§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average cost is in(a) overall terms and (b) cost per mile of light rail schemes (i) under consideration by the Government and (ii) in development. [19347]
§ Ms KeebleThe capital costs of light rail lines will depend on a significant number of factors. These include land prices, whether the route is segregated or contains street running sections, the degree of double tracking along a section of route, whether there is a need for major works such as tunnels or bridges as well as the extent of wider impacts such as utility diversions. Cost figures will also include vehicles. An average cost figure per kilometre across all schemes is therefore not particularly meaningful. The table sets out a very crude calculation of the capital cost per kilometre of light rail schemes that are currently under development using the latest figures for the overall capital costs of the relevant scheme divided by the length of the route. The figures are given in cash terms.
£ million Scheme Overall capital cost Capital cost per km Sunderland Extension to Tyne and Wear Metro1 100 5.41 Nottingham Express Transit2 149 13.8 Manchester Metrolink phase 33 513 8.9 Leeds Supertram: three lines3 484 17.3 South Hampshire Light Rail3 190 13.3 Merseytram 215 11.3 Stockport extension to Manchester Metrolink 61.5 7.24 Midland Metro extensions to Birmingham centre and Wednesbury to Brierly Hill 165 11.1 Bristol and South Glos. light rail 190 11.2 1 Due to open March 2002 2 Due to open in 2003 3 Construction to start in 2003
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 November 2001,Official Report, column 498W, on light rail and tram schemes, which other schemes could open before 2006. [19132]
§ Ms KeebleIn view of the need to obtain powers under the Transport and Works Act, to carry out a tendering process and to construct the new lines, we do not currently expect lines other than those identified in my previous reply to be open by 2006
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average estimated length of time is from first submission of a proposal to the Department to completion of a new light rail project independent of an existing system. [19351]
21W
§ Ms KeebleLight rail systems typically take many years of planning and promoters are encouraged to discuss their ideas with the Department at an early stage. Accordingly, it is hard to identify precisely first submission of a proposal. The table shows the period between funding being approved and the opening of schemes in operation.
Scheme Year of firm funding approval Year opened Croydon 1997 2000 Midland Metro 1995 1999 South Yorkshire Supertram 1990 1994–95 Manchester Metrolink line 1 1989 1992