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19 Jan 2010 : Column 234W—continued
| Driving test centre | Relocation date | Relocating to |
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Proposed new location for Chesterton Road and possibly Cowley Road | ||
Driving Tests: Wisbech
Mr. Moss: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the net effects on his Department's expenditure will be of relocation of the Wisbech driving test centre to Kings Lynn in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [311040]
Paul Clark: The Wisbech driving test centre is planned to remain operational until 31 March 2010, so there will be no savings associated with its relocation to Kings Lynn in this financial year.
In future years the Driving Standards Agency will save the accommodation costs for Wisbech-currently £11,386 per annum, and the costs of examiners travelling from Kings Lynn to Wisbech to conduct driving tests as Wisbech did not have permanent staff assigned-currently £5,100 per annum.
A test centre providing facilities to conduct the off-road element of the new practical motorcycling test required by European legislation was needed to serve the Kings Lynn and Wisbech area.
We want to maximise the benefit from the costs invested in providing the new facility. This involved a capital cost of £2.3 million which was greater than average owing to environmental requirements. This would have been necessary irrespective of the relocation from Wisbech.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate has been made of the net effect on the costs of (a) driving instructions and (b) driving examiners of the relocation of the Wisbech driving test centre to Kings Lynn in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12. [311041]
Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency considered that the impact of relocating Wisbech driving test centre to Kings Lynn on the cost of learning to drive would be negligible. The Agency encourages all learner drivers to be taught to drive safely and confidently on a variety of roads rather than learning to follow test routes. It should not be necessary for learner drivers to travel to Kings Lynn other than for limited pre-test familiarisation.
As no driving examiners were based at the Wisbech test centre there are no associated costs in relation to their relocation to Kings Lynn.
Highways Agency: Quantity Surveyors
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many quantity surveyors have been employed by the Highways Agency in each year since its inception. [311181]
Chris Mole: The number of quantity surveyors employed by the Highways Agency is listed in the following table.
| Quantity surveyors | |
Policing and Crime Act 2009
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 339W, on the Policing and Crime Act 2009, for what reason it is necessary to use the powers in the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to ensure that correct policing arrangements can be maintained at (a) Belfast City Airport and (b) Belfast International Airport; whether officers of the (i) Northern Ireland Airport Police and (ii) Belfast Harbour Police (A) have powers to police each airport and (B) exercise powers as constables within the curtilage of each airport; to what purpose his Department proposes to work closely with the airports concerned and the Northern Ireland Office; and if he will make a statement. [311117]
Paul Clark: The arrangements for policing the Belfast airports differ from those elsewhere in the United Kingdom. As a result, the Secretary of State shortly intends to use powers under the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to exempt both Belfast airports from the new requirements in Part 3 of the Aviation Security Act 1982. This will ensure that their current policing arrangements are maintained.
We will continue to work closely with the airports concerned and the Northern Ireland Office to conclude this matter.
Roads: Salt
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether there are plans for the Highways Agency to hold a central strategic reserve of salt. [311791]
Mr. Khan: There are currently no plans for the Highways Agency to hold a central strategic reserve of salt. However, when the current period of very cold weather has concluded, there will be a lessons learned based exercise, during which all practical options for increasing the salt stock resilience across the network will be examined.
Roads: Snow and Ice
Nick Harvey: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what guidance his Department provides on the maximum amount of grit to be laid on roads during icy weather conditions; [310439]
(2) what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the treatment of exposed roads, with particular reference to roads which have frozen over after having been gritted. [310440]
Mr. Khan: The UK Roads Liaison Group (UKRLG) has published a code of practice for highway maintenance "Well maintained highways". The code of practice includes guidance on winter service. The UKRLG recently published a revision to their winter service guidance. Both the code of practice and the revised guidance on winter service are available free on the UKRLG website:
The guidance on winter service applies to roads affected by snow and ice and includes advice on materials that can be used for winter service. Recommended treatment rates for salt under different conditions are also provided.
Through ongoing detailed research and analysis, the Highways Agency has developed a treatment matrix, which provides guidance for its service providers on appropriate treatment rates for their network. This matrix is under continuous review to assess identified treatment rates and as a result of recently completed research, the Highways Agency has been able to reduce its treatment rates helping to improve resilience through the current salt shortage.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent steps he has taken to monitor the implementation by local authorities of their severe weather emergency procedures; and if he will make a statement. [311923]
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