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10 Dec 2007 : Column 6W—continued
The number of inward secondments in the same period, where records exist, are as follows:
| Secondments out—total | Organisations | Duration | |
Supporting financial information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.
Heavy Goods Vehicles: Accidents
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of collisions on motorways in the last 12 months that have involved heavy goods vehicles from mainland Europe where the vehicle has not had adaptations to wing mirrors for use on British roads. [169510]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 29 November 2007]: Information is collected on whether vehicles involved in personal injury road accidents are foreign registered. However, no information is collected on either the country of origin or any adaptations to wing mirrors of vehicles involved in road accidents.
The information on foreign registered vehicles involved in reported personal injury road accidents which is collected is available from table 53 of “Road Casualties Great Britain: 2006 annual report”. Copies of the report have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. This table can also be found at the following address:
In addition, the Department and agencies have investigated cases of lorries on international journeys involved in sideswipe incidents. Following successful trials in the South East which distributed 40,000 stick-on Fresnel lenses as an immediate solution to the problem, VOSA have published a report on the trials which is available online at www.vosa.gov.uk or from the House of Commons Library.
It was found that the lens helped to reduce sideswiping incidents in the South East by 58 per cent. We are now investing in further free distribution of 90,000 lenses.
Highways Agency
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost changes have been approved for schemes in the Highways Agency’s major roads programme since the publication of the Nichols report in March 2007. [168982] [Official Report, 28 January 2008, Vol. 471, c. 1MC.]
Mr. Tom Harris: Following the Nichols report the arrangements for estimating and approving the cost of schemes within the roads programme are being improved. Schemes are not finally approved for construction until we have a price agreed with the contractor. Since publication of the Nichols report we have approved start of works for five schemes, at the expected costs shown in the following table.
| Expected cost (£ million) | |
| (1 )In addition, £12 million of work has been transferred to the A2/A282 scheme. | |
The Highways Agency is currently undertaking an exercise to re-estimate the costs for schemes not yet in construction, following the recommendations on cost
estimating in the Nichols report. Where appropriate they are examining the scope for using Active Traffic Management (ATM), in line with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s announcement on 25 October of a feasibility study into the scope for advanced traffic management. The results of the re-estimation process and the ATM feasibility work will be published in the spring.
In the meantime, where schemes need to progress through stages of development, the best information available at the time has been used. Since publication of the Nichols report, Ministers have agreed cost estimates for the purpose of publishing Environmental Statements or draft orders for the following schemes:
| Cost estimate agreed (£ million) | |
In addition we have approved the preferred route for the A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement. The estimate for this scheme is being reviewed, as noted above, and more robust estimates will be published in spring 2008.
Railway Stations: Hampshire
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has for the premises of former travel centres at Hampshire rail stations; and if she will make a statement. [172620]
Mr. Tom Harris: It is for franchise operators to manage the facilities at their stations within the contractual and regulatory framework.
South West Trains has put forward a number of proposals to change the use of Travel Centres at stations. These include details of the consultation responses and alternative arrangements proposed for passengers. These proposals are currently under consideration.
Railway Stations: Security
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Statement of 14 November 2007, Official Report, columns 667-86, on national security, at which railway stations she is planning to introduce baggage and passenger searches; and if she will make a statement. [165662]
Mr. Tom Harris: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 28 November 2007, Official Report, columns 446-7W.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the proposals in the report by Sir Alan West on security at (a) rail stations and (b) airports will be met from existing departmental budgets. [168669]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Under the long standing ‘user pays’ principle, it is the transport industry that delivers and funds security requirements. The Department for
Transport has responsibility for the policy and regulation of these protective counter-terrorism security measures.
The Department for Transport supports industry in meeting these requirements through collaborative working to achieve compliance and through the funding of research and the providing of advice. The aim is to ensure our security regimes remain proportionate and effective.
Railways: Fares
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of the recent increase in costs of unregulated train tickets; and if she will make a statement. [172883]
Mr. Tom Harris: In the absence of specific grounds for doing so, the Department has made no formal assessment of the recent increases in unregulated fares. However, we keep unregulated fares under review. The Department continues to listen to the representations of passenger focus and has invited them to take a greater role in commenting on the specification of future franchises.
Railways: Tickets
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the charging of administrative fees by rail travel ticket agents when issuing refunds to customers. [172882]
Mr. Tom Harris: The policy on refunds is set out in the National Rail Conditions of Carriage. The National Rail Conditions of Carriage entitles passengers to a refund on tickets which have not been used, payable in specified circumstances. It also permits administration charges of up to £10.00 to be raised for processing the refund.
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