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16 Oct 2006 : Column 917W—continued
Wildlife Database
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which organisations his Department’s global wildlife division shares information from its database; on what basis the information is shared; and whether information is shared routinely with any organisations. [94361]
Barry Gardiner:
In April 2006, internal changes within DEFRA resulted in the work of the global wildlife division being divided between two new divisions: the wildlife habitats and biodiversity division and the wildlife species conservation division. These divisions hold numerous databases and share
information with several different organisations as requested. All such requests meet our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Transport
A27 Cophall Roundabout
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic surveys assessing the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate were undertaken (a) before and (b) after the service station development at the Cophall roundabout was built. [94369]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows:
(a) A traffic impact assessment of the effect of the service area on the Cophall roundabout was carried out by the developer prior to planning consent being given. At that stage the roundabout had not been completed, surveys of actual traffic flows could not be carried out. The impact assessment relied on forecast traffic flows.
(b) The Highways Agency is currently undertaking a traffic count to collect ‘live’ traffic data in order to update and verify the impact assessment.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions control computer malfunctions have occurred at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate; and on how many of these occasions severe congestion ensued. [94371]
Dr. Ladyman: There has been only one control computer malfunction which became apparent after the traffic lights were switched on in May 2006. This resulted in traffic congestion on the roundabout and its approaches.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors underpinned the decision of the Highways Agency to switch off the traffic lights at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate in May 2006; and if he will make a statement. [94372]
Dr. Ladyman: After the traffic lights were switched on in May 2006 a validation of the system was carried out and this identified a problem of a malfunctioning chip. The lights were switched off and the chip was replaced. It was decided not to switch the traffic lights back on until further traffic survey work is completed.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he estimates that the traffic lights at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate will be switched back on. [94373]
Dr. Ladyman: Once the further traffic count is complete, the Highways Agency needs to evaluate the findings and design any changes that are considered necessary. We expect this to be before December 2006. The traffic lights will only be switched back on if the new traffic survey data indicates a need for them at this stage.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable he has established for clarification of the road markings at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate. [94374]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency plans to improve these road markings by the end of the year.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent since the opening of the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate on dealing with consequential problems related to the roundabout. [94375]
Dr. Ladyman: The cost for the installation of traffic signals was approximately £600,000. This work has been funded by the developer of the service area as a planning condition of that development.
A630 Sheffield (Subsidence)
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when (a) the subsidence on the A630 between Sheffield and the M1 motorway will be rectified and (b) the road will be resurfaced. [92917]
Dr. Ladyman: Sections of the A630 Sheffield Parkway and A57 Mosborough Parkway have been affected by expansion of the material used to construct the sub-base layers of the road. This has produced surface deformation and characteristics not dissimilar to those caused by subsidence.
The Department has provided an additional £4.3 million to Sheffield city council for remedial work on both sections of road. Works on the A57 Mosborough Parkway are complete and works on the A630 Sheffield Parkway are due to start in the summer of 2007. The works involve removing the affected material and a total reconstruction of the carriageway, which will of course include resurfacing.
Airline Security
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his European counterparts in relation to security arrangements for flights into the United Kingdom. [93008]
Gillian Merron: Transport Ministers have in recent weeks discussed aviation security issues, not confined to the question of inbound flights, with several of their European counterparts. These issues were also on the agenda of the Transport Council on 12 October, at which the Minister of State for Department for Transport represented the UK.
Boatmasters Licence
Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the new national boatmasters’ licence on the operation of the Watermans’ Acts in Portsmouth harbour. [93563]
Dr. Ladyman: The boatmasters’ licence will become the national statutory qualification required for the operation of domestic commercial vessels in all inland waters and on limited coastal operations. Anyone holding a relevant BML will not ‘also’ be required to hold a locally issued licence for the same purpose.
The new regulations will therefore make the Watermans’ Acts obsolete, and we are discussing with the Gosport and Portsmouth Joint Board the revocation of those Acts.
Chevron Markings
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of chevron markings on motorways on driving standards; and if he will make a statement. [92878]
Dr. Ladyman: Chevron markings were trialled on the M1 motorway in the early 1990s. A 15 per cent. reduction in the number of drivers following too close to the vehicle in front was observed in the lanes that were marked. Improvements in close-following were also observed in the unmarked, outside lane. Following the trial, advice and guidance about the use of chevron markings was published. Monitoring is continuing but no further assessment has been made of the effect of chevron markings on driving standards.
Dial-a-Ride Service
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in Gloucestershire who use the Dial-a-Ride service; and if he will make a statement. [93565]
Gillian Merron: In 2005-06 Community Transport operators across Gloucestershire carried approximately 235,000 passengers, of which the majority (nearly 97 per cent.) were pensioners.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to allow dial-a-ride services to qualify for concessionary fares remuneration; and if he will make a statement. [93566]
Gillian Merron: Local authorities already have the discretion to vary their concessionary fare schemes to include other modes. Some authorities choose to include dial-a-ride services in their local schemes, such decisions being based on their judgment of local need and their overall financial priorities.
European New Car Assessment Programme
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the European New Car Assessment Programme; what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement. [93219]
Dr. Ladyman: In 2005 I spoke at the 10 year Anniversary Conference that celebrated the contribution Euro NCAP had made to improving the safety of new passenger cars. The conference also identified the continuing challenges for road safety and the role of the automotive industry in delivering new safety technologies.
Officials from the Department attend the Euro NCAP management meetings that take place three
times each year in addition to routine technical level discussion on an ad-hoc basis.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department provided to the European New Car Assessment Programme in each of the last two years; for what purposes the funding was provided; and if he will make a statement. [93220]
Dr. Ladyman: The United Kingdom contributed £214,533 to Euro NCAP in 2004-05 and £130,430 in 2005-06. We anticipate a similar contribution as made in 2005-06 for this financial year.
These figures are broken down in the following table:
| £ | ||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Fuel Efficiency
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of fuel additives in extending the miles per gallon achieved by vehicles. [93901]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has not conducted its own testing on the effectiveness of fuel additives. However, there is a substantial amount of evidence demonstrating the benefits of detergent additives. These reduce build-up of deposits within the fuel system, fuel injectors and cylinders and are effective at reducing deterioration in fuel economy over time. A 1995 automotive and fuel industry review suggested that use of detergent additives delivered fuel economy benefits of around 2 per cent. for diesel vehicles and 4 per cent. for petrol vehicles.
Practically all UK road fuel contains detergents, with some companies offering speciality fuels with particularly high doses of detergent additives marketed on their engine protection, power and fuel economy benefits.
Fewer data are available on other types of fuel additives.
Horse-drawn Public Transport
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which body is responsible for regulating horse-drawn public transport. [91453]
Gillian Merron: Horse-drawn omnibuses and horse-drawn hackney carriages are licensed by local authorities (district or borough councils or unitary authorities). Any byelaws made by local licensing authorities to regulate horse-drawn omnibuses or hackney carriages must be confirmed by the Secretary of State before they can come into force. It is for local authorities to enforce any byelaws which they make.
Jet Skis
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce (a) permits, (b) compulsory insurance and (c) a minimum age for jet ski users. [93491]
Dr. Ladyman: Officials from the Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are currently considering the options available for ensuring that all personal water craft, including jet skis, are operated safely.
M18 (Pipe and Cable Laying)
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a pipe and cables are being laid alongside the north bound carriageway of the M18 motorway between junctions 3 and 4; and why such excavation has not taken place at a sufficient distance from the motorway to allow later carriageway widening without future disruption. [92988]
Dr. Ladyman: Works to lay pipes alongside the northbound carriageway of the M18 motorway between junctions 3 and 4, is being carried out outside of the Highways Agency boundary by Yorkshire Water for the expansion of Nutwell waste water treatment plant.
There are no current proposals to widen the M18 motorway, however the position of the pipes, approximately 15 metres from the boundary, would not have an adverse impact should there be any future widening schemes.
M62
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the M62 motorway between junctions 35 and 34 will be resurfaced; and what lane closures will be required. [92927]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency has no plans to carry out major resurfacing works on the M62 between junctions 35 and 34 in the near future. The following minor resurfacing works, to maintain the section in a safe condition, will be undertaken during November 2006:
Patching work to the westbound carriageway near Whitley Bridge requiring a lane 1, 2 and 3 closure with hard shoulder running. Work commencing 20 November.
Patching work to the westbound carriageway at Wynn Railway Bridge near Junction 35 Langham Interchange requiring a lane 1, 2 and 3 closure with hard shoulder running. Work commencing 6 November.
A 400-metre stretch of resurfacing in Lane 1 westbound, west of Junction 35 Langham Interchange requiring lane 1 and 2 closure. Work commencing 6 November.
All works will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am.
Off-road Bikes
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of registering and licensing off-road bikes. [93962]
Dr. Ladyman: My Department has not estimated the cost to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of registering and licensing off-road bikes.
Pollution-cutting Technology
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) assessment he has made of the effectiveness and (b) estimate he has made of the cost of introducing pavements utilising titanium dioxide to reduce pollution in cities; if he will encourage local authorities to utilise pollution-cutting technology as an alternative to existing measures; and if he will make a statement. [93710]
Gillian Merron: No assessment has been made of the effectiveness or cost of using titanium dioxide to reduce pollution in cities. We are watching with interest the trials of the technology, such as that under way in the City of Westminster. Minimising the impact of transport on the environment is a priority, and we will consider in what ways it would be appropriate to encourage local authorities to take up this technology when the overall costs and benefits are clear. In particular, we will want to ensure that the environmental costs of concrete manufacture do not nullify any prospective gains.
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