HL Deb 29 October 2002 vol 640 cc30-2WA
Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What role PA Consulting play in monitoring the installation of speed cameras under the new netting off procedure. [H L6072]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston:

PA Consulting advises the Safety Camera Project Board in all aspects of the netting off scheme. Operational cases, including camera deployment strategy, must be submitted to and approved by the Safety Camera Project Board.

Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much PA Consulting is being paid for its work in connection with the netting off procedure for speed cameras; and whether the award was made by competitive tender. [H L6073]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston:

As a result of competitive tender, PA Consulting is currently engaged on a contract of £1,169,450 (excluding VAT) for work associated with netting off in England and Wales. This is funded from the DfT road safety research budget as part of monitoring the road safety effects of speed and traffic light enforcement cameras.

Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many requests for new speed cameras remain to be cleared by the project board responsible for the netting off procedure; and when the backlog is expected to be cleared. [HL6074]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston:

There are currently no applications pending to join the safety camera netting off scheme. Any new partnerships wishing to join the scheme in April 2003 must provide outline operational cases by the end of November. Around 15 areas are expected to do so.

Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the same criteria for the selection of speed camera sites are used in all 10 trial areas. [HL6075]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston:

There were eight trial areas. Site selection criteria were identical for all.

Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

If one speed camera trial area previously had many sites and another had few sites, whether the fact that the former may forecast lower rates of return will be taken into account even though it may still meet the new criteria for siting new speed cameras. [HL6076]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston:

It is accepted that different areas will join netting off with varying levels of existing enforcement. This means that performance in terms of a reduction in those killed and seriously injured (KSI) will vary in each case. However, any partnership seeking to join the netting off scheme must project a minimum reduction in KSIs of at least 10 per cent over the average of the previous three years.