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26 Nov 2007 : Column 20W—continued
East Coast Railway Line
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on the recent competition for early refranchising of the East Coast main line. [163477]
Mr. Tom Harris: The re-franchising has been completed at no cost to Government. Costs incurred have been met by Sea Containers Ltd.
Eurostar
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining the Eurostar platforms at Waterloo station per month. [165290]
Mr. Tom Harris: Eurostar are de-commissioning the station and leaving it in a suitable condition to transfer to the department at the end of March 2008. This work involves taking out all the equipment needed to operate an "international" station—e.g. customs control arrangements—which are now redundant. The cost of this de-commissioning work is between £50,000 and £100,000.
There is also an ongoing need to maintain the wider facilities at Waterloo International in a safe and secure condition. The cost of doing this is likely to be in the region of £500,000 per annum. Such costs would need to be incurred irrespective of the future use of the station.
Lorries: Speed Limits
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of requiring speed limiters to be fitted to non-UK registered heavy goods vehicles. [168007]
Jim Fitzpatrick: It is already a requirement under the provisions of directive 92/6/EEC as amended by directive 2002/85/EC for heavy goods vehicles registered in any EU member state to be fitted with a speed limiter.
Motor Vehicles: Crime
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of her full-time equivalent officials have worked on proposals to combat vehicle crime over the last six months. [164697]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The lead responsibility for combating vehicle crime rests with the Home Office. Many of the activities of DFT and its agencies also help to tackle vehicle crime. Among the key achievements in 2006-07 were: the introduction of theft-resistant number plates to help combat car cloning and car ID theft; and an increase in wheel clamping activities to tackle vehicle excise duty evasion. It is not possible to quantify this in terms of staff numbers.
Railway Track
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has authorised the sale of any land containing disused rail lines in the last six months. [165291]
Mr. Tom Harris: The disposal of non-operational property owned by BRB (Residuary) Ltd. (BRBR) is governed by guidance issued to the company on 26 July 2007 which I outlined in my statement to Parliament on that date. Since 1 April 2007, BRBR have disposed of 13 properties that contain disused rail lines. The disposal of railway property owned by Network Rail is undertaken in accordance with the conditions of their network license. Compliance with these conditions are monitored and enforced by the Office of Rail Regulation.
Railways: Antisocial Behaviour
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many additional British Transport Police staff she expects to be required to facilitate the recently announced initiative on anti-social behaviour on trains. [166737]
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
Railways: Cheshire
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans her Department has to re-open the Woodhead Tunnel for rail use; and if she will make a statement. [165092]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 20 November 2007]: The Woodhead tunnels are owned by National Grid.
The Department has no plans to reopen the Woodhead tunnel for rail use.
Railways: East Coast Main Line
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the Route Utilisation Strategy for the East Coast Main Line to be published. [167880]
Mr. Tom Harris: Route Utilisation Strategies are the responsibility of Network Rail who tell me that publication of the final Route Utilisation Strategy document for the East Coast Main Line is likely to be in February 2008.
Railways: Gloucestershire
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) Arriva about the frequency of its direct services between Cheltenham and the North West; and if she will make a statement. [167584]
Mr. Tom Harris: Ministers have had no recent discussions with either Network Rail or Arriva about the frequency of direct services between Cheltenham and the North West.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) train operating companies about the frequency of services to and from Ashchurch; and if she will make a statement. [167585]
Mr. Tom Harris: Ministers have had no recent discussions with either Network Rail or train operating companies about the frequency of train services to and from Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station.
Railways: Kemble
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a decision is expected on the re-doubling of the track between Kemble and Swindon. [168067]
Mr. Tom Harris: I understand Network Rail has consulted rail industry parties on possible changes to the Swindon to Kemble line. However, this is an operational matter for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail’s Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question.
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London NW1 2EE
Railways: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 462W, which trains going from (a) Milton Keynes to London during morning peak hours and (b) London to Milton Keynes during evening peak hours represent an increase in peak services calling at Milton Keynes. [167964]
Mr. Tom Harris: In the morning peak, the increase in trains towards London will be provided by Virgin West Coast. Before 7.15 am, three trains currently stop to pick up and set down passengers. From December 2008, we propose that this increases to six. In the evening peak, the number of northbound Virgin services calling would double, but as is the case now they will only pick up and not set down passengers at Milton Keynes.
London Midland services will remain at the same frequency as today. However, a new service to Clapham Junction via Kensington Olympia will operate every hour.
Rapid Transit Systems
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of her officials are working on proposals relating to light rail. [164627]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department is currently working on a number of proposals from local authorities that relate to light rail. These proposals are in various stages of development from the initial submission of a business case, to those which are applying for statutory powers to operate and others which are close to finalising their bids for full funding approval.
As these schemes are complex the Department has to draw upon a number of disciplines for the provision of legal and financial advice, economic appraisal of the schemes, as well as the assessment of project delivery.
Currently we estimate that 28 departmental officials are involved in this. However, given the nature of this work this will fluctuate.
Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consult the UK biofuels industry on the possible effects of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO); and if she will publish a timetable for introduction of the RTFO. [168166]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The RTFO is due to come into effect in April 2008, as set out in the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 (SI 2007 No. 3072) which completed its passage through Parliament in October 2007. The Government have consulted extensively on the detail and likely impacts of the scheme. Copies of the relevant consultation documents are available in the House Libraries or via the Department for Transport’s website:
Roads: Construction
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the letter dated 1 December 1982 from her Department to Northumberland County Council headed Notes for the guidance of engineers employed in connection with trunk road schemes, and the attached notes. [167661]
Mr. Tom Harris: I am placing copies of the letter and the notes in the Libraries of the House.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will list each motorway and trunk road building project since 1997; and what the (a) tender cost and (b) outturn cost was in each case. [163225]
Mr. Tom Harris: The following table lists works tender/target cost against works outturn cost for each publicly funded major project (project costing over £5 million) that has been completed from June 2006 to date. Information for projects completing in the period 1997 to June 2006 can be found in a previously answered parliamentary question (UIN 62182) of 28 March 2006, Official Report, columns 858-59W.
| 2006-07 completions | ||
| £ million | ||
| Scheme | Works tender/ target cost | Works tender estimated out-turn cost |
| 2007 (year to 31 October) completions | ||
| £ million | ||
| Scheme | Works tender /target cost | Works tender estimated outturn cost |
Items not procured through the main works contractor and therefore not included in the tender price are excluded from the figures shown. This normally includes the costs of land acquisition and compensation, non recoverable VAT and preparation and supervision costs. It should also be noted that while the out-turn figures shown include an allowance for all works costs final accounts have not yet been settled as they are still within the maintenance/defect period.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road projects will receive increased funding as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007; which new road projects will be undertaken as a result of the provisions of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007; and what the effects of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 will be on the Transport Innovation Fund. [163234]
Mr. Tom Harris: A detailed breakdown of programme budgets within the Department for Transport covering the three years of the CSR has not yet been made; an announcement will be made in due course.
Roads: Wales
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which trunk roads in Wales straddle the border. [168554]
Mr. Tom Harris: Trunk roads in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government, but the following trunk roads cross from England into Wales:
| County | Name of trunk road |
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