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30 Oct 2006 : Column 32W—continued
Dual Carriageways
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when work to dual the A358 from Ilminster to Taunton will (a) begin and (b) conclude; and if he will make a statement; [97024]
(2) what plans there are to dual additional stretches of the A303 over the next decade; and if he will make a statement. [97025]
Dr. Ladyman: We are currently considering the inter-Departmental Review Group's report on options for improving the A303 past Stonehenge and will announce our conclusions in due course. The timing of other proposed improvements to the A303 to the west of Stonehenge, and the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton, will be influenced by our conclusions on the Stonehenge scheme. In considering the timetable for these scheme we will also take account of the south-west region's advice that, within the regional funding allocation for major transport schemes in the south-west, a start should be made on either the A303 Stonehenge scheme or on the A303 Ilminster bypass improvement and improvements to the A358 to Taunton within the next 10 years, and that other A303 schemes are for the longer term, beyond 2016. The Highways Agency is continuing to prepare the A303 Ilminster bypass improvement and improvement to the A358 from Ilminster to Taunton so that these schemes can be considered for entry into the targeted programme of improvements in due course.
Eurostar Services
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission a new review of the viability of extending Eurostar services to regional destinations taking into account the (a) social, (b) economic and (c) environmental benefits. [96617]
Mr. Tom Harris: Any changes to Eurostar service patterns are a matter for Eurostar. The Department for Transport has no plans to undertake any review of the viability of extending Eurostar services to regional destinations.
Funeral Limousines
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government plan to include the private hire of funeral limousines in the exemption for private hire when transposing EU Directive 2003/20/EC into UK law. [97579]
Dr. Ladyman: No. The exception from the compulsory use of child seats or boosters by children permitted by the directive is for taxis. Updated regulations came into force on 18 September 2006 in Great Britain. For this purpose, they apply the exception to licensed taxis and licensed private hire vehicles only. Drivers of these vehicles cannot be expected to know in advance which and how many child seats or boosters may be required by child passengers. However, funeral directors do liaise with bereaved families over arrangements and therefore can arrange to take into account the need for child seats/boosters for child passengers when travelling in dedicated funeral vehicles.
Government Social Research Service
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the service in that period; and how many people are employed in the service in his Department. [95856]
Gillian Merron: The total cost of the Government Social Research Service since the Department for Transport was established in May 2002 is estimated as follows:
| Amount (£) | |
During this period 64 projects have been completed. The Department employs 15 Government Social Research Service staff.
Highways Agency (Animal Welfare)
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been spent in total by the Highways Agency on (a) projects relating to animal welfare and (b) the purchase and installation of bat boxes; who determines (i) whether such expenditure is appropriate and (ii) the levels thereof; and if he will make a statement. [98301]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency is committed to minimising the impact of the trunk road network (in England) on both the natural and built environment and to playing a full role in implementing the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan. Where appropriate, the agency undertakes works to mitigate for the impact of its operational, maintenance and improvement works, which may include the provision of animal welfare measures. These measures include the provision of animal crossings in the form of tunnels and adapted farm crossings and underpasses. Appropriate fencing may be included to both prevent animals crossing the carriageway and direct the animals to a safe crossing facility. They also undertake specific enhancement measures, such as the provision of bat boxes as part of commitments set out in the Highways Agency Biodiversity Action Plan (HABAP). Finally, the agency also undertakes research to support the development of advice in relation to the effectiveness of such measures.
With respect to expenditure, mitigation and enhancement measures are often provided as part of larger scheme budgets and specific costs are not available. However as part of its HABAP commitments, the agency has installed in excess of 920 bat boxes since 2002. Each of these enhancement schemes has been evaluated through a value management process, to ensure that works are appropriate and represent value for money. Other works are evaluated through cost challenge workshops or similar procedures for assessing value for money.
Laser Speed Meters
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received on the T12020 laser speed meter since its introduction. [95514]
Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
A number of representations have been received since the introduction of the LTI.20.20 the exact number could not be extracted from our records without disproportionate cost.
M1
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many workmen are employed on the road widening scheme between junctions 8 and 10 of the M1 motorway; and how many work during the (a) daytime and (b) hours of darkness. [97624]
Dr. Ladyman: There are an average of 372 operatives and supervisors working on the M1 widening scheme between junctions 8 and 10. Of these, 347 work during the daytime and 25 during the night.
Railway Services
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reason was for the delay of a number of trains on 1 September between Ingatestone and Chelmsford; what steps are in place to reduce the reoccurrence of similar such incidents; and if he will make a statement. [97326]
Mr. Tom Harris: The root cause of the event that resulted in service disruption on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) on 1 September is still the subject of investigation by Network Rail. It is known that a train pantograph clashed with the overhead wiring structure to bring the wiring down. Following a detailed review of this and other incidents resulting in overhead line failures, a number of actions are being implemented to improve the monitoring and future maintenance of the equipment.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with officials of GNER since 1 October. [97344]
Mr. Tom Harris: GNER have had discussions with officials in the Department, they have had none with Ministers.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much public money has been allocated to the new South Western Trains franchise for each year of its operation. [96948]
Mr. Tom Harris: A subsidy is to be paid to SWT for the first three financial years of the franchise:
2006-07: £16.2 million;
2007-08: £61.2 million; and
2008-09: £23.2 million.
Thereafter SWT pay a premium to the DfT:
2009-10: £36.5 million;
2010-11: £74.4 million;
2011-12: £117.4 million;
2012-13: £160.1 million;
2013-14: £193.9 million;
2014-15: £223.6 million;
2015-16: £250.4 million;
2016-17: £235.2 million.
All the above are Net Present Value.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Network Rail on the decision to charge an admission fee to public conveniences situated at some railway stations; what discussions took place with user groups before fees were implemented; what assessment has been made of the effect of fees on disabled and unwaged groups; and if he will make a statement. [97327]
Mr. Tom Harris: Railway stations are owned by Network Rail and managed by Network Rail or Train Operators. It is for these parties, in consultation with stakeholders, to plan the facilities at stations and decide upon what charges might apply.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of London's rail stations on Network Southeast have been upgraded to accept the Oyster pay-as-you-go travel card since May 2006; and when the upgrade of all of the stations will be completed. [96681]
Mr. Tom Harris: At present, Oyster Pay As You Go is not valid on national rail, and the only rail stations equipped for Oyster Pay As You Go are those which are also served by Underground trains. However, in May we announced that agreement has been reached with Transport for London to fund installation of Oyster equipment at all the remaining national rail stations in London. Coupled with the new simplified rail fares for London which we announced on 19 October 2006, Official Report, columns 61-62WS, this paves the way for Oyster Pay As You Go to be rolled out across national rail in London over the next few years.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made since 2004 by regional railway tsars in (a) reducing the burden of administration and (b) ensuring greater train punctuality; and if he will make a statement. [96893]
Mr. Tom Harris: Network Rail is responsible for monitoring the performance of passenger rail services. Since July 2004, punctuality of passenger trains has improved from 81.5 per cent. to 87.4 per cent.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of vandalism there were on (a) trains, (b) stations, (c) railway tracks and (d) railway depots in 2005-06, broken down by police authority area. [97832]
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.
Road Freight
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated levels of road freight in the UK were in each year since 1997. [97853]
Dr. Ladyman:
Estimates for the UK are not available. Annual figures for the level of road freight activity by GB-registered goods vehicles in Great Britain, excluding foreign vehicle activity, (measured both in tonnes and tonne kilometres) are published in Table 4.1
of Section 4 of the Department of Transport's annual statistical compendium “Transport Statistics Great Britain 2005”. This publication can be accessed on the Department's website. The link to Section 4 is:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/page/dft_transstats_041493.pdf.
Roads Funding
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost was of constructing a mile of (a) motorway, (b) additional lane of motorway and (c) trunk road in the latest period for which figures are available. [96824]
Dr. Ladyman: The average cost for constructing a mile of motorway is £29.9 million. I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 13 June 2006, Official Report, column 1116W, for the cost of an additional kilometre of lane of motorway in the period of 2005-06 as the latest available. The equivalent rate per mile is £10 million. The average cost for trunk roads of constructing a mile of dual carriageway is £16.2 million and single carriageway £10.6 million.
Shiplake Level Crossing
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety of the Shiplake level crossing in South Oxfordshire; and if he will make a statement. [97008]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Office of Rail Regulation's Her Majesty's Railways Inspectorate (HMRI) has inspected the crossing both before and after the recent incident, of 24 July 2006, involving a train collision with a road vehicle. HMRI found that the protective measures for the crossing were in line with published guidance for this type of crossing and that there were no significant irregularities.
The Office of Rail Regulation and the industry continue to work to improve safety at all level crossings by addressing the root causes of accidents. However, as an estimated 96 per cent. of all level crossing accidents are caused by user misuse, level crossing users also have a role to play.
Speed Humps
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of occasions across England where highways authorities have installed speed humps which were later (a) modified and (b) removed; what the cost to public funds has been of the work; and if he will make a statement. [97328]
Dr. Ladyman: Local authorities have the power to introduce or modify traffic calming schemes without approval from the Department. As such there are no central records which contain this information.
Thameslink 2000
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an estimate of the required funding for Thameslink 2000; and if he will make a statement. [96921]
Mr. Tom Harris: Network Rail, in their Initial Strategic Business Plan (July 2006) has estimated the cost of the Thameslink Programme to be £3.5 billion (at 2006 prices).
However, a funding decision will be considered over the next few months in the light of the emerging conclusions of the cross-government Comprehensive Spending Review and the development of the new High Level Output Specification for Network Rail.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on the required funding for Thameslink 2000; and if he will make a statement. [97488]
Mr. Tom Harris: A funding decision on the Thameslink programme cannot be made in isolation and will be considered over the next few months in the light of the emerging conclusions of the cross-government Comprehensive Spending Review and the development of the new high level output specification for the railway.
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