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26 Jan 2010 : Column 750W—continued
Departmental Public Expenditure
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) how much his Department (a) budgeted to spend and (b) spent on (i) support for passenger rail franchises and (ii) Transport Innovation Fund capital grants to local authorities for 2008-09; [312552]
(2) how much his Department (a) budgeted to spend and (b) have spent to date on (i) support for passenger rail franchises and (ii) Transport Innovation Fund capital grants to local authorities for 2009-10. [312554]
Chris Mole: Support for passenger rail franchises in 2008-09 was budgeted to deliver net income to the Department for Transport of £343 million, against which the outturn was net income of £402 million. In 2009-10 the year-to-date income at the end of December 2009 was £148 million. With expenditure forecast to increase over the remainder of the year due to the impact of the economic downturn on industry revenues, the final position is expected to be in line with the budgeted income of £34 million.
No Transport Innovation Fund capital funding was paid to local authorities in 2008-09 or 2009-10.
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) how much his Department (a) budgeted to spend and (b) spent on (i) the congestion Transport Innovation Fund and (ii) the productivity Transport Innovation Fund for 2008-09; [312560]
(2) how much his Department (a) budgeted to spend and (b) has spent to date on (i) the congestion Transport Innovation Fund and (ii) the productivity Transport Innovation Fund for 2009-10. [312561]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport announced in July 2005 that it would make available up to £200 million per year from 2008-09 to support Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) congestion packages. Spending depended on receiving acceptable bids from local authorities. A provisional allocation of capital resources for congestion TIF of around £100 million in 2008-09 and £200 million in 2009-10 was made in spending plans prior to start of 2008-09.
Nothing has been spent directly from congestion TIF, However the Department has spent £16.1 million in 2008-09 and £2.7 million to date in 2009-10 on pump priming and development costs for potential congestion TIF bids.
Productivity TIF schemes are being delivered by Network Rail and the Highways Agency. The Department budgeted £55.3 million for rail projects in 2008-09 which was spent by Network Rail with a further £61.7 million expected to be spent in 2009-10.
The budgets for productivity TIF schemes delivered by the Highways Agency were £50.7 million for 2008-09 and £122.5 million for 2009-10. Total spend on the Birmingham Box and A14 active traffic management schemes was £46.6 million in 2008-09 and £68.4 million to December in 2009-10.
Driving Offences: Closed Circuit Television
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the code of practice for operation of CCTV enforcement cameras and (b) a code of practice for bus lane camera enforcement using attended CCTV equipment for approved English local authorities outside London. [311788]
Mr. Khan: With regard to the guidance we have issued on the use of CCTV for civil parking enforcement, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 330W.
Civil bus lane enforcement in England outside London relies exclusively on evidence from CCTV. I have arranged for a copy of the provisional guidance on bus lane (including tramway) enforcement in England outside London to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
The Department for Transport has not issued any other codes of practice on CCTV traffic enforcement, but many local traffic authorities have done so.
Driving Offences: Crime Prevention
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of people who drive (a) whilst using a mobile telephone, (b) without wearing a seat belt, (c) whilst disqualified and (d) without insurance; and if he will make a statement. [313147]
Paul Clark: The information requested is as follows:
(a) The Department increased the penalty for drivers using a mobile phone to include three penalty points from February 2007. A publicity campaign ran in May 2009 which included a TV commercial and online activity. A new radio campaign warned younger drivers of the dangers of texting while driving.
(b) The Home Office increased the fixed penalty for not using a seat belt to £60 from 30 June 2009. A publicity campaign ran in November 2008 which included a new TV commercial also shown in cinemas, two new radio commercials with online activity and outdoor advertising on petrol pump nozzles and car park barriers. A further campaign will run throughout February 2010.
(c) The Department does all that it can to assist the police and the courts in detecting and prosecuting cases of unlicensed driving including driving while disqualified. A critical step has been the provision to the police of 24 hour access to accurate and up-to-date driver licensing information (including a photograph where appropriate) at the roadside to assist detection and enforcement. There are also good IT links between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the courts to assist in effective prosecution of offenders.
(d) The Home Office introduced a new offence in August 2008 of "causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured" which carries a custodial sentence of up to two years. The Road Safety Act 2006 introduced a new offence of being a registered keeper of a vehicle for which there is no valid motor insurance, to be enforced by a procedure of continuous insurance enforcement. Further regulations are required to bring these provisions into force. The Department plans to commence delivery of the scheme in 2010-11 starting with an initial publicity campaign to raise public awareness.
Driving: Licenses
Anne Milton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what mechanisms exist to ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's enforcement policy is (a) proportionate, (b) transparent, (c) consistent and (d) accountable. [313328]
Paul Clark: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) enforcement strategy seeks to maximise collection of vehicle excise duty (VED) at minimum cost and includes proportionate action against non-compliance. DVLA enforcement activities are provided for in law and steered by a cross-Government board which meets every quarter, keeping the approach under review. The agency's enforcement and compliance systems make it more convenient than ever to pay VED but very difficult to evade. The latest national statistics estimate that DVLA collects 99.4 per cent. of all VED payable.
DVLA also operates the Registration of Number Plate Suppliers scheme, educating suppliers of the rules and taking action against those who break the law. A recent Hampton Implementation Review by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills concluded that DVLA demonstrated good overall compliance with the Hampton principles.
First Capital Connect: Industrial Disputes
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what representations Ministers in his Department have (a) made to and (b) received from First Capital Connect on industrial action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route in the last three months. [312507]
Chris Mole: While industrial relations is a matter for First Capital Connect to manage, the Secretary of State has made representations to both First Capital Connect and First Group as to the importance of restoring a full passenger service. Now that the drivers have accepted the pay deal, First Capital Connect has restored the full timetable.
Other representations have been made to and from Department for Transport officials, both in terms of requirements under the Franchise Agreement in relation to the concerted actions by drivers and the day to day contractual review which these officials carry out.
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many items of correspondence he has received on the recent industrial action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route. [312508]
Chris Mole: Ministers and officials at the Department for Transport have received over 320 items of correspondence, including emails.
Heathrow Airport: Railways
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps he is taking to facilitate the introduction of a rail link between Woking and Heathrow airport. [312416]
Chris Mole: A scheme to provide a direct rail link between Woking and Heathrow airport, known as Heathrow Airtrack, is being promoted by Heathrow Airport Ltd., a subsidiary of BAA. In order to secure powers to construct and operate the scheme, Heathrow Airport Ltd. submitted an application for an Order under the Transport and Works Act in July 2009. A public inquiry is planned to be held during 2010 following which the independent planning inspector will make recommendations to Ministers.
Ice and Snow: Merseyside
Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will discuss with Wirral borough council (a) damage caused by ice to roads in the borough and (b) the clearance of snow from main and side roads in the borough. [313387]
Mr. Khan: The maintenance of the local highway in Wirral is the responsibility of Wirral metropolitan borough council. This Department has published guidance on its emergency capital highway maintenance funding scheme. If Wirral metropolitan borough council wishes to submit a claim for this funding, in connection with damage caused by this winter's severe weather, the Department will arrange for its consultants to provide free assistance to the authority.
As the local highway authority, it is a matter for Wirral metropolitan borough council to decide on their policy for clearing snow and ice from their roads. The UK Roads Liaison Group (UKRLG) has published "Well maintained highways", a code of practice for highway maintenance. They have recently published updated guidance on the section which covers winter maintenance. Both the code of practice and the revised winter service guidance are available free of charge on the UKRLG website:
Parking Offences: Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer of 7 July 2009, Official Report, column 644W, on parking: fines, which local authority uses automatic number plate recognition technology for civil parking enforcement; and for what purpose that option was certified. [312025]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport is aware that some local authorities use automatic number plate recognition technology to trigger the recording of a potential parking contravention, or to assist the process of vehicle identification. We cannot compile a list of such authorities, as they are not, in all circumstances, required to notify the Department that they are currently using such technology for these purposes. In all cases, the video record must be reviewed by a human operator, who decides whether to issue a penalty charge notice.
Railways: Snow and Ice
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many rail services in England and Wales were cancelled owing to adverse weather conditions in January 2010; and how many such services served stations in (a) Leicester and (b) the east midlands. [312223]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not hold a detailed breakdown of the reasons for specific cancellations. However, in the most recent four weeks for which provisional figures are available (ending 9 January 2010) 17,172 trains were cancelled in England and Wales. This represents 4.16 per cent. of trains scheduled to run.
In the same period, East Midland Trains (which serves Leicester and is the main train operator in the east midlands) cancelled 106 trains, which represents 0.97 per cent. of trains scheduled to run. Crosscountry Trains (which also serves Leicester and the east midlands) cancelled 297 trains, which represents 4.65 per cent of trains scheduled to run.
Detailed train performance data for the rail network, including cancellations by cause, is collected and held by Network Rail. The hon. Member may wish to 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
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which train operating companies operated reduced timetables on (a) 6, (b) 7 and (c) 8 January 2010; and what reason was given by each train operating company for operating such timetables. [312669]
Chris Mole: According to information received by the Department, the following train operating companies operated reduced timetables on the dates shown, in all cases due to the adverse weather conditions:
| Reduced timetables operated | |||
| Train operating companies | 6 January | 7 January | 8 January |
In addition, on all three dates, First Capital Connect operated reduced timetables because of a shortage of available drivers.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he has made a recent assessment of the resilience of the rail network in (a) Greater London and (b) the south-east to severe weather conditions. [312670]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport is working with the rail industry to review performance and the industry's response during the recent disruption caused by the severe weather conditions. The Department is also collecting information on all services which were operated to understand whether improvements could be made to rail services during future adverse weather.
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