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14 May 2009 : Column 889W—continued
Holidays
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data sets his Department collects in respect of the ATOL-protected holiday scheme; and if he will make a statement. [274392]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport is not involved in the management of the Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) scheme and therefore does not collect any datasets in this regard.
The ATOL scheme is managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and protects those consumers who book an ATOL-protected holiday from losing their money or being stranded abroad as a result of travel company insolvency. I would refer the hon. Member to the CAA's website for more details:
Landing Rights
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the airline industry on the alleviation of the 80 per cent. use it or lose it practice regarding landing slots at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [274155]
Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and a number of officials from the Department for Transport have had discussions with representatives of the airline industry regarding the European Commission's proposal to suspend the ‘use it or lose it’ (UIOLI) rule under the EC Airports Slot Allocation Regulation.
While we recognise the value of the UIOLI rule, we support the Commission's proposal to suspend it on a temporary basis to help airlines through the current economic downturn and prevent unnecessary flights.
Light Dues
Mr. Brazier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much total revenue was received by (a) Trinity House, (b) the Northern Lighthouse Board and (c) the
Commissioners of Irish Lights in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what proportion of this related to ships moving between UK ports. [275664]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Light dues are collected by Trinity House on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport who administers the General Lighthouse Fund. The published annual accounts of the General Lighthouse Fund set out all other sources of income from the three General Lighthouse Authorities that is paid into the fund.
The table shows the gross light dues collected in the last three financial years within the operational areas of each of the authorities.
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
Information on the destination or port of departure of vessels is not collected when light dues are paid so it is not possible to show what proportion of dues collected related to ships moving between UK ports.
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many duplicate copies of road tax discs have been issued due to processing errors (a) to the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby and (b) other vehicle keepers in 2009 to date. [275495]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Two duplicate tax discs were sent to the hon. Member because of an error. The same error resulted in 62,255 other tax discs being sent to vehicle keepers in error. Since the Electronic Vehicle Licence application system went live in February 2004 it has issued over 35 million tax discs. This is the only occasion on which an error like this has occurred.
Pedestrian Crossings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of pedestrian crossing lights having an option for a longer crossing time for disabled pedestrians. [274355]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport (DfT) has made no specific assessment of the merits of pedestrian crossing lights having an option for a longer crossing time for disabled pedestrians. Local authorities are responsible for setting appropriate crossing times on their crossings, reflecting local conditions.
The relevant guidance issued by DfT, Local Transport Note 2/95—‘Design of Pedestrian Crossings’, states that it may be desirable to extend the green man period if there will be considerable use by disabled pedestrians.
The DfT also recommends the use of ‘Puffin’ (pedestrian user friendly intelligent) crossings that use detection technology to adjust the crossing period, depending on walking speed.
Railways
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger miles have been travelled on railways in Great Britain in each year since 1979. [274399]
Paul Clark: Table 1.1 of the 2008 edition of Transport Statistics Great Britain shows the following levels of passenger kilometres travelled by rail in each year since 1979:
| Year( 1) | Billion passenger kilometres( 2) |
| (1) Rail data are recorded in financial years. (2) 1 kilometre = 0.6214 mile. | |
‘Transport Statistics Great Britain 2008 Edition’ is available on the Department for Transport website at the following link:
Railways: Electrification
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reason is for the time taken to publish the findings of the cross-industry working group assessing the case for electrification of rail lines. [274412]
Paul Clark: Network Rail is co-ordinating the work of the cross-industry electrification group and has agreed an extension in the publication timetable with the Office of Rail Regulation.
The hon. Member should contact Network Rail’s chief executive at the following address for a response to his question:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG
Railways: Expenditure
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much capital expenditure (a) his Department and (b) others incurred on railways in each year since 1997. [274354]
Paul Clark: Details of historic expenditure on the railways is set out in “National Rail Trends” which is published by the Office of Rail Regulation. Copies are available in the Library of the House and online at
Railways: Finance
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the scope of his Department's powers is to alter the level of Control Period 4 funding; and if he will make a statement. [274391]
Paul Clark: The Periodic Review settlement may be revised by means of an interim review. The Office of Rail Regulation may trigger an interim review if it believes that the settlement can no longer be funded as agreed. In forming its view, the Office of Rail Regulation is required to take account of any representations from the Department for Transport.
Roads: Devon
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is able to take to expedite the approval process for the South Devon Link Road; and if he will make a statement. [275483]
Paul Clark: It is important that public funds are used as effectively as possible. Our local major scheme approval process is therefore designed to ensure that a scheme offers value for money for the taxpayer.
The Department for Transport is liaising closely with Devon county council as we continue to assess the major scheme business case for the proposed South Devon Link Road. Further information has been requested from the promoters on sections of the Business Case that required clarification. Once the value for money assessment is completed, consideration will be given to granting initial funding approval for the scheme.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent assessment is of the effects of the construction of the South Devon Link Road on the South Devon economy. [275523]
Paul Clark:
The major scheme business case for the proposed South Devon Link Road submitted to the Department for Transport by Devon county council
and Torbay council included an economic impact study report which considered the potential economic impact of the proposed Kingskerswell bypass between Newton Abbot and Torquay in South Devon.
This report concluded that the proposed bypass could generate a range of benefits for the economic and wider development of Teignbridge, Torbay, South Hams and the surrounding areas of South Devon.
The Department is liaising closely with Devon county council as we continue to assess the major scheme business case for the proposed South Devon Link Road.
Roads: Safety
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what requirements there are upon (a) the Highways Agency and (b) local authorities to conduct safety impact assessments prior to the installation of Trief kerbs; [273519]
(2) what guidance applies to the width of roads on which Trief kerbs are installed. [273521]
Paul Clark: The Highways Agency's requirements for Road Safety Audits on trunk road schemes are set out in HD19/03 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. This document prescribes the requirements for undertaking safety assessments for scheme inception, design development, construction, opening to traffic and monitoring. The safety implications of road restraint systems would form part of this assessment.
There is no centrally determined requirement on English local authorities to conduct safety assessments prior to the installation of Trief kerbs on the roads they manage. This is a matter for individual authorities. There is no centrally produced guidance on the width of roads on which Trief kerbs are installed.
Rushenden Link Road
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for the time taken to construct the Rushenden Link Road; what recent reports he has received on progress in construction; what steps he is taking to ensure the timely completion of the project; and what recent discussions he has had with the project funders on funding commitments to the project. [275417]
Paul Clark: Kent county council are the commissioning body for the Rushenden Link Road and as such have responsibility for overseeing progress on delivery of the scheme.
The Department for Transport is not providing any funding and no discussions have been held with the project funders in relation to their funding requirements.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget has been agreed for the construction of the Rushenden Link Road; from what sources such funding is expected to be drawn; and if he will make a statement. [275418]
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