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Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk road and motorway schemes that have been through a formal period of public consultation during the last 12 months and indicate those schemes where comments on a no-road option were specifically invited.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The following trunk road and motorway schemes have been through a period of formal consultation within the last 12 months :
M1--Widening of junctions 6A-10.
M1--Widening of junctions 10-15.
M1-M62 link.
M3--Widening of junctions 2-4.
M6--Widening of junctions 11-16.
M6--Widening of junctions 16-20.
M25--Junctions 12-15 improvement.
M40--Widening of junctions 1A-3.
M56-M62--Greater Manchester western and northern relief road stage 2*.
M62-M606 link.
M63--Widening of junctions 6-9.
A1(M)--Redhouse to Ferrybridge.
A1--Gateshead western bypass.
A2-A282--Dartford improvement.
A3--Hindhead improvement.
A3--M40 to B4031 improvement.
A12--Pakefield to Kessingland.
A16--East Keal bypass.
A17--Leadenham to Sleaford improvement.
A19--Norton to Parkway improvement.
A19--Shipton-by-Beningbrough bypass.
A19--Thormanby bypass.
A21--Silverhill improvement.
A26--Beddingham to Itford Farm diversion.
A27--Lewes to Polegate improvement.
A30--Woodleigh junction.
A36--Beckington to east of Bath.
A39--Allins to south Penlean improvement.
A41--No Mans Heath and Macefen bypass.
A41--Milton Green bypass.
A46--Newark Widmerpool improvement.
A49--Woofferton bypass*.
A50--Blythe Bridge Queensway Meir section.
A51--Improvement at Burford and the Green bypass.
A52--Radcliffe-on-Trent to Grantham improvement.
A54--Kelsall bypass to A556 improvement.
A57-A628--Mottram/Hollingworth/Tintwistle bypass*.
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A63--Castle street.A63--West of A1.
A64--Malton-Seamer.
A64--York-Malton.
A65--Coniston Cold bypass.
A66--Longnewton grade separated junction.
A259--Walland Marsh improvement.
A303--Ilminster bypass dualling.
A516--North of Etwall improvement.
A523--Improvements Poynton-Macclesfield*.
A595--Duddon Bridge improvement.
A1079--Shiptonthorpe bypass.
A6120--Seacroft and Crossgates bypass.
While none of the public consultations had a "no road" option, those schemes marked with an * did contain a question of whether a new road/bypass was necessary. It is, however, our policy to put forward only routes which we consider feasible and are prepared to build.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those road schemes deleted from the Government's road programmes on (a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) other grounds since the White Paper, "Trunk Roads : England into the 1990s".
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : One scheme, A59 Copster Green bypass, has been deleted from the national roads programme since the White Paper, "Trunk Roads, England into the 1990s". This was on economic grounds. The A6 Market Harborough to Desborough scheme has been transferred from the national programme to the regional programme of under £1 million schemes.
National Parks
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made concerning transport policy implications in respect of the Countryside Commission's proposals to strengthen national parks for the 21st century ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Government made a full response to the Countryside Commission's national parks review in January this year. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Wales are responsible for policy on trunk roads in national parks. The Government's policy remains as it has been : no new trunk roads will be constructed or an existing road upgraded unless there is a compelling need which cannot be met by any reasonable alternative means. This policy has been most recently reflected in our announcement in September that the A628/A616 would not be upgraded to dual carriageway through the Peak district national park.
Other transport needs are a matter for local authorities, passenger transport executives and British Rail, in consultation with the national park authorities where appropriate.
Nuclear Material
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 8 December, Official Report , column 599-600 , relating to the transport of small quantities of plutonium, what was the mass of the largest single small quantity exported for which he has records ; and whether his answer encompasses all nuclear materials transported from the United Kingdom since such transport began.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Individual shipments of small quantities of radioactive material are not notifiable to the Department. The previous response referred to shipments made by British Nuclear Fuels plc and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority since 1981.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to re-establish his Department's advisory committee on the safe transport of nuclear materials.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No : ACTRAM was disbanded because its work was completed. Any future issues relating to the transport of radioactive waste will be covered by the Department of the Environment's radioactive waste management advisory committee.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received over the transport of nuclear materials to, from and within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Norris : Forty-three parliamentary questions (including this one).
Freight Traffic
14. Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his plans to implement his policy of encouraging freight to transfer from road to rail.
Mr. MacGregor : The Government want to see freight moving by rail wherever practical. If rail freight is to flourish it must be competitive with road and other forms of transport. The introduction of private sector skills and access to new sources of funding is the best means of securing an efficient and competitive rail freight industry in the United Kingdom.
Heavy Lorries
15. Mr. Fabricant : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the increase in heavy lorries registered outside the United Kingdom on United Kingdom roads after the opening up of the single market ; and if he will make a statement on the steps taken to ensure the roadworthiness of such vehicles.
Mr. MacGregor : The number of foreign lorries on our roads has risen by 19 per cent. in the past five years. This compares with a 52 per cent. increase in the number of British lorries travelling to the continent in the same period. British and foreign vehicles are checked at ports and at the roadside for compliance with the law on safety, weight limits and drivers' hours.
Transport Supplementary Grant
16. Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of financial support he will give to local authorities through the transport supplementary grant.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : As explained in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 15 December 1992, the funds available through transport supplementary grant for 1993-94 total £1,047 million. Of this, £431 million is transport supplementary grant and the rest is allocated as borrowing approvals.
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Jubilee Line Extension
17. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the most recent state of the arrangements for the commencement of work on the Jubilee line extension ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : We have made provision for the Jubilee line extension to be constructed subject to a satisfactory agreement being reached with the administrators of Olympia and York Canary Wharf on the terms on which they are to contribute towards its cost. Negotiations with the administrators are continuing.
Roads (Private Investment)
18. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the measures which he is taking to attract private investment in capital spending on roads.
Mr. MacGregor : I shall publish this year a Green Paper on the basis for charging for the use of inter-urban roads. One option to be considered is direct charging, for use of such roads, which would greatly increase opportunities for private investment. The Green Paper will also examine the scope for attracting more private finance through joint ventures and through contracts for the design, build and operation of roads.
Rail Fares
19. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the fares charged for travel on British railways are broadly in line with those which apply in other EC member states ; and what assessment he has made of the service provided by such railways.
Mr. Freeman : Meaningful comparisons are difficult to make, given the very different operating conditions in each country. However, it is clear that fares could be reduced only if subsidies were increased. It would be wrong to ask taxpayers to fund bigger subsidies. Passengers, who are the main beneficiaries of rail services, should bear as much as possible of the costs.
Passengers Charter
20. Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to assess the effectiveness of the passengers charter.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend and I meet the British Rail chairman frequently and discuss a range of issues including the operation of the passengers charter.
InterCity Services (Gloucestershire)
21. Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of British Rail privatisation on InterCity services to and from towns in Gloucestershire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Roger Freeman : Involving the private sector in the operation of the railways through franchising will lead to an improvement in the quality of all passenger rail services, including InterCity services to and from Gloucestershire.
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Road Lighting
22. Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce the level of pollution from road lights in rural areas.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : In future, trunk road lighting in rural areas will use lanterns designed to limit light pollution. General guidance will be published to make lighting more environmentally sensitive.
Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the increased energy costs that will arise as a result of increased street, road and motorway lighting over the next five years.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The energy costs for road lighting over the next five years will depend on a number of factors such as the type of lamp used, increases in the road length lit, and any changes in the unit costs of electricity.
By far the largest users of energy for street and road lighting are local highway authorities and no central records are kept. On all-purpose trunk roads and motorways, detailed plans are subject to change according to circumstances, but on present assumptions the overall energy consumption seems likely to rise in the order of 20 per cent. over the next five years.
Networker Trains (Kent)
23. Sir Roger Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about the ordering of the proposed networker express trains for the Kent coast services.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss current issues. The Chancellor's autumn statement enables BR to order on lease an additional £150 million of new rolling stock over the next three years. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 17 December, Official Report , c. 337-38.
Drink-driving
25. Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in reducing deaths linked to drink-driving.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Considerable progress has been made in our continuing campaign against drinking and driving in changing public attitudes and so reducing the number of deaths caused by those who drink and drive.
The percentage of drivers/riders killed who were over the legal limit has fallen from 30 per cent. in 1981 to 19 per cent. in 1991. In 1991 some 700 people were killed in accidents where a driver or rider was over the legal limit compared with 1,540 in 1981 and 800 in 1990.
London Buses Ltd.
27. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he has made for the disposal of assets held by London Buses Ltd.
Mr. Norris : Following my announcement on 4 December that we intend to proceed with early privatisation of London Buses Ltd., we shall be working
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up our proposals in more detail, including their implications for the assets held by the company, over the coming months.EC Environmental Rules
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last had discussions with the European Commissioner for the Environment on the application of the Community's environmental rules to the United Kingdom road programmes.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : During the United Kingdom presidency, my right hon. Friend met Mr. van Miert, then Commissioner for Transport and the Environment, on a number of occasions to discuss various matters including the national road programme in England. Trunk roads in the rest of the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.
A20 (Dualling)
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current progress of the A20 road dualling between Dover and Folkstone and the expected date for completion.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The A20 Folkestone-Dover scheme is being constructed in three contract lengths. The scheme is expected to be completed by late summer 1993.
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