Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent increase in rail fares by train operators; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tom Harris: Regulated fares, those most used by commuters plus long distance saver return fares are limited to an average increase of 1 per cent. more than inflation. The South Eastern franchise fares regulation is set at inflation +3 per cent. Other fares are unregulated and may be set at the operators’ own commercial discretion. Information on unregulated fares is not collated by the Department for Transport.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of differentiation between peak and off-peak fares and the effects on lower income users of the rail system; and what plans he has to discuss these issues with the train companies.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department has regular discussions with train operators on a range of issues, including fares. Operators may only set regulated fares within prescribed limits. Annual average increases are presently restricted to inflation +1 per cent. except for the South Eastern franchise regulated fares limit of inflation +3 per cent.. Other fares are a commercial matter for operators. Trains compete with other transport modes and so operators have an incentive to price unregulated fares competitively.

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a decision is expected to be made on the scheme to increase railway capacity by 75 per cent. at Reading Station.

Mr. Tom Harris: We are reviewing and discussing with Network Rail the proposals for the enlargement of Reading Station and the track around it. The schemes are linked with Network Rail‘s plans to renew the signalling in the Reading area in 2012. The possible costs are significant and Reading has to be considered against other major calls on rail funding. The Government will publish its High Level Output Specification for the railway in July 2007, setting out the capacity, reliability and safety it expects to buy up to 2014 and stating the funds it will make availablefor this.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he has made to the findings of the National Rail Review for Quarter Two regarding the condition and availability of facilities and services at small and medium-sized rail stations.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department has noted the comments made in the Review.

The Department has initiated a working group with Network Rail, the Association of Train Operating Companies and Passenger Focus to use passenger research to provide guidance to the industry stakeholders on the range of facilities that passengers expect at stations. Network Rail is developing a prioritised delivery plan for improvements to local stations. To expedite this, operators will be encouraged to sign up to the Office of Rail Regulation’s new “Stations Code”, which simplifies and strengthens contractual responsibilities between Network Rail and train operating companies for station maintenance and renewal works.

At many smaller stations, locally initiated schemes will deliver further improvements through partnerships between operators, local authorities and third parties. This has been achieved by the “Riviera Project” in Devon and Cornwall and “Carnforth Connect” in Lancashire.

The ”Access for All” investment programme for improving accessibility at stations is progressing with 92 stations in England and Wales being named to receive assessments for making them fully accessible. Work has been approved at an additional 418 stations as a part of the “Small Schemes” programme for station accessibility improvements.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of how many miles of main and branch line track have been converted to light railway use in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Tom Harris: 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 question.

John Armitt

Chief Executive

Network Rail

40 Melton Street

London NW1 2EE

Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for a direct rail link between Shropshire and London; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the five stages are which apply to the construction of a new piece of railway line; what stage the Kemble to Swindon line has reached; and what the timetable is for completion of that line.

Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the conversion of main and branch line track to light passenger railway use in loss-making areas; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will support the establishment of a rail service between Peterborough and Cambridge; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding will be available in 2007-08 to support the amelioration of traffic congestion for growth areas within the Sustainable Communities Plan; and if he will make a statement.

Ironically , its Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport tommorrow , including the following :

Julie Morgan (Cardiff North): If he will take steps to ensure that there is a frequent railway service from all parts of the UK.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most overcrowded train was on the East Coast main line in the last 12 months.

Mr. Tom Harris: At the time of the most recent passenger census in December 2005, the most heavily loaded train on the East Coast Mainline was the 18.15 from London Kings Cross to Cambridge.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the five stages are which apply to the construction of a new piece of railway line; what stage the Kemble to Swindon line has reached; and what the timetable is for completion of that line.

Mr. Tom Harris: The proposal to redouble the Swindon-Kemble single line is listed in Network Rail’s Business Plan 2006 as infrastructure investment under consideration by Network Rail. My hon. Friend should contact Network Rail’s Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question.

John Armitt

Chief Executive

Network Rail

40 Melton Street

London NW1 2EE

Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding will be available in 2007-08 to support the amelioration of traffic congestion for growth areas within the Sustainable Communities Plan; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We have committed nearly £4 billion of investment in transport infrastructure improvements in the growth areas. Separately, the community infrastructure fund (GIF) will deliver 26 transport schemes specifically aimed at facilitating housing development in these areas. The total GIF fund is £200 million: £50 million to be spent in 2006-07 and £150 million in 2007-08.

In addition, we are supporting (through integrated transport block allocations) investment by local authorities in smaller scale projects, delivered in their local transport plans.

This investment will help to deliver a number of outcomes—including reducing traffic congestion—in order to support the housing development set out in the Sustainable Communities Plan.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the conversion of main and branch line track to light passenger railway use in loss-making areas; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Government do not have a general policy of converting main and branch line track to light rail. In particular circumstances it may be economically sensible to convert lines to light rail as part of a locally promoted scheme (as it was in Manchester for example). Use of lighter rail technology may offer benefits on other lines—but it is primarily for the industry, and especially Network Rail, to determine the benefits of such a change.

Answers :

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish (a) the cost benefit analysis and (b) the appraisal summary table taking account of the five objectives outlined in the New Approach to Appraisal prepared by his Department prior to (i) the award of the Greater Western franchise, (ii) the award of the South Western Trains franchise, (iii) the specification for the new Cross Country franchise and (iv) recent announcements by the Association of Train Operating Companies of fare increases.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department for Transport (DfT) addresses the five objectives outlined in the New Approach to Transport Appraisal in preparing the specification included in the invitation to tender (ITT) for franchise replacements. The specification is the basis upon which bids are assessed, and the submission of the successful bidder needs to demonstrate that it represents value for money.

The business case analysis that supports the development of the franchise specifications is not published, although the rationale behind changes is communicated through stakeholder meetings and stakeholder briefing documents.

The decision has been taken to maintain the status quo in relation to fares policy with an average increase of RPI+1 per cent. for regulated fares. It is for individual train operators to set regulated fares within the constraints imposed by regulation, while unregulated fares may be set on a commercial basis. DfT does not appraise the decisions that individual train operators make.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the New Approach to Appraisal is routinely applied when his Department specifies and awards rail franchises.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department for Transport routinely applies recognised appraisal methods in the specifying and awarding of rail franchises that are consistent with the New Approach to Transport Appraisal.

Questions :

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake not to approve any franchise agreement for the East Coast Main Line which would reduce services to Durham station.

Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to assist in ensuring that the determination of the franchise for South West Trains to Stagecoach is sustainable in the long term; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost was of supplying 2,900 extra cycling spaces at stations, as referred to on page 132 of his Department's annual report 2006.

Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the likely expenditure in each of the next four years.

Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role his Department played in the recent major reconfiguration of the timetable introduced by First Great Western.

Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints he has received in relation to First Great Western's new timetable.

Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers he has to seek reversals of railway timetable changes that may (a) breach commitments given in the franchise process and (b) be contrary to the interests of passengers.

Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much capital spending Network Rail has allocated to each of its mainline stations over the past 10 years; and what its plans are for future such spending in each station.
 
Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Network Rail's proposals for development at Lime St Station, Liverpool.

Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of road and rail links to the port of Liverpool.

Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bicycles were reported stolen from railway stations in each year since 1997 (a) before and (b) after the Department's cycle parking space programme was implemented.

Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much it has cost to employ Sir Rod Eddington as an adviser.

Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of c2c's performance in managing the rail network in southern Essex.

Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he intends to take in the next 12 months to champion the issue of driving while at work across Government.

Answers :

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the £8 billion announced on 18 December 2006 will be allocated to local transport authorities in each year covered by the allocation.

Gillian Merron: All the funding is for local transport capital and the £8 billion total is for five financial years (2006-07 to 2010-11). It consists of three funding streams allocated in different ways.

Firstly, funding for integrated transport improvements (approximately £2.9 billion) is being allocated according to three factors:

(i) a formula, which considers local transport pressures;

(ii) the distribution of the equivalent funding in the previous five years (of most importance for the earlier years); and

(iii) the Department for Transport’s classifications of the quality of the forward local transport plans and the delivery of the previous plans.

Secondly, funding for highways capital maintenance (approximately £3.6 billion) is being allocated largely according to a formula which considers pressures for road, bridge and (from 2007-08 onwards) street lighting capital maintenance. A small proportion (less than 10 per cent.) of the funding is being allocated in response to bids from local authorities for specific projects, mainly for strengthening bridges on main roads.

Thirdly, funding for major projects (in almost all cases each costing more than £5 million) is allocated in response to bids from local authorities. For 2007-08 onwards decisions about which projects are funded are being influenced by advice from regional bodies. The exact funding levels for local authority projects depend on the priorities in each region between trunk road and local authority schemes. On the basis of the previous distribution, £2 billion to £2.5 billion of local authority projects would be funded over the five years.

More details about the allocation process are published on the Department for Transport’s website under the local transport capital settlement 2006 heading at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_localtrans/documents/divisionhomepage/032393.hcsp and under the regional funding allocation heading at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_localtrans/documents/divisionhomepage/039134.hcsp

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the £3 billion announced on 18 December 2006 for the local transport capital settlement includes the £1.6 billion from the previous year.

Gillian Merron: The £3 billion of funding announced on 18 December 2006 does not include the £1.6 billion settlement made for 2006-07.

The £3 billion consists of:

(i) allocations totalling £1.254 billion for 2007-08 to support integrated transport improvements and highways capital maintenance; and

(ii) indicative allocations for integrated transport totalling just short of £1.8 billion for 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions since he has held his present office when he has used (a) rail services, (b) the London Underground, (c) tram or light railway services and (d) buses in connection with his ministerial duties.

Gillian Merron [pursuant to the reply, 11 December 2006, Official Report, c. 736W]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also made one journey on a light railway service in connection with his ministerial duties since he was appointed to his present office.

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used (a) Bentley, (b) Fleet, (c) Hook, (d) Winchfield and (e) Liphook railway stations in 2005-06; how many passengers he expects to use each station in each of the next 10 years; and what plans he has to change capacity at these stations.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department does not have definitive figures of passenger use, however, the following figures for passenger use of the listed stations have been derived from the LENNON system in line with industry practice.
 
Bentley 93,435
 
Fleet 1,370,363
 
Hook 516,508
 
Winchfield 286,402
 
Liphook 431,499
 
With regards to future usage, the Network Rail Route Utilisation Strategy assumed a growth on 20 per cent. over 10 years. The Department in letting the new South Western franchise asked bidders to. develop innovative means to manage the expected increase in capacity.

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish annual data for the consumption of fuel by (a) train and (b) freight operating companies.

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department currently has no plans to publish this information. However, through the cross-industry Rail Sustainable Development Group, the passenger and freight rail sectors intend to report annually, starting in 2007, on their performance against a range of sustainability measures. This is expected to include data on diesel and electricity consumption.

In addition, the Office of Rail Regulation recently consulted on discharging its sustainable development and environmental duties including through the regular publication of key rail performance indicators such as energy consumption. ORR will publish its draft conclusions in February 2007 with final conclusions following in May.

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport further to his announcement of 19 December 2006, on Thameslink, how many people are employed on the project team; and what the expected annual cost is of the team.

Mr. Tom Harris: Network Rail currently employ 170 staff on the Thameslink Project. The current projected annual direct cost of this team is in the order of £8 million. Their primary objective is to progress the development of the project so a more robust decision can be made in the summer of 2007 as to whether to proceed with the implementation of the project following the conclusions of the cross Government Comprehensive Spending Review and the development of the new high level output specification for Network Rail.

Answers :

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of road and rail links to the port of Liverpool.

Dr. Ladyman: The existing trunk road access to the port of Liverpool at Seaforth is provided by the A5036. A study undertaken by the Highways Agency has concluded that journey times on the existing A5036 are not reliable and that this position will get progressively worse overtime.

The North West Regional Planning Assessment (RPA) for the railway and the Network Rail route utilisation strategies for the North West and Freight assess the current provision and likely future needs for freight on the railways, including the Port of Liverpool. The North West RPA was published in October 2006 and consultation drafts of both route utilisation strategies have been issued.

However, even taking into account the potential of rail, the Highways Agency believe that the existing road network would be inadequate to cater for the expected growth of the port. They are now developing options for improving road access to the port. It is envisaged that any scheme identified will be funded from the regional funding allocation.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total level of Network Rail’s debt guaranteed by the Government are; what the annual interest charge on that debt is; and what proportion of that debt has been repaid in the past 12 months.

Mr. Tom Harris: The credit support arrangements for Network Rail’s Medium Term Note programme are capped at £10 billion principal, while the unused long-term contingency buffer is capped at £4 billion principal. There is no similar limit on the financial indemnity to support Network Rail’s Debt Issuance Programme (DIP). However, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has included in Network Rail’s licence a condition that limits NR’s borrowing under the DIP to 90 per cent. of its regulatory asset base (RAB). If DIP debt reaches 85 per cent. of the RAB, Network Rail have to provide ORR with an action plan of how to reduce debt below this level. The most recent public reporting of this ratio was contained in the ORR’s “Q2 06-07 Network Rail Monitor”, published on 13 November 2006, in which NR’s total debt was reported as being equal to 74.6 per cent. of the RAB. This, and a number of other controls, limit the Secretary of State’s exposure under the financial indemnity.

Network Rail’s interim financial statements for the six months ended 30 September 2006 reported the company’s net debt as £17.929 billion, compared to £16.750 billion at 30 September 2005.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 December 2006, Official Report, column 1269W, on passenger transport authorities, if he will provide the details of each of the applications he is considering.

Gillian Merron: 60 appeals were lodged with the Secretary of State against the reimbursement arrangements set up by the travel concession authority in respect of concessionary travel schemes introduced on 1 April 2006. Determinations have been made for 16 of these, and 15 appeals were withdrawn. Subsequently, a further three appeals have been made following variations to local schemes during the 2006-07 financial year.

It would not be appropriate to give full details of each of the applications while they are under consideration. However, for those where a decision is pending, a list of the schemes appealed against, and the applicants for each, are listed in the following table:

Scheme Operator
Bristol area Diamond Travelcard Scheme
First Bristol jointly with First Somerset and Avon

Centra Passenger Transport Executive (PTE)
Birmingham Coach Company

Centra PTE
Midland Red South

Centra PTE
West Midlands Travel

Devon Countywide
First Devon and Cornwall

Devon Countywide
Stagecoach Devon

Dorset Countywide
Stagecoach Devon

East Sussex (Sussex Countywide)
Stagecoach South

Greater Manchester PTE
First Manchester

Greater Manchester PTE
GM Buses Ltd

Greater Manchester PTE
Green Triangle Buses

Greater Manchester PTE
Stagecoach Manchester

Greater Manchester PTE
Stagecoach North West

Greater Manchester PTE
Vales Coaches

Gloucestershire Countywide
Red and White Services Ltd

Gloucestershire Countywide
Stagecoach West

Hampshire Countywide
First Hampshire and Dorset

Hampshire Countywide
Wilts and Dorset Bus

Harrogate (for York UA)
First York

Merseytravel
First PMT

Norfolk Countywide
Anglian Bus

Norfolk Countywide
First Eastern Counties

Norfolk Countywide
Norfolk Green

Redditch Borough
First Midland Red

Suffolk Countywide
Anglian Bus

Suffolk Countywide
First Eastern Counties

South Yorkshire PTE
First South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire PTE
Yorkshire Traction with Yorkshire Terrier and Barnsley and District

West Yorkshire PTE
First West Yorkshire jointly with First Manchester and First South Yorkshire

Appeals from October 2006 (deferred pending further local negotiations)
 
Oxford City Council
Oxford Bus Company

Oxford City Council
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire

Appeals from January 2007 (the validity of this appeal is being assessed)
 
Bristol area Diamond Travelcard Scheme
First Bristol Ltd jointly with First Somerset and Avon Ltd

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Network Rail's proposals for development at Lime Street station, Liverpool.

Mr. Tom Harris: The development work at Liverpool Lime Street station is a high priority in the Liverpool City Region Development Plan (LCDP) and is being carried out by Network Rail, Merseytravel, Liverpool Vision and Liverpool city council. This development work at the station has been specified by these parties and it is their responsibility.

Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the Severn Bridge Toll Company to facilitate the introduction of credit and debit card payment for toll crossings on the Severn Bridge crossings.

Dr. Ladyman: The issue of card payments is reviewed regularly by the Highways Agency, the Concessionaire (Severn River Crossing plc) and the Government’s representative.

The last discussions were held on the 22 November 2006, at the quarterly review meeting for the concession. The Government’s representative provided a summary briefing to the Highways Agency on 27 November. No decisions have been taken.

Questions :

Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what appraisal was made of the (a) environmental and (b) social benefits of each franchise let by his Department in the past two years; and what weighting was given to those appraisals in agreeing the contractual terms of the franchise agreement.

Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment of the (a) social and (b) environmental implications of each passenger rail franchise is made by his Department in setting the specification for bidders.