§ 29. Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley)What representations he has received on congestion charging. [47651]
§ The Minister of Transport (Dr. Gavin Strang)Congestion charging was one of the range of options that were raised in the Government's consultation exercise on developing an integrated transport policy. A number of respondents commented on it. We continue to receive representations and correspondence on the subject from a wide range of sources.
§ Mr. EvansDoes the Minister appreciate that rural motorists are concerned about two new car taxes: being taxed every time they enter major towns, and being charged to park outside supermarkets and the place where they work? Does the Minister appreciate that many rural people use their car as a necessity, not as the luxury, and that they have to go into major towns and cities because that is where the services and jobs are? Do rural motorists have to club together to pay for a lobbyist who can have a word with one of the aides in Downing street, so that he can make that telephone call on their behalf, before this Government really listen to their concerns?
§ Dr. StrangFirst, we are consulting on these policies, as the hon. Gentleman knows, and will announce our decisions in the forthcoming White Paper. Secondly, of course, the situation of people living in rural areas is different, transport wise, from that of people living in urban areas. If we were to adopt any of these policies, including some of the policies that the previous Government advocated in their Green Paper, it would be only on the basis of the fullest consultation. I remind him that this Government have done more than the previous Government to help people living in rural areas, not least because of the huge subsidy increase that we have announced for rural bus services.
§ Mrs. Anne Campbell (Cambridge)Does my right hon. Friend agree that, although congestion metering could certainly help in some cases to reduce congestion in town centres, there is a danger that such metering will not reduce the traffic level, but simply spread the traffic throughout the day, so that there is not a peak in the 854 morning and evening? Does he agree that that should not be the main objective of the Government's transport strategy? The main objective is to reduce the level of private transport and to make integrated public transport beneficial and available to everyone.
§ Dr. StrangMy hon. Friend raises a number of important points. Surely the whole House agrees that the real issue is to tackle congestion and pollution. We cannot go on the way that we are. We want to create an environment in which people can use their car, but in a way where there is no congestion. That means pursuing policies that make it easier for people to use their car less.
§ Mr. Bernard Jenkin (North Essex)Is the Minister aware that the average weekly shop weighs 601b? Are we to expect poorer housewives, or indeed poorer househusbands, who cannot afford congestion taxes to take their shopping on and off the bus? Does he agree that a policy of extra taxes for the Chancellor of the Exchequer that is aimed at forcing poorer households off the road, in favour of fat-cat commuters in their gas-powered Jaguars, is not acceptable?
§ Dr. StrangI do not think that the hon. Gentleman is impressing anyone with that sort of rhetoric. Let me make it clear that of course we recognise that there are a whole range of journeys, particularly shopping and shopping with young children, where the car will be a convenient and flexible mode of transport. However, that does not mean that we do not have to address what is happening. On the basis of present trends and with unchanged policies, traffic on our roads is predicted to increase by over a third over the next 20 years. We cannot go on like that. The Government are prepared to bite the bullet and we will put forward our proposals later this month.
§ 30. Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster, Central)If he will estimate the cost per year of traffic congestion. [47652]
§ Dr. StrangRoad congestion imposes costs on the environment, the economy and society. Estimates of the cost to the economy vary. For example, the Confederation of British Industry estimated that congestion cost the British economy some £15 billion in 1989. A more recent estimate by National Economic Research Associates put the costs to road users in 1996 at £7 billion.
§ Ms WintertonDoes my right hon. Friend agree that one of the key ways of reducing the cost of traffic congestion would be to improve bus services? In view of my right hon. Friend's previous answer, can he reassure the House that the forthcoming White Paper will address some of the problems created by the previous Government's deregulation policies which, in my constituency, mean that the local bus company, Mainline, has withdrawn a number of bus services against the wishes of local people and the South Yorkshire passenger transport authority? That is forcing people into their cars and increasing congestion and all the costs that go with that.
§ Dr. StrangYes, I can give my hon. Friend the assurance that she seeks. For many people who do not live in the London area and who do not live near a railway station, the only public transport option is the bus service. 855 That is why we attach so much importance to supporting buses. It is why we increased the fuel duty rebate and announced a virtual doubling of the subsidy available to rural bus services. It is why the bus operators described the last Budget as the best Budget the bus industry has ever had.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard (South-West Norfolk)Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that, in opposition, his party's view of reducing congestion by widening the M25 close to the proposed terminal 5 near Heathrow was that it represented £100 million-worth of motorway madness? What is his view now?
§ Dr. StrangI am sure that the right hon. Lady appreciates that we will be publishing our White Paper in the next couple of weeks. Following that, we will be publishing the result of the roads review. As I am sure she understands, we are appraising all the road schemes and will be announcing our decisions in the near future.
§ 31. Mr. Andrew Dismore (Hendon)What proportion of the trunk road network on current forecasts will be overloaded with traffic in 20 years' time. [47653]
§ Dr. StrangI have today placed in the Library of the House of Commons maps showing the extent of traffic congestion on the trunk road network. Based on 1997 national road traffic forecasts, they show that, on present trends and unchanged policies, the proportion of the trunk road network which experiences regular congestion during peak periods is expected to increase from 14 per cent. in 1996 to 26 per cent. in 2016.
§ Mr. DismoreIs my right hon. Friend aware that in Hendon we have some of the busiest parts of the trunk network in London, with the A1, the M1, the A41 the A5 and the north circular? Is he aware that my constituents are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of ever-growing traffic levels, which can often be made worse by schemes such as that proposed by the Highways Agency for the Five Ways corner A1–A41 interchange, which will turn grass verges into road space? Will my right hon. Friend assure me that the views of local residents will be fully taken into account before any final decisions are made about the scheme? Does my right hon. Friend welcome, as I do, the Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Bill which points the way forward for tackling pollution and congestion in the years ahead?
§ Dr. StrangI can give my hon. Friend the assurance that he seeks. I am grateful to him for giving me advance notice of this question. I know that he is greatly concerned about the number of injuries at that junction in his constituency. The Highways Agency is working on plans. My hon. Friend needs to be consulted, and I can assure him that we want to move forward and produce a scheme that meets the needs of the local community, particularly the needs of pedestrians in the area.
§ Mr. Matthew Taylor (Truro and St. Austell)The figures show how important it is that the White Paper brings about a real change of direction in transport policy. Is the Minister aware that local authorities have been given a deadline of 31 July to submit their transport plans 856 for the coming year, yet they have not yet seen the White Paper and are unlikely to do so until very shortly before 31 July? Could they be given time to amend their plans, so that there can be a change of policy before the millennium rather than after it?
§ Dr. StrangThe hon. Gentleman raises a good point. I shall consider it and write to him. Local authorities already understand that the Government want a much greater emphasis on public transport and want policies that enable people to choose to use public transport rather than cars and, where appropriate, to walk or cycle. We have already announced those policies and are getting responses from local authorities. However, I shall consider the hon. Gentleman's suggestion.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich)Is my right hon. Friend aware that if he were to persuade the Treasury that by using congestion charging and motorway tolling directly hypothecated for transport schemes, he could give everybody in this country clean, safe and modern transport almost immediately? If he is not doing so, why not?
§ Dr. StrangAs always, my hon. Friend raises an important point. The White Paper will deal with the whole issue of charging, including tolling. We still have some years to go before we could put in place, with the necessary technology, a modern, advanced system of tolling that would be efficient and reliable and would not result in people being billed for journeys that they had not made.
§ Mr. Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar)Where hypothecation relates to local authorities, is the right hon. Gentleman aware of their despair at the Treasury's suggestion that those hypothecated sums be taken into consideration when determining revenue support grant, whether or not local authorities raise the hypothecated sums? If that is true, would not it be a clear example of the Government giving with one hand and taking away with the other?
§ Dr. StrangThe hon. Gentleman should not believe all the rumours that he reads about in the newspapers. Nevertheless, he raises an important point. If we were to give local authorities discretionary powers to introduce some form of charging, they would win popular support only if the bulk of the money were available for investment in local transport.
§ Mr. Christopher Leslie (Shipley)May I draw to my right hon. Friend's attention the fact that the A650, which runs through Bingley main street in my constituency, is already one of the most congested A roads in the country? I welcome the Government's plans to reduce congestion—especially the focus on integrated public transport and other environmentally friendly measures—and ask him to consider the proposed Bingley relief road scheme as part of the roads review. What is his view of the Conservative Government's record of failing to deal with congestion and overloaded transport networks?
§ Dr. StrangI congratulate my hon. Friend on the single-minded and effective way that he has campaigned for a Bingley relief road. How could we hold a roads 857 review without giving it the deepest consideration? I assure him that we will consider it, and I will be announcing our decision shortly.