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9 Feb 2009 : Column 1600W—continued
In addition, a further application was received in October 2008 which is currently being assessed.
The process of applying for FFGs is currently being reviewed, with a view to shorten the time taken to assess applications and make the process clearer for applicants.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many grant applications were made to the freight facilities grant scheme for each year since 2000; how many of those applications were successful; and what the average value was of each (a) application and (b) grant. [254521]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and the then Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) do not keep details of every application submitted. Details are retained for each offer of grant made to successful applicants.
The number of successful applications and the average value of grants awarded for each year since 2000 are set out in the following table.
| Successful applications | Average value of grant awarded (£) | |
The SRA suspended the FFG programme for most rail projects in 2003, although grants continued to be available for aggregate-based facilities through the aggregates levy sustainability fund. FFGs were reintroduced for all rail schemes by the Department in 2007.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total public resource allocated to the freight facilities grant scheme was for each year since 2000. [254522]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and the then Strategic Rail Authority has allocated the following budget for Freight Facility Grants (FFGs) since 2000.
| Freight facility grants: Budget | |
| £ million | |
The SRA suspended the FFG programme for most rail projects in 2003, although grants continued to be available for aggregate-based facilities through the aggregates levy sustainability fund. FFGs were reintroduced for all rail schemes by the Department in 2007.
Funding for the FFG programme was boosted in September 2008 with the announcement of a long-term increasing budget to provide certainty for potential applicants. This included £61 million of capital funding over three years from April 2011.
Heathrow Airport: Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many flight hours were expended by commercial aircraft in 2007-08 in stacking while awaiting clearance to land at Heathrow; and how much carbon dioxide was emitted by those aircraft while stacked. [254720]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport's report, ‘Improving the Air Passenger Experience’, provides appropriate estimates of aircraft stacking above Heathrow in Figure 27 on page 25. This report is available at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/airports/improve airpassenqer.pdf
Data for 2007-08 are not available. However, in 2006-07, aircraft were held in aggregate for 18,679 hours. This is based on 56 per cent. of arriving aircraft being held in a stack and an average 8.5 minute hold for those held. This equates to roughly 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted by aircraft stacking at Heathrow.
Heathrow Airport: Noise
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many individuals he estimates will live within the 57 decibel contour when the Heathrow third runway is expected to open. [253848]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Estimates of populations within the 57 decibel noise contour with a three-runway airport were presented in the November 2007 consultation document and supporting technical report on noise. Around 242,000 people are predicted to be within the 57 decibel contour in 2020 with around 605,000 annual movements, the maximum capacity we have supported initially. The new runway could open sooner with a lower capacity, but the timing and capacity will depend on the planning process and the mechanism we are establishing to ensure that local environmental limits, including noise limits are met, and will continue to be met.
Humber Bridge: Tolls
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which groups of people are exempt from paying tolls for crossing the Humber Bridge; what estimate he has made of the annual revenue forgone as a result of such exemptions; and if he will make a statement. [255662]
Paul Clark: Concessions and exemptions are a matter for the Bridge Board. Exemptions are offered on a voluntary basis for certain disabled users (those on higher rate disability living allowance). Emergency services also receive exemption from tolls when on official duties.
In addition, on 28 July 2006, the Humber Bridge Board announced that it would discount toll charges for the local bus service (the X1) by 45 per cent. until the end of March 2008 to ensure it would continue to offer a service over the bridge. This concession remains in place and is subject to periodic review.
No estimation has been made by the Department for Transport for the amount of annual revenue forgone as a result of these exemptions.
M42: Lorries
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the findings were of the trial of heavy goods vehicle overtaking restrictions on the M42; what assessment he has made of those findings; and if he will make a statement. [254966]
Paul Clark: The trial overtaking restriction for HGVs introduced on the M42 between junctions 10 and 11 has shown that light vehicle journey times have reduced and that HGV journey times remained unchanged in the morning peak but decreased at other times. The proportion of HGVs using lane 2 has reduced significantly.
Although the results of the trial have not offered dramatic journey time savings, the Government believe that it would be beneficial to make the M42 restriction permanent as a useful tool in helping the Highways Agency to meet journey time reliability targets.
M48 Severn Crossing
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the M48 Severn Crossing; and if he will make a statement. [254369]
Paul Clark: Legislation provides for the concession to last a maximum of 30 years and is due to end in 2022. But it may end sooner if certain financial objectives are met. Current estimates are that those objectives will have been met around 2016, when costs are expected to have been recovered.
Once the concession ends the undertaking will pass to the Government, which then has the power to charge tolls for up to a further five years. No decisions have been taken with regard to tolls beyond 2016, or whenever the concession period ends.
Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the European Commission in relation to the alleged breaches of its legal duties referred to in paragraph four of his Department’s letter to consultees in respect of its Consultation on Replacement Pollution Control Devices for Motor Vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [255493]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There have been no discussions with the European Commission on the delay to implementation of the EU legislation referred to the Department’s letter.
The Department for Transport regrets the delay which has occurred in implementing the necessary point of sale controls and is seeking to remedy this. It is worth
noting, however, that the EU regulations which set the standards to be met by new replacement pollution control devices for cars and vans have direct applicability on manufacturers.
Parking Offences
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of vehicles which have been impounded by the police because of accurate insurance details not being held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database. [254581]
Jim Fitzpatrick: All motor vehicle insurance details are held on the insurance industry's motor insurance database (MID) and it is the insurance industry's responsibility to provide data to it.
The number of vehicles wrongly identified by the police as being driven uninsured based on information from the MID and impounded is not known. However, such cases are thought to be rare. The MIB supplements the database with a dedicated police helpline which the police can use in cases of doubt, e.g. if a driver claims he took out insurance very recently. This enables a direct check to be made with the claimed insurer.
Railway Network
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to identify corridors for potential future rail use; and what steps he is taking to safeguard the routes of disused railway lines. [253903]
Paul Clark [holding answer 3 February 2009]: Network Rail’s strategic review of the case for new rail lines is considering five of Network Rail’s strategic routes north and west of London: Chiltern, East Coast, West Coast, Great Western and Midland main lines. Initial results from this review suggest a future need for a new line between London and the West Midlands. To take forward the detailed work needed to make a firm decision on this, the company “High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd.” has been created.
Local and regional authorities can use planning processes to protect sites or alignments if they deem this appropriate. In addition, we have used our national safeguarding powers in cases such as Crossrail and consideration will be given to more specific use of these powers as our long term transport planning advances.
Railways: Disabled
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to provide high-quality and integrated disabled passenger assistance on the rail network. [254440]
Paul Clark: The Railways for All strategy, published in March 2006, identifies the importance of improved information, ticketing and assistance to improving access to the railway network.
Front-line railway staff are trained in disability awareness and will always endeavour to help disabled customers. Assistance can also be booked in advance using the Assisted Passenger Reservation Service (APRS) which
is owned and maintained by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).
Access for All funding of £280,000 has already been provided to ATOC towards development of staff training materials, and a programme of station access audits to improve the quality of information available through the National Rail Enquiry Service.
In addition the £370 million Access for All programme is making enhancements to railway stations which help to promote independent travel for disabled people.
In light of passenger feedback, and in particular the recent Passenger Focus report into Assisted Passenger Reservation Service bookings, published in September 2008, the Department for Transport intends to work with the industry to address potential areas for improvement to the Assisted Passenger Reservation Service system, and to identify what resources may be available to support this.
Railways: Fares
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Lewes of 27 January 2009, Official Report, column 148, which rail fares have reduced because of the capping system. [254171]
Paul Clark [holding answer 3 February 2009]: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) does however track all rail fares, and reports on the high level results on a quarterly basis. The ORR can be contacted for more information at the following address:
Office of Rail Regulation
One Kemble Street
London WC2B 4AN
Railways: Finance
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department provides to regional and local authorities to plan and implement expenditure on new rail stations and lines. [253691]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not provide any funding to regional and local authorities specifically for the purposes of identifying and investing in opportunities for new rail stations and lines.
However, local authorities are free to use their revenue support grant for studies into new stations and lines and financially support new services. They can also use Local Transport Plan (LTP) integrated transport block funding for investing in new stations or lines. The region can also prioritise rail schemes for capital funding from within their regional funding allocation.
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