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4 Mar 2010 : Column 1366W—continued
Exhaust Emissions
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the total carbon dioxide emissions from shipping in the UK in the last 10 years; and what projection he has made of such emissions from shipping in the UK in the next (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 50 years. [317027]
Mr. Khan: Shipping carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the last 10 years can be found at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate _chanqe/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2008_final/2008_final.aspx
The source of the data is AEA/Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Forecasts of carbon dioxide emissions from UK domestic shipping in 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2022 were included in the Department for Transport's "Carbon Pathways Analysis" report. This report is available to download from the Department's website at
Projections of reportable carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping for all years between now and 2022 were included in HM Treasury's "Building a low-carbon economy" report. This report is available from the HM Treasury website at
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/Budget2009/bud09_ carbon_budgets_736.pdf
Grimsby
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to Great Grimsby constituency, the effects of his Department's policies on that constituency since 1997. [320186]
Mr. Khan: Our policies and legislation since 1997 have provided a new framework benefiting all local transport authorities. The framework gives greater certainty of funding, while encouraging more strategic transport planning with local consultation, and increasing local flexibility and discretion over resources. It has been accompanied by a significant increase in capital funding: support from the Department for transport investment in North East Lincolnshire, within which transport authority Great Grimsby falls, has more than doubled over the last decade.
Investment in North East Lincolnshire council's local transport plan has delivered a number of improvements to the quality, safety and accessibility of the local transport network. Between 2004 and 2008, bus patronage per head of population increased by 19 per cent. and the number of people killed or seriously injured on the local highway network decreased by 13 per cent. in the period 2001-07.
In 2002, North East Lincolnshire council received a total of £719,000 from the Department's Urban and Rural Bus Challenge funds to establish the Phone 'n' Ride community travel initiative. Phone 'n' Ride is a demand-responsive bus service for those members of the community who have difficulty accessing employment, education, healthcare and leisure services due to a lack of transport.
In 2005, North East Lincolnshire council submitted a successful bid to the Department for 'Kickstart' revenue funding of improvements to the Grimsby and Cleethorpes bus network. The £523,000 award facilitated the introduction of high-frequency services on routes 13 and 14, linking the area's main residential estates with Grimsby and Cleethorpes town centres. It was accompanied by an investment of almost £2 million by Stagecoach in 23 new low-floor buses for the service.
Following a successful bid by North East Lincolnshire council and First TransPennine Express, it was announced in April 2006 that Grimsby Town station would receive £53,000 to improve disabled access and facilities. The improvements, funded as part of the Department's Access for All Strategy, include an enlarged waiting room, improved flooring and lighting, and a new ticket window.
Local Government: Statistics
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what performance (a) indicators and (b) datasets outside the National Indicator Set local authorities are regularly required to provide to his Department. [319613]
M40: Repairs and Maintenance
Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the implementation of his Department's policy on the North West Bicester eco-town on the timing of the allocation of funding for improvement made by the Highways Agency on junction 9 of the M40 motorway. [318982]
Chris Mole: I recognise that current capacity constraints at junction 9 are directly inhibiting the wider potential for growth within the Bicester area.
I wrote to the leader of Oxfordshire county council in November 2009 confirming that the Highways Agency is committed to an interim scheme, commencing in the spring of 2010-11, to improve the movement of traffic
onto the A34 southbound from the M40 southbound at junction 9. The Department for Transport remains committed to deliver the proposed medium-term solution subject to the outcome of any forthcoming spending review.
My officials are working closely with Cherwell district council and Oxfordshire county council in developing the transport aspects of their proposals and a planning application is expected to be submitted shortly. I expect that priority will be given to more sustainable transport options, as set out in the Planning Policy Statement on eco-towns published in July 2009, which is consistent with the key aims set out in "Developing a Sustainable Transport System".
Motorways: Accidents
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many accidents have taken place between motorway junctions where there is hard shoulder running in each of the last five years. [319048]
Chris Mole: Hard shoulder running was introduced on the M42 between J3A and J7 on 12 September 2006 and normally operates at peak travel times or when there is an incident.
The accident data for the M42 J3a to 7 cover all personal injury accidents for the period to the end of 2008 and are as follows:
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
More significantly the rate of personal injury accidents has dropped from 5.1 per month to 1.8 since the implementation of this scheme.
Motorways: Road Traffic
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of hard shoulder running in the latest period for which figures are available. [319049]
Chris Mole: The estimated cost to the Highways Agency of hard shoulder running between Junctions 3a and 7 on the M42 is associated with the following four main areas of additional activity and cost.
Additional advanced motorway indicators over the hard shoulder-estimated cost of annual maintenance is £25,000.
Fixed CCTV cameras to monitor the hard shoulder-estimated costs of annual maintenance is £80,000.
Control room staff to open, close and monitor use of hard shoulder running-estimated annual cost is £38,000.
Additional traffic officer patrols to undertake pre-opening inspections of the hard shoulder and manage incidents-estimated annual cost of staff and vehicles is £66,000.
There are several additional areas for which it is not possible to disaggregate costs including power, sweeping and salting of the emergency refuge areas. These costs are considered to be negligible.
Motorways: Standards
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the average delay in minutes has been between motorway junctions where there is hard shoulder running in each of the last five years. [319047]
Chris Mole: Hard shoulder running was introduced on the M42 between Junction 3A and Junction 7 on 12 September 2006 and normally operates at peak travel times or when there is an incident.
In measuring delay the Highways Agency defines a free flow theoretical reference speed. For the M42, this is approximately 66 mph. Delay is measured as the actual measured speed of traffic compared to this reference speed and is quoted as the delay per 10 vehicle kms.
The following table shows the results for the M42 Junctions 3A to 7 for the last five years.
| Delay per 10 vehicle km | |||||
| Minutes | |||||
| 2005 total | 2006 total | 2007 total | 2008 total | 2009 total | |
The primary objective of managed motorway schemes is to improve journey time reliability. In the case of the M42 this has improved by 22 per cent. since the implementation of the scheme.
Official Engagements
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what ministerial engagements the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport has planned on each day until 6 May. [319008]
Chris Mole: I have accepted speaking engagements on the 9 March and 22 March. It is not usual practice to release details of future engagements other than confirmed speaking engagements.
Petrol: Ethanol
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will require all petrol containing ethanol to be labelled prominently as such at the fuel pump. [319898]
Mr. Khan: Fuel pumps dispensing petrol containing more than 5 per cent. biofuel (including ethanol) are required to be labelled "Not suitable for all vehicles: consult vehicle manufacturer before use" by virtue of the Biofuel (Labelling) Regulations 2004 (SI 2004 No 3349). Where petrol contains more than 10 per cent. ethanol, an additional label indicating this will be required from 5 December 2010, by virtue of a forthcoming amendment to the 2004 Regulations, implementing a requirement of the EU renewable energy directive (2009/28/EC).
Railways: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what progress has been made on reducing overcrowding on passenger rail services from stations in the London borough of Bexley to London terminals. [319471]
Chris Mole: Southeastern has carried out a survey of crowding on trains and are currently looking at measures to address crowding on specific services.
Railways: Poole
Mr. Syms: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much money his Department has spent on railway (a) track and (b) station improvements in Poole constituency in each year since 1997. [320391]
Chris Mole: This is an operational matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his questions:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG.
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