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21 Jan 2009 : Column 1437W—continued
Railways: Finance
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to increase capital expenditure on rail links as part of the Government's plans to create up to 100,000 new jobs through public works; [248743]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created by increased funding for new rail links in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011 under the Government's plans to create up to 100,000 new jobs through public works; and what proportion of those jobs he estimates will go to British workers. [248747]
Paul Clark: The July 2007 Rail White Paper set out the Government's commitment of £10 billion towards increasing capacity on the rail network over the next five years, including improvements to the infrastructure.
In the pre-Budget report in November, the Government announced that they are bringing forward £3 billion of capital spending from 2010-11 to 2008-09 and 2009-10. The package included £300 million to accelerate the delivery of up to 200 new carriages to expand capacity on the rail network and an extra £54 million to help enhance the North London rail line to increase the long-term freight capacity of this vital cross-London rail route.
It is not yet possible to say how many jobs will be created in developing rail links in the next three years but British suppliers will be well placed to compete for this work.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008, Official Report, column 1097W, what the reasons are for the differential treatment of light rail and non-light rail local transport schemes; and if he will make a statement. [249327]
Paul Clark: The reason for the difference in local contribution requirements is due to the scale, complexity and cost of light rail projects and the importance of ensuring commitment from promoters.
Railways: Freight
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage support for projects of strategic national importance, with particular reference to rail freight interchanges. [249769]
Paul Clark: The Planning Act 2008 creates the framework for a clearer and more efficient system for considering the development of strategic rail freight interchanges. The Department for Transport also makes available capital grants for such infrastructure through the Freight Facilities Grant scheme.
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and HM Treasury on financial support for rail freight interchanges. [249770]
Paul Clark: None. Investment in rail freight interchanges is a matter for the private sector. However, the Sustainable Distribution Fund makes funding available through the established Freight Facilities Grant scheme for rail freight interchanges where they remove lorry journeys from the roads.
Railways: Police
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how British Transport Police apply the provisions of section 44 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2000 to railway property; and if he will make a statement. [249332]
Paul Clark: 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:
parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of stops made by British Transport Police on railway property between October 2007 and September 2008 resulted in (a) an arrest and (b) a conviction. [249333]
Paul Clark: 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:
parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Railways: Scotland
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the financial and planning implications of the recently announced improvements to the rail system from London to Scotland. [249548]
Paul Clark: “High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd.” will help consider the case for new high speed services from London to Scotland. As a first stage, the company will develop a proposal for an entirely new line between London and the West Midlands, and will report to Ministers by the end of the year. This will include costs and benefits of a proposed route, and financing options.
The Government intend to work closely with the devolved administrations in respect of the implications of the proposal.
Statutory consents for any type of cross-border rail project would be handled in accordance with the devolution settlement.
Road Signs and Markings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues to local highway authorities on the use of No Pedestrians signs. [249320]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport’s Traffic Signs Manual (Chapter 3—Regulatory Signs) provides detailed guidance to local highway authorities on the correct design and use of the ‘pedestrians prohibited’ sign. The document is on the Department’s website at the following address:
Road Traffic: Gloucestershire
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions the Department has had with Gloucestershire County Council on the latter's lorry strategy. [248240]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has had no discussions with Gloucestershire county council regarding its lorry strategy.
Rolling Stock
Ms Angela C. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new carriages have been procured for (a) Northern Rail, (b) London Midland and the preceding franchise covering the West Midlands and (c) the franchises that provide commuter services in London and the South East in each of the last five years. [248629]
Paul Clark: The following number of new carriages have been procured for (a) Northern Rail, (b) London Midland and the preceding franchise covering the West Midlands and (c) the franchises that provide commuter services in London and the South East in each of the last five years.
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
The total number of new vehicles procured for commuter services operated by franchises or concessions in England between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2008 is as shown in the following table.
| Train operator | Class | Ordered | Number of vehicles | Entry into service |
Trams: Sheffield
Ms Angela C. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the cost of the tram-train trial on the Sheffield to Huddersfield line. [248678]
Paul Clark: Network Rail will spend £15 million in track improvements and alterations to stations as part of the trial and the Department for Transport will contribute £9 million to fund the operation of the trial.
Travel: Leisure
Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of leisure journeys in Great Britain were taken by those aged (a) under 16, (b)
between 18 and 19, (c) between 20 and 24, (d) between 25 and 34, (e) between 35 and 44, (f) between 45 and 59, (g) 60 and 64, (h) between 65 and 69 and (i) 70 years or over in each year since 1997. [249319]
Paul Clark: Data from the National Travel Survey on the percentage of leisure journeys made in Great Britain by age from 1996-98 to 2006 are given in the following table.
| Age (years) | ||||||||||
| 0-16 | 17-19 | 20-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70 and over | Total | |
| Note: Leisure includes: Visiting friends at private home, Visiting friends elsewhere, Entertainment/public activity, Sport: participate, Holiday: base, Day trip and Other inc. just walk. | ||||||||||
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