| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 Jan 2010 : Column 327W—continued
Details of expenditure by local authorities on the maintenance of their highways are not held centrally. Expenditure by local authorities is held in their individual accounts which are independently audited.
Great Western Railway
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when the Secretary of State was informed that Network Rail intended to close the Great Western Main Line at Newport, South Wales for major engineering work over a 10 day period from 24 December 2009; and what (a) incentives and (b) sanctions are in place to encourage Network Rail to complete the proposed work on time. [308157]
Chris Mole: Network Rail gave public notice of the planned engineering work at Newport on 13 November 2009. As is normal practice, no special notice was given to the Secretary of State for Transport in advance of this.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is responsible for ensuring that Network Rail complies with its network licence. Significant engineering over-runs can constitute a breach of the licence. If this occurs, the ORR can impose a fine upon Network Rail, as happened following the over-runs in January 2008.
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) if he will estimate the amount of time that will be added to journey times for those travelling westwards to (a) Newport, (b) Cardiff and (c) Swansea as a result of the closure of the Great Western Mainline at Newport, South Wales from 24 December 2009; [308158]
(2) what discussions have taken place between his Department and Network Rail on reducing inconvenience to passengers caused by the temporary closure of the Great Western Main Line at Newport, South Wales; [308159]
(3) what discussions have taken place between his Department and Network Rail on the timeframe for the proposed engineering work intended to start on 24 December 2009 on the Great Western Main Line at Newport, South Wales. [308160]
Chris Mole: The planning, timing, and duration of engineering works are operational matters for Network Rail under the industry-wide national possessions regime overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation. This regime incentivises Network Rail to plan the timings of possessions as early as possible to minimise the impact on passenger and freight train operators' services.
Ministers and officials have received feedback from Network Rail on the duration, scope and benefits of the major track renewal, re-signalling and station upgrade projects in the Newport and Severn tunnel junction areas over the Christmas and new year period. Network Rail informed Ministers that they had considered alternative ways of carrying out the work, but that the scheme implemented minimised overall disruption to the travelling public.
Ministers emphasised to Network Rail the importance of completing the work on time to enable the smooth re-introduction of services on 4 January 2010 and I understand that this was the case.
I am due to visit the site of the works on 7 January 2010.
My hon. Friend should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a more detailed response to his questions:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG.
Immobilisation of Vehicles
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much his Department and its predecessor have paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on (a) privately-owned and (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [302744]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport and its agencies maintain the policy that parking fines, including clamping charges, remain the responsibility of the individual, and are not reimbursed from public resources.
Kemble-Swindon Railway Line
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport by what date he anticipates the completion of the doubling of the railway line between Swindon and Kemble. [308233]
Chris Mole: Officials at the Department for Transport are currently in negotiation with Network Rail to determine an acceptable price for this work, along with timescales for construction. We hope to be in a position to give further information on the matter in the near future.
M6: Closures
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the reasons were for the closure of the M6 motorway between junctions 33 and 34 on the night of Thursday 26 November 2009; and between what times it was closed. [308452]
Chris Mole: On Thursday 26 November 2009, the northbound carriageway of the M6 motorway between junctions 33 and 34, was closed by the Highways Agency from 8pm until 3.30am on 27 November, in order to replace the worn-out road surface.
Parking Offences: CCTV
Robert Neill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which local authorities have applied for certification to use CCTV equipment for civil parking enforcement; and which applications have been (a) approved and (b) refused. [308546]
Mr. Khan: A list of authorities whose equipment has been certified is maintained on the Department's website. The current list is reproduced as follows.
| Applicant | Certification granted |
In addition, applications have been received, and are being considered, from the following authorities: Gateshead council, Merton council, and Westminster city council.
Robert Neill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) whether his Department issues guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) police forces on the use of closed circuit television for the purposes of parking enforcement; [308690]
(2) what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the use of closed circuit television for the purposes of municipal parking enforcement. [308585]
Mr. Khan: Advice on the use of closed circuit television by local traffic authorities enforcing parking under the Traffic Management Act 2004 is contained in section 8 of "The Secretary of State's Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions" and in section 8 of the Department's "Operational Guidance to Local Authorities: Parking Policy and Enforcement". Both are available on the Department for Transport's website and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
In summary, the guidance says that such equipment should be used only where enforcement is difficult or sensitive and enforcement by on-street officers is not practical-for example where permits or exemptions not readily visible to the equipment apply.
Enforcement in areas where parking remains a criminal offence does not come within the Department's remit and so we have not issued any comparable guidance to the police.
Parking Offences: Fines
Robert Neill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer to Lord Lucas of 5 October 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column 429WA, on parking fines, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) application by Westminster city council for certification and (b) the letter of refusal by his Department. [308545]
Mr. Khan: The information from Westminster council, provided in support of its application for certification of CCTV equipment used for the civil enforcement of parking contraventions, remains under active development and ongoing consideration. It is therefore not appropriate to release the application. There has not been any letter of refusal.
Railways: Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Betts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will estimate the likely reduction in greenhouse gas emissions which would result from the (a) electrification of railway lines and (b) the construction of tram lines by 2020. [308980]
Chris Mole: Rail currently emits about 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide directly from diesel consumption and is indirectly responsible for about 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide produced by the electricity generating sector. Electrifying the rail network by 2020 would remove carbon emissions associated with diesel consumption but increase emissions from power stations. The net effect would be a reduction in 2020 in rail related emissions of about 1.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The impact of new light rail schemes on carbon dioxide emissions will vary by the size and location of the system and how effective it is in encouraging people to switch from other modes particularly car. A reduction in carbon emissions as a result of a new light rail scheme is possible providing sufficient passengers are attracted from other modes. Light rail extensions in Manchester and Nottingham are under construction or being considered for funding by the Department for Transport. Forecasts from the scheme promoters suggest that in total these extensions will save around 3,000 tonnes of carbon per annum.
Railways: Finance
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he expects the review of value for money in the rail sector announced in the 2009 pre-Budget report to be concluded. [309070]
Chris Mole: The first phase of the review will be a scoping study, which is expected to report at the end of March 2010. We will announce the timetable for the rest of the work in due course.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what plans his Department has to consult trade unions in its review of value for money in the rail sector announced in the 2009 pre-Budget report. [309071]
Chris Mole: The full scope of the review, including the list of stakeholders to be consulted is yet to be determined. The study's terms of reference are on the Department for Transport's website at:
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to his Department's review of value for money in the rail sector announced in the 2009 pre-Budget report, with which other countries the UK rail system will be benchmarked as part of that review. [309072]
Chris Mole: The review is currently at a very early stage and the list of countries that will be used for benchmarking purposes has not yet been established.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which stakeholders he plans to consult during his review into improving value for money in the rail sector announced in the 2009 pre-Budget report. [309321]
Chris Mole: The full scope of the review, including the list of stakeholders to be consulted is yet to be determined. The study's terms of reference are on the Department for Transport's website:
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which stakeholders he plans to consult as part of his consideration of funding and spending priorities for the control period 2009-14. [309322]
Chris Mole: In the development of the rail High Level Output Specification, published on 24 July 2007 and covering the control period 2009 to 2014, the Department for Transport consulted with the Association of Train Operating Companies, Transport for London, Network Rail, the devolved administrations, Passenger Transport Executives, the Office of Rail Regulation and Passenger Focus. Further consultation took place with a wide list of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the Confederation of British Industry, the Rail Freight Operators Association, the Rail Freight Group, London Travelwatch and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |