| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Braer
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission an independent third party to review the evidence available concerning the loss of the tanker Braer. [60581]
10 Jun 2002 : Column 765W
Mr. Jamieson: Marine Accident Investigation Branch inspectors have fully considered the material submitted to them in respect of the Braer and the chief inspector of Marine Accidents has concluded that the material does not provide grounds for reopening the investigation into the grounding of the vessel.
Ferry Services
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 519W, on ferry services, on what dates and in what locations discussions regarding the EU directive on minimum conditions of service and wages for seafarers took place; what documents were submitted by the UK Government in the course of such discussions; and who represented the UK on each occasion. [60015]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
Discussions on the Commission's draft EU ferry- manning directive have taken place at the European Transport Councils on the following dates:
- 20–21 December 2000 in Brussels (Lord MacDonald represented the UK)
9–10 December 1999 in Brussels (Lord MacDonald represented the UK)
30 November to 1 December 1998 in Brussels (my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Glenda Jackson) represented the UK)
17–18 June 1998 in Luxembourg (my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, East and Musselburgh (Dr. Strang) represented the UK).
Multi-Modal Studies
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs are of the London to South West and South Wales Multi-Modal Study, broken down by (a) staff and (b) other costs. [59779]
Mr. Jamieson: The total cost of the London to South West and South Wales MMS is £1.812 million (excluding VAT). This figure incorporates (a) staff and (b) other costs.
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will respond to the MIDMAN multi-modal study. [60313]
Mr. Jamieson: I will respond to the recommendations of this study once we have received advice from both the West Midlands Local Government Association and North West Regional Assembly.
Aerial Tramways
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the viability of aerial tramways in the UK. [59360]
10 Jun 2002 : Column 766W
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
None. It is for local authorities in England to examine all relevant modes of transport to determine the most appropriate solutions for their areas in the context of their local transport plans. My Department undertakes a detailed assessment of any proposal based on the NATA (New Approach To Appraisal) to ensure that any scheme put forward provides not only value for money but also meet wider integrated transport objectives. Separate arrangements, which are outside my Department's responsibility, apply in the rest of the UK and in London this would be a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London.
Severn Crossing
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what policy guidance exists on procedures for restrictions of traffic and closures of the M48 Severn crossing; whether the closures of the M48 Severn crossing are monitored and recorded; and whether a risk assessment of the M48 Severn crossing during adverse weather conditions has been carried out. [60476]
Mr. Jamieson: Operational procedures for restrictions of traffic and closures of the M48 Severn bridge during high winds are agreed between the Avon and Somerset police and the Highways Agency.
Closures are decided by the police, who monitor them by surveillance camera. Severn River Crossing plc keep a record of bridge closures and also monitor wind speeds with anemometers positioned on the bridge.
Current procedures are based on over 30 years of experience of the effect of wind speed and direction on the various types of traffic using the crossing. The Highways Agency is investigating the scope for a formal risk assessment of traffic behaviour on the Severn bridge during adverse weather conditions.
Park and Ride Schemes
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on promoting park and ride schemes; and if he will make a statement. [60078]
Mr. Jamieson: The Government recognise that, under the right circumstances, park and ride can make a valuable contribution to alleviating congestion, improving the environment and promoting accessibility and travel choice. A number of high quality schemes have been introduced in recent years. Such schemes are carefully sited and accessible, offer safe and secure parking, provide clean and comfortable buses and offer a high frequency of service and fast journey times. Local authorities are being encouraged to consider the role that park and ride can play in their local transport plans. The English Historic Towns Forum, in conjunction with my Department, published the current edition of "Good Practice Guide on bus-based Park and Ride" in May 2000.
Cherished Plates
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cherished plates have been transferred in (a) Angus and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years. [60069]
10 Jun 2002 : Column 767W
Mr. Jamieson: No information is kept on the number of cherished plate transfers for Angus. However, Angus is included in the catchment area for the DVLA local office at Dundee. During the last five years, the Dundee office has processed the following number of transfer applications:
| Transfer applications processed | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 3,261 |
| 1997–98 | 3,389 |
| 1998–99 | 3,565 |
| 1999–2000 | 3,771 |
| 2000–01 | 3,714 |
The combined number of applications processed by all five DVLA local offices in Scotland (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness) for the same period was:
| Transfer applications processed | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 21,267 |
| 1997–98 | 22,415 |
| 1998–99 | 23,961 |
| 1999–2000 | 25,748 |
| 2000–01 | 27,928 |
Road Risk
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Work-Related Road Safety Task Group concerning occupational road risk. [60123]
Mr. Jamieson: Further to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Grogan) on 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 801W, I have recently received advice from the Health and Safety Commission on the recommendations made by the Work-Related Road Safety Task Group which we are now considering. A copy of that advice has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Cones Hotline
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many calls the Cones Hotline received in each year since 1995, how many staff were employed on full-time and part-time contracts; and what the running costs for the service were in each year since 1997. [59546]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 24 May 2002]: I have been asked to reply.
The Cones Hotline was discontinued in November 1995.
Birmingham North Relief Road
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what the total projected cost was of the Birmingham North Relief Road agreed between his Department and the consortium that is responsible for it; [59330]
- (2) what estimate his Department has made of changes to road usage that will arise from the opening of the Birmingham North Relief Road; [59331]
10 Jun 2002 : Column 768W
(3) what estimates have been made of the total annual revenue from the Birmingham North Relief Road. [59329]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from G. Rainbow to Mr. Chris Grayling, dated 10 June 2002:
- The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked Tim Matthews to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the projected cost of the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (now known as the M6 Toll Road), the changes to road usage that will arise from the opening of the road and estimates of total annual revenue from it. I am replying in Tim's absence on official business.
- Under the Concession Agreement between the Department and the consortium building the road, Midland Expressway Ltd. (MEL), the cost of constructing the M6 toll falls to MEL as the concessionaire, MEL has awarded a Design and Construct contract for the project to the CAMBBA Construction Group at a cost of £485.5m. MEL will also bear additional costs to cover scheme preparation, land acquisition and financing. The total costs are a commercial issue for MEL and no total projected cost has been agreed with either the Department or the Highways Agency.
- Estimates of changes to road usage because of the M6 Toll were presented in evidence at the Public Inquiry for the scheme. Briefly, it is expected that much of the long distance traffic presently travelling through the West Midlands on the very congested M6 motorway will transfer to M6 Toll. That transfer will allow released capacity on the M6 to be used by traffic currently using congested trunk and local roads within the M6 corridor, thus relieving their overall traffic burden. Traffic flows are expected to increase on some routes which provide access to the new motorway; for example, some sections of the A453 and A5127.
- Estimates of the total annual revenue from the M6 Toll are a commercial matter for MEL as Concessionaire and no details are available.
- If you require any further information, Richard Willson, the Highways Agency's Project Manager for the M6 Toll scheme, would be pleased to help. He can be contacted at the Agency's offices at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL, or by telephone on 0121 678 8267.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |