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5 Jun 2007 : Column 397W—continued

Rolling Stock

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of upgrading the UK rail network to 9 ft 6in standards. [139787]

Mr. Tom Harris: Rail transport of 9ft 6in high sea-freight containers requires that the route be at least ‘W10’ gauge, unless specialised low-height rolling stock is used. Parts of the network are already cleared to this standard. Network Rail's Freight Utilisation Strategy (March 2007) sets out a strategy for accommodating predicted freight growth, including proposals for selective extension of W10 gauge. The Department for Transport has announced that it is considering a number of schemes of this type for financial assistance from the Transport Innovation Fund.

Shipping: Industrial Health and Safety

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what risk assessment has been made of the possible effect of the change in numbers of awards of certificates of equivalent competency to foreign officers on UK-flagged ships on potential environmental and marine hazards; and if he will make a statement; [140100]

(2) what progress has been made in assessing the impact on the training and employment of UK seafarers of the change in numbers of awards of certificates of equivalent competency to foreign officers on UK-flagged ships; and if he will make a statement. [140103]

Dr. Ladyman: The MCA established a working group to assess the current system for issuing Certificates of Equivalent Competency (CECs). The group had its first meeting in January and consists of representatives of Government, industry, the unions and academia. The group will be looking into all aspects of CECs and will report to me in due course.


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Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on safety and environmental standards of the decision of the Marine and Coastguard Agency to contract out Vessel Traffic Services; and if he will make a statement. [140227]

Dr. Ladyman: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the Competent Authority for Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) in UK waters. VTS facilities are provided by port authorities within port limits and, to date, where required outside port limits. They have been provided by port authorities on behalf of the MCA under the terms of Memorandums of Understanding. To ensure that safety and environmental standards are maintained, these agreements provide for auditing and monitoring of the service provider and the service provided.

A revision of the routeing measures at the Sunk Precautionary Area has been adopted at the International Maritime Organisation and will come into effect on 1 July 2007. This coincides with the expiry of the agreement between the Harwich Haven Authority and the MCA for provision of VTS for the Sunk. In anticipation that the enlarged routeing measure may require additional resources to manage the vessel traffic, the provision of the VTS facility has been offered on a competitive tendering basis in accordance with Government procurement rules. The evaluation of tenders will include assessment of the potential contractors’ ability to meet safety and environmental standards. As the Competent Authority, the MCA will, of course, retain ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the VTS.

South West Trains: Fares

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has undertaken on the impact of the change to off peak fares announced by South West Trains to take effect on 20 May; and what representations he has received on that matter. [139873]

Mr. Tom Harris: These fares are unregulated and a matter for South West Trains. The Secretary of State has received a small number or representations from hon. Members including an early-day motion, and a small number of representations from members of the public.

South West Trains: Standards

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to monitor levels of passenger comfort on the new carriages introduced by South West Trains on their inter-city routes. [139730]

Mr. Tom Harris: The introduction of the Class 450s has meant that older trains have been replaced with newer stock on wider sections of the network, leading to an increase in overall capacity. This allows greater numbers of passengers to have a seat during their journey.

SSWT advises that the Class 450s fully comply with all health and safety requirements.


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Tolls

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much revenue he estimates local authority road pricing schemes will be unable to collect because vehicles using the scheme are unregistered; and what measures are expected to be taken to ensure that revenue is collected from the drivers of such vehicles; [139827]

(2) what enforcement measures are planned to be developed for the recovery of charges imposed by local road pricing schemes on transitory vehicles registered outside the UK; [139828]

(3) what proportion of operational costs of local authority road pricing schemes is expected to be devoted to (a) administration and (b) enforcement; [139829]

(4) whether a maximum daily cap is planned on charges levied on any one vehicle as part of local authority road pricing schemes; [139836]

(5) whether local authorities will be required to make a surplus from local authority road pricing schemes; [139838]

(6) who will be responsible for (a) the maintenance and upkeep of electronic on board units fitted to vehicles using local authority road pricing schemes and (b) the costs incurred thereby; [139842]

(7) what provisions will be made to allow use of areas covered by local authority road pricing schemes by persons who are bankrupt or otherwise prohibited from using or unable to use credit accounts and are unable to pay charges through normal electronic transfer mechanisms; [139843]

(8) whether local authorities will be encouraged to consider satellite positioning systems as the basis for their road pricing schemes; and whether his Department has any preference for any particular system; [139848]

(9) whether he plans to require any specific technical systems as the basis of any local authority road pricing schemes as a condition for approval of these schemes; [139849]

(10) whether drivers who register with local authority road pricing schemes which require the fitting of electronic on board units will be charged for (a) those units and (b) the fitting of those units. [140202]

Dr. Ladyman: The Secretary of State announced in a written ministerial statement on 8 February 2007, Official Report, column 47WS, the publication of guidance for local authorities interested in developing business cases for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) for local schemes to tackle congestion. The road pricing section of this guidance sets out the Government’s position on these points.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether failure to pay road user charges to local authority road pricing schemes is planned to be made a criminal offence. [139830]


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Dr. Ladyman: Current legislation and our draft Local Transport Bill treat failure to pay a road user charge as a civil contravention, and we have no plans to make it a criminal offence.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local authorities will be allowed to retain 100 per cent. of the funds raised by local road pricing schemes; and what use will be permitted of surplus funds raised by such schemes. [139831]

Dr. Ladyman: Our draft Local Transport Bill contains provisions that will have the effect that all the net proceeds of all local charging schemes are to be used for local transport purposes. (See notes on clause 82.)

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether vehicles registered in local authorities running local road pricing schemes will receive a rebate on (a) vehicle excise duty and (b) road fund tax. [139832]

Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2007, Official Report, columns 20-21W.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether local authorities will be required to provide differential charging for (a) those using high occupancy vehicle lanes, (b) low emission vehicles, (c) public transport vehicles and (d) emergency service vehicles under local authority road pricing schemes; [139834]

(2) what classes of vehicles local authorities will be (a) allowed and (b) required to exempt from charges under road pricing schemes. [139835]

Dr. Ladyman: On 8 February the Secretary of State announced in a written ministerial statement, Official Report, column 47WS, the publication of guidance for local authorities interested in developing business cases for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) for local schemes to tackle congestion. The road pricing section of this guidance sets out the Government's position on these points. Current legislation does not require differential charging, nor would the proposals in the draft Local Transport Bill, but local authorities have flexibility to apply differential charging if they wish to.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which body will be responsible for the repayment of any debts incurred by local authority road pricing schemes. [139839]

Dr. Ladyman: Local authorities seeking funding from the congestion element of the Transport Innovation Fund will need to develop a sound financial plan and set out the costs of the road pricing scheme and how they propose to finance the scheme. It would be the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that their scheme was cost-effective and financially viable.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the timetable of 2012 for the implementation of the European Electronic Toll
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Service for cars using road pricing schemes is expected to be met; [139847]

(2) whether it will be a condition for the approval of any local authority road pricing schemes that the technical provisions conform with EC Directive 2004/52, on the interoperability of electronic toll collection systems. [139850]

Dr. Ladyman: EC Directive 2004/52 requires that the European electronic tolling service is defined by a Commission Decision. The directive requires full implementation of the service within three years of the date of the Commission decision for heavy vehicles and within five years of the decision for other vehicles. No Commission decision has yet been taken.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the implications of the delay and increase in costs of establishing the Galileo satellite positioning system for local authority road pricing schemes; [139851]

(2) what assessment he has made of the implications of the delays to the Galileo for the Eddington proposal to establish comprehensive national road pricing by 2015. [139855]

Dr. Ladyman: We do not expect local pricing schemes to be affected by any delays to Galileo. No assessment has been made of the potential impact on any future national road pricing system.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the latest date is by which local authority road pricing schemes will have to be fully operational in order to adhere to the Eddington timetable of establishing comprehensive road pricing by 2015; [139856]

(2) how long it is expected to take to evaluate the lessons learned from local authority road pricing schemes for a national road pricing scheme from the time the schemes are fully operational; [139857]

(3) what criteria he plans to use to evaluate the lessons learned from local authority road pricing schemes for a national road pricing scheme. [140206]

Dr. Ladyman: No decisions have been taken on whether to introduce a national road pricing scheme. Local schemes will be evaluated on the basis of their effectiveness in tackling congestion and wider impacts. We expect lessons to be learned during the development phase as well as after introduction.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to bring the London road congestion charging scheme into the same technical framework as will apply to new local authority road pricing schemes. [140070]

Dr. Ladyman: The operation of the London congestion charging scheme is a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the technical standards for the European Electronic Toll Service have been agreed. [140183]


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Dr. Ladyman: Technical requirements for the EETS will be defined in a Commission Decision made under Articles 4(4) and 4(6) of the Directive. No such decision has yet been taken.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local authority road pricing schemes will be required to integrate with the European Electronic Toll Service. [140200]

Dr. Ladyman: Any local charging scheme that falls within the scope of Directive 2004/52 will be required to accommodate users of the European Electronic Toll Service.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether individual local authorities implementing road pricing schemes will be set specific congestion reduction targets. [140201]

Dr. Ladyman: On 8 February 2007, Official Report, column 47WS, the Secretary of State announced in a written ministerial statement the publication of guidance for local authorities interested in developing business cases for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) for local schemes to tackle congestion. The ‘Business case requirements for Programme Entry’ section of this guidance sets out the Government's position on this point.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to evaluate the impact on motorways of local road pricing schemes. [140205]

Dr. Ladyman: The business case for any local road pricing scheme should include an assessment of the impact on all surrounding roads, including motorways. Specific guidance on the appraisal of road pricing schemes is provided in WebTAG, the Department for Transport's transport analysis guidance.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to take steps to allow satellite-based local authority road pricing systems to integrate signals from different satellite systems. [140208]

Dr. Ladyman: There are currently no proposals from local authorities for satellite based charging systems. The integration of signals from different systems will be dependent on the technology selected at the time that any such scheme was proposed.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local authorities will be (a) required and (b) permitted to carry out local referendums before implementing road pricing schemes. [140226]

Dr. Ladyman: There is no requirement to hold a referendum but the Government attach considerable importance to full local consultation on the details of each charging scheme. The Secretary of State announced in a written ministerial statement, 8 February 2007, Official Report, column 47WS, the publication of guidance for local authorities interested in developing business cases for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund
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(TIF) for local schemes to tackle congestion. The road pricing section of this guidance sets out the Government's position on this point.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he plans to allocate from the Transport Innovation Fund to each of the local authorities whose bids for local road pricing schemes are successful. [140228]

Dr. Ladyman: No decisions have been taken on areas to take forward local road pricing or how funding should be allocated.

We are making available up to £200 million per annum from the Transport Innovation Fund to support packages that address local congestion problems combining demand management, including road pricing, with better public transport; potentially more if suitable schemes to a higher value come forward.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to improve alternative modes of transport for those unable to afford charges for local authority road pricing schemes. [140229]

Dr. Ladyman: It is for the local authority to decide whether to propose a local road pricing scheme and supporting transport measures.

We are making available up to £200 million per annum from the Transport Innovation Fund to support packages that address local congestion problems combining demand management, including road pricing, with better public transport; potentially more if suitable schemes to a higher value come forward.

These packages will need to address problems in a way that supports economic growth, and supports other objectives for environmental protection, safety and social inclusion.


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