Memorandum 104
Supplementary evidence from the Department
for Transport
ROAD PRICING
— No decision has been taken on a national
road pricing scheme. If and when this occurs, further primary
legislation would be required.
— The draft Road Transport Bill will
update the existing powers that allow the development of local
road pricing schemes that will tackle congestion and help to inform
future decisions on national road pricing.
— The Department's Transport Innovation
Fund (TIF) directs resources towards the achievement of two very
high priority key objectives—specifically tackling congestion
and improving productivity.
— We are also keen to work with the
market to address the technical challenges needed for road pricing
to work. The Department has allocated £10 million for time,
distance and place charging demonstration projects.
— We have invited expressions of interest
from the market and have received a good response. We will be
issuing a procurement notice shortly which will allow us to work
with a group of commercial suppliers to research road pricing
systems and technology.
Pilot Schemes:
— From 2008, £200 million of congestion
TIF money will be made available to support schemes which tackle
congestion.
— In advance of this, £14.5 million
has been allocated by the Department for "pump priming"
funds to explore the potential for schemes.
— The logic of local schemes is to
ensure, not only that the technologies work on the ground, but
also that we gain experience in varying communities.
Round 1: pump priming
In November 2005 £7 million was allocated
to seven areas:
— Greater Bristol (former Avon unitary
authorities);
— Shropshire (for Shrewsbury);
— West Midlands conurbation.
Round 2: pump priming
A further £7.5 million was awarded last
November to six of these areas (Bristol did not bid) and three
new areas:
— Nottingham, Leicester and Derby and
the surrounding counties;
— Norfolk (for Norwich); and
SIGNAL JAMMING
One of the purposes of the EC-US Agreement,
which can be terminated with one year's notice, is to prevent
overlap of the Galileo signals with the US military signals. The
consequence of overlap would be that jamming of one signal would
have the effect of jamming the other. There is no express reference
to a requirement to jam a signal in the event of hostilities.
Article 11(2) does, however, allow the signatories to carry out
local jamming of any satellite navigation system in an area of
hostilities.
The agreement assumes that the Galileo signal
and the receivers to be used have a civilian purpose only. Military
signals are, save to the extent provided for specifically in 11(2)
and the Annex, outside the scope of the agreement.
March 2007
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