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ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Fuel Tax
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect on car usage arising from the fuel tax escalator. [56728]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The fuel duty escalator will have some impact in reducing vehicle mileage but its main purpose is to reduce fuel consumption and hence carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas. By 2010, overall fuel duty increases from 1997 to 2002 under the escalator of on average at least 6 per cent. real increases in fuel duty each year are estimated to result in carbon dioxide savings of between 2 and 5 million tonnes of carbon and traffic reduction of around 12 billion kilometres, most of which arises from reduced car use.
Cell Powered Vehicles
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to prepare for the introduction of fuel cell powered vehicles. [56730]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government have a number of programmes to encourage the production and use of fuel cell vehicles, such as the Department of Trade and Industry's Advanced Fuel Cell and Foresight Vehicle programmes. In addition, we are encouraging local authorities and business to look at cleaner vehicles and fuels in order to help to meet our environmental
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objectives, including the national air quality strategy objectives. Further support for the introduction of fuel cell powered vehicles, for example, support for new fuel infrastructure, would depend upon how the technology and the market develop and which fuel or fuels emerge as the main fuel source for fuel cell vehicles.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of miles of dual carriageway road per unit area for each county. [56742]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information required for this question will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contribution the area cost adjustment made to the amount of standard spending assessment which Hertfordshire received in respect of (a) all services, (b) education, (c) police and (d) personal social services in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 1997-98. [56836]
Ms Armstrong:
A table showing these figures for each local authority in Hertfordshire has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress with transport provision for visitors to the Millennium Dome. [56921]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Good progress is being made on all aspects of the transport arrangements for the Dome. In particular, the Government welcome London Transport's recent appointment of Bechtel to manage the completion and commissioning stages of the Jubilee Line Extension. It is now planned to open the new line in three stages: first, from its eastern terminus at Stratford to the Dome at North Greenwich by the late Spring of next year, adding the next section through to Waterloo by late Summer and the final section through to Green Park by late Autumn, which will still be in good time for the opening of the Millennium Experience at the turn of the year.
City Cruises which will be providing river boat services from central London has placed orders for four new boats. The contract to build the new pier at the Dome has been let. London Central has been selected to operate the Millennium Transit bus service between Charlton railway station and the Dome via the Millennium Village. Railtrack is planning to improve the station and Greenwich will improve the road to provide a new bus turnaround facility. Part of the journey to the Dome will be over a segregated busway which it is proposed will incorporate electronic guidance.
Mr. Pearson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Government are taking to encourage more freight to be transported on United Kingdom inland waterways. [56429]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government are keen to encourage greater use of inland waterways, where that is a practical and economic option. The Department currently gives Freight Facilities Grants for inland waterways schemes where freight would otherwise have gone by road. The Department will be re-examining the rules of the scheme to try to encourage more applications for inland waterways. The budget for the Freight Facilities Grant was increased this year by one third to £40 million.
In addition the Department--as stated in the Government's White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone"--is working to update planning guidance on transport which will encourage more freight to be carried by water. Local authorities in their development plans will be expected to consider opportunities for new development which are served by waterways; and to give better protection to sites and routes, both existing and potential, which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choices, including water transport.
Mr. Pearson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Government are taking to encourage more leisure and tourism activities on United Kingdom inland waterways. [56430]
Mr. Meale:
The Government believe the waterways are a substantial asset and have an important role in a number of areas such as leisure and tourism, heritage, amenity, conservation, regeneration and transport. We want to raise the profile of the waterways and increase their potential. We intend to publish in the next few months an inland waterways policy paper.
It is estimated that over 10 million people visit the waterways each year, representing a total of over 280 million informal visits. Within these figures there are: 1.6 million private pleasure boaters, 350,000 holiday hire boaters, 1.5 million pleasure trip boaters and 4.6 million angler visits. The inland waterways generate an estimated £10 million each year in water-related tourism expenditure, and £2.78 million in hire boat expenditure. It is estimated that 63,000 people are employed in water related jobs.
The Government-sponsored British Tourist Authority (BTA) is actively promoting the waterways of Britain and Ireland. The campaign, involving partnerships with the main waterway industry operators, local authorities and National Tourist Boards, is promoted through most of BTA's 46 overseas offices. BTA's brochure 'Waterway Britain and Ireland' presents waterway travel as an alternative, sustainable way of touring the British Isles.
The day-to-day management and operation of the inland waterway network rest with British Waterways, the Environment Agency, the Broads Authority and a range of other public and private bodies. The three main navigation authorities work closely with BTA, regional and national tourist boards and with the private sector to promote leisure and tourism opportunities on their respective waterways.
The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities, which represents around 30 authorities, is finalising a strategy for the inland navigations of the United Kingdom.
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This will include objectives for the navigation authorities to meet in relation to developing tourism and leisure opportunities on the waterways network.
The Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council is undertaking a report to demonstrate ways in which the waterways in West Yorkshire can be developed for tourism, leisure and community use.
Mr. Ivan Henderson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the statutory consultation requirements and the statutory safety requirements that need to be put in place before a railway foot crossing can be transferred from manned to unmanned status. [57073]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
If a railway authority proposes changing a railway foot crossing to unstaffed status, it must request the Secretary of State to make an Order (which would specify the necessary safety arrangements) authorising the change in status, and notify each local authority in whose area the crossing is situated of the proposed change, allowing not less than two months for those authorities to make representations to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State must take account of any representations received before deciding whether or not to make the Order.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations Railtrack has made to him about its involvement in the Channel Tunnel Rail link project. [57190]
Dr. Reid:
Following the announcement in the House on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 367-70, by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister of revised arrangements for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, officials have had intensive discussions with Railtrack and other parties involved in the CTRL so as to conclude the various agreements which flow from the June announcement.
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