| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
17 Oct 2008 : Column 1550W—continued
2008 data will be published in June 2009.
Lorries: Safety Measures
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage compliance with the requirement for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in relation to rear view mirrors. [226750]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has been working closely with vehicle manufacturers and representatives of the road haulage industry to promote awareness of the new requirements for improved mirrors to be retro-fitted to goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes that come into force from 31 March 2009.
Compliance will be confirmed through the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) annual test and their targeted roadside checks, carried out in conjunction with the police, from 1 April 2009.
Motor Vehicles: Licensing
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles are licensed; and what the total licence revenue was for each emission rating band in the private and light goods vehicle licensing category in the year for which figures are available. [224660]
Jim Fitzpatrick: A snapshot of the Vehicles database as at June 2008 showed the total number of licensed vehicles was 34.4 million, and the total value of licences in force for Private and Light Goods Vehicles were:
| Band | Total (£ million) |
Please note that the aforementioned figures reflect the value of licences in force as at June 2008 and not the total VED collected for a specific financial period. These figures are calculated from direct vehicle register scans and are reported to DfT for statistical purposes, while the financial reporting of VED collected net of subsequent refunds collected for each financial year is not analysed in this way. The differences are relatively small, but reflect the six month and 12 month licensing regimes, changes in rates, declaration of “off the road” status for vehicles and the non-coterminosity of licensing periods with financial reporting years.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which 20 registration marks sold by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the last year for which figures are available have generated the greatest income; and what the selling price was in each case. [228026]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following registration numbers have raised the most (net) revenue in the last year.
| Net revenue (£) | |
Overseas Visitors
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK travellers to countries outside the EU in each of the last two years. [227295]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the number of UK residents travelling to countries outside the EU-27 in each of the last two years.
| UK residents to countries outside the EU-27 | ||
| Million | ||
| 2006 | 2007 | |
| Source: International Passenger Survey (IPS) | ||
Railways
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what light rail schemes are scheduled to open in the next two years. [227113]
Paul Clark: No new light rail schemes are scheduled to open in the next two years. However, during this period work will be continuing on a project to refurbish and upgrade the Manchester Metrolink system. This will help to ensure improved journeys for passengers on the network. The Department is providing £58 million towards the £102 million costs of this project.
Furthermore, in May 2008 the Department approved £244.3 million towards a scheme to extend the Metrolink system to Rochdale, Oldham and Chorlton. These lines will be operational by 2012.
We are also working closely with the promoters of the Nottingham Express Transit in regard to their proposals to extend the system. If the project is granted full approval, these new lines could be open to the public in 2013.
Railways: Electrification
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of miles of railways in each county are not electrified. [226747]
Paul Clark: The Department does not hold the information requested.
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 questions:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG.
Railways: Gloucestershire
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations (a) Network Rail and (b) First Great Western have made to the Office of the Rail Regulator on the issue of the Kemble to Swindon redoubling. [226646]
Paul Clark: Network Rail and First Great Western made representations in their draft determinations responses. These have been published on the Office of Rail Regulation's website at:
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations the Office of the Rail Regulator has received from (a) Gloucestershire county council, (b) Gloucestershire First and (c) the
Gloucestershire Chamber of Commerce on the issue of the Kemble to Swindon redoubling. [226659]
Paul Clark: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) received responses to the draft determinations from Gloucestershire county council (two responses) and Gloucestershire First (two responses). ORR did not receive a separate reply from the Gloucestershire Chamber of Commerce; however, their comments were included in one of Gloucestershire First's responses to ORR. The responses have been published on the ORR website at:
Railways: Lancashire
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to promoting the construction of the Todmorden Curve to cut train journey times between Manchester and Burnley. [226705]
Paul Clark: My noble Friend the Minister of State for Transport, Lord Adonis met my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley and Padiham (Kitty Ussher) on 9 October to discuss the proposal for a direct service between Burnley and Manchester. It would be for Lancashire county council, as transport authority, to consider the best way of achieving this, in discussion with Network Rail and Northern Rail.
Road Traffic: Business
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate the Government has made of the cost of congestion to UK business in each of the last 10 years. [227104]
Paul Clark: The Department has not undertaken any studies to give such annual estimates.
Road Traffic: Costs
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated annual cost to the economy of road congestion has been in each year since 1997. [226694]
Paul Clark: The Department has not undertaken any studies to give such annual estimates.
Roads: Noise
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of people adversely affected by noise pollution from the strategic road network in the last eight years. [227094]
Paul Clark: The Highways Agency has not detailed undertaken work to estimate the likely number of people adversely affected by noise arising from the use of the strategic road network over the last eight years.
The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended) include provisions to improve the information available to the public about noise and its effect. The regulations require the preparation of strategic noise maps for urban areas, major roads, major railways and
major airports. Following the completion of mapping, an action plan is to be drawn up to manage noise and reduce it where possible.
This action plan will include an estimate of numbers of people affected by traffic noise from major roads, which includes a majority of the strategic road network.
Mapping and action plans are to be prepared on a five year cycle. All mapping for this current cycle has been completed and is
available to view on the internet at
This Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plan to prepare and consult on drafting action plans later this year.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local road schemes were completed in each year since 2000. [227082]
Paul Clark: The following table provides a list of local major road schemes which have been completed since 2000, and to which the Department has contributed funding of £5 million or more:
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |