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29 Mar 2007 : Column 1697W—continued
Road Traffic Offences: Insurance
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on using Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and motor insurance databases in conjunction with automatic number plate recognition equipment to detect uninsured drivers. [130045]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 26 March 2007]: There has been good progress and I refer to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar) on 22 November 2006, Official Report, columns 93-4W. Since that date the police are continuing to use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) equipment to detect uninsured drivers with excellent results.
Road Works: Fees and Charges
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers local authorities have to charge utility companies for street works; and if he will make a statement. [130572]
Gillian Merron: Currently, local authorities do not have any powers to charge utility companies for carrying out works in the highway. A highway authority may make charges under s74 of New Roads, and Street Works Act 1991, if works are unreasonably prolonged.
The Traffic Management Act 2004 introduces powers that allow highway authorities to operate a permit scheme for all works in the highway, on which undertakers will be charged. Regulations have been drafted for the implementation of permit scheme and were the subject of a consultation that closed on 26 February. The draft Regulations will be revised to take account of consultation responses and will be laid before the House for debate this summer.
Roads: Accidents
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many road traffic accidents occurred in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each year since 1997; [130939]
(2) how many accident blackspots have been identified in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex; and what steps his Department has undertaken to reduce the number of accidents in such locations. [130940]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of reported personal injury road accidents in Eastbourne and East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove) in each year since 1997 is given in the table.
| Number of reported personal injury accidents in Eastbourne and East Sussex, 1997 to 2005 | ||
| Eastbourne | East Sussex( 1) | |
| (1) Includes Eastbourne but excludes Brighton and Hove | ||
There is no standard definition for an accident blackspot. The assessment of local accident blackspots is a matter for the relevant local highway authorities.
Roads: Construction
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost was of building a mile of (a) motorway, (b) trunk road grade dual carriageway, (c) trunk road grade dual carriageway and (d) an extra lane on a motorway in each of the past 10 years. [124831]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table lists the average cost per kilometre in real terms of building motorways, dual carriageway trunk roads and an extra lane to existing motorways, provided by publicly funded major schemes for the last 10 years.
The ranges of cost reflect the different types of projects delivered in each year since 1996. Seven projects were delivered in 1999-2000, two of which included tunnels. One project adding lane capacity was completed in 2001-02 and the majority of its cost was in strengthening an existing bridge.
| £ million | |||
| Motorways ( Cost per km in real terms ) | Trunk dual ( Cost per km in real terms ) | Motorway widening ( Cost per lane km in real terms ) | |
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost of building a kilometre of road lane was in each year since 1997. [125978]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table lists the cost per kilometre in real terms of building road lanes on the strategic roads network in each complete year since 1997.
The ranges of cost reflect the different types of projects delivered in each year since 1997. Seven projects were delivered in 1999-2000, two of which included tunnels. Only one project adding lane capacity was completed in 2001-02 and the majority of its cost was in strengthening an existing bridge.
| Cost per lane km in real terms (£ million) | |
Rolling Stock
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to seek to release rolling stock stored at Eastleigh onto (a) Great Western and (b) South West Trains services; and if he will make a statement. [129355]
Mr. Tom Harris: Rolling stock recently stored at Eastleigh comprises two types.
Most are Class 442s which have recently come off lease from the South West franchise, having been replaced by newer trains. Angel Trains Limited, who own the Class 442s, will be considering how they might be deployed in future, though their relatively low passenger capacity means that they are not suitable for all routes.
A number of Class 158 vehicles have also been stored at Eastleigh. Northern Rail announced on 13 March that they had taken the trains on lease to help ease crowding on some of their busiest services.
South West Trains: Fares
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he was first informed of proposals by South West Trains for a new premium rate for travel; what representations he has made to South West Trains on the new rate; and if he will make a statement. [130527]
Mr. Tom Harris: The franchise bid indicated an intention to review its fares strategy including those for unregulated off-peak fares.
These fares are unregulated and at the discretion of the franchise operator, therefore the Secretary of State has made no representations to Stagecoach.
South West Trains: Rolling Stock
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to South West Trains on (a) the condition of existing rolling stock and (b) future requirements for rolling stock. [130528]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department is currently agreeing a service quality regime with Stagecoach South Western Trains. This will cover the condition of the existing rolling stock.
Stagecoach South Western's bid included proposals on their strategy to provide capacity to meet the franchise requirements as outlined by the Department for Transport. This includes an extra 10 vehicles to operate 10-car operation on peak time Windsor Line services.
Tolls
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department are working on plans to introduce a national road pricing scheme. [122802]
Dr. Ladyman: The road pricing team comprises 22 staff. The present focus of their work is local pricing schemes.
Transport: Lancashire
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding the local transport authority in Lancashire received (a) in total, (b) per mile of road and (c) per head of population in each year since 1997. [130738]
Gillian Merron: The following table shows the total funding allocated to Lancashire council in the local transport capital settlements in each year between 1997-98 and 2006-07 (inclusive) in terms of (a) totals (b) per mile of road and (c) per head of population.
| Lancashire council | |||
| Total funding (£000) | Funds (£000) per mile | Funds (£ per head) | |
| Note: The 1997-98 figures include Blackpool and Blackburn, which were part of Lancashire pre-reorganisation. | |||
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