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9 Oct 2006 : Column 253W—continued
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of fatal accidents on roads involving motorcycles. [91593]
Dr. Ladyman: Motorcycle fatalities and casualties have fallen in each of the last two years, and in 2005 the fatality and casualty rates per 100,000 vehicle kilometres were at their lowest for many years.
In February 2005, the Department published the Government’s Motorcycle Strategy, which was developed with the full involvement of motorcycling industry and user groups. Copies are available in the Library of the House and also on the Department for Transport’s website, www.dft.gov.uk .
The strategy aims to facilitate motorcycling as a safe and sustainable choice of travel and it sets out a range of actions for central or local government, manufacturers, retailers, trainers and user groups, who we are working with to implement the strategy through the National Motorcycle Council.
In January 2006, we launched a new advertising campaign reminding car drivers to “take longer for bikes”, on TV, radio and posters. This followed the previous “Perfect Day” campaign aimed at leisure riders, which is still widely used.
Motorway Services
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of motorway service areas make special provision for overnight stays by truck drivers; what are the 10 longest stretches of motorway between such dedicated provision; and what action his Department is taking to strengthen this service network. [91708]
Dr. Ladyman: It is a Government requirement that all motorway service areas (MSAs) must provide parking for all classes of vehicle, including lorries, and must also be open 24 hours a day every day of the year. Truck drivers will therefore be able to park overnight at any MSA.
Currently the longest stretches of motorway between MSAs are:
| Miles | |
Since 1992 it has been Government policy that it is for the private sector to bring forward proposals for new MSAs through the planning process. Current policy aims to encourage a network of MSAs at intervals of roughly 30 miles. This network is broadly complete although there is still a noticeable gap on the western sector of the M25.
Following a public inquiry planning permission has been granted for two MSAs at Cobham (M25 J9-10) and Burtley Wood (M40 J2). Once these are open it will significantly reduce the gaps between Clacket Lane, Oxford and South Mimms MSAs listed in the previous table.
In addition, the Government are prepared to consider granting approval for the signing of good quality truck stops which are situated near to the motorway network.
Motorways
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the 10 most congested (a) motorways and (b) non-motorway roads were in each of the last 12 months. [90371]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department’s measure of congestion on the Strategic Road Network in England is journey time reliability, measured by looking at the slowest 10 per cent. of journeys on each route and calculating the average vehicle delay (in minutes per 10 miles travelled) comparing observed journey times with reference journey times. The measure can only be calculated by looking at the distribution of journey times over a whole year, so figures are not available for individual months.
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department’s policy is on reducing noise nuisance caused to residents living near motorways. [92452]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government are committed to using low noise surfacing materials on new strategic roads, and on existing strategic roads when resurfacing is required, to reduce road traffic noise levels and nuisance resulting from their use. The strategic road network includes all motorways in England.
As part of the 10-year plan, published in 2000, the Government proposed to install quieter surfacing on 60 per cent. of the strategic road network including all concrete stretches, dependent on funds available. To date the Highways Agency has resurfaced approximately 30 per cent. of the strategic road network with quieter materials.
In addition, on 22 March 1999, the Government announced a ring-fenced budget of £5 million a year to deal with the most serious and pressing cases of traffic noise arising from the existing strategic road network, where there was no early prospect of resurfacing with low-noise materials due to maintenance need. A list of 79 locations was published on 11 November 1999, Official Report, columns 681-83, and studies carried out to identify the most cost-effective measures to reduce noise. To date, 60 of these locations have been addressed.
Nuclear Waste
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railway lines in Brent are used for the transportation of nuclear waste. [89164]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1419W.
Post Office Closures
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) traffic congestion, (b) miles travelled and (c) vehicle emissions as a result of the closure of post offices, bank branches and independent retail shops in (i) Welwyn Hatfield constituency and (ii) the Eastern Region. [91472]
Dr. Ladyman: No assessment has been made.
Railway Crossings
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents occurred at pedestrian-only railway crossings in (a) Greater London and (b) England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [90169]
Mr. Tom Harris: Data on level crossing accidents for Great Britain are published in the annual report on railway safety published by the Office of Rail Regulation, copies of which are in the House Library. The figures do not separate out Greater London.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many accidents occurred at pedestrian-only railway crossings in Beverley and Holderness in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [91390]
(2) how many accidents occurred at railway crossings in Beverley and Holderness in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [91391]
Mr. Tom Harris: Data on level crossing accidents for Great Britain is published in the annual reports on railway safety now published by the Office of Rail Regulation and previously by the Health and Safety Executive, copies of which are in the House Library.
Railway Security
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many assaults on (a) passengers and (b) railway staff there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [90370]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport, in the specific format requested, but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at which railway stations the greatest number of assaults on (a) passengers and (b) staff took place in each of the last five years. [90373]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport, but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enguiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at which railway stations there were the greatest number of incidents of vandalism in each of the last five years. [90374]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. This information is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of vandalism were reported at Beverley railway station in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [91389]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many criminal offences were committed on the North London line in each year since 1997. [91581]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when each station in Thurrock constituency, other than Grays and Chafford Hundred, is expected to be accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [92409]
Mr. Tom Harris: The company concerned, c2c is actively seeking to have all its stations accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme and has a target for this to be achieved by the end of 2006.
Railways
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the original budgeted costs were for the refurbishment of Sheffield train station; and how much the refurbishment has cost to date; [89642]
(2) how long the refurbishment of Sheffield train station is scheduled to take; what progress has been made with the refurbishment; and if he will make a statement. [89669]
Dr. Ladyman: These are operational matters for Network Rail, the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member is advised to contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his questions:
John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on passenger numbers of the proposed cutbacks to the rail service from Melksham. [89992]
Dr. Ladyman: The changes referred to will have a negligible impact on ridership within the First Great Western franchise.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes there have been to the reliability of rail services on the Barking to Gospel Oak line since Transport for London began funding additional services on the route. [91455]
Mr. Tom Harris: The moving annual average reliability figure for Silverlink’s Barking to Gospel Oak line was 97.1 per cent. in January 2004. This had increased to 97.8 per cent. by September 2006—an improvement of 0.7 per cent. since Transport for London sponsored additional services on the route.
Road Pricing
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) in the review of national road pricing what will be an acceptable level of displacement of traffic on to minor roads; [92279]
(2) what consideration will be given to providing for transparent pricing that will allow for ease of calculation of journey costs within the review of national road pricing. [92307]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government are exploring the scope for developing a national system of road pricing. We are focusing on local pilot schemes and providing support to local authorities as they develop schemes to tackle road congestion; this will test systems in different areas to establish what works and help understand how a road pricing scheme would operate in practice.
Issues such as the potential for diversion of traffic onto alternative routes and how information on the levels of charges might be communicated to road users will need to be considered as part of the detailed design of pricing schemes.
Road Safety
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) minor and (b) serious accidents occurred on the A102 between the A11 and the A13 in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006. [89781]
Dr. Ladyman: There were (a) 27 slight and (b) three serious personal injury road accidents reported to the police that occurred on the A102 between the A11 and the A13 in 2005. Data for 2006 are not available.
Source:
TfL London Road Safety Unit
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists were (a) injured and (b) killed in road traffic accidents in (i) the Metropolitan
Police area of London, (ii) Southend, (iii) Essex and (iv) England and Wales in (A) 2005 and (B) 2006. [89782]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of cyclists (a) injured and (b) killed in personal injury road accidents reported to the police in (i) the Metropolitan Police area of London, (ii) Southend, (iii) Essex and (iv) England and Wales in 2005 are given in the following table. Data for 2006 are not available.
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