 2 hours 20 minutes for the 206km journey. It is now for the Olympic Delivery Authority, in preparing its Olympic Transport Plan, to set out the detailed transportation arrangements for each Olympic venue.
Peterborough Station
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the recent increase in car parking charges at Peterborough railway station; [81824]
(2) what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the increase in car parking charges at Peterborough railway station on the Government's (a) transport plan and (b) policy to encourage more people to use public transport; [81825]
(3) what research he has commissioned on the impact of the level of car parking charges at railway stations on rail usage; and if he will make a statement. [81826]
Derek Twigg: Car parking charges are not regulated and are a commercial matter for the train operating company concerned. The Department for Transport has not commissioned research into the level of car parking charges at railway stations.
Road Traffic Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation of the Road Traffic Act 1988; and what statutory instruments have been made under this Act. [81247]
Dr. Ladyman: The main purpose of the Road Traffic Act 1988 was to consolidate and replace earlier road traffic legislation in the overall interest of improving road safety. As amended, it remains the principal statute on this area of the law, regulating a wide range of road traffic issues, including driving standards, the construction and use of vehicles and driver licensing and instruction.
A considerable number of statutory instruments have been made under the Act since it came into force and a complete list could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, as I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 12 May 2006 Official Report, columns 652-53W, a consolidated version of the Act, published by Butterworths, is available online to Members of this House. This includes details of all the secondary legislation made under each provision of the Act.
Seat Belts
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) lives which will be saved and (b) injuries which will be reduced by the enactment of the Draft Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations 2006; when these regulations will be brought into force; what recent discussions he hashad with (i) motoring organisations and (ii) the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transportation Safety on the wearing of seat belts; and if he will make a statement. [81248]
Dr. Ladyman: An estimate of the reduction of casualties which may be achieved by these Regulations is given in the regulatory impact assessment available on-line at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_ rdsafety_611256.hcsp .
The draft regulations were laid before Parliamenton 14 June with a date for coming into effect of18 September 2006. Motoring organisations and the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transportation Safety responded to the public consultation on the proposed changes which was carried out in 2005. A summary of the responses is available on line at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_611255-03.hcsp#P71_12154.
Sleepy Drivers
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many road accidents were caused (a) directly and (b) indirectly as a result of the driver of a motor vehicle driving (i) while feeling drowsy and (ii) falling asleep while driving in each year since 1996, broken down by (A) age group, (B) sex and (C) region; [81259]
(2) what research his Department (a) has undertaken, (b) plans to undertake and (c) has evaluated into (i) the (A) age and (B) number of(1) males and (2) females who drive while feeling drowsy, (ii) the frequency of driving while drowsy and (iii) the number of road accidents caused because the driver was drowsy; and if he will make a statement; [81260]
(3) what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to encourage persons aged 17 to 24 years of the dangers of driving while feeling drowsy; and if he will make a statement. [81261]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to myanswer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 153W, to the hon. Member for South Swindon(Anne Snelgrove). The Department's research reports are published at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/032513.hcsp. Research Reports 21, 22 and 52 are relevant to driver sleepiness and report 43 is relevant to accident contributory factors. Research into motorcycle rider fatigue and accident risk is ongoing. The Department's publicity programme on driver tiredness is aimed at drivers of all ages.
Special Advisers
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role is played by special advisers in answering parliamentary questions asked of his Department. [80650]
Gillian Merron: Special advisers conduct themselves in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Birds
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1526W, on birds, whether Essex county council has concluded its investigation into Pegasus Birds; and if he will make a statement. [79488]
Mr. Bradshaw: The investigation was completed in April 2006. The investigating officer's report concluded that, despite procedural irregularities at the facility, the quarantine procedures for imported birds worked, and avian influenza was successfully detected. Following recommendations from the investigation, both the director and manager of Pegasus Birds received written cautions.
DEFRA and Essex Trading Standards learnt from the experience. DEFRA commissioned an independent review of avian quarantine for captive birds, which was published on 15 December 2005. The Government response to the review is available on the DEFRA website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/control/avianquarantine/gov-strategy/index.htm.
Climate Change
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many young ambassadors for climate change have been identified under the Climate Change Communication Initiative; [80709]
(2) how much has been spent under the Climate Change Communications Initiative, broken down by project. [80710]
Ian Pearson: Nine champions have been chosen in the Climate Change Champions Competition 2006, one from each region in England.
In February 2005, funding of £12 million for the period 2005-06—2007-08 was announced for the Climate Change Communications Initiative, with£6 million of that being made available for Climate Challenge Fund projects. This month, the Government announced that awards would be made to 53 projects under the fund (totalling £2.6 million in 2006-07 and £2.2 million in 2007-08). A breakdown is provided in the following table. A number of further projects are currently under discussion. More information is available at: www.climatechange.gov.uk.
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