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20 July 2006 : Column 681W—continued
Digital Tachographs
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is taking steps to exempt coach companies organising tours lasting more than one week from the rule that requires drivers to have one day off in seven; what representations have been made to him by trade unions about the rule; and if he will make a statement. [84835]
Gillian Merron: A new, directly applicable EU Regulation on drivers’ hours has recently been adopted by the EU institutions—it was published in the Official Journal in April 2006 and will, for the most part, come into force in April 2007.
During negotiation of this new EU Regulation, consideration was given to retaining the provision in the existing EU Regulation which allows coach drivers on non-regular journeys—such as excursions, tours and private hire—to postpone their weekly rest period until the end of the twelfth day. Following strong opposition to this on road safety grounds, it was not included.
The Department carried out an extensive public consultation exercise prior to adoption of this new EU Regulation. The trade unions were invited to contribute, and did not support the retention of this particular provision.
Driving Test Centres
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport where each driving centre test site is located; and how many of each type of test were taken at each site in 2005-06. [85825]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Environmental Standards
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO 14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement. [81191]
Gillian Merron: On 12 June the Government launched new targets for sustainable operations on the Government estate, which included a requirement for all Departments to have Environmental Management Systems based upon or modelled upon a recognised system. The Department for Transport is committed to achieving this target.
Harbours Bill
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent assessment is of the merits of the Harbours Bill. [86267]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 March 2006, Official Report, column 853W.
Insurance (Foreign Drivers)
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure foreign drivers of foreign registered vehicles are adequately insured when driving in the UK. [86731]
Dr. Ladyman: European law requires all vehicles registered in a member state to have insurance for the use of that vehicle in any other member state.
The police have full power to stop and check any foreign vehicle to ensure the driver has appropriate insurance cover.
Local Authorities (Transport Funding)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have had transport funding withheld by his Department since his Department’s press release of 28 July 2004 announcing the withholding of funds to Thurrock, East Sussex, Plymouth and Southend-on-Sea; what the reason was in each case; and when the withheld money was paid in each case. [82208]
Gillian Merron: Funds were withheld in late 2003 from Thurrock, East Sussex, Plymouth and Southend-on-Sea because they had reported poor programme delivery in the previous year. The authorities were given the opportunity to take action to improve their performance during the early part of 2004 and in all cases took sufficient steps to convince the Department to provide the funds later.
The press release of 28 July 2004 announced that the funds previously withheld from Thurrock, East Sussex, Plymouth and Southend-on-Sea would be released. This funding was released as part of the local government financial settlement for 2005-06 announced in late 2004.
No authorities have had local transport capital funding similarly withheld since July 2004.
M42
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the equipment required to introduce hard shoulder running on the M42 is already installed. [87040]
Dr. Ladyman: I am reviewing the proposed start date of hard shoulder running in light of the good progress being made towards its introduction.
M6 Widening
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work on the widening of the M6 motorway between Birmingham and Warrington (a) to begin and (b) to be completed. [86123]
Dr. Ladyman: Today I announced that I have instructed the Highways Agency to progress plans for the online widening of the M6 from junction 11a to 19, and to no longer pursue the Expressway alternative. They will now continue to work on the design and delivery of the scheme. Early indicative dates suggest that the first phase of the works could commence in 2012 and open in 2014 with the whole scheme being completed around 2017. This is of course subject to the availability of funding, the satisfactory completion of the detailed design process and the normal statutory procedures.
Maritime Labour Convention
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress the Government have made towards a decision on whether to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s Maritime Labour Convention. [85918]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government will ratify the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 as soon as UK law and practice is adapted to the requirements of the Convention.
Motorway Costs
Mr. Carmichael:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the cost of (a) one mile of new motorway, (b) adding an extra lane to one mile of motorway, (c) one mile of new dual
carriageway and (d) one mile of new single carriageway. [86138]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 1280W, to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), about the average costs per mile of building motorways, dual carriageways and single lane roads. Adding an extra lane to one mile of motorway is estimated at an average of £27.5 million per mile.
National Travel Scheme
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2006, Official Report, column 1599W, on the National Travel Scheme, when he expects decisions to be made on how the National Travel Scheme will be delivered in 2008. [85296]
Gillian Merron: The implementation of the national scheme requires primary legislation and has implications for the financing of local government, both of which require formal consultation. Therefore, it will not be possible to make final decisions before summer 2007.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a substantive reply to Question 84871 before the House rises for the summer adjournment. [86940]
Dr. Ladyman: A substantive reply was given to the hon. Member on 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1-2W.
Public Appointments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public appointments are within his patronage; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83163]
Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport was created in 2002. The information provided in the table is correct as at 31 March 2006, except for the Chair and members of the Strategic Rail Authority. The Chair was appointed on 1 April 2006 and the members reduced to two at the same time.
Details of public appointments to public bodies sponsored by all Departments can be found in ‘Public Bodies’, copies of which are in the Library. ‘Public Bodies’ has been published annually since 1980 and the most recent edition provides figures, including those for the public bodies sponsored by the Department for Transport, for 2005.
Public Transport (London)
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people travelled on (a) buses, (b) trains and (c) other forms of public transport in each (i) London borough and (ii) region in each year since 2001. [85476]
Gillian Merron: The number of bus and light rail passenger journeys by Government office region (including London) for years 1994-95 to 2004-05 can be found in table 2.1 of the Department’s publication “Regional Transport Statistics: 2005”. This publication is available from the Department’s website and a copy will shortly be placed in the House of Commons Library. The number of London Underground passenger journeys for years 1994-95 to 2004-05 can be found in table 2.4 of the same publication.
Information on regional rail travel is included in the National Rail Trends Yearbooks, which are published by the Office of Rail Regulation and available in the House of Commons Library. The statistics team at the Office of Rail Regulation also hold information on rail travel by station and by borough.
Information on the number of public transport journeys in each London borough is not available for other modes.
Railways
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of revenue support grant is paid towards rail passenger services in London. [82943]
Gillian Merron: Revenue support grant (RSG) is paid to local authorities (including London borough councils and the Greater London authority, GLA) to be spent according to local priorities. There is no element in the calculations underpinning the RSG levels related specifically to rail passenger services.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many employees of (a) Network Rail and (b) its contractors are employed in maintaining the track at Dawlish Warren; and what the cost of this workforce has been in each of the last 10 years; [87077]
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