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9 Feb 2009 : Column 1605W—continued
Railways: South East
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with the South West Regional Development Agency on rail transport in the last 12 months; and with what outcomes. [253689]
Paul Clark: Neither the Secretary of State nor any other Minister in the Department for Transport has had discussions with the South West Regional Development Agency on rail transport in the last 12 months.
Railways: Tickets
Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the ticketing and settlement agreement produced by his Department. [255364]
Paul Clark: The ticketing and settlement agreement is a commercial document and is the property of the Association of Train Operating Companies. For this reason, there are no plans to place a copy in the Library of the House of Commons.
Roads: Accidents
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department (a) has undertaken, (b) plans to undertake and (c) has evaluated on the number of (i) minor, (ii) serious and (iii) fatal road accidents where speed was a contributory factor which drew on (A) UK and (B) international research; and if he will make a statement. [253011]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Since 2005 a report on the contributory factors, including speed, reported by police officers who attend personal injury collisions has been published as part of “Road Casualties Great Britain”. The DFT-funded “On The Spot (OTS)” study involves additional non-police investigation of road collisions to explore the characteristics of personal injury collisions in depth. The OTS study is currently examining the characteristics of crashes that involve excessive or inappropriate speed.
In addition, there is a wide range of research on the link between speed and casualties which may be found on the Department’s website at:
For example, the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) published a review of non-UK studies in 1994 which established a link between vehicle speed and the risk of a collision. This indicated that, in broad terms, a 1 mph reduction in average speed can reduce accident risk by around 5 per cent. In 2000 TRL published a report investigating whether this general rule could be applied to different types of UK roads and to further understand the relationship between vehicle speed and accident frequency. The report concluded that the percentage reduction in accident frequency for a 1 mph reduction in average speed is between 2 per cent. and 7 per cent. depending on vehicle speeds and the nature and layout of the road.
Rolling Stock
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts have been signed for new rolling stock in each month since the Rolling Stock Plan was published; what the (a) value of each contract and (b) company with which each contract was held was; and how much additional rolling stock each contract represented. [253311]
Paul Clark: Please see the table for detail of contracts:
| Number | (a) Estimated value (£ million) | (b) Company | Rolling Stock | |
255 of the HLOS carriages were on order when the rolling stock plan was published in January 2008, bringing the total now in order to 423.
Speed Limits
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many roads in (a) Leicester East constituency and (b) England have a speed limit of 20 mph. [253858]
Jim Fitzpatrick: This information is not held by the Department. Local traffic authorities are responsible for setting local speed limits and have had powers to introduce 20 mph speed limits and 20 mph zones without seeking the approval of the Secretary of State since 1999. There is no requirement for local authorities to inform the Department when a speed limit is changed.
Speed Limits: Advertising
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Government has spent on television and radio advertisements to reduce speeding in (a) the last 12 months and (b) the last five years. [253859]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Speeding is a major factor in road safety, contributing to 727 deaths in 2007. Measures to prevent speeding on our roads are in the fields of enforcement, engineering and education including advertising.
The following table provides the amount spent on television and radio advertisements to reduce speed in each of the last five years.
| TV and radio media spend | ||
| £000 | ||
| TV | Radio | |
| (1) Forecast expenditure. | ||
Speed Limits: Cameras
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what alternatives to enforcement cameras are available to reduce the speed of motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [253012]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Speeding is a major factor in road safety, contributing to 727 deaths in 2007.
Traffic calming measures are available to local highway authorities to reduce vehicle speeds on their roads. It is for the local authority to decide which measure would be the most effective in achieving safe and appropriate vehicle speeds in their area based on their knowledge of the local road network.
The Department for Transport provides guidance to local highways authorities on a wide range of traffic calming measures designed to reduce vehicle speeds in a variety of circumstances. The Department’s latest technical guidance on traffic calming, Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/07 Traffic Calming, was published in March 2007. This provides local authorities with advice on the design and use of traffic calming measures and brings together in one comprehensive document a summary of relevant research.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras are in use in (a) England and Wales, (b) Essex and (c) Southend. [254136]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 3 February 2009]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Mr. Stuart) on 28 January 2009, Official Report, columns 537-38W. It should be noted that separate information for Southend is not held.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of speed cameras in improving road safety in Southend. [254138]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 3 February 2009]: The Department for Transport has not assessed the effectiveness of speed cameras in improving road safety in Southend. However, cameras operated by the Essex Safety Camera Partnership under the National Safety Camera Programme which ended on 31 March 2007 have proved to be very effective. Fatal casualties decreased by an average of 43 per cent. at fixed camera sites and killed or seriously injured casualties decreased by an average of 51 per cent. At mobile camera sites fatal casualties reduced by 42 per cent. and killed or seriously injured casualties decreased by an average of 22 per cent.
SS Richard Montgomery
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the state of the wreck of SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames Estuary. [254477]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The most recent assessment of the wreck was made in October 2008 using a high resolution multibeam sonar survey and laser scanning techniques. The data gathered during this exercise are now being analysed.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on proposals to dredge the River Thames in the vicinity of the wreck of SS Richard Montgomery; and if he will make a statement. [254530]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 5 February 2009]: It is not proposed to dredge the River Thames in the vicinity of the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery.
Taunton-Penzance Railway Line: Electrification
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of (a) the advantages and (b) the disadvantages of electrification of the main railway line between Taunton and Penzance; and if he will make a statement. [253694]
Paul Clark: Electrification makes most sense on busier routes, such as the Midland main line and parts of the Great Western main line, where the high cost of installing new electrification infrastructure can be offset by the lower costs of running electric trains.
A cross-industry working group led by Network Rail is assessing the case for electrifying a wide range of lines. The group is expected to publish its conclusions at the end of March.
Train Operating Companies
Mr. Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations have been made to him by the Association of Train Operating Companies in support of changes to franchise service level commitments that would allow a reduction in services; [253344]
(2) what subjects were discussed at his meeting with representatives of the Association of Train Operating Companies on 20 January 2009. [253345]
Paul Clark: The Secretary of State has regular meetings with representatives of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and the train operating companies themselves. The 20 January meeting, as is usually the case, covered a range of issues that affect the railway. ATOC have made no representations to reduce services by way of alterations to existing franchise service level commitments.
Transport: Costs
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much transport infrastructure maintenance cost the public purse in each year from 2003 to 2008. [253182]
Paul Clark: The following details Department for Transport grants to local authorities for maintenance of local roads and detrunking programmes.
| £ million | |
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