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22 Feb 2010 : Column 200W—continued
Public Holidays
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the introduction of an additional public holiday; and if he will make a statement. [315114]
Chris Mole: No assessment has been made of the cost to the Department of an additional public holiday.
Public Transport: Rural Areas
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage greater use of public transport in large rural areas. [316860]
Mr. Khan: The Government pay over £58 million annually in rural bus subsidy grant payments and have just published a "toolkit" for local authorities planning rural transport provision; this is alongside guidance encouraging greater partnership with community transport operators, who provide valuable services in rural areas.
The Government also support a large number of rural rail services funded via the franchising process and by direct grants to Network Rail. They also provide support to community rail partnerships through the Association of Community Rail Partnerships and small scale grants for projects on designated community rail routes.
Railways
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what guidance his Department has provided to train operating companies on the transport of surf boards on trains. [317515]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has not issued any guidance to train operating companies on the carriage of surf boards on trains.
The National Rail Conditions of Carriage sets out the conditions for luggage, articles, animals and cycles. Section II Appendix B includes a table relating to the carriage of specific articles in passenger accommodation, which includes "Canoes, Surfboards and Sailboards": none of these is permitted.
It is for the Association of Train Operating Companies, in consultation with its members and other interested bodies, to consider whether any changes should be proposed to be made to these. Any proposed changes to the National Rail Conditions of Carriage require the approval of the Secretary of State.
Railways: North East
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his most recent assessment is of the potential for high speed rail services to the North East. [317161]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport is continuing its assessment of the detailed report from High Speed Two on a detailed route proposal for the first stage of a north-south high-speed line between London and the West Midlands, which was received at the end of last year. The report also contains advice on options for extending high-speed services, and high-speed lines, to destinations further north, including the North East. If the Government decide to pursue proposals for high speed rail, we will publish a White Paper setting out plans by the end of March 2010.
Road Traffic
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many miles vehicles, excluding heavy goods vehicles, travelled on (a) motorways and (b) dual carriageways in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in each of the last five years. [317046]
Paul Clark: The estimated miles travelled by vehicles (excluding heavy good vehicles) on motorways and dual carriageways in England, Scotland and Wales from 2004 to 2008 is shown in the following tables.
| (a) Traffic on Motorways by country: All vehicles( 1) excluding HGVs, 2004- 08 | ||||||
| Billion vehicle miles | ||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | ||
| (1) Includes motorcycles, cars, buses and LGVs. Source: DfT-National Road Traffic Survey. | ||||||
| (b) Traffic on dual carriageways by country: All vehicles( 1) excluding HGVs, 2004 - 08 | ||||||
| Billion vehicle miles | ||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | ||
| (1) Includes pedal cycles, motorcycles, cars, buses and LGVs. Source: DfT-National Road Traffic Survey. | ||||||
Roads: Accidents
Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) serious road injuries and (b) fatalities resulted from accidents related to drink driving in each of the last four years. [317250]
Paul Clark: The information requested can be found in table 3a on page 30 in article 3 in the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2008 Annual Report, copies of which have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) fatal and (b) other road accidents took place in the Yorkshire and Humber region in each year since 2001. [317511]
Paul Clark: The number of (a) fatal and (b) other reported personal injury road accidents in the Yorkshire and Humber region in each year since 2001 is shown in the following table.
| Reported personal injury road accidents in Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office region by severity: 2001-08 | |||
| Accident severity | |||
| Fatal | Non-fatal | All personal injury accidents | |
Roads: Finance
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich of 11 November 2009, Official Report, columns 368-70W, which of the non-major projects listed is a (a) routine maintenance project, (b) major maintenance project, (c) local management scheme and (d) fiscal stimulus project. [316900]
Chris Mole: The table which was prepared in answer to the question from the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich of 11 November and which was placed in the Libraries of the House has been updated to indicate which non-major project schemes are routine maintenance projects, major maintenance projects, local network management schemes and fiscal stimulus projects.
A table containing this information has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which uncompleted schemes included in the Targeted Programme of Improvements are funded through regional funding allocations; and from what other sources such schemes have been funded. [316185]
Mr. Khan: There are currently three Highways Agency schemes under construction which are funded wholly or partly through the regional funding allocation. These are A3 Hindhead Improvement (expected to open in summer 2011), A421 Bedford to M1 J13 (expected to open in winter 2010) and A46 Newark to Widmerpool Improvement (expected to open in spring 2012). The A46 scheme is partly funded through the regional funding allocation and partly through the national roads programme and fiscal stimulus budgets.
There are currently over 30 local major schemes (costing over £5 million) under way that are being funded through the regional funding allocation process. The following table indicates these schemes and highlights where the scheme is also being funded through a contribution from other sources of funding.
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