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28 Oct 2008 : Column 838W—continued
Rail Network: Overcrowding
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to reduce overcrowding on the rail network; and if he will make a statement. [228410]
Paul Clark: The Government’s plans to increase capacity are set out in the rail White Paper “Delivering a Sustainable Railway” published on 24 July 2007 and available on the Department for Transport’s website
On top of the record sums already committed until 2009, the Government will invest a further £10 billion in delivering enhancements alone over the following five years. The Government plans the introduction of 1,300 new and additional rail vehicles onto the rail network in the period up to 2014. 423 new vehicles have already been ordered.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to reduce overcrowding on the rail network; and if he will make a statement. [229347]
Paul Clark: The Government’s plan to increase capacity are set out in the rail White Paper “Delivering a sustainable railway” published on 24 July 2007 and available on the Department for Transport’s website:
On top of the record sums, already committed until 2009, the Government will invest a further £10 billion in delivering enhancements alone over the following five years. The Government plan the introduction of 1,300 new and additional rail vehicles onto the rail network in the period up to 2014. 423 new vehicles have already been ordered.
Railway Network: Electrification
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to extend the electrification of the rail network west of London. [229443]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has been working closely with the rail industry to examine the case for extending the electrified network.
Railways: Concessions
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a national discount railcard linked to the proposed standardisation of rail ticket tariffs; and if he will make a statement. [227773]
Paul Clark: There are a number of discount schemes already offered on rail: the Young Person’s, Senior, Family and Disabled railcards and in the South East, the Network Card. There are also group travel discounts available for some journeys. There are no plans to examine further schemes at this stage.
River Mersey: Bridges
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the combined number of vehicle journeys per year likely to be made across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge if (a) a toll of £1.40 is payable and (b) no toll is payable; and if he will make a statement; [228000]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect that a toll of £1.40 on the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge will have on traffic congestion in Warrington town centre; [228001]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effects on the local economy of a toll on the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge. [228002]
Paul Clark: Given the cost of the Mersey Gateway bridge in relation to the North West’s regional funding allocation, it is not realistic to expect that it could be funded without income from tolls.
For assessment purposes, traffic modelling was based on annual average weekday traffic (AAWT) which is fully compliant with recommended appraisal procedures. Hence, forecasts of annual journeys (including weekends) are not available. The proposed traffic volumes on the combined crossings of Silver Jubilee bridge and the new Mersey Gateway bridge were estimated as follows:
| Annual average weekday traffic | ||
| £1.40 toll (2008 prices) | No toll | |
The Department has not made an assessment of the effect that tolls placed on the new Mersey Gateway bridge and Silver Jubilee bridge will have on traffic congestion in Warrington town centre. Halton borough council forecast the traffic diversion to be around 1 per cent. at peak times and 4 per cent. in daily traffic terms.
The Mersey Gateway bridge is being promoted by Halton primarily to relieve the existing Silver Jubilee bridge (SJB) which experiences high levels of congestion. The scheme has strong backing from the Merseyside sub-region, as it is seen as a catalyst for unlocking significant development opportunities at key development sites including improved access to Liverpool John Lennon airport. In the region’s view, failure to provide the additional capacity will impede the regeneration of the area and the development of key sites served by the bridge and surrounding network including Widnes waterfront, Ditton Freight terminal and Daresbury science and business park.
Since Halton have applied to my Department for orders under the Transport and Works Act and the Highways Act to authorise the construction of the new bridge and related matters, I cannot express a view on the merits of the scheme in order not to prejudice the Secretary of State’s eventual decisions. A public inquiry is to be held next year, although a date has yet to be fixed.
Roads
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent from the public purse per head on roads in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in 2007-08. [227987]
Paul Clark: The expenditure on roads in England in 2006-07 amounted to approximately £7 billion, including new build, maintenance and road lighting. This is equivalent to about £137 per head of population.
Data are not available for 2007-08. Rural and urban breakdowns of the data are not available.
Roads: Accidents
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many drivers under the age of 25 years were involved in road collisions in each region of England and Wales in (a) each of the last 10 years and (b) 2008 to date; [227135]
(2) how many road collisions involved drivers under the age of 25 in each region of England and Wales in (a) each of the last 10 years and (b) 2008 to date; [227136]
(3) how many people were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) injured as a result of traffic collisions involving drivers under the age of 25 years in each region of England and Wales in (i) each of the last 10 years and (ii) 2008 to date. [227139]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of drivers or riders under the age of 25 years old involved in reported personal injury road accidents in each Government Office region in England and Wales in 1998 to 2007 are given in the following table.
| Number of drivers/riders under 25 years old | ||||||||||
| Government Office region | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
The numbers of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver or rider under the age of 25 years old in each Government Office region in England and Wales in 1998 to 2007 are given in the following table.
| Number of accidents | ||||||||||
| Government Office Region | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
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