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27 Jan 2010 : Column 876W—continued
Car Sharing: Road Traffic
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what modelling the Government has done on (a) changes in car sharing rates and (b) the effect such changes have on road congestion; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the outcomes of such modelling. [313001]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport has not modelled changes in car sharing rates. However, research was published by DFT in 2005 "Smarter Choice-Changing the way we travel" (Cairns S, Stoman L, Newson C, Anable J, Kirkbride A and Goodwin P; 2004). This research analysed the potential impact of car sharing on commuting vehicle trips and vehicle mileage. The report is available at:
Employment Tribunals Service
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many industrial tribunals relating to his Department there have been in each of the last five years; and what the cost to his Department was of such tribunals in each year. [310750]
Chris Mole: The total number of employment tribunal cases recorded in each of the last five years and the costs are broken down in the following table and also include figures to date for 2009-10:
| Financial year | Number | Cost (£) |
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is unable to provide the cost element to this question as the information is not held centrally and to obtain it will incur disproportionate costs. For the same reason the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency is unable to provide costs for 2004-05.
First Capital Connect: Industrial Disputes
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on what date the Secretary of State was first notified of the recent industrial action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route. [312504]
Chris Mole: The Secretary of State was first notified of the recent concerted action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route on 26 October 2009.
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether the recent industrial action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route constitutes a force majeure event under the terms of the franchise agreement with First Capital Connect. [312505]
Chris Mole: The Secretary of State was satisfied that in this instance the concerted action that was taken by the drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route was industrial action for the purposes of schedule 10.4 of the franchise agreement, and therefore a force majeure event.
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the management of First Capital Connect to discuss industrial action by drivers on the First Capital Connect Thameslink route in the last three months. [312506]
Chris Mole: The Secretary of State met with the managing director of First Capital Connect on 12 November 2009 to discuss the industrial action. Officials in the Department for Transport have also met with First Capital Connect on numerous occasions, within this period.
The Secretary of State has also spoken with the chief executive of First Group about First Capital Connect's performance.
Heathrow Airport
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what modelling the Government has done on the economic and environmental effects of a third runway at Heathrow; and if he will place a copy in the Library of the outcomes of such modelling. [313003]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport published its latest assessment of the economic and environmental effects of a third runway at Heathrow in "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport-Impact Assessment" in January 2009. The publication coincided with the Secretary of State for Transport's announcement of his policy decisions on the future development of Heathrow airport. Copies of the published documents, and earlier technical reports on the environmental modelling, have all been deposited in the Library.
Immobilisation of Vehicles
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) cars, (b) vans, (c) lorries and (d) motorcycles of each make were (i) clamped and (ii) crushed in each of the last three years; in what
circumstances and under what legislative authority such vehicles are (A) clamped and (B) crushed; and if he will make a statement. [313149]
Paul Clark: We do not keep information on the number of vehicles clamped or crushed by vehicle type. However, the following table provides the total number of vehicles wheel clamped; disposed of by crushing or via auction and immobilised in each of the last three calendar years.
| Unlicensed Vehicles (DVLA) | Unroadworthy Vehicles (VOSA) | ||
| Clamped | Crushed or auctioned | Immobilised | |
| (1) May to December. | |||
The Department for Transport employs the use of wheel clamping and immobilisation of unlicensed and un-roadworthy vehicles. The legislative authority is set out in the Vehicle Excise Duty (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1997, as amended and the Road Safety (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal) Regulations 2009.
Immobilisation of Vehicles: South East
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many cars have been impounded in (a) Southend West constituency, (b) Essex, (c) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (d) England and Wales in each year since 2005; and at what total cost in each case in each such year. [313277]
Paul Clark: It is not possible to provide the number of cars impounded or information by geographical area. A contract is in place to provide a wheel-clamping service, which may lead to impounding, on vehicles in the United Kingdom. The contract is on a fixed price basis for the entire service. Neither costs of impounding individual vehicles, nor costs of the operation within geographical locations are available.
London and South Eastern Railway: Snow and Ice
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Southeastern Railway on recent disruptions to its service caused by snow and ice. [312667]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport communicated regularly with Southeastern and Network Rail during the recent service disruption caused by snow and ice. The Department was informed of the services that would be operating, taking into account the availability of infrastructure and trains, and challenged Southeastern to run as full a service as possible. The Department is now collecting information on the service that was offered to understand whether or not any improvements can be made to rail services during future adverse weather.
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the estimated average cost is of processing a vehicle excise duty application (a) at a post office, (b) by post and (c) online. [313636]
Paul Clark: The average cost for processing a vehicle excise duty application during 2009-10 is as follows:
(a) Post Office: £1.47
(b) Not available
(c) 95 pence.
Railways: Hunting
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department has taken following the incident on 31 December 2009 in which six foxhounds belonging to the Duke of Beaufort's hunt were killed by a high-speed passenger train near Wootton Bassett; and if he will make a statement. [312748]
Chris Mole: The day-to-day running of the railways, and their safety is a matter for rail operators and the Office of Rail Regulation as the independent rail safety regulator.
The incident was included in the daily performance log submitted to the Department by the train operator involved. Aside from this, the Department is not involved in operational incidents of this nature (animals on the line).
Railways: Kent
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what information his Department holds on the number of scheduled trains operated by each franchised train operating company serving Kent which (a) were cancelled and (b) arrived late in each of the last five years. [313428]
Chris Mole: The information requested is held by Network Rail but is also given in the following table. The table gives the information for each of the last five complete financial years, in relation to Southeastern trains which operates franchised rail passenger services in Kent.
| Southeastern | ||
| Trains cancelled | Trains late at destination | |
| Note: Commuter trains are classified as 'late' if they arrive at destination five or more minutes later than their scheduled arrival time. | ||
Railways: North West
Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions he has had on the establishment of a high speed rail link between the North West and London. [312425]
Chris Mole: The Secretary of State has now received High Speed Two's report which he is considering. Both the Secretary of State and his ministerial colleagues continue to meet regularly with key stakeholders to discuss a range of transport issues, including high speed rail.
Railways: Standards
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many and what percentage of scheduled trains operated by each franchised train operating company in England (a) were cancelled and (b) arrived late in each of the last five years. [313430]
Chris Mole: The information requested is held by Network Rail but is also given in the following tables. The tables give the information for each of the last five complete financial years.
| 2004-05 | ||||
| Train operating company | Trains cancelled | Trains late at destination | Percentage cancelled | Percentage late |
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