§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many calls and complaints have been received by the cones hotline in each month since its inception(a) relating to the east midlands and (b) nationally; and how many of them resulted in cones being removed in each category;
(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the cones hotline; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Watts[holding answers 18 July and 26 October 19941]: As the cones hotline is now an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mr. Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Paddy Tipping dated 28 October 1994:
You asked the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Cones Hotline; and if he will make a statement. As this is an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I am replying to your question.The Cones Hotline was established in June 1992. It gives motorists direct access to the Highway Agency responsible for the motorway and trunk road network in England.It is covered by the Highways Agency's "Road User's Charter", which sets out standards of service for the road network. In following this, the Highways Agency undertakes to deal with Hotline enquiries as efficiently as possible and, if it is established that there is no good reason for cones to be present, we undertake to have them removed.You also asked for specific information on the Cones Hotline.At 20 October 1994 this year, the total number of calls received by the Cones Hotline since its inception was 10,027. Of these, 5,141 have been pursued as formal complaints for requests for information. We cannot provide information by area for the remainder of the calls as they were resolved over the phone.Monthly figures nationally, and for the East Midlands, are set out over:
National East Midlands Up to 31.3.94 1,791 165 April 546 49 May 549 30 June 625 31 July 495 22 August 377 29 September 484 24 October (to 20.10.94) 274 19 5,141 369 There have been three cases where enquiries established that cones should not have been in place and were therefore removed. In all cases cones have been found to have been present for sound operational or safety reasons.I hope this information is helpful.