Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 11 July 2006
Transport
Community Transport
9. Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of community transport in future transport policy. [83855]
Gillian Merron: Community transport has a vital role in helping to meet the transport needs of different groups. The Department works closely with the Community Transport Association and supports over 700 community transport operators in England through the Bus Service Operators Grant.
Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme
11. Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his plans are for implementing the proposed free national concessionary bus travel. [83857]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: From April 2008 persons aged 60 and over and disabled people will be entitled to free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in the country. We will be consulting authorities, bus operators and other interested parties on the best framework for delivering the improved concessionary fares entitlement.
Buses
12. Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the use of public transport by bus. [83858]
20. Mr. Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage more use of public transport buses. [83866]
Gillian Merron: We are committed to seeing an increase in bus use and improving bus services.
Over the coming months I will be looking closely at the issues, to come to a decision, later in the year, about the right framework to increase and improve bus travel.
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage the use of public transport by bus. [83123]
Gillian Merron: Within the context of delivering our long-term strategy for improving bus services across the country, the most recent steps taken by the Government include:
Providing local authorities in England with the resources to support their Local Transport Plan strategies, a large part of which are related to improving bus-related infrastructure (some £571 million invested by local authorities between 2001-02 and 2004-05 in bus improvements);
The introduction of free local concessionary fares for older and disabled people from April 2006, and the announcement of free national concessionary fares from April 2008;
Up to £200 million per year of the Transport Innovation Fund (from 2008-09) has been made available specifically to support packages of measures that will address congestion in towns and cities through demand management and public transport improvements, including better bus services;
Allocating £20 million to fund 43 Kickstart schemes to pump-prime promising local bus services;
£54 million available for 2006-07 to support rural bus services.
Providing capital funding for major bus schemes, such as the £42 million contribution towards the Greater Bristol Bus Network scheme.
Over the coming months we will be looking at the success of these, and other initiatives, with a view to developing future plans to encourage bus use.
Railways
13. Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his plans are to overcome capacity problems on the rail network. [83859]
15. Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his plans are to overcome capacity problems on the rail network. [83861]
Derek Twigg: We are increasing capacity in a number of ways. Through the franchising process, we are securing increases in train carrying capacity. And we are working with Network Rail on major projects to increase capacity, including the West Coast upgrade and Thameslink. Next year will see the opening of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. And next summer we will publish the High Level Output Statement detailing what we expect to buy from the railway from 2009-14. Capacity will be a key element.
Bus Regulation
14. Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to change bus regulation; and if he will make a statement. [83860]
Gillian Merron: We are committed to seeing an increase in bus patronage and improving bus services for passengers across the country. Over the coming months we will be looking at what works and what does not work, and will make decisions in the autumn.
Traffic Accidents
16. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on trends in the number of serious traffic accidents in England. [83862]
Dr. Ladyman: Our statistics for 2005 indicate that there were 24,379 accidents involving people killed or seriously injured reported to the police in England, 30 per cent. below the 1994-98 baseline average and 6 per cent. below the number in 2004.
Euston (Intercity Services)
17. Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase intercity services out of Euston as part of the 2009 timetable. [83863]
Derek Twigg: The upgrade of West Coast Mainline will be largely completed by end of 2008. As a result the timetable starting in December 2008 is planned to include a substantial increase in long distance services to and from Euston. This is set out in the progress report on the West Coast upgrade project that was published in May 2006.
Road Congestion
18. Mr. Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in improving traffic management to ease road congestion. [83864]
Dr. Ladyman: Under the Traffic Management Act 2004 local authorities in England have a duty to manage traffic on their road network, co-ordinate street works and manage parking enforcement. We are consulting on proposals regarding network management duties that will ensure authorities do all they can to tackle congestion and keep traffic moving on their roads.
Traffic officers are helping to keep traffic moving, ease congestion and ensure safety, primarily on English motorways.
Airport Expansion
19. Richard Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the
Government’s plans for airport expansion in Southern England. [83865]
Gillian Merron: The Government’s “Future of Air Transport” White Paper, published in December 2003, sets out a strategic framework for the development of airport capacity in the UK, including at airports in Southern England, over the next 30 years. We intend to publish a progress report on the policies and proposals set out in the Air Transport White Paper (ATWP), by the end of 2006.
Parking Fines
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to ensure fairer administration of parking fines by local authorities. [83856]
Gillian Merron: The Traffic Management Act 2004 gives the Government power to make regulations and issue statutory guidance on the civil enforcement of parking contraventions including the administration of parking penalty charges. The Secretary of State will tomorrow—12 July—launch our three month consultation “Better Parking—Keeping Traffic Moving” on this.
Advertising Campaigns
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advertising campaigns his Department has run since July 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [81912]
Gillian Merron: The Department and its executive agencies monitor expenditure on a fiscal year basis. Campaign expenditure on media advertising for 2004-05 and 2005-06 are set out in the following table. The major areas of expenditure are designed to support our THINK! road safety and car tax offenders campaigns.
| £ | |||
| Department | Campaign | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
Aircraft Emissions
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of how much carbon dioxide is produced on average by an individual aircraft per mile travelled, broken down by aircraft type; and if he will make a statement. [82851]
Gillian Merron: The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced will vary by model of plane, aircraft types and according to factors such as journey lengths, passenger loadings and weather conditions. The information is therefore not collected in the form requested.
However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs publishes estimates of CO2 emissions
from aircraft, as set out in its Company Reporting Manual. The manual is available on the DEFRA website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/envrp/gas/envr pgas-annexes,pdf
Arriva Trains Wales
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Arriva Trains Wales services were cancelled from Llansamlet railway station in 2005. [80621]
Derek Twigg: Responsibility of the management of the Arriva Trains Wales (‘ATW’) Franchise Agreement has transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from the Department for Transport. The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2006, Official Report, column 21W, on railways, what issues were discussed at the meeting with Arriva Trains Wales; and what the outcome was. [80726]
Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport is still in discussion with interested parties on the implications of the planned First Great Western timetable changes for services between Cardiff and Swansea.
Birmingham New Street Station (Medical Assistance)
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what emergency medical assistance is available at Birmingham New Street train station. [83368]
Derek Twigg: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail’s chief executive at the following address for a response to his question.
John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton street
London NW1 2EE.
Departmental Documents
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much it cost to research, write and publish (a) “A New Deal for Transport” (July 1998), (b) “Transport 2010—the 10 Year Plan”, (c) “Delivering Better Transport: Progress Report” (December 2002) and (d) “The Future of Transport: a Network for 2030” (July 2004). [79919]
Gillian Merron: Research and writing of the latter three documents were carried out as part of civil servants’ normal duties. Design and printing costs were:
| £ | |
Information on the costs of “A New Deal for Transport” cannot be traced without incurring disproportionate costs.
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