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21 July 2008 : Column 890W—continued
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Roads: Delays
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average delay was on the (a) A23, (b) A52, (c) A158, (d) A338, (e) A35, (f) A522, (g) A243, (h) A3, (i ) A390, (j) A30, (k) A429 and ( l ) A27 in each year since 1997. [218816]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 21 July 2008]: The Department for Transport only monitors delays for certain routes that form part of the strategic road network. The earliest available data for these routes are for the period August 2004 -July 2005. These routes include sections of the A23, A52, A35, A3, A30 and A27. For information on average delays for these routes, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 2 April 2008, Official Report, columns 1029-1030W.
Roads: Fees and Charges
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether any Transport Innovation Fund pump priming funds are being used to promote congestion charging in Manchester; and what restrictions apply to the use of such funding for campaigning in a referendum on congestion charging; [218837]
(2) what funding will be provided by her Department to groups campaigning (a) for and (b) against congestion charging in the forthcoming referendum in Manchester. [218838]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 14 July 2008]: Transport Innovation Fund Pump Priming Funds are available for:
the development of TIF Business Cases for TIF Programme Entry;
proposals that have been formally submitted and where authorities are providing further information to support the assessment by Department for Transport and in parallel developing elements of the proposal while waiting for a programme entry decision;
preparatory costs for proposals between Programme Entry and Conditional Approval.
Funds may not be used for activities of a political nature. DFT funds are being used to support the full local public consultation on the Greater Manchester TIF bid which started on the 7 July. We have agreed with Greater Manchester that their consultation will need to meet standards for public consultation set out in Cabinet Office guidance.
The decision on whether to hold a local referendum would be for the Greater Manchester authorities and would be for them to decide the detail on how any poll is run. The Department will not provide funding to groups campaigning in any local referendum.
Rolling Stock
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new items of rolling stock have been approved by her Department for use by each train operating company in the current franchise period of each. [218360]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 14 July 2008]: I refer the hon. Member to the following information:
| TOC | New build rolling stock authorised (carriages) | Year of introduction | Comments |
|
A further 106 vehicles currently being procured for introduction in 2012 |
The figures shown are for new-build stock only, authorised from the beginning of each franchise until 9 July 2008. The figures do not reflect any changes in fleet size at each TOC as new rolling stock may replace, or it may be in addition to, existing stock. Also, older stock may be transferred into an operator, so most TOCs showing as ‘no new vehicles’ actually see an increase in fleet size.
The HLOS programme, Thameslink programme and InterCity Express project will deliver additional new-build rolling stock.
Rolling Stock: Finance
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the effect of the strength of the euro on the cost of new Pendolino carriages on the West Coast Main Line. [212295]
Mr. Tom Harris: The costs of the new Pendolino carriages on the West Coast Main Line comprises two elements: the first being the purchase of the carriages, while the second, and more dominant cost, being that of maintenance until 2022. The cost of the carriages in euros has been assessed at a less favourable rate than the current exchange rate. This means a worsening case scenario has been tested and the business case remains positive. All maintenance costs until 2022 will be incurred in the UK and are not subject to any exchange risk.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many proposals for the acquisition of rolling stock have been made at the informal discussion stage to her Department by train operating companies since 1st January; which companies have made such proposals; and what response her Department has made to each. [220278]
Mr. Tom Harris: Informal discussions between train operating companies and the Department for Transport are commercially confidential; proposals for rolling stock acquisition would in any case be made later, as part of a formal process.
Mrs. Villiers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of changes over the last 12 months in (a) the sterling
to euro exchange rate, (b) raw material costs and (c) the cost of capital on the cost of (i) new Pendolino carriages for the West Coast Main Line, (ii) the InterCity Express Programme and (iii) the 1,300 extra carriages promised in the Government's high level output statement of July 2007. [220407]
Mr. Tom Harris: All the effects of currency fluctuations on the Pendolino lengthening project; the Intercity Express programme; and the 1,300 extra carriages promised in the high level output specification have been included in the appropriate business cases.
The effects of raw material costs together with the current cost of capital and any exchange rate alterations will be taken into account during the assessment of all the received bids.
The three projects are in various stages of the competitive bid process, where all aspects of the final offer prices are evaluated. Risk assessments are carried out on a monthly basis and the business cases remain positive.
Severn Tunnel
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has identified any long-term structural problems in the Severn Tunnel. [220046]
Mr. Tom Harris: 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.
Thames River Crossing
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made on the Thames River Crossing; and if she will make a statement. [221455]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The proposed Thames Gateway bridge is a Transport for London project, and is therefore a matter for the Mayor.
In terms of the Crossing at Dartford, the Department is undertaking a review that considers making better use of the existing Dartford infrastructure and the possible requirement for a new Lower Thames Crossing. This is expected to report around the end of 2008.
Thameslink: Rolling Stock
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which company manufactured, and in which country, the trains in service on Thameslink routes. [219879]
Mr. Tom Harris:
The current Thameslink routes are served by a fleet of class 319 electrical multiple units (EMUs) which were built by British Rail Engineering Ltd. (BREL) in the UK. Over the next few years, as the
Thameslink Programme progresses, a number of additional routes will be incorporated into the Thameslink network. The services on these routes are currently operated by class 317 EMUs also built by BREL in the UK, class 365 EMUs built by ABB Transportation (the successor to BREL) in the UK and class 375 and 377 Electrostar EMUs built by Bombardier Transportation (the successor to ABB) in the UK.
Transport: Carbon Emissions
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 July 2008, on roads, if she will estimate the annual change in carbon dioxide emissions that will result from the implementation of the proposals in the statement. [220616]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The carbon impacts depend on scheme by scheme decisions. We always assess the impacts on carbon of all major schemes as part of the NATA appraisal process. Carbon impacts will therefore be assessed as scheme proposals are developed in detail.
When deciding whether to increase road capacity to improve traffic flows and reduce congestion, we will take account of any impact this will have on the overall level of CO2 emissions from transport. In cases where we decide to go ahead with increasing capacity, we will build the CO2 impacts into our plans to keep CO2 emissions within the carbon budgets set under the Climate Change Bill.
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