Monday 29 March 2010
Lorry Drivers: Licensing
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 15 March 2010, Official Report, column 621W, on the Traffic Commissioners, how many heavy goods licences have been amended or revoked following representations from local authorities in the last 12 months. [324826]
Paul Clark: From April 2009 to date the traffic commissioners have reviewed six goods vehicle operator’s licences under section 30 of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 as a result of complaints received from local authorities and/or local residents. Of these, four resulted in licences being continued with amendments and two were allowed to continue without change.
Taxis: Guide Dogs
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will make it his policy to collect through his Department’s surveys of licensing authorities data on the number of taxi and private hire drivers with exemptions from statutory duties to carry guide and other assistance dogs. [324698]
Mr. Khan: These data are already collected from local authorities in our biennial local authority taxi survey. Figures have not been included in any publication but are available on request.
Buses
Question asked by Lord Berkeley
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial contribution they have committed to the Cambridge guided busway project; what is its expected opening date; what is the estimated outturn cost; and whether they intend to contribute further funding to the project. [HL3036]
The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Department for Transport’s contribution has been capped at a maximum of £92.5 million. There is no intention to contribute further to this scheme. When approved in 2006 the scheme had an expected outturn cost of £116.3 million. I understand that Cambridgeshire County Council has recently indicated that the total may now fall between £140 million and £145 million.
I also understand that the council is in regular contact with the guided busway contractors regarding establishing an opening date.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Cycling: Accidents
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many cyclists have been (a) injured and (b) killed in road accidents in London in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009 and (iv) 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement. [325154]
Paul Clark: The number of pedal cyclists injured and killed in reported road accidents in London in 2007 and 2008 are shown in the following table. Data is not available yet for 2009 and 2010. Data for 2009 will be published in June 2010. Similarly, data for 2010 will be published in 2011.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100330/text/100330w0005.htm#10033063000001
Although the overall number of reported pedal cycle casualties increased slightly in 2008, this is against a background of a general upward trend in cycling traffic.
Measures to make roads safer for cyclists include providing better infrastructure, funding cycle training, improved training and testing for motorists and encouraging cyclists to protect themselves, by making themselves conspicuous and by wearing a safety helmet.
Other initiatives such as anti drink/drug-drive and speeding campaigns, the provision of 20 mph zones and new measures on goods vehicles mirrors can also contribute to cyclist safety.
Railways: Accidents
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) collisions and (b) near misses between trains and road vehicles on level crossings have resulted in disruption to rail services in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [325149]
Chris Mole: Collisions between trains and road vehicle on the railways are reported to the independent Office of Rail Regulation under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95).
The Office of Rail Regulation has provided the information shown in the following table:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100330/text/100330w0006.htm
Near misses are not reportable under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Office of Rail Regulation data on service disruption resulting from railway incidents would include disruption due to pedestrian-train collisions, acts of vandalism and cable theft, and cannot be disaggregated to the level of detail requested. However, it is likely that all collisions between trains and road vehicles at level crossings will have caused some degree of disruption to rail services.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) drivers and (b) passengers of (i) trains and (ii) vehicles have been (A) injured and (B) killed in collisions on level crossings between trains and road vehicles in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [325151]
Chris Mole: Accidents and incidents on the railways are reported to the independent Office of Rail Regulation under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95).
The Office of Rail Regulation has provided the information shown in the following table:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100330/text/100330w0006.htm
Roads: Accidents
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many pedestrians have been (a) killed and (b) injured in accidents on roads in Greater London in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009 and (iv) 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement. [325310]
Paul Clark: The number of pedestrians killed and injured in reported road accidents in London in 2007 and 2008 are shown in the following table. Data are not available yet for 2009 and 2010. Data for 2009 will be published in June 2010. Similarly, data for 2010 will be published in 2011.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100330/text/100330w0006.htm
Measures to make roads safer for pedestrians include providing better infrastructure, promoting child pedestrian training, improved training and testing for motorists and advice and guidance to pedestrians in The Highway Code on crossing the road and making themselves conspicuous.
Other initiatives such as anti drink/drug-drive and speeding campaigns, the provision of 20 mph zones can also contribute to pedestrian safety.
We are also promoting wider use of 20 mph zones in residential areas and roads with high cycle and pedestrian activity and we are intending to publish revised guidance for local highway authorities.
